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machine to buy or run away from

Carolina start up · 2020-06-30 15:39

i went and looked at a early model tb135 they want 18500 for it but theres a few problems ive noticed when looking. the bucket needs new pins and bushing, the exhaust pipe has been broken off and whats left has been crushed and has caused the exhaust system its self to get cracks in it. more problems is the oil is just dark it needs a changing also the engine shakes pretty hard when in idol mood im not sure if thats normal but the brackets that hold the engine dont seem to be great on it, also what hold the blade theres cracks and i guess not the first time because someone before has welded it id say twice because its a lot of build up but still more cracks on it. the lights dont work or the backup alarm and its only got 2400 hours but im not sure how accurate that is. thats all i could see and find wrong with it i took pictures of the machine but at 18500 i offered 16000 even and they came back with 17500 and they would change the oil but overall should i chance it or stay away

Replies34
  1. #1Carolina start up2020-06-30 15:50
  2. #2Carolina start up2020-06-30 15:52
  3. #3Carolina start up2020-06-30 15:53
  4. #4suladas2020-06-30 16:02

    How long does the shake at start up last? Mine does that for a few seconds if I don't run the heater, even in the summer but runs perfectly smooth otherwise. The pins aren't a big issue just finds of what parts cost and account for that in the price, the exhaust and blade are definitely from some abuse/lack of care but the blade as long as it's not bent up and works it can be welded up. I would check for play in rest of joints especially slew bearing. Engine oil will go black fairly quick, nothing wrong with that. The backup alarm may have been disabled (I disabled mine, super annoying and not needed on a mini IMO). Not lights work at all? If so definitely factor in spending some time/money on those. Those tracks are pretty new. If they will let you i'd pull the level plug on the drives and take a look at the oil and check for metal. I would compare to a machine in good shape, factor in what you think it would cost at a shop to get that one all fixed up, and offer at least $1-2k less to factor in the hassle, and risk. 2400 hours is very low to be needing pins and likely wasn't greased much, and it looks pretty rough for those hours. Without seeing a hour meter I would have guessed it had easily 5-6k hours on it. Was it a rental? Or company owned machine?

  5. #5Carolina start up2020-06-30 16:11

    it will shake as long as its in ideal and i mean its bad like if it dint have anything holding it id say it jump out but once you go past ideal it goes to what id call normal. the pins and welding i wont worried about i can weld it my self not a fan of grinding though and nope no lights at all work all and the tracks are fine and the sprockets are maybe half way but according to them it was a company machine he traded that and the skid steer in for kubota but at 18500 im not a fan even at 17500 i think its to much around 15-16 id be more okay with it but the dealer does not wanna budge. the engine though was fairly clean it looked almost new

  6. #6suladas2020-06-30 17:35

    That's definitely an issue then, a tiny shake when it's cold is fine but anything beyond that isn't. If you idle it up for a bit then back down to idle does it shake again? Also depends if it's just the engine not being held down properly compared to something being wrong with it. May make more sense to spend a few extra bucks on something in better shape.

  7. #7Vetech632020-06-30 18:08

    She has been rode hard and put away wet. Rode REALLY hard!

  8. #8Carolina start up2020-06-30 19:11

    i can go full speed and it be fine but i go back to idol starts shaking again and thats what im thinking i wish i could justify a new machine i like the tb230s and got a price quote on a new one just a little high payment

  9. #9Carolina start up2020-06-30 19:13

    so run

  10. #10CM19952020-06-30 19:38

    What are you planning on using the machine for? From your user name I assume making money with it? Without looking at the machine personally it's priced too high for the condition.

  11. #11Carolina start up2020-06-30 19:45

    well i got about 3 months worth of work at my house stump pulling clearing land redoing some ditchs and restacking brush piles but after that im start a small lawn and land management company since i got the tractor,zero turn, trailers and truck but i know a excavator is a real money maker and could be used for a small side business. and yeah i thought so to my cousin said he offer them 10k but that be about it

  12. #12CM19952020-06-30 20:36

    A machine that size rents for a $1K a week or $3K a month. With rental if you need it 3 weeks you keep it for a month as it's the same price - at least that's the way it is here in AL. So if you have 3 months of work at your home then that's $9K to rent the same size machine during that time frame less fuel and grease. If the machine breaks down you call the rental house and get another one. On the flip side you're looking at $9K of rental for 3 months of work and sending it back without any residual value - IE a much used machine that still has some resale value. The gamble is will that machine do what you want it to do over the 3 months without a major breakdown?

  13. #13mitch5042020-06-30 21:02

    Not trying to be a smartass here, for once, but that's not necessarily true. I am speaking as somebody who has been in business since 1995, this time. I was in business about 3 or 4 times, before that. You can make money with one, but what most successful owner-operators end up with is making what they could make running one for somebody else, if they are good operators. Most people vastly underestimate their costs, underbid the competition, and then the next guy buys their used machine and does it again.

  14. #14Welder Dave2020-06-30 23:41

    You only make good money if you're a good operator and do good work in a timely manner. That takes experience so don't expect to make it big first starting out. Also try to buy a machine that doesn't require extensive repairs just to put it on a job site. I'd look at different machines that didn't shake or need welding repairs. Pins and bushings worn isn't a deal breaker though as they are common wear items if not greased often enough.

  15. #15245dlc2020-07-01 00:00

    Yup run away its beaten. Diesel engine oil generally turns black after a couple hours of running that's pretty normal, some tier 4 engines stay a little cleaner but not much. Those little engines generally vibrate at bit at idle but if its shaking pretty bad there could be other problems. Cracks on the dozer blade indicate quite a bit of abuse and the rest of the machine from the photos you supplied looked like its been used in the demolition industry heavily like almost driven through buildings. lol I wouldn't pay $5,000 for that thing.

  16. #16suladas2020-07-01 00:52

    It's definitely not as easy as most people think, but if you buy decent equipment, figure out pricing and hustle you can make some pretty good money. I know I couldn't make anywhere close to what I do working by the hour for someone and to me the freedom of not answering to anyone is huge. I've had jobs where I didn't even make enough to put fuel in the machine and cover cost of a operator never mind all the expenses of running a business, on the other side i've had jobs where i've made $5k in a day, then there's waiting and chasing for your money, or not getting paid at all. Took a bit, but i've learned my costs and what I need for a job to make money and if I can't get it I walk. I think one of the most important parts is not having too big of payments where you need to work the equipment so much you have to take job that pay nothing, and the payments just kill you.

  17. #17mitch5042020-07-01 08:51

    That's for sure about the payments. It has rained at least twice a week for 4 months here, I'm not happy about it, but I'm not gonna lose anything.

  18. #18Carolina start up2020-07-01 14:41

    i think that machine would break within 3 months

  19. #19Carolina start up2020-07-01 14:43

    you sound like my uncle who said that he offer to take it off there hands to save the property value

  20. #20Carolina start up2020-07-01 14:46

    i find the machines on craigslist last night to he wanted 23500 for it 43000 for the pair https://raleigh.craigslist.org/hvo/d/sanford-takeuchi/7140147970.html

  21. #21DMiller2020-07-01 18:41

    Would NOT give $23 for the Pair, 18 for Both maybe. He is crap for maintenance, has battered Both machines, he is trying to recover his investment and has still made money with them. You tear machines up as he has done then expect to recover all costs is not going to cut it. Walk Away SMARTLY and do Not look back.

  22. #22Carolina start up2020-07-01 19:25

    well ive contacted a lot of dealers gonna be looking at more soon

  23. #23AzIron2020-07-02 00:03

    Payments are a killer starting out but it's a catch 22 I will say figure out what you would bill in 30 days if uh you stayed busy that's the amount of money you need in the bank to start plus equipment I have customers that pay at the end of the day and some that take 90 or 100days prices reflect payment terms but you cant use money you have not received to operate a company and monthly expenses add up. A machine that size with decent hours and 5 years old should be 10 to 12 grand at most

  24. #24Carolina start up2020-07-02 12:01

    Well the local case dealer has a cx33 with 9 hours for 32350 and Takeuchi for a brand new 230 with 24 inch bucket open and thumb installed is right at 40000 and for Komatsu they where at about 55000 for a pc35 same way

  25. #25DMiller2020-07-02 14:27

    Spensive!!!!! Now that you have NEW Pricing, think about five years of abuse and where those prices should be.

  26. #26Carolina start up2020-07-02 15:21

    about 25-30k i would guess

  27. #27Former Wrench2020-07-02 15:39

    I think there might be better ponies in the barn for the price.

  28. #28DMiller2020-07-02 15:54

    IF everything still worked well and no severe repairs(Yoke welds, sprockets, etc) to be performed. Start by adding the more serious repairs costs EVEN if you perform them up, reduce pricing from there by those numbers.

  29. #29Carolina start up2020-07-02 17:48

    well im thinking now maybe i should just start my small lawn care business and see how it goes and then go from there i guess its not to late in the year to start doing lawn care

  30. #30mitch5042020-07-02 18:07

    That is assuming the machine would retain 75% of it's value after 5 years of heavy use. It won't.

  31. #31Carolina start up2020-07-02 18:29

    tell ya something its cheaper if i went to another state and bought it used then anything in north carolina

  32. #32Carolina start up2020-07-02 19:33

    https://www.machinerytrader.com/lis...-sale/195041945/2014-yanmar-vio55-5b?CTRY=USA maybe this be a ride to take

  33. #33DMiller2020-07-02 19:40

    Newer, Cleaner, well attended and only a Thou more, NO Brainer.

  34. #34Carolina start up2020-07-02 20:01

    Maybe next Friday I’ll ride up there it looks nice in pictures