Permission to come aboard?

Hello everyone, I call southeast missouri home. I have been reading posts on here since April. Wish I had found the site sooner. For a couple of years I have been tinkering with the idea I needed a backhoe to play with but also realized knowing zilch about one would make selecting a dependable unit very difficult.... and it was. I don't know any heavy equipment mechanics that I could drag around the countryside on weekends looking at old iron. Do have a friend that is into antique tractor pulling but I think he's crazy. Spends a lot of time and resources in his shop so he, wife and daughter can trailer some old tractors around to pull a weighted sled down a dirt track. Pardon me, I digress. Anyway, in early spring I found a 580M that I thought would be something I could learn on and still be around for my upcoming grandsons to play on. Having no reference point to gauge this machine by, I asked my nephew what is the most important things I need while I am out looking as he has used one on his dad's farm. His suggestions were 4 wheel drive / extend-a-hoe / two lever controls and one other thing I can't remember. Bottom line, I like what I found but reading the posts before I purchased would have made things so much easier. Glad I found this place as I have already learned a lot - but lots more to learn. Thanks, Mike