[AT] O/T Trying to find a good used backhoe

[George Willer]

Cecil,

I was stuck with and grumbled about my Case for 20 years before I finally 
traded it in on the Ford 555.  Night and day difference in power and speed, 
and I think the Ford was at least as rugged as the Case.

Maybe you should plan on keeping it more than a year.  I bought the Ford 
from a high priced dealer and used it for 10 years... and sold it at a 
profit at auction!  Look for a good triple nickel.

George Willer

> I'm not too sure of what brand I want either. I have
> more time in the seat of a 580K than any other so I tend to
> look for them. I see a lot of JD 310 machines for sale as well
> as some 410 and 510 JDs. Also here and there Ford and JD 555
> backhoes.
>
> I wondered if any of you who use backhoes in your
> work have any comments on any of these. Any problems that go
> with any particular brand or size. I need this machine for
> about a year to pull some large stumps, move a couple rock
> piles and also move a dozen or so large rocks, build a driveway,
> dig a septic system as well as bring in my utilities underground
> from the road to the house. It will have to do most of the
> landscaping also except for some grading my dozer can do. Lots
> of logs to handle too with over 40 full cords of hardwood in log
> length stuff waiting for me and the saw. I figure with the cost
> of weekly rental between $1400 and $1800 a week, I'm better off to
> buy, use it for a year and if I'm careful with it and want to sell
> it after I am done, I can get most or all of my money back.
>
> Any comments would be appreciated.
>
> Cecil
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