Glad to find this forum, looks like some good posts and answers. I'm a landscape contractor in coastal california and I'm interested in buying a used compact skid-steer machine for my landscape business. Top priorities would be moving smaller boulders, soils and trenching for irrigation. We do mostly small to medium size residential install projects. I add boulders to almost every landscape we install, and my wheelbarrows aren't too happy with the 300+ rocks. Has anyone had experience comparing the Toro dingo, Bobcat s70, mt 52 or any Thomas skid-steers? I don't know much about Thomas, but a local rental store is selling a gt25 model for $4000.00. Sounds a little low compared with some other used models I've looked at?
Any tips on what I should be looking for when inspecting a used unit. Thank-you much,
Glad to find this forum, looks like some good posts and answers. I'm a landscape contractor in coastal california and I'm interested in buying a used compact skid-steer machine for my landscape business. Top priorities would be moving smaller boulders, soils and trenching for irrigation. We do mostly small to medium size residential install projects. I add boulders to almost every landscape we install, and my wheelbarrows aren't too happy with the 300+ rocks. Has anyone had experience comparing the Toro dingo, Bobcat s70, mt 52 or any Thomas skid-steers? I don't know much about Thomas, but a local rental store is selling a gt25 model for $4000.00. Sounds a little low compared with some other used models I've looked at?
Any tips on what I should be looking for when inspecting a used unit. Thank-you much,
Gabriel
I have owned 3 thomas skidsteers over the years and they are bullet proof, their smaller gt25??? I don't know much about, haven't used them or that type of machine at all. Sounds like you are on the right track though. Have you considered a mini x with hydraulic thumb?
On a used unit, check for oil leaks, hose conditions and most expecially the tracks. They are costly.
As I've stated here before, the ASV RC30's are quite the little beast. I demoed alot of the other mini's but there was little comparision, especially if you want to use it for excavating and grading on patio and walk installs. Much more stable and safe also. Check Ebay if you want to find some used ones (not $4K though).
John
i demoed theRC30 in louisville at the expo.
someone bought them out, but I liked what I demoed!
I just cant pay 25k for a new one when a skid loader would be more beneficial.
for the same price or a little more.
Thanks for the reply's everyone. I actually did some searching in the archives (I should have done this before posting) and found a temple of information on the mini-skids from other threads. The thomas unit I mentioned looked a little too beat-up, I didn't think I would get much for 4g's. The rc-30's look great, but I really need the narrow track width for many of the smaller jobs I do. So I've been looking at used dingos. I like the tx525 because of all the advantages of a diesel with a bit more ummph. I got offered a dingo demo unit with 80 hours that will still carry the full warranty from a dealer. Heres the bid, with a cash discount at the bottom, tell me what you think?
TX 525 narrow track- $22,000.00
Large bucket- $ 653.00
Pallet forks- $ 723.00
_________________________________
Sub total $23,376.00
Demo discount. $ 1,500.00
Sub total $22,800.00
Tax @ 7.25% $ 1,653.00
_________________________________
TOTAL $24,453.00
I just cant pay 25k for a new one when a skid loader would be more beneficial.
for the same price or a little more.
..I might have agreed with you before I got my RC30 five years ago.
I have a Bobcat A300 and and a S250 w/tracks. They're great machines but I've probably cut my yearly hours on them in 1/2 since I've got the RC30. Unless I need to move full pallets or move more than 20 yds. of material in a day...they stay at the shop.
And even if I need a big machine, I almost always bring the RC30 because I know it will get used. And since it only weighs 3,000 lbs., it's easy to bring along.
And if I had to choose which of these machines I could do without for a month or so.. it would be the RC30. Every supplier has a Spyder truck to place pallets where you need them. And if I had a day where I needed to move alot of material, I'd rent a skidsteer....Wereas, the RC30 we need almost everyday, now that we've learn all the things it can do.
..P.S.- Again, those used ones are quite cheap ($10K or so) with only 700-1000 hrs., which is not alot.
..And to Greenum about the width.
The RC30 is four feet wide, the Toro a little less than 36". Now I understand that that allows you to go through gates without moving the post. And if you daily need to go through fence gates, I suppose that's a big issue. But whenever that's an issue for us we just take down a section of fence by taking a post out. Not very hard to do. and, besides, then we don't have to worry about driving over an existing walk or bumping the gate. We just fly in and out.
...and the other 95% of the time when the machine is used, the RC30 is in a different league.
If you actually did a live on-site demo with both machines (and really pushed them hard), I think you'd be shocked at the difference in performance, especially in excavating abilities.(Note too the lift height specs. I know the RC30 can dump directly into my trucks, wereas, I believe many of the smaller machines can't. Too unstable... That's big for me.)
...That's my pitch, but good luck in whatever you choose.
I just looked a few days ago on Ebay, there was one for $8.5 K. It's gone now but there's one on there today with 950 hrs. for $14K with a brand new 10K lb. trailer.
Greenmun - DON'T buy an RC30. The last two companies I worked for had them in the shop more than they were on the job. Everything went wrong with them. Both operations had two mechanics each, and they both had there fair share of issues. Everything from tracks to starters to drive motors to the $800 cost for the rear hood that was damaged b/c the clasps didn't hold it down and it bounced all over. Go with a Toro Dingo or even a small Yanmar Excavator and a Dingo.
Landscape Steve- What year models were they? There was somewhat of a track problem on earlier models (especially if you didn't adjust them as you should). But, in five years all I've done is replace one starter.
And at least 1/2 of the work I've done with it you would never want to attempt with a Dingo (track or wheeled). They are apples and oranges,anyhow. It would be like saying, "Don't buy a 1 ton Chevy. Get a 1/2 ton Ford instead."
Just a report back after deciding to go with the Toro Dingo a few months back. A impressive little tank! Ended up getting the tx-525 as a demo model with under 200hrs on it. Having a dingo at your disposal is like having an extra crew onsite, we have turned some couple day jobs into one day gigs with its assistance. Not only that but, were only half as worn out at the end of the day! We do a lot of earthmoving and hardscaping (good size boulders, not huge) digging out for patio's ect, and to have that amount of power in something that fits through a 3' gate has been a great asset. I haven't used the trencher, auger or backhoe yet, but I waiting till the right job to try them out. Just the combo of a the medium bucket with tooth bar, the large bucket and the forks, have covered a great deal of the tasks we do in the last 3 months.
I've been slowly testing the tipping point on it as we get into moving different rocks. Yesterday I had one of my crew get onto the operator platform with me for more counter weight, and we picked up a 900lb pallet of rock no problem. Only downfall so far that I find is some wrist fatigue when your doing lots of moving and turning in small spaces. The small steering wheel can be a bit straining at times while using the other hand to operate the attachment. Thanks all for the imput everyone, it really helped steer me in the right direction.
Similar Threads
