E19 quote

[doobin]

The Hitachi's Zx19 is on joystick rollers and track pedals. Not sure what kind of deals are available on them...

They've changed since I looked then. I'm pretty sure the boom swing is still a pedal though, which would rule it out for me. Shame as otherwise they look an excellent value reliable mini. I did like the one I demo'd but the Hyundai fit me better and had the joystick aux, despite being a grand more expensive. I've always liked Hitatch and know they run some high hours without complaint.

If the ZX17 was 17k on offer, the Zx19 is gonna be 19k. It's going to cost you 2-3k at least (if even possible, might not be space) to have a cetop and roller fitted to left joystick to run your rotate. So then you're into bobcat money once you've haggled them down.

For me, it all came down to wanting twin aux on rollers, and I don't regret the extra few grand. The 19 has made that back easily and the 27 has made that back tenfold. It all comes down to the work you need to do with it.

 

[doobin]

Could say the same for clutch and brake peddles

For me it comes down to how much you use them and also how you sit on the machine/vehicle.

I've no problem towing a trailer to site through the back lanes, you're only usually using a couple of gears, the clutch is light, and you don't change often. But forward/reverse shunting for short work on nature reserves and constantly changing gears on a geared tractor proper tore me up. Moved to hydro on all but one machine (kept that for trenching etc) and no regrets and far more productive. Also on a digger offset, you have to press one side then quickly switch to the other. I tink this is what made it so bad for me. I did turn the offset pedal 90 degrees on my Hyundai to improve this.

If pedals work for you then great. They don't for me an others, and OP needs to take this into consideration. A comfortable operator is a productive operator.

Bobcat scores for me too here- couldn't believe how uncomfortable the Yanmar was compared to my E27 when I demoed it. I also remember writing on here just how comfy I was sitting on the E19. Sounds daft, I know it's just a digger and any model is better than a spade, but if you are going to be an owner op these things matter.

 

[doobin]

I get the short dipper thing for grab work or tilty use. But with standard hitch and buckets the Volvo I tried the other was terrible. The boom was massive and then felt like the dipper had no where near the range to match it when grading- plus stopped miles short of the blade.

There's no soloution here unfortunately, short of a custom designed telescopic dipper that will handle a tilty or grab well!

 

[William127]

My thoughts out of those 3 options. From how you describe your job I reckon a new Hitachi on one of those deals will make/save you the most money. Used machines are still pretty high, new high spec some is all nice but you pay for it and won't dig much different than the Hitachi. A high spec option could well depreciate at a high cost if things are going the way everyone thinks. Whereas bog basic Hitachi might loose £5-7k over 5 years or so

Very well put, thanks

 

[William127]

It's more complicated than it seems that's for sure.

 

[CPS]

As a side note, we can convert the Zx17 zx 19 to proportional control for approx 2k.

 

[Smiffy]

The 1.9u Hitachi is amazing machine to drive and use

I agree completely. So are the other Hitachi minis. But they are very basic in comparison to what's being talked about in this thread. And no Hitachi below 13t has a cab designed for tall people.

 

[Left hooker]

I agree completely. So are the other Hitachi minis. But they are very basic in comparison to what's being talked about in this thread. And no Hitachi below 13t has a cab designed for tall people.

8t mono boom cab is ok for taller people

 

[Smiffy]

8t mono boom cab is ok for taller people

I have only tried the kingpost 8t. Honestly the worse machine cab going. Smaller than the 65's cab

 

[Storrsy]

I agree completely. So are the other Hitachi minis. But they are very basic in comparison to what's being talked about in this thread. And no Hitachi below 13t has a cab designed for tall people.

Like all these things it's like art, what appeals to some won't to others. I hired a Hitachi u26 about a year ago and didn't like it all. I can't remember jow what it was i didn't like but seem to remember it was flippin noisy in the cab- like engine vibes coming through cab. It's very hard to find a machine that ticks every box I'm finding though. This Volvo I nearly bought was in so many ways such a well thought out design. But the seat- oh my word that was like sitting on the naughty bench at school- hard unyielding thing, was meant to be the luxurious version but screw spending a day on that.

 

[Hg2702]

Thought about cat @William127

Everything you’re after is standard rather than having to ask for it but then the price will probably reflect that ! And as for comfort it’s very comfy to sit in when I get the time !

 

[Fms1]

I recently got a new 2024 zx19u for £17k with a Strickland hitch and 4 buckets
Also have a 2017 that is bombproof and I’ve maybe lost 5k in 8 yrs resale value but earns triple that every year!!!
basic… maybe but digs holes just how it should

 

[hiluxman]

What do people think of this quote for a bobcat e19 in what I think is the same spec as @doobin ?
Haven't gone into details about hitch/ buckets yet but I'd be pushing them for either an S30 or nothing, or the cheapest they'll do if they insist on it coming with something.
Seems like a lot of money for a canopied 1.5 but I plan on having it for a long time and using it to start pushing for more machine work.
The finance looks good, with a 10% deposit it'll cost me about 3k over 5 years according to my fag packet calculations. That's about what a 15k used machine would be so much better value. Again that's on site fag packet maths, I'll work it out more carefully at home.
Thoughts/alternatives?

Cat 301.6 full cab ect is £21500, that's price I was given today.
1.8 price coming tomorrow.

 

[hiluxman]

Cat 301.6 full cab ect is £21500, that's price I was given today.
1.8 price coming tomorrow.

For reference the same machine in July 2022 was £23200

 

[Storrsy]

Out of interest just had a quote from Hitachi for a Zx19-6 with cab, 3 buckets, track pedals and prop aux. £22k with manual hitch.

 

[doobin]

@William127 - did you get them to sharpen their pencil?

 

[pettsy]

Saw this last week…

 

[Storrsy]

Saw this last week…

View attachment 61517

It's not really that much of a deal. take the E19 with cab as an example. Comes to £32500 plus vat. Minus say £3000 for trailer, same for breaker (?) leaves it at £26,380 for the E19, manual hitch and only one set of aux.

Been offered full spec Yanmar and Wacker with hyd hitch and dual aux for less than that... Like anything if you break it down into tiny chunks it's always going to seem good value on the face of it.

 

[Storrsy]

What's the paint like on Hitachi any one know. The paint on my 216 has been superb. 6 years old and still looks like new- no flaking or anything

 

[groundworker]

Following with interest, I'm thinking about a new machine myself. Needs to be zero swing though so possibly E17z / zx17u / u17

Can the Hitachi be specced up similar to the Bobcat? I only need a basic digging machine but would like to have a tilty in the future.