Mini Digger - which one to choose

The_Bullman

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum but I thought this was more a construction issue than a diy one.


Myself and the Da are looking into investing for a mini digger for various bits and bobs about the place. He's into planting trees quite a bit. I'm hoping to start a self build next year. We also have other odd jobs to do about the place. Also, we've to get cracking on ground works for a small farm shed in the next few weeks.

Because of this we've been looking at buying a mini digger.

We're looking into the cheaper end of the market but hoping to get a decent machine at the end of the day.

Has anyone any experience in the mini digger market? Or general manufacturer guidelines. At the moment we're looking at a 2002 CAT 3 ton machine. We have looked at hitatchi, jcb, and bobcat diggers too but we're leaning towards the cat. Are we looking at the right machine?

Oh - and is there anything that we should be looking at on the machine? I can spot well worn tracks but apart from that I'm fairly clueless.

fox man

cats are good diggers but overrated probably the most exspensive. tacheuchi do excellent mini diggers go for a 3 tonne you can dig foundations and its good for gardening 1.5 tonne is too small. volvo also do great diggers i'm driving diggers a few years and i'd swear by volvos and tacheuchi for mini diggers bobcat ok but a bit weak seen the boom crack on them before

muffler

The_Bullman wrote:

I'm not sure if this is the correct forum but I thought this was more a construction issue than a diy one.

Its not for this forum either but Im damned if I know where to put it. I could move it to DIY or even Farming & Forestry but I will wait for 24 hours to see if there are any replies.

Or smashey might have a place for it

Cheiftan

I'd back up what foxman says, I work with and hire a lot of plant and from what better informed lads than me say the cat ain't all its cracked up to be, if you are trying to track forwards/backwards , slew and work the dipper arm and bucket it won't allow you , it just starts to shudder, something to do with pumps i'm told.

Tacheuichi are by far the best out there for pure digging power and don't have the problems outlined above with the cat , also cat diggers are'nt the greatest for fuel economy whereas Tacheuichi would be good in that department.

Volvo and bobcat just don't have the grunt that Tacheuichi and from what our fitter here has just told me the Tacheuichi is a dream to work on maintenence wise over the others. Tacheuichi it is then. Try and get one with rubber tracks, won't mark blacktop or concrete if you track over it and easier to put back on if you throw a track.

bbam

Hi..
How about a wheeled digger, you should be able to get a good 3cx, possibly 4wd for <10K. Wouldnt it be more flexable, possibly better reach with the boom and then there's the front bucket, if you get one with pallet forks it would be great or handling goods on site/farm..
Cheers..
bam

squire1

Stay away from the JCB mini diggers anyway. From experience they are the greatest heap of muck around. The are grand mechanically but have very jerkey controls and horrible to drive.

I'll back up what the others are saying about the takeuchi, its is the machine of choice for many hire companies so that says a lot. As far as I know ACE Machinery are the agents in the ROI for them so a call to them in Portlaoise might be of some benefit in sourcing a good second hand unit. Deici are the agents in N.I. so they might be worth a call too.

thierrys other hand

i'm a bit late here!!
did you get a digger back then? what did you go for ? any use ?
i'm looking to buy a mini digger at the moment and seen a 2002 case cx the other day but know nothing about them. takuch sounds like the best overall but seem to cost twice the price of anything else - well out of my budget.
all the best