Is the backhoe loader a thing of the past?

[6feetdown]

Obviously nowhere near as many about anymore, but I wonder on whether there is an opportunity

 

[V8Druid]

Obviously nowhere near as many about anymore, but I wonder on whether there is an opportunity

can't get the rate they're worth, or experienced op.s, are the two main issues you read about mostly on here Boyo .... not a machine that's for the inexperienced and needs plenty of room

 

[Gez_lewis]

There handy sometimes . But not outstanding at anything, a 360 is so much nicer to be in somehow, not so shaky if that makes sense then a loadall Is handier.
then you get a small digging job and move a few bucket fulls of soil a 100 yd’s and the 3cx wins. It depends on your work type Really.

 

[6feetdown]

Yeah strange that you should be able to hit 40 an hour realistically plus fuel, I've not hired 1 for years but a road legal 1 has to have some advantages on paying for a 360 plus driver plus del / col

 

[DaveDCB]

The only real reason I got rid of mine was tight sites where I needed to spin around into dumpers ie driveways and the lack of fork lift capability.. and the high running cost!

 

[6feetdown]

Private jobs in an average property i guess definitely a challenge. I like the 1cx tracked but can't trailer under 3.5t not even sure if available in UK.
What were the running costs when you had 1?

 

[Regy53]

A top spec 3cx is circa 86k today …

we buy and sell a lot of backhoes, in fact I’m quite proud to say we’re well known for them and probably one of the best uk resellers. Heck I even stock filters for them.

I believe there is a market for them here, you only have to check the Facebook group to see young generations coming in and doing well , sometimes with multiple machines ( Sean Meehan ) . We see it too with who we sell too. Few years ago we sold a 2010 6000 hour 3cx Easy control to a nice lad from Shropshire he came last week and upgraded to a top spec 2017 , he is so busy.

although

A few years ago there was somebody who wanted a stick machine for three weeks about 2 miles from my old yard , somebody put them in touch with us and I did a good deal I thought at £450 a week self drive. Somebody from north Wales did one for £325 with no transport bills … so you need to pick your work. I have been tempted to start a mini hire fleet of them

 

[Regy53]

Also while I appreciate some of our competitors have had some 3cx machines over the last two years maybe 3 there has been less and less in the marketplace for sure , so we’re still seeing less and less uk product with company’s . The Poland market has been on fire for years there making great use of them over there. Russia the same but they want older ones really

I do believe the residual is second to none really, If you keep them 4 years plus 800 hours a year you could depreciate at somewhere near 7-10% reducing balance based on old shape 2018 plates, Our customer above who just got into a newer one lost under 5 k in 3.5 years

 

[Giles]

Derbyshire Council seem to have gone back to them for street works in more rural areas albeit hired in ones, and think they work well in more agricultural or rural settings where’s there’s more room but soon as it’s wet they make a mess.

 

[DaveDCB]

no exact figure, but they ate hoses on the back end, really tight bends and lots of snag points meant a lot of hose replacements. I’d have another one without a doubt, but I’d still need a telehandler and dumper, so it puts my ‘fleet’ investment up by over 50K

 

[Bri963]

Same with the Cats. Some of the hoses are pains to remove from round the boom foot and kingpost.

 

[craig]

Somebody from north Wales did one for £325 with no transport bills

I`ld hazard a guess who that was

 

[DaveDCB]

A dealer I used to buy and sell all my backhoes from has just recently sold his last backhoe, had a decent hire fleet! All midis and minis now!

 

[fred]

if it has to have tyres to be on site, got a bucket and digs then a duck is a better option every day of the week in my opinion.

 

[Bri963]

if it has to have tyres to be on site, got a bucket and digs then a duck is a better option every day of the week in my opinion.

Not if you need to be in and out of the cab every few minutes it isn’t.

 

[GazCro]

if it has to have tyres to be on site, got a bucket and digs then a duck is a better option every day of the week in my opinion.

Trouble is a duck needs better roads to travel on than a 3cx unless its an 8 tonner and then it doesn't handle anything heavy on pallets as well. Simple thing is there's better options available and if hiring they are cheap. Who wants to handle pallet forks on a 3cx when a 12m telehandler can be on site on a long term hire for £250 a week and you can probably have an 8 ton tracked say there for similar which anybody on site with a ticket can manage to use.

 

[DaveDCB]

Not if you need to be in and out of the cab every few minutes it isn’t.

This was a big swing for me too, the change from general plant hire to house building & Groundworks with most the work done by myself it’s a long day in and out of a 3cx cab!

 

[Gunners]

See I've been pondering a backhoe to increase my capabilities for a while. No need for transport, the forks and wheelbarrow bucket are all very tempting. Old ones don't die and as Ross says, they hold their value well. The downsides are all too well known over an equivalent sized tracked midi, but I cant help thinking if owning one wouldn't be a bad way to give me some more muscle on a job? Thinking of spending around £20k on a tidy but early 2000's ish one, it wouldn't be used every day so should last a few years and prove the concept?
Am I crazy? Is it actually a good machine to run for me in my fleet of smaller kit? I know a few of you have had and sold them since but could you see them ever working as part of a mini fleet to provide some power and forks?

 

[Hg2702]

Not entirely related but I’d love one ! Had the horn for them since as long as I can remember so @Gunners buy one and live my best life for me

 

[Shovelhands]

Not entirely related but I’d love one ! Had the horn for them since as long as I can remember so @Gunners buy one and live my best life for me

He’s living the dream already, just looking for new toys now…..