I am looking to purchase a mini-ex before year-end. I currently own a Gehl compact track loader that is a 2006 Takeuchi TL120 under the yellow paint and it has served me well, so Takeuchi has a good reputation with me. Our ranch has a couple of Bobcat skids that have worked out well too. All of these machines have cab with a/c and heat. The current short list is a low-hour (500) used Takeuchi TB235-2 Enclosed Cab, a new Bobcat E32 Open cab and new Bobcat E42 Open cab. Any of these machines would do the work that I have planned. I will use the machine on my rental properties, and on our ranch. Currently, I need to rebuild the seawall bulkhead on my home property. Bobcat has some crazy rebates good through year-end, making them really competitive with the used Tak, (but no enclosed cabs), so price doesn't have to be the deciding factor. I'm looking for long-term value...I rarely sell anything. Both the Tak Tb235-2 and the E32 have sub-25HP engines, thus no exhaust after-treatment. The E42 has some sort of DPF-like after-treatment, that according to the few people I have talked to, seems to be reliable. Having been bitten by DPF equipped trucks, I just don't trust them. My big question: is the emissions system a reason to avoid the E42? I know forum guys like to make purchase decisions, so which would you choose?
I believe the BC runs a DOC (diesel Oxidizing Catalyst). Not much different than the CAT on your car. Much better than a DPF, no doubt about that. The BC42 is a pretty decent machine. I run them in comparison to other machines. However I wouldn't give up a cab in order to own one. The Taki is solid, run forever and you get a cab, pretty hard to not take that deal for equal money.
Update: The deal on the Tak got a little sweeter this afternoon. It will come with a Tag coupler and (3) Tag buckets; 12, 18, and 24”. I have until Thursday to decide on this one. Oh, and the price dropped by a grand too! The Bobcat dealer brought in a cab model E42, so I plan to go look at it tomorrow. It looks like that machine would cost about $8000 more than the Tak.
I would never own a open cab excavator. My boss wont fix the ac in my machine so i have to run it with all the windows open and its just too hot and way to dusty and when it rains it is too wet. When i do delicate work i want to be thinking about the work i am doing and not about my bits stuck to my leg. I also can not stand dust. You can not escape it since the machine is not moving.
I'm with Don, no cab is a deal-breaker
Cabs are sweet. Just upgraded my BC E42 to E50, but the e42 is a great machine. I just needed a little more capacity. E42 is very capable.
Picked up the Takeuchi. It actually has 432 hours, rather than the estimated 500 the salesman had quoted me. Nice clean machine.
looks like a beaut!
Good luck with it.
Nice looking machine!