Micro/mini diggers

[DavidL]

Hi there.
Like many, I am looking for a mini or micro digger for around £5k, just for some general landscaping and drainage work around our property.
Most well known brands come in a bit over budget. But I have found a Mistubishi 1/2 ton micro digger (MM05).
I've also noticed a number of almost new JPC 1.2ton (koop diesel engine) machines within budget.
So far, I have zero experience with these machines, but keen to learn.
My gut tells me I'm better off with the older, Japanese quality machine than the newer Chinese ones.
Or are these cheap new ones worth a try?
Bearing in mind that I plan on keeping it and possibly even hire it out to the odd local that needs a wee job done.

 

[doobin]

don’t touch the Chinese with a bargepole.

 

[Mick-the-fitter]

Little Kubotas good, Takeuchi fair, jcb lower end not really have experience on many others

 

[William127]

5k should buy you something serviceable from a mainstream make at the moment, prices have come down fast.
I sold a takeuchi tb108 micro to a dealer for 5500 2 years ago, that would be an end user price now I reckon.

 

[DavidL]

Thanks for replies so far.
Yes, a wee tb108 would be awesome. But cheapest I find is around £7k at the moment.
1/2 ton Mitsubishi for under 5k delivered seems like a good deal.

 

[Mick-the-fitter]

Thanks for replies so far.
Yes, a wee tb108 would be awesome. But cheapest I find is around £7k at the moment.
1/2 ton Mitsubishi for under 5k delivered seems like a good deal.

108 are old now, had a few in for repin and bush, they were hanging!

 

[DavidL]

So would I be right in thinking the year 2000ish model 1/2 ton Mistubishi would be a better buy than a new jpc 1.2 for similar money?
Regarding capability, would they be much the same?

 

[V8Druid]

Thanks for replies so far.
Yes, a wee tb108 would be awesome. But cheapest I find is around £7k at the moment.
1/2 ton Mitsubishi for under 5k delivered seems like a good deal.

beware of scammers promising delivery anywhere in the country included in the price

 

[V8Druid]

So would I be right in thinking the year 2000ish model 1/2 ton Mistubishi would be a better buy than a new jpc 1.2 for similar money?
Regarding capability, would they be much the same?

as said above .... run away from any chinky/Ying Tong crap .... in your 7 league boots

 

[William127]

So would I be right in thinking the year 2000ish model 1/2 ton Mistubishi would be a better buy than a new jpc 1.2 for similar money?
Regarding capability, would they be much the same?

I'd say it might feel the same when you bought it, try again just a couple of hundred hours and the mitsubishi would probably feel just the same, even if it felt its age to begin with, where the Chineseium would be showing its age already...

 

[William127]

beware of scammers promising delivery anywhere in the country included in the price

If its been sold be a woman that's a massive red flag for a scam!

 

[DavidL]

Yeah, spotted plenty scams so far. The MM05 is at Catlody Carraiges, so a pretty safe buy I think.

 

[V8Druid]

beware of scammers promising delivery anywhere in the country included in the price

and if it's the other end of the country/somewhere remote/IOM, or Highlands and islands, it'll almost certainly be a scam

 

[V8Druid]

Yeah, spotted plenty scams so far. The MM05 is at Catlody Carraiges, so a pretty safe buy I think.

just looked at where you're based ... ignore the "Highlands and Islands" bit in the previous post and insert london/portsmouth/cornwall

 

[V8Druid]

@Vinpetrol .. know of anything ?

 

[DavidL]

Hahaha.
You're right though. Most of the scams were advertising out this way.

 

[DavidL]

The other small issue I have is our Kangoo can only tow 1100kg I think.
Also have a Forester, but no towbar fitted yet.
Limits what I'd be able to fetch right now.

 

[CPS]

If you can push the boat out slightly further, I have a Bobcat E10 that I might be selling? Fully repinned and bushed and painted (although it has spend alot of time outside since and the paint dont look fresh.... but its there)

About 8K

 

[Bri963]

Get a one tonner delivered. I would suspect a half-tonne machine would get very frustrating very quickly.

 

[Stroppymonkey]

If you can push the boat out slightly further, I have a Bobcat E10 that I might be selling? Fully repinned and bushed and painted (although it has spend alot of time outside since and the paint dont look fresh.... but its there)

About 8K

E10 is literally twice the machine. 8k sounds a bargain.