My boss has tasked me with finding the best mini excavator to buy. He wanted me to find a forum and find out what people are saying and which ones they like best. So ladies and gentlemen, what is your opinion on the best mini excavator? I assume he wants to know how the machine handles, availability of parts, costs, resale value, and just overall experience with the machine. Thanks in advance to any information you can give me.
That's a bit of a loaded question and would need more info from you such as: 1. What kind of work do you plan on doing with it? There are umpteen different sizes from 1 ton up to 8 ton with standard tail swing, reduced tail swing and zero tail swing. 2. Who are your local dealers? This is important because parts and service support have a huge influence on your owning experience- do you guys do your own repairs or do you rely on a dealer. 3. What size trucks do you have for hauling equipment, trailers, etc. Just a few things that would help you get some answers that would be useful to you. Besides, most mini excavator brands are pretty darn good so it mostly becomes a Ford, Chevy, Dodge kind of thing. Best advice would be to narrow your definition on what you plan to do with it, weigh how important the dealer relationship is to you and demo all of the brands you narrow it down to.
Dig Deep nailed it. The question is very open ended. Once you know size, application, etc then you can make a more educated decision. #2 is a HUGE deal. Can you get parts for it? How quickly? Will they carry parts for at least X amount of years? I have found Takeuchi, Kubota and Cat to be easy to get parts for and they're not super expensive. I have tried to obtain IHI parts for a customers machine and it was a complete PITA to find a dealer and get them to ship parts, and the prices were outrageous for something that ended up breaking a few months later. JMO. Case changes their part numbers and models have a big difference between serial numbers (so much that an oil filter won't fit just a few serial #'s apart) so I have found they're a PITA for parts and service as well. I can't comment on Kobelco, Hyundai, Volvo, bobcat and several others that are in the market now since I haven't worked on those.
I agree with the two above. There are many things you need to look at. First how is your dealer support for your area for each brand? Second, what is important to you in the machine? Price, power, relability etc. Also you didn't mention size, there are certian sizes of machines from a brand I would buy, and there are other sizes where a competitor makes a better machine. Personally, I had good luck my with a Bobcat 335. Also had JCB, other bobcat, and a few takeuchi's. Bobcat dealer support in my area is spotty, if I had to buy another machine tomorrow it would be a Deere 50G. The new G series deere minis, I reallly like. Decent power, smooth, comfortable etc. Like the bobcat machines a lot as well, the E50 is a very nice machine as I have heard. Have not run one yet, but have only heard good things. Takeuchis are awesome but they are canceling their zero tail swing machines I have heard. Kubota also makes a very nice product. Never ran a Case/Kobelco/New Holland mini, but haven't heard great things. Also never ran a Volvo mini and don't know much. I personally do not like the Cat minis but a lot of people do. Don't know much about Komastu minis. I like the JCB minis, decent power, and pretty comfortable.
I think Bobcat has the nicest mini's If you want a good value look at Yanmar
I'm sorry I didn't specify. Our business is an excavation company. We dig and lay water lines, sewer lines, dig trenches, concrete work, bust out concrete. We have demo'ed houses where it was a pretty tight fit to get our excavator in. We do have a Volvo loader and a Kobelco and here in the office I haven't seen many repair notices on those but I don't know how happy the guys are with either machine. I just talked with him and he just wants some general information about what people are saying, what they like, what they don't. Brands we should stay away from.
I agree with all the comments on parts & dealer support. In your business you must have rented a machine or two. What has been the experience with them? Ask the guys who operated them what they liked and didn't like. As others have said most of the major brands, CAT, Kubota, Bobcat are similar in performance. Operator preference and price for machine & parts make the difference. My preference tends toward CAT & Kubota. Good luck.
So you would be looking at around a 5-6 ton machine?
Once you go CAT , you will never go back....we have owned a operated at one time or another every brand on the market. Go where your local support is the strongest. The dealer service after the sale is what's most important in any heavy equipment purchase.
I think Bobcat has the nicest mini's too. But they have great service and loaners to try out. And, Go where your local support is the strongest. The dealer service after the sale is what's most important in any heavy equipment purchase. I have two kubota Kx 121 with cabs, and I love them. But still like the Bobcats better.
I've ran nearly all of them except cat. My favorite is the kubota. Lots of power, super smooth and very durable.
I own a kubota and a Deere. Both are damn fine machines. Had you asked a couple of days ago, the kubota could have been had pretty cheap. Mouse chewed a hydraulic hose under the floor pan. What a pain lol.
The one that runs and fits your needs! this question is loaded.... which is the better PU, Chevy, dodge, Ford, Isuzu, Toyota.................
A mouse! Your mice must be on PEDs to chew through a hydraulic hose. The mice are always screwing around on my machine...pulled out my seat cover the other day, and one of them was making house in it (quick bugger). No way to keep them out, unless I shrink wrap the machine. OP - I am Bobcat all the way, but to each their own. All brands have their strengths and weaknesses. And all brands mimic each other to some degree. Suggest you do some leg work and read up on each brand, spec wise, and visit machine specific sites looking for negatives/positives on each brand. And I'd limit your search to brands that have a presence near your machines home.
I have a bobcat and wish I had the kubota--the reason is the dealer Tony