8T Digger Recommendations

[snipe]

Thank, just had a look. They have got a good selection.

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long way from here, does anyone live nearby to have a look for me for a few ££

We were looking for one on steel tracks in May. We went to have a look there. He is straight to deal with but grumpy and not very friendly. Won’t move on price, not even throw an old bucket in. The machines looked a lot tidier in the pictures than real life. High hours and lots of rust. We look at a 2004 8/9 ton case on steel tracks for £22,000 but was a bit rough. He had quite a few hitachi 8 tonnes in on steel but all a bit rough think they were imports and had a bit longer dipper. In the end we got a 2007 8 ton bobcat for £18,000 with 3 buckets From Bob Holme affordable diggers at Staffordshire. Give him a call. Not everything is on his web site. He has this in

 

[Hilly]

We are looking for an 8T digger for around £20k.
What would you recommend higher hour mainstream makes - which are best? Or have seen a 2016 Liugong with 2000 hours for £20k - are they any good?

If you have space buy a 13 tonner , won’t cost you any more.

 

[Runs Like a Deere]

If you have space buy a 13 tonner , won’t cost you any more.

Thats true but they are also a much bigger pain to move.

 

[Runs Like a Deere]

8ton Kubota are a real let down compared to the smaller ones. Have never drive a TB175 but the newer 290s aren’t a nice machine, really don’t rate them.

TB175 is nicer to use than the early 2 series equivalents

 

[Benr]

If you have space buy a 13 tonner , won’t cost you any more.

Yeah it’s moving it that will be our problem. Also don’t think will have as good visibility for cleaning ditches

 

[Benr]

We were looking for one on steel tracks in May. We went to have a look there. He is straight to deal with but grumpy and not very friendly. Won’t move on price, not even throw an old bucket in. The machines looked a lot tidier in the pictures than real life. High hours and lots of rust. We look at a 2004 8/9 ton case on steel tracks for £22,000 but was a bit rough. He had quite a few hitachi 8 tonnes in on steel but all a bit rough think they were imports and had a bit longer dipper. In the end we got a 2007 8 ton bobcat for £18,000 with 3 buckets From Bob Holme affordable diggers at Staffordshire. Give him a call. Not everything is on his web site. He has this in

Thanks for the feedback. We went and looked at New Holland Kobelco locally and the wear on all the pins was unreal.
Was Bob Holme straight - would buy unseen from him?

 

[snipe]

If you can manage without rubber tracks find one on steel. If you are ever putting a yard or a shed up you can turn rubble into a smooth yard without having to spend a fortune on buying in stone.

 

[Benr]

8ton Kubota are a real let down compared to the smaller ones. Have never drive a TB175 but the newer 290s aren’t a nice machine, really don’t rate them.

@Benr for your budget I would try and get an EX60-5 or ZX70. They are a scaled down 12t, where as your TB175 etc are just a 5t made bigger. Although the swing boom is a handy job for cleaning sheughs etc but for digging power and stability the mono boom is a far better job.

here’s an example, 6341 hours. We bought ours in April 2016 with 5200 hours for £15,500, approaching 10k hours now and would easily get what we paid. Resale is very strong with older hitachi. No major repairs either, few burst pipes an exhaust and a starter is all it’s needed apart from servicing
View attachment 1007281

What do you think of the Kubota kx251 @snipe linked to above?

 

[Benr]

If you can manage without rubber tracks find one on steel. If you are ever putting a yard or a shed up you can turn rubble into a smooth yard without having to spend a fortune on buying in stone.

Like this

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[benny6910]

Yeah it’s moving it that will be our problem. Also don’t think will have as good visibility for cleaning ditches

I have had 2 cat 307’s, the first without a knuckle boom and it was difficult to see on tight ditches. The one I have now has a knuckle boom and 10 times better for vision.

 

[benny6910]

 

[snipe]

Thanks for the feedback. We went and looked at New Holland Kobelco locally and the wear on all the pins was unreal.
Was Bob Holme straight - would buy unseen from him?

Iv only done business with him once but he seemed fine. I think his description of the machine would be accurate, but when its a machine with a bit of age and as complex as a digger I would want a look at it. We were only use to buying tractors and i think we were disappointed at the condition of every digger we look at anywhere, as they never look as tidy as you would expect a tractor to look at, at a similar age.

 

[Benr]

Iv only done business with him once but he seemed fine. I think his description of the machine would be accurate, but when its a machine with a bit of age and as complex as a digger I would want a look at it. We were only use to buying tractors and i think we were disappointed at the condition of every digger we look at anywhere, as they never look as tidy as you would expect a tractor to look at, at a similar age.

Yeah I think you are right, just looked and he is only 3 hours away.

 

[bobajob]

Iv only done business with him once but he seemed fine. I think his description of the machine would be accurate, but when its a machine with a bit of age and as complex as a digger I would want a look at it. We were only use to buying tractors and i think we were disappointed at the condition of every digger we look at anywhere, as they never look as tidy as you would expect a tractor to look at, at a similar age.

When you think about it you rarely park a tracked digger in the shed over night-, usually left out in the field/ yard in all weather's- rain or shine and rarely see the pressure washer!.
They do seem to turn rusty,

 

[Runs Like a Deere]

Just my opinion but cosmetic condition on a digger isn't as important as how much play there is in the pins and bushes. Given your budget you are going to be looking at 10+ years old and as said above very few see the inside of a shed at night so the paint will be faded and perhaps patches of rust but if the joints are tight then there is no reason it wouldn't do what you want and could be tidied up cosmetically if needed.

 

[snipe]

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This machine was in when we went, didn’t look too close at it as it was on rubber tracks. But it looked rough, may well have just been cosmetic but wouldn’t have wanted to look at it in my shed everyday. As someone previously said you definitely want a knuckle boom. An 8 ton is bough to do the job of a 13 and 5 ton. Knuckle boom makes it so much more versatile. I didn’t think I needed one, but would not consider one now without.

 

[Romeogolf]

I always think it’s false economy buying cheap diggers unless they are the old Jcb 814’s or similar which have lost all their value entirely. If kept well depreciation is low, and it’s best to start off with something that isn’t tired. In my plant company I have a number of Volvo ecr88d’s and kubota kx080-4’s, and the Volvo is twice the machine.
Something like the attached would be a great buy, they’re nearly 9t, push amazingly well and are very smooth. All our operators prefer them, and they hold their value.

Volvo ECR88D Digger (ST11786) | RJ and KD McLean Ltd – Tractors and Plant

 

[Benr]

I always think it’s false economy buying cheap diggers unless they are the old Jcb 814’s or similar which have lost all their value entirely. If kept well depreciation is low, and it’s best to start off with something that isn’t tired. In my plant company I have a number of Volvo ecr88d’s and kubota kx080-4’s, and the Volvo is twice the machine.
Something like the attached would be a great buy, they’re nearly 9t, push amazingly well and are very smooth. All our operators prefer them, and they hold their value.

Volvo ECR88D Digger (ST11786) | RJ and KD McLean Ltd – Tractors and Plant

I have been thinking this - when first started looking thought to spend £15k, now moved it to £20k! And so it goes on.
Went through this a year ago with a tractor and ended up buying a new one!!

 

[AndrewG]

Volvo ecr88 could be one to consider. I replaced an old 4t komatsu with one and its been a good digger so far. On rubber tracks though but they are not easy to find on steel.
Was originally looking for a tb175 or tb285 but they seem a lot more money for and any 175 i looked at was well worn and their paint was always pretty bad.

 

[Hilly]

I always think it’s false economy buying cheap diggers unless they are the old Jcb 814’s or similar which have lost all their value entirely. If kept well depreciation is low, and it’s best to start off with something that isn’t tired. In my plant company I have a number of Volvo ecr88d’s and kubota kx080-4’s, and the Volvo is twice the machine.
Something like the attached would be a great buy, they’re nearly 9t, push amazingly well and are very smooth. All our operators prefer them, and they hold their value.

Volvo ECR88D Digger (ST11786) | RJ and KD McLean Ltd – Tractors and Plant

Diggers of any sort have not been cheap by any means for years n years , that one in the link is very expensive imo. Rubber tracks are the work of the devil