Buying a Mini Digger 4ton or less

Farls · 16-02-2009 6:04pm #1

Hi all,

I'm currently in the market for a mini digger, ideally a 4ton I think would suit, possibly a bit less.

I am looking for some comments on what make/model to go for and what to expect to pay, I have a budget up to 15k but would prefer to spend 10k or less if I could! I know about the auctions etc but haven't had time to go to any of them as of yet.

At the moment I'm looking at the hitachi ex40's and 30's and I'm hearing a lot about Yanmars? Anyone any experience or advice on where to look/buy?

I'm looking at the 01-03 models, rubber tracks, blade, low hours and well maintained ie. no x hires.

Cheers

Jonty · 16-02-2009 10:16pm

Don't forget to look at kubota diggers. Stay away from Komatsu mini diggers.

Farls · 17-02-2009 10:50am

Jonty wrote: »

Don't forget to look at kubota diggers. Stay away from Komatsu mini diggers.

I have an eye on them as well, what would be the 'best in class' though? I see a lot of teckna's I think they are called, bit like an ursus tractor I'm taking it?!

J.C.BAMFORD · 20-02-2009 9:15pm

Takeuchi mini diggers are supposed to be one of the best out there at the moment. Try fwww.farmandplant.ie, some decent looking machines on there. If your going to be travelling any bit of distance at all, make sure you have two-speed tracking, but that is generally standard on machines that are fairly new.

carrielou · 05-03-2009 10:26pm

Folks, can ye tell me if you are going to buy a mini digger how can you check that there is no outstanding hire purchase finance on the machine. Also how can you check that it is not stolen. Thanks

Puncell · 06-03-2009 3:51am

yip,

keep away from komatsu, and cat.too dear anyway....

in my opinion you wont go too far wrong with either a yanmar, hanix or tacucchi....
i have a hanix and its a nmighty machine.....i wanted a yanmar but this machine just came along at the right time and shes sweet....

Farls · 06-03-2009 10:56am

Puncell wrote: »

yip,

keep away from komatsu, and cat.too dear anyway....

in my opinion you wont go too far wrong with either a yanmar, hanix or tacucchi....
i have a hanix and its a nmighty machine.....i wanted a yanmar but this machine just came along at the right time and shes sweet....

Where would the hitachi's rate in there?

Is there any known problem area's I should be lookin for/at when I go to look about a machine?

I'll have a man that has drove diggers all his life with me but just in case!

Cheers

JohnBoy · 06-03-2009 10:59am

from what little I know from hiring them a few times and talking to the hire dudes the takeuchi is supposed to be one of the best.

The guy I've hired from the last few times reckons the hanix are one of the worst (sorry puncell, only passing on what I've heard from a dude who's opinion I've come to trust)

But that said I've hired a hanix once or twice and had no complaints.

Puncell · 07-03-2009 4:27am

Farls wrote: »

Where would the hitachi's rate in there?

Is there any known problem area's I should be lookin for/at when I go to look about a machine?

I'll have a man that has drove diggers all his life with me but just in case!

Cheers

Hitachis are up there with the best but lad, you'll pay for them and parts are a wee bit more expensive.
Basically with CAT,and Hitachi - your paying for the name.

Puncell · 07-03-2009 4:39am

a couple the important things that should be checked when checking out a mini are.

The undercarrage - this is underneath the cab - the swivel point, need to inspect this for any cracks or has it been welded - and if it was welded was it welded correctly, this is a big thing so have a good look at this.
Diggers that are abused and used for lifting heavy loads weith chains or too heavy loads may have damage here.

The engine - the usual things to watch out for here.
if your going to look at one, tell them on the phone first not too have the engine running or warm before you get there, ie. you want to hear it start from cold. check for back-pressure on the engine also.

The tracks - check for wear on both the tracks and the rollers - tracks are expensive and could cost anything from €400 up to wateva you want to pay...

A good selection of buckets with good teeth.

Farls · 07-03-2009 3:08pm

Priceless advice there Puncell, cheers.

I see nobody has mentioned JCB's or Volvo's here either?

eddiemc5 · 14-03-2009 9:34pm

hey, i'm in the market for a mini digger as well. need a 4 tonne machine or similar. Would i pick up a relativley new machine for 8 or 9k ??? Thanks

Puncell · 15-03-2009 7:28am

4 tonne 8-9 K, expect to get something around a 97 or 98.....but not many yanmars out there at that price for that money......plebty of komatsus!doh

youd get an older yanmar for that money though...better job

Scober11 · 15-03-2009 8:51pm

Mate of mine has a Volvo and thinks its great, they would have hired a lot of different makes and models before making a decision yet they never hired a Volvo so make of that what you will!

Farls · 16-03-2009 11:02am

Like Puncell said, better buy a bit older but an overall better machine. I still haven't purchased yet. Waiting for another auction to come up at the end of this month and I'm keeping an eye on autotrader, buy and sell, the dealer and mascus.com. For 8 or 9k I wouldn't be expecting anything > 00 though, I'm aiming for the same money myself but it will have to be a gud deal!!

leitrim lad · 02-04-2009 9:07pm

well lads , i run a fleet of machines, have tried them all and i can tellyou stay away from the following in a mini digger
komatsu,hanix,hitachi, pel job, kobuta,cat ,terex,nueson,daewoo,doosan
the best mini digger on the market at the minute is no doubt about it tackeuchi and the size you are looking fot is the tb145 a fantastic machine like an extention to your arms driving one, does exactly what you want,
as for the hitachi ex40 or anything below an ex60 is scrap, ex 60 is a great machine but anything smaller expect to have to do alot of engine work on them ,
first choice commercials have a tb145 at the minute would be bought very right,and he services sell a fleet of them every year at very right money.
there are cheap machines to be bought in the repo auctions but you dont know whats gone down the hydraulic tank in to the pump of them as the previous owners know they are going to be taken so the majority of stuff in them auctions are tampered with out of badness, and also the fees are unreal there,
you should buy a tackeuchai tb145 2004-2006 for around €11k as there is no market for them at the minute and dont be fooled by any salesman bullsh2t either, they normally come with a manual hitch 3 x buckets and hammer piping as standard new so you should get that second hand as well,
everyone else here is entitled to their opinion but im telling you from my own expierence

leitrim lad · 02-04-2009 9:18pm

volvo and jcb are about mid class not bad and not great,jcb are very fond of giving electric problems and blowing pipes, volvo have similar problems,
about the finance ,if the serial number of the machine is still intact which it should be , take a note of it and ring your local agent who sells finance ,they will be able to check the serial number history, for finance, and insurance this will give a good indication as to wheather it was ever stolen burned,or outstanding finance, the finance rep can also tell you the proper year of manufacture if you are in doubt about that aswell,
the only thing i have against buying a second hand machine under 10 ton is that every sort of a gobsheen has sat in it and more than likely taught they were great pilots ,when infact they were half wreking the poor little machine, but if you have a man with you that knows his stuff he will not be too long finding faults, and dont be afraid to to tell the seller about any faults you may find, and always question a respray

Farls · 03-04-2009 1:52pm

Fantastic posts there Leitrim Lad, I haven't purchased yet, rang about a host of machines and viewed a few but haven't been convinced enough to spend yet. I'm looking at the smaller version of the takeuchi, ideally I would like something I can move in a plant trailer without too much hassle so 3ton is probably the max I can go to. Your price of 11k is a real eye opener though compared to what some guys are asking.

fig mclough · 03-04-2009 5:09pm

sounds to me like Leitrim Lad nos his stuff!!!!heard tat yokes are getting tamperd wit at auctions myself, putting flour and bolts in back end of tractors!!!! best of luck any way farls

leitrim lad · 04-04-2009 8:44pm

thanks lads , the takeuchai tb135 is around 3ton maybe a little on the strong side of 3ton, a machine normally looses 20% of the retail price ,each year, so that will give you a good indication, and as i said its a buyers market ,not a salesmans,
also the takeuchai cab tips forward to allow you work on pipes,or the back of the engine,or the swing box, make sure and tip the cab and do a good inspection before you buy.
and remember buckets,quick hitches and safety devices, like cameras and travel alarms all come as standard, so dont buy unless you are getting them and hammer piping, anyone who tells you any differ is screwing you,
about the auctions that is true about the bolts i seen it first hand in a john deere that came out of the naas one,i also know of secret bidders in those auctions aswell, so beware of all this

Farls · 06-04-2009 10:16am

leitrim lad wrote: »

thanks lads , the takeuchai tb135 is around 3ton maybe a little on the strong side of 3ton, a machine normally looses 20% of the retail price ,each year, so that will give you a good indication, and as i said its a buyers market ,not a salesmans,
also the takeuchai cab tips forward to allow you work on pipes,or the back of the engine,or the swing box, make sure and tip the cab and do a good inspection before you buy.
and remember buckets,quick hitches and safety devices, like cameras and travel alarms all come as standard, so dont buy unless you are getting them and hammer piping, anyone who tells you any differ is screwing you,
about the auctions that is true about the bolts i seen it first hand in a john deere that came out of the naas one,i also know of secret bidders in those auctions aswell, so beware of all this

Cheers again, just out of interest that JD that was tampered with wasn't sold to a buck up about mullahorn in cavan by any chance? I heard of 2 neighbours falling out over similar up that direction!...one was repo'd and the other thought he had bought a bargain :eek:

leitrim lad · 06-04-2009 1:38pm

well farls. im not going to mention names but its either coinsidence, or it is the same tractor, and if its the same tractor ,its criminal what came out of the back end of it,
and thats not the only case that happened in that auction, there is alot of stuff in that yard along time,not moving and now you know why, also the secret bidders was found out at the last auction, they paid people to bid on stuff,
now thers an investegation into it, auctioning had always a bad name ,but thats just putting people off full stop all them inside jobs,
these are the bucks that would have the cheek to come into a mans yard and take whatever they like,and sell it all because smoe poor unfortunate is late with a payment,
im going to start a tread on machinery being lifted keep an eye out for it, lucky enough they wont be coming near my yard anyway,
good luck with the tackeuchai

Farls · 06-04-2009 2:07pm

I don't know the lads involved, just heard about it a few weeks back.

Back to mini diggers though! I'm getting quoted mad money for them still...12.5k is cheapest I've been quoted for an 04 tb125...I'm looking for a 135 or a 145 at the right price, getting quoted around the 20k mark for 04-06 ones there. If you know of any at decent money drop me a pm lad, cheers.

leitrim lad · 06-04-2009 2:14pm

ya i will keep you in mind , obviously if your in a hurry with one you want to buy almost now, but dont rush into it just yet, the market hasnt reached rock bottom yet
and here is a comparison for you www.mascus.ie ,there is hitachi zx130lcn, 2006/07 making €20k so inform the salesmen of that , and let them put it in their pipe amd smoke it, them hitachis are coming from england, and may even still have warranty,
i know they would be a bit big for you, but you could use it against haggling the price of a tb135, no salesman can argue then ,as them hitachi 130s are bulletproof and so are the tb135

Farls · 06-04-2009 2:25pm

Cheers, I'm not in an overly big hurry, I'd like to have something in the next 6 or 8 weeks all going well. I keep a daily eye on mascus, ironplanet, autotrader, farmandplant and the local rags. I also ring around the plant sales as none of them answer emails!

leitrim lad · 06-04-2009 7:45pm

thers a tb145 on mascus in the uk this evening €12k ,i think, just go to www.mascus.ie construction and then click on excavators, it should be on the first page if you scroll down, thats the asking price so i would say there would be abit of haggling in that

Farls · 07-04-2009 3:40pm

Didn't see it now, see mcadam construction has a 125 and a 135 up in dublin will ring about them later, will try that first choice commercials again too.

leitrim lad · 13-04-2009 4:19pm

farls
there is a lovely tb125 for sale on mascus, in england

2007 with a quick hitch amd 4 x buckets 970hours, looks good but no price

www.mascus.ie/construction/excavators its on first page today

dont know if its bid enough for what your looking for

leitrim lad

Farls · 14-04-2009 10:16am

leitrim lad wrote: »

farls
there is a lovely tb125 for sale on mascus, in england

2007 with a quick hitch amd 4 x buckets 970hours, looks good but no price

www.mascus.ie/construction/excavators its on first page today

dont know if its bid enough for what your looking for

leitrim lad

Seen that the other day alright...I'll give it a ring later, I doubt they are looking huge money for it though. Found another 125 up in Donegal, going to ring about it today as well. Cheers!

J.C.BAMFORD · 14-04-2009 11:00am

Would you rule out a 3cx? More versatile in that you can travel over distance with it, but then again, not ideal for a small back garden. You would be going back a fair few years, but as they say when it comes to diggers, nothing digs like a JCB. I have used plenty of diggers from a tiny Powerfab 1250 to a Komatsu rubber duck, but I've always prefered 3cx's and 655's.

Farls · 14-04-2009 11:54am

J.C.BAMFORD wrote: »

Would you rule out a 3cx? More versatile in that you can travel over distance with it, but then again, not ideal for a small back garden. You would be going back a fair few years, but as they say when it comes to diggers, nothing digs like a JCB. I have used plenty of diggers from a tiny Powerfab 1250 to a Komatsu rubber duck, but I've always prefered 3cx's and 655's.

I looked at them JC but to be honest they don't suit the jobs I have at all, I'll mainly be cleaning up around the house, landscaping, doing a small bit of drainage maybe founds for a garage and wee jobs like that. Ideally I'd like a 4.5-5 ton machine but it would be nice to be fit to pull it behind the jeep for travel so I'm reckoning 3 to 3.5 ton could be lots, going to get a dumper as well with whats left in the kitty, but some of the prices I'm getting quoted for these machines is cat tho!

Buying a Mini Digger 4ton or less

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