I have hard time navigating Alibaba and very few reviews.looking for 3.5 ton no name Chinese excavator. There is company called cael in Canada that imports these machines but charge $32k plus tax when factory charges $13k plus customs,etc. These machines don't seem to have model numbers or brands so how do u get parts? Engine is Kubota and hydraulics is Eaton. Prices in cdn dollars.
Guinea Pig Ok you can laugh now or give me crap later :D I just wired off money to China. Alibaba score! I purchased one 1.8t mini ex and a mini skid steer. Skid steer is tracked and 25 hp Kubota diesel. I was told about 45 days to Port of Tampa. I got 6 additional attachments between the 2, in addition... HeavyEquipmentForums You can read through this thread, he bought several machines at once.
YIKES!!!!
What are you intending to use the machine for? How much patience, money, time, mechanical skill and fabrication capabilities do you have? The answers to those questions will determine the cost and availability of spare parts. Like Craneop suggested - take a look at that thread.
If you have some work to get done, rent a real machine. If you have no schedule and production is not your goal, these machines may be just right for you.
I thought more Americans bought these machines. Guinea pig didn't do any research and paid too much.
This oughta get good. I just threw the popcorn on, the shows about to start.
I agree, you need to buy two at a much better price. One to rob for parts.
Really?
You were surprised by the extra fees. You had no idea if the supplier would help when problems occurred hinting that u did not do due diligence. You have no idea if you can get spare parts. You did not check that all nuts were tight. You should have bought one machine at a time to test the supplier. When you get cataract surgery, you get one eye done at a time. Most people don't do proper due diligence but you openly admitted it. Seemed like you paid too much to supplier for machines. Maybe the supplier has better quality/reputation than the suppliers charging less.
This owner knows what he is talking about. Not sure if nuoman is real manufacturer and not reseller
The majority of your posts here on HEF pertain to equipment importing, tariffs, equipment registration requirements, buying equipment in other countries and other such questions. Are you an import/export equipment dealer or affiliated with one?
I'm doing research to buy an excavator. Covid caused delays and I'm being cautious.
On the other hand, ianjoub actually shelled out his money, He actually has the machines, is sorting out the issues that come with all cheap chinese knock off machines, and is moving dirt. You however, are just saying he "paid too much" blah blah blah. But he's thrown his chips on the table. You could research forever and all the chinese sellers will extoll the virtues of their machines "just like CAT, Kubota etc- at half the price". Whatever- they are all liars, and a lot of them are here today and gone tomorrow- so I'm not sure what good a bunch of research is- half the companies you looked at two years ago may be gone. I personally would buy older domestic production equipment vs. new chinese crap- but that's my personal hang up about the chinese. A country dedicated to the destruction of freedom gets as little of my money as possible. But for what ianjoub wants to do- he's just working personal stuff and the time means nothing (if its down for 6 weeks- he's not out a contract)- I can see why he would buy what he did, Buy whatever you want and tell us how it goes. Get in the ring.
This is cael assembly in Canada. No safety shoes etc.
“Good” and ”Chinese” are words that are rarely used in the same sentence!!
What has the assembler not wearing safety shoes, or other equipment dedicated to personal safety got to do with finished product quality? I've seen some damned good work come from personal owned garages and shops bypassing all the govt. mandated garbage plenty. I may even partake in some of that activity from time to time although I've worn safety toed boots since middle school. Was even married in a greasy pair as they went so nicely with my new black Tee shirt and blue jeans as I "spiffed up" for the wedding.
They use Kubota engines and assemble in Canada. I'm not paying Canadian wages for a Chinese excavator
Isn't it your prerogative to not patronize them citing your desires? Why voice your opposition here as it doesn't seem to serve much purpose except your own agenda possibly? You are seemingly bitter about something with this process yet have expended nothing but time proving you have no desire to patronize them. Use your good judgement and move to another vendor providing the goods, or services at a cost you are comfortable with. Doesn't that seem a logical forward momentum and put this one to rest?
I honestly don't comprehend any of the responses in this thread. I'm prolly buying a 3.5 ton excavator from cael for $32k cdn. Seems to be shortage of mini excavator in Canada. Could get vio305b for $32kcdn with 4000 hrs but very rusty. It's being sold by a dealer.
Nobody’s going to get worked up about a piece of equipment that being honest falls into the “Lawns & Gardens” category.
Kubota has a special company in china, for china kubota use engines. These are not supposed to be sold outside of china. I’m curious whats going on. Anything china owned and made sucks. America builds stuff there (like apple) cause you can pollute and use slave labor. But when Americans are taken out of the equation, it’s china crap. maybe try a sany? And fyi, covid didnt cause delays..governments did.
It all seems legit. No reviews, no information. Maybe ask the dealer service department guys about the machines. Their mechanics might let you know if they have any bugs, or how good the warranty is.
Chinese quality is tricky. Everybody with reviews has only a few hours on them. In Canada, used mini excavator sell as soon as ad is posted. One source says they are up 30 percent this year while price has fallen in usa
When ordering from the US they will use an EPA certified engine if requested.
My iCougar is still trouble free.
How did the mini loader work out?
It is doing ok. I had to jury rig one of the track tensioners until I get motivated enough to remove the whole frame and fix it properly. I also am still just leaving it on a smart charger as I haven't hooked up the charging system yet. It is a strong machine, runs well, and does what it needs to though. I think it is a good deal for what I paid for it.
You seem to be defending chinese equipement, against every post that has evidence otherwise.
Another way to check on a companies reputation is look at their Better Business Bureau profile. This is CAEL: Capital Automotive Equipment Ltd | Complaints | Better Business Bureau® Profile View customer complaints of Capital Automotive Equipment Ltd, BBB helps resolve disputes with the services or products a business provides. www.bbb.org
I think 32k for a cobbled together "excavator" that will be clapped out in 1000hrs and a healthy guy could outdig with a shovel is crazy. Id maybe consider 10k, tops, knowing it's going to be a constant headache of tinkering and working around poor design. We paid ~16k for a ~15 yr old Hitachi 200. It has ~10k hrs, but it paid for itself in the 1st year of work. Granted that was one of those planets lined up auction deals. Has needed maybe 5k of work total over the last ~10 years. I paid ~$20k for a 10 yr old 4k hr Hitachi 40 for at home. I can't think of many uses for something much smaller, though I'm used to running the 200 and a 330. My zx40 is a bit loose, but no worse than my ~4500hr Bobcat. Definitely not swing and try to catch the trench like some clapped out backhoes I've used!
smallest real machine I have operated was a new 17 Deere rental. I mean, brand new. It behaved like a big machine. But it was John Deere engineering. The smallest was the Cat 009 and it was nothing like a real machine. 1 function at a time, please.
They had a tiny Komatsu at RB Auction several years ago. It was seriously like a slightly larger kiddie playground toy! PC1? I swear 2 or 3 guys could have picked it up and put in in a pickup truck.
Bar none auction has a bunch of mini ex's listed brand new. I think these are powered by 13 hp Briggs. A study of the last sale shows them selling for about $3600. Andrew Camarata has one he paid about $5000 for and has been doing meaningful work with it.
The First excavator we ever owned was a Kubota 007, the previous owner set it up for helicopter mob/demob and used it for building hiking trails for Parks in the mountains. Boom removed easily, for long lining in two loads. It was tiny, lol!
I hire a guy that has a bunch of those strategically staged in the areas we work. One can fit through a garden gate and all work on steep hills. He digs 6" trenches, we lay pipe and get inspection, he backfills and replaces the pine needles the way they were. It is a good little niche business. He can usually feel existing pipes in the ground before he tears them up, although he does have a utility locator friend who comes out and does locates of customer facilities first.
Seems like it'd be easier to use a shovel?
Are you volunteering.?
Really professional music too. I've heard less f-bombs in an entire rap album.
My brother does propane tank/system installs and frequently rents a Kubota K008 to trench yard lines from the tank to the house in tight access areas. If they are short enough and easy going you can dig them by hand, but even that tiny excavator is 3-4 times faster than hand digging. He's looking to buy one (Kubota) and I'm trying to get him to step up to a 1.7t but he insists it won't fit where he needs.
Our little 007 did a lot of trenching, it was really tippy though (noticed the new 008’s have the expanding undercarriage). I would greatly prefer the 1.7t if space constraints work, they are pretty nice little diggers with pilot controls (the old wobble sticks on the 007 meant you had to lean forward on your seat)…not comfortable.
Just about spit my watered down ice cold American beer on the screen!
It might be OK to hand dig until you hit a large rock and have to back up, go around, feel around, etc. and that is where the little mini shines. He does plenty of hand digging around facilities too, but usually there is a machine dug trench nearby to push the dirt into. Lifting dirt out of the trench is more than half the work. He has a couple of weiner dogs he brings as mascots. They are little and dig, he has a little machine that digs.
I know I sure couldn’t have dug by hand through the glacial till we have here. 300’ long trenches for power/water. Getting depth for water (5’) was at max for machine so took some time. Couldn’t afford to hire it out so used what we had.…
That JD 17 has expanding UC too. out: In: It was none too secure with the tracks in. I put some cribbing down to sneak around the obstruction while crossing those cut outs. It feels fine with them out.