Mini digger advice

[Smooth operator]

I am looking at getting a new big 1.5 ton mini digger , as I am getting on now I would like a cab . Any one have any experience with the following , yanmar sv18 , bobcat e20 ,kubota kx018. I like the idea of the e20 as it is compact and like all bobcat has a good reach . Any other ones I should consider ? I am not a fan of the takeuchi . Will be used on a mix of owner op hire and own groundwork s . Thank you in advance .

 

[Simon edwards]

Have you looked at cat ,I have run this for 2 years now,really smooth,nice in the cab,good reachno major issues,only real minus is a lack of ground clearance with the blade,a bit of a pain on wet ground.

 

[Pond digger]

I’ve looked at a few and my preference would be Volvo 1.8D.

 

[Smooth operator]

Have you looked at cat ,I have run this for 2 years now,really smooth,nice in the cab,good reachno major issues,only real minus is a lack of ground clearance with the blade,a bit of a pain on wet ground.

I had a look at the cat mini diggers , nice build quality etc but never had a go in one may be I should then . I take it that your one is the same as a wacker neuson , any difference in price ? Probably better residual ? Thank you for your advice .

 

[Pond digger]

I had a look at the cat mini diggers , nice build quality etc but never had a go in one may be I should then . I take it that your one is the same as a wacker neuson , any difference in price ? Probably better residual ? Thank you for your advice .

I’ve been on the Cat and the Wacker 1.8, and they both suffer in the same respect: neither have the fine control of the Volvo. My comparison test was to fully extend the arm, lower the bucket to an inch or two above ground, and then try to pull the bucket back in whilst keeping parallel to the deck. The Cat guy demonstrated that his machine was quite capable of doing the job by sitting the bucket flat on the floor and dragging it, but any machine can do that. The ability to fine grade with the bucket blade is what separates the Volvo.

 

[Simon edwards]

I was originally going for a kubota 016 as the old kx36 I was replacing had been a hell of a workhorse,I priced one up with 2 dealers but they could'nt get near the package that my local cat dealer offered.The machine is the same as a wackerneuson.I had the smaller machine on demo(301.4,I think) but that was nowhere near as good a machine,slower and very basic but they were about 3 grand less at the time.

 

[Pond digger]

I should add that Cat does have dozer float, which is a good idea in my view. It is undoubtedly, a well built machine, as is the Wacker; it’s just that hydraulic control, finesse that’s lacking.

One thing I did note on the Wacker, was there appeared to be a couple of spots of rust bleeding through the paint work: this on a brand new machine!

 

[Simon edwards]

I find it a nice machine to grade with,smoother than my kx61,but to be fair I've spent years grading with 3cx's so they all seem pretty smooth and less taxing in comparison,might try a Volvo when the kubota is due an upgrade next year as they seem to be popular with a fair few owner operators.

 

[Pond digger]

I was originally going for a kubota 016 as the old kx36 I was replacing had been a hell of a workhorse,I priced one up with 2 dealers but they could'nt get near the package that my local cat dealer offered.The machine is the same as a wackerneuson.I had the smaller machine on demo(301.4,I think) but that was nowhere near as good a machine,slower and very basic but they were about 3 grand less at the time.

I guess you’ve got to be a bit careful to compare like for like with these minis: the 1.4s tend to have different pumps to the 1.6/1.8 class.

 

[Pond digger]

I find it a nice machine to grade with,smoother than my kx61,but to be fair I've spent years grading with 3cx's so they all seem pretty smooth and less taxing in comparison,might try a Volvo when the kubota is due an upgrade next year as they seem to be popular with a fair few owner operators.

Let’s be fair, if you can grade with a 3cx, then you can grade with anything .

 

[Simon edwards]

Haha,that's probably true,getting a bit rusty now though,spoilt with the mini's!

 

[Smooth operator]

I’ve been on the Cat and the Wacker 1.8, and they both suffer in the same respect: neither have the fine control of the Volvo. My comparison test was to fully extend the arm, lower the bucket to an inch or two above ground, and then try to pull the bucket back in whilst keeping parallel to the deck. The Cat guy demonstrated that his machine was quite capable of doing the job by sitting the bucket flat on the floor and dragging it, but any machine can do that. The ability to fine grade with the bucket blade is what separates the Volvo.

I think I will get a price on the volvo and see what they can offer , I have a fairly local dealer .

 

[Nick...]

Ive had twp ec15b volvos an ec18c and now an ecr 25d.all been great and volvo really see after you.did look at a kubota u27 before i got my ecr25 but the dealer was next to useless telling me he had a machine in stock and after driving 60 miles he did not have one.piss poor really
Nick...

 

[Regy53]

I don’t dig holes often but have had my fair share of machines through the business. I often have to mess about with road plannings as my loading ramp and am at the top of the pile regular as we set it as a loading ramp and then the farmer uses some or adds some and we have to adjust

By far the most surprising machine I used was a Volvo ec17c. It was so smooth just was a pleasure to use I find most Volvo’s like this (older)

If it was my money I wouldn’t have much more than Kubota Takeuchi Volvo and cat

 

[sjs5060]

Well somebody has to stick up for jcb, so I will. As some of you will know I've had a new 8026 this year and it's got a few hundred hours under its belt with no issues. I've said all along that this machine really surprised me with how good it is to drive, going as far to say it's the nicest mini I've driven. Well it's been surpassed, off the back of the 8026 I swapped my kx36-3 in for a 2015 8014. It's basic spec with standard tracks and canopy and I can honestly put my hand on my heart and say I love the thing, the thing drives itself. Although it's easy to say in the sunshine I would honestly rather drive the 8014 than the 13 tonner, the hydraulics are so smooth it's unreal. And everyone that drives it says the same.
Now I don't claim to be an expert but I've been on a shitload of machines of all sizes and I find these little jakes brilliant, but what suits one doesn't suit another but I'd deffo consider one. Don't know where you are but if your not to far away from me your welcome to try mine.

Ste

 

[A9Driver]

Our operators like our 2017 Volvo 18D

 

[Brendan]

Do the Volvo minis still have a button for boom swing or slew?
not really operated many machines although always feel the Kubota seem a little under powered although that maybe as the ones I've been on were hire kit.

 

[Smooth operator]

Well somebody has to stick up for jcb, so I will. As some of you will know I've had a new 8026 this year and it's got a few hundred hours under its belt with no issues. I've said all along that this machine really surprised me with how good it is to drive, going as far to say it's the nicest mini I've driven. Well it's been surpassed, off the back of the 8026 I swapped my kx36-3 in for a 2015 8014. It's basic spec with standard tracks and canopy and I can honestly put my hand on my heart and say I love the thing, the thing drives itself. Although it's easy to say in the sunshine I would honestly rather drive the 8014 than the 13 tonner, the hydraulics are so smooth it's unreal. And everyone that drives it says the same.
Now I don't claim to be an expert but I've been on a shitload of machines of all sizes and I find these little jakes brilliant, but what suits one doesn't suit another but I'd deffo consider one. Don't know where you are but if your not to far away from me your welcome to try mine.

Ste

I have driven a fair few jcb minis and I agree they are good to drive , I do a fair bit of driving for a hire company that run jcb 8016 /8018 but are changing over to kubota and they always question my choice of jcb over their lovely new kubota ' s but they are smooth ,good diggers , comfy will pick up a road sheet no problem etc . But the resale is not great and the reason they are swapping them is reliability, mostly little things but still resulting in down time . The volvo seems to be good only driven older ones , pel job era. Any body have experience on the yanmar ?

 

[Smooth operator]

Well somebody has to stick up for jcb, so I will. As some of you will know I've had a new 8026 this year and it's got a few hundred hours under its belt with no issues. I've said all along that this machine really surprised me with how good it is to drive, going as far to say it's the nicest mini I've driven. Well it's been surpassed, off the back of the 8026 I swapped my kx36-3 in for a 2015 8014. It's basic spec with standard tracks and canopy and I can honestly put my hand on my heart and say I love the thing, the thing drives itself. Although it's easy to say in the sunshine I would honestly rather drive the 8014 than the 13 tonner, the hydraulics are so smooth it's unreal. And everyone that drives it says the same.
Now I don't claim to be an expert but I've been on a shitload of machines of all sizes and I find these little jakes brilliant, but what suits one doesn't suit another but I'd deffo consider one. Don't know where you are but if your not to far away from me your welcome to try mine.

Ste

Sorry should of said Thank you for your kind offer .

 

[Regy53]

Do the Volvo minis still have a button for boom swing or slew?
not really operated many machines although always feel the Kubota seem a little under powered although that maybe as the ones I've been on were hire kit.

yes