Mini Excavators for -$5000?

[Manimal]

Has anyone gotten a good deal on a mini excavator, or does anyone know how to buy them frugally? I've seen some people get them for $3500-4000, which seems great. Is there anywhere local to get them for that kind of price?

36" ones, .8-2.5ton, towable by a small vehicle.

I figure it would be cheaper to buy and run, tow it myself to all the old people's houses, for projects, than to rent at $150-250 a day and delivery charges since I have to be a weekend warrior.

Any tips, advice, or leads would be appreciated. I can't buy now, but in a month or two.

 

[T-boy]

Try looking on govdeals.com

Narrow your search to Louisiana or certain cities. It is an auction site but there are deals to be found there.

 

[Bigchillin83]

I could be wrong but would imagine a mini for $4000-6000 would be a money pit really fast… they are expensive machines and expensive to work on, for one to be that cheap I would imagine I would need a lot of work even undisclosed work lol

My neighbor has a good bit of equipment and he just bought one for $14000 and it needed about $3k worth of work, that he already knew about so it was a good deal for him

 

[Manimal]

I could be wrong but would imagine a mini for $4000-6000 would be a money pit really fast… they are expensive machines and expensive to work on, for one to be that cheap I would imagine I would need a lot of work even undisclosed work lol

My neighbor has a good bit of equipment and he just bought one for $14000 and it needed about $3k worth of work, that he already knew about so it was a good deal for him

The ones I'm interested in use a simple mower engine & have interchangeable parts. The $2500 hydraulic pumps for proprietary brand are apparently about $500-1000 for generics.

 

[Gmac]

Like this or something with tracks?

https://www.northerntool.com/products/nortrac-towable-backhoe-trencher-15-hp-985619

 

[Bigchillin83]

Oh thought you was talking bout like a bobcat mini

 

[Gmac]

Maybe this???? Road Trip !!!

https://www.machinerytrader.com/listing/for-sale/231829555/2023-agrotk-qh12-mini-up-to-12000-lbs-excavators

 

[Mr_dees]

Have a few at auction tomorrow.

Events for March 2024 – Servcorp Auctions

slidellauction.com

 

[Fordfella]

Has anyone gotten a good deal on a mini excavator, or does anyone know how to buy them frugally? I've seen some people get them for $3500-4000, which seems great. Is there anywhere local to get them for that kind of price?

36" ones, .8-2.5ton, towable by a small vehicle.

I figure it would be cheaper to buy and run, tow it myself to all the old people's houses, for projects, than to rent at $150-250 a day and delivery charges since I have to be a weekend warrior.

Any tips, advice, or leads would be appreciated. I can't buy now, but in a month or two.

Henderson Auction has them from time to time, and there is a roadside seller here in Laffy. I've considered buying one, but, I don't think they have enough mass to keep them on the ground while digging. I rented a bigger one last fall when the sewer backed up on my rental. It made life a lot easier, but I haven't found one on the used market that's affordable, and can still be pulled on my truck, trailer.

 

[Manimal]

Have a few at auction tomorrow.

Events for March 2024 – Servcorp Auctions

slidellauction.com

love auctions but what I saw there was a bit too big.

 

[Manimal]

Henderson Auction has them from time to time, and there is a roadside seller here in Laffy. I've considered buying one, but, I don't think they have enough mass to keep them on the ground while digging. I rented a bigger one last fall when the sewer backed up on my rental. It made life a lot easier, but I haven't found one on the used market that's affordable, and can still be pulled on my truck, trailer.

They can be bouncy, some
of them have a nice big cast iron counterweight with thin steel, some are just thick steel, and I'm sure some are crap, lol.

I want it for installing french drains, digging out small stumps, and maybe installing watering holes on food plots.

Home Depot labor is like $250 a day, so is renting a machine, wouldn't take long to pay for itself.

I'll have to look for the Laffy place and at Henderson, thank you.

 

[Manimal]

Like this or something with tracks?

https://www.northerntool.com/products/nortrac-towable-backhoe-trencher-15-hp-985619

That's my fall-back, if I cant get a good deal on a mini.

 

[Fordfella]

They can be bouncy, some
of them have a nice big cast iron counterweight with thin steel, some are just thick steel, and I'm sure some are crap, lol.

I want it for installing french drains, digging out small stumps, and maybe installing watering holes on food plots.

Home Depot labor is like $250 a day, so is renting a machine, wouldn't take long to pay for itself.

I'll have to look for the Laffy place and at Henderson, thank you.

If I'm out that way I'll stop and take a pix and post it here.

 

[Fordfella]

If I'm out that way I'll stop and take a pix and post it here.

The micro excavators aren't here anymore, this is where I saw them while out this way looking at a building. No excavators today, just a trencher and a dump truck. Between Laffy and Maurice on Eloi Broussard Road.

 

[Manimal]

That was really cool of you, thank you!