Where to Buy Your First Excavator
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- Everyone wants to know where to buy their first excavator when starting out as an excavation contractor. There are a lot of options out there when it comes to buying equipment and hopefully, I gave you a couple good places to look and stay away from. We aren't going to look at the conventional places like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist as those are a give in...
However, a word of caution buying from private sellers. They typically sell their machines when things start going wrong. Be careful and make sure you do a FULL inspection from top to bottom of any equipment you're interested in purchasing.
HAPPY HUNTING!!!
FYI: We have a new character on the channel, the 'Saboteur'. He's an evil bad-faith goblin who loves giving bad advice, always wrong and a big sensitive baby. He wants to become a contractor so bad but is only in it for the money. He doesn't care about doing things right or if he makes other contractors look bad. He's got horrible ethics and bad manners.
Another good website to check for used or new equipment would be equipmenttrader.com
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• Where to Buy Your Firs...
Watch next - • What Dump Truck to Buy?
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I become critically ill in February of 2016, when I recovered I had lost my job as a paving foreman, so I started ramping up to become an small excavation contractor, I rented for the first season and a half, but it was too expensive to rent and make a decent profit. So June of 2018 I purchased a 743 bobcat and a Hyundai 16-9 and they both run like a champ. The Covid kinda slowed things down a bit here but I’ve been able to keep steady. I like your channel, great advise bud thank you.
The great thing about equipment is that someone will always need to have dirt moved. Don't let Covid stop you.
I appreciate your insight. We rented a Doosan 140 and a 4 ton case. Could not justify a new one, but still wanted something with some weight to it (5+ton) to support what we needed. We purchased a 2006 Bobcat 337 with 2,900 hours back in March. New tracks, fresh paint, tight machine, all fluids changed, thumb and back fill blade. Purchased and delivered for $25k. We are not over our heads so we don't need to jump at jobs just to keep it going.
That’s the point. It’s to NOT get in too deep and become a slave to your business. I enjoy my downtime. It’s the reason I started in the first place. Glad to see you got a great deal.
I dont plan on buying any excavating equipment but I like your videos lol good editing, keep it up!
Thank you! We’re going to develop a schedule for 2021. Any topic suggestions?
@@down2dirttv945 You should make some project videos and explain the things not to do and to watch out for
@@alaskahaul2085 I’m on it
Your video is excellent thank you. I wound up buying takuchi TBO 16 I've since added a thumb which wasn't that expensive I've put new tracks on it's got like $1,700 hours the thing runs like clockwork wasn't that much money and it's a real life saver and the tracks will also narrow so you can get through a small area. That's one thing to think about it's where you're going to be using it and what's your customer base is going to be. This machine has been super reliable the only thing I've had to replace is a few hydraulic hoses on it and that's it.
Most important video I watched before buying a mini excavator!! Thanks a lot man. I’m going to buy new.
Don’t buy cheep worn out machines it will cost you more in the long run in repairs
Thanks for the explanation on the equipment buying process.
You put some sound logic into your plan including the dump trailer, truck, and size of excavator. We own a farm and use ours just for our own/on site use, but if you are hauling job to job you have to worry about the DOT. Looks like you got a nice piece of equipment.
Thank you. You're absolutely right. Most new contractors get in trouble when they first open because they don't size their equipment correctly. I know there are a lot of places in the US that don't do random stops. But here in Washington State, WSP pull contractors over on a regular basis. A good friend of mine received a $2,000 ticket for having a 10k lbs machine in a dump trailer and having a dually pulling it. The capacity of the dually 32,000lbs with the fifth wheel dump trailer. Got $1,000 ticket for the trailer and excavator combo over the axle rating and $1,000 for exceeding the 26k threshold requiring him to have a Class A CDL. He still does it and drives around in fear of being pulled over. SMH
Thanks for the comment!
I just found your video. I have a big problem. I have mountainous terrain and anything under 12,000 lbs won't cut it on my property. I validated this via renting smaller machines. Even 12,000 lbs is small, but doable. I only have a small budget and are not looking into getting into jobs with it. I already have a 9 to 5 job. But I do need this for my acreage. I have too much acreage to rent all the time with no return. Any advice on buying a 12k lb excavator for roughly $10-15k ? Auctions always start at this price, but they almost never end there. I'd like to know where I can go to just buy one even if run down for just my place. I don't need it to run forever, but I need it longer than a rental can do. If you have a video on this type of situation link it or if you don't have one maybe make one and link it to me. Thanks
When it over heats like that it could be the hyd pump is turned up to high it happened on a Takeuchi
"winter months" laughs in arizona.
The bye bye was hilarious.
Check out the ending on some of the other videos. I think I’m going to end with outtakes
YO!!! I've been wanting an excavator for a while. Never even operated one, it just looks like so much fun. I'm sitting here enjoying your video and heard you say Fife... I'm stuck in Fife daily from Seattle to Tacoma.. Hence the reason i want to start getting equipment and perhaps start a business and enjoy working outside of an office.
I bought the same machine with 700 hours on it exactly the same and I’ll tell you what I paid it 30 for it and this thing is like brand new it’s also a 2014 a guy bought it to do a retaining wall at his house and he did the retaining wall and it sat there for three years not doing any work or nothing I love the case 36B
Looking to buy a small mini about the size of a E26 or equivalent I will need for French drains and home re- waterproof basements and suggestions
I'm looking at 10,000 to 15,000 at less then 1500 hours or around there. There older machines. I can't afford 25,000 to 50,000. I'm needing to just start out doing my stuff and then maybe other small jobs. 1ton to 3ton machine. I see advantages to smaller machines but also see advantages to larger machines.
So what do you think of the Sany excavator? Are they any good? Not sure what brand to get.
Good information. Thank you.
not sure what the market was 2 years ago but now I routinely see used minis listed for more than brand new ones...
Thank you 🙏🏽
You said you could get something like the case excavator for $30,000 three years ago, what would it be today? Also what do you think it would have been around 2010? I think we are heading for worse times than then. I think things are going to look better, but fall off a cliff in a year or so. A long sloped cliff. Thank you for sharing the info, many have learned the hard way and/or just started their business at the wrong time.
THANK YOU BROTHAAAAAA!
Awesome video I'm buying one asap
Thanks man, that was helpful. I'm on the fence right now. I am going to check out the rental places near me. We have a 20'x30'x3' barge, I'm looking for something light with a long stick, pretty much your machine exactly! there's a nice 4 ton bobcat for $75k Canadian but that's going to take years to pay for itself.
It takes money to make money. I would pick it up and put it to work. Only bought my 4k machine for $45k
Thanks for sharing. If you make more videos I'll watch :-)
How do you get work
Thanks!!
You give great advice man,
The place in fife/pacific Washington if it is the one I am thinking of buys machines and a auction in Japan and imports it to the us to sell.
I don’t trust those guys. Had a fellow contractor by his first piece of machinery there and the thing blew up on in a couple weeks. Maybe they’ve improved since then
Yeah most of the machines don’t look like they are in good shape
@@down2dirttv945 happen to know the name of the company by chance?
rust track don't mean any thing just have not use this machine not very much
I just ordered a cat 301,8 next gen.
So how many hours is too many hours for a used piece of equipment?
I would say anything over 2,000 hours, stay away from UNLESS they have detailed service records.
FYI: you're incorrect about your payload calculation for a dump trailer. You're correct a 14k trailer (for example) that weighs 4k has a 10k payload (rating - curb weight=payload). This is only applicable when it's sitting there not hooked up to the tow rig. When connected the tow rig will absorb 10-25% depending how machine/material is loaded on trailer. This means you can haul 12k-ish on a 14k and not be over weight on the axels.
Absolutely true. However, DOT knows the weight of most machines traveling down the road at a glance. When you have anything over 8500# on the trailer, State Patrol (or other similar agencies in other states) tend to pull over trucks with a dump trailer combination to check the rating of the tow package. Especially if the tow rig in a single real wheel (SRW) as the stock tongue rating is approximately 1,250#. Still a big ticket or at a minimum 'Do Not Proceed' order. This is a commonly overlooked necessary upgrade to the tow rig that gets people in trouble. Everything has to be sized correctly. But you are definitely right about weight distribution. Thank you for the comment! :)
Solid advice
the price on used equipment. man, i just dont get it. this stuff is run hard and put away wet. im in the CNC business and i waffled over this for YEARS. In the end ive bought used and ive bought new. Both were kind of a nightmare, but the price premium for new was so small and included so many factory level goodies i just couldnt turn it down. 30k for a 5+ year old machine that i had to rig to move or 43k for a brand new one installed in my shop. no brainer.
Truly depends on how well you understand the equipment you're buying and whether it will make you real money or not. I was able to pay off this equipment FAST and pocket the profits for many years. BUT I knew exactly what to look for in a used machine. Takes knowledge.
@@down2dirttv945 Alot of truth in that. i imagine being in the business you are in, moving the equipment around is something you are already prepared to do. The same riggers moving the same machine. If i bought through the dealer 1k if privately sourced 5k. Stuff like adds up so fast. It really is about the entire deal and not just the sticker price.
@@down2dirttv945 I just re-read your comment. "How well you understand the equipment you are buying" man. that says it all right there.
2000 hrs never seen or heard of lose bushings
I sat through 10 min of this video, moral of the story… you got to know a guy. WTF bro?
Lord have mercy! I wish you would count up the number of times you said “uh” in this video. Ridiculous.
Three mimuties in and you have said nothing
Poor sabator 😓
Hi
Well that was a waste of time. Sounded like your buddy should have checked pins and bushings. Pretty easy to diagnose that before you buy. And buying a piece of equipment with bent ROPS should be common sense it's been laid over. Haha wow guy...just wow
You we’re about to say piece of shit 😂😂😂 before u corrected yourself
The only person to catch that 😂
@@down2dirttv945 😂😂Preciate the video man🙌🏾
if you paid 45 for that you got robbed
Well, I can certainly see why you wouldn’t think there’s any value at $45k but when you make $1.6M with a machine… it’s a drop in the bucket 🪣 👍👍👍
@@down2dirttv945 i got you, i paid 48k for a sany sy35 thumb and two buckets it came with 5year 5000 hour warranty i made 900 last year idc how much i make 40k is still something i’ll spend as wisely as possible