Thinking about a Mini-X ... ?

[Tomtint]

A bunch of years ago I bought a used 6000 hour KX121.. had it for 7 or 8 years, put another 500 or so hours on it and sold it for more than I paid for it. Bought a new Bobcat E35 with a long stick. ..Bobcat is not as strong as the Kubota was, but it’s more comfortable, has AC and heat , radio, 3rd valve etc. used it yesterday for about 4 hours loading brush and logs to bring to the town drop off day.. A mini X is so much faster at this than any other method .

 

[check 6]

My Little Baby Fergie is about the same size as your BX ... And while the 008 is smaller than I'm looking at ... I'm curious on how you would compare the 008 to the BX w/BH in actual digging performance?

I understand the moving "problem" quite well!

Digging is somewhat similar I’ve dug trenches, almost 6 feet deep and several feet long with a little excavator also pulled out stumps that were up to 14 to 15 inches in diameter just takes more time unless you’re doing large projects. A small excavator in my mind is the way to go because it is more movable can get into tighter places and we’ll do 90% of any job you want done

 

[Seven Gables]

One thing that’s known to be quite abusive to excavators is lots hours spent with a hammer attached. I’d tend to stay away from rental units if they were known to have spent many hours with a hammer attached. Some contractors will rent a excavator with a hammer as opposed to just renting the hammer and using on there own excavator

 

[Yander]

I'm not really worried about tight spaces ... This is my 16 acres, mostly all open ...

View attachment 5591552

My backyard, the creek is just past the tractor ...

View attachment 5591553

The front yard ...

View attachment 5591554

By little TLB has 150° swing with the BH ..

That's a great-looking property. I assume that is your house in the pics, and you are standing at your gate facing your house in the pic of the front gate? I'm guessing because your job it would be tough to have cattle but that would be great to have.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Yes, that's my house in the background of both pictures ... The gate sits back 80' from the road, so I have room to back my 72' long truck and trailer off the narrow road, before opening the gate . . .

Once retired, I'm planning on getting some chickens, and probably duck and/geese ... Protein !

The Mini-X will dig them some ponds ...

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Put the S/N in google its a 2021 model and it sold in GA for $17K July 2025 - looking closely at the pictures there's a dent next in the sheet metal next to the swing arm.

2021 Hitachi ZX26U-5N Excavator | Heavy Construction Equipment Excavators Hydraulic Excavators | Online Auctions | Proxibid

2021 Hitachi ZX26U-5N Excavator, Aux Hydraulics w/Diverter Block, Push Blade, Rubber Tracks, Zero Tail Swing, 2-Speed, 12" Tooth Bucket w/Coupler, Hours: 1,355. Serial HCMACB60E00265899

www.proxibid.com

Nice deal, but someone's flipping it or there may be issues - JD is looking better.

Great detective work! I hadn't even thought it was a possibility to know that!

The seller on TH has a bunch of other equipment, some in the 10-15 year old range, which I thought was strange ...

I'm sure there are lots of other dealers in my area that don't list on TH, I drove by a Tach ____something or other dealer on my way home, I know there is a Bobcat dealer there too, as I called them back before I bought the SCUT TLB

 

[anomad]

I was surfing around looking at mini-excavators. No bargains on the sites I frequent. But, resale value seems to be very strong right now. So even if you only keep a mini for a few years I don't think you will lose any money in the long run. I saw Kubota KX057-4R3A — Mountain Kubota of Boone this one nearby and it is almost identical to mine (they have 3 locations just northeast of me). Even with 4000 hours they are asking 50k. I paid just over 70k new and still measuring hours in the hundreds - LOL. That used listing looks fairly well taken care of, but there is no getting around 4000 hours. I'm surprised they are asking that much.

My plumber has the little 25 horse open station Kubota with zero swing radius so he can do plumber things. It is amazing what capability he has in such a small machine.

 

[Carl_NH]

I'm sure there are lots of other dealers in my area that don't list on TH, I drove by a Tach ____something or other dealer on my way home, I know there is a Bobcat dealer there too, as I called them back before I bought the SCUT TLB

Takeuchi make a very good machine - the last 2 numbers are the rough weight in metric tons - E.G 216 is 4000 lbs, 230 is 6600 lbs, the 240 9000 lbs and so on.

You can do a Serial number lookup on Google for any machine for sale out there and see where its been for the most part today.

Did you check out the JD35 local machine? Thats not a bad deal and for your use may work out fine - it needs some TLC.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

No, I drove through Springfield around 04:00 this morning, got home, got a few things done, and left, now a few miles west of the OH border ...

My official scheduled time off isn't for another 2 weeks ...

The TLC you say ... Is that something that most can do at home?

I was trained as a auto mechanic, two years of Vo-Tech, top of my class, high honors, hired out of there my senior year to work in a big truck shop ... Worked that for two years ... Do most my own mechanics type work . . .

The Deere 35D is about 7500 Lbs, digs 10" deep, and lifts 1700 Lbs ... Sounds much more substantial than my TLB! But I'll need to do some research on that years diesel emissions ...

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Put the S/N in google its a 2021 model and it sold in GA for $17K July 2025 - looking closely at the pictures there's a dent next in the sheet metal next to the swing arm.

2021 Hitachi ZX26U-5N Excavator | Heavy Construction Equipment Excavators Hydraulic Excavators | Online Auctions | Proxibid

2021 Hitachi ZX26U-5N Excavator, Aux Hydraulics w/Diverter Block, Push Blade, Rubber Tracks, Zero Tail Swing, 2-Speed, 12" Tooth Bucket w/Coupler, Hours: 1,355. Serial HCMACB60E00265899

www.proxibid.com

Nice deal, but someone's flipping it or there may be issues - JD is looking better.

Seems strange that it would travel that far from GA to IA, and then only have 100 hours in 4 years on it ...

More than likely it was a wholesale type auction, hence the price? Or just the inflation showing ... ?

It does look nice though, and no emissions ...

The Deere 35 is close and handy to go look at ... And pay for ... Not quite sure how to move that much money up to IA ... Especially since I'd not want to settle on a price before looking at it, so couldn't get a certified check ... And I don't want to carry that much cash ... Not sure if they would take a personal check or credit card?

While I'm mechanically inclined, I know nothing of hydraulics and tracks ... How hard is it to change bucket bushings? Those roller pins the track roll on? The tracks themselves?

 

[Carl_NH]

Yes -TLC I refer to are pins, bushings, seals, hoses bearings etc. The pins are easy, the bushings take patience as long as the steel around them is good, you can cut thru with a sawzall to relieve tension then push them out.

Once you got thru the machine you may not do anything for 2-3 years, then a hose or a seal will go - normal stuff. On the JD, have the seller steam clean/pressure wash everything if it isn't already done then run it in his yard and check things out - tracks, rollers, lines, leaks. If you can look at it before (see evidence of leaks) then after cleaning.

Replacing tracks is a tough one-man job but it can be done - better to have a helper that can run the tracks and you using a bar to help them on. Most of the maintenance is straightforward and if you worked on cars, excavators are pretty simple machines.

The JD35 is a 2011 model so should not have DEF or Tier as I thought that was after 2014-15?

Moving money is easy today, your bank can wire transfer funds - safest way and fastest - not days to clear either bank.

 

[D&D]

Moving money is easy today, your bank can wire transfer funds - safest way and fastest - not days to clear either bank.

That really depends on the bank. Not all do and some charge a pretty stiff fee.

 

[D'oh]

A bunch of years ago I bought a used 6000 hour KX121.. had it for 7 or 8 years, put another 500 or so hours on it and sold it for more than I paid for it. Bought a new Bobcat E35 with a long stick. ..Bobcat is not as strong as the Kubota was, but it’s more comfortable, has AC and heat , radio, 3rd valve etc. used it yesterday for about 4 hours loading brush and logs to bring to the town drop off day.. A mini X is so much faster at this than any other method .

That was true but will it still be true in the future?

With the Flood of these Chinese Hoes, not that they are going to be purchased for Commercial, but Home Owners won't be after Used Machines nearly as much as they once were.

Also, your old KX121 was pre Emissions, which drove up it's value all by it's self. Many HWY Trucks Pre Emission, bring Crazy Money used

Thesee Minis are not a Resle Piece, but if you want to start fresh, Pins, Bushings, Tracks, Rollers, Buckets, ttachments. They could wind up being a Lifetime tool for a Home Owner.

 

[Carl_NH]

That really depends on the bank. Not all do and some charge a pretty stiff fee.

Mine charges $20 and I recently sold a machine, and it cost the buyer with a different bank $20 to wire money. The seller just needs to send the account, routing and bank info, so its pretty easy to do.

A "bank check or certified check" were the way things used to operate, but those still take 2-3 days to clear vs wire transfers are immediate.

Plus, only the buyer needs to go to the bank to initiate the transaction, not the seller too.

 

[dnw64]

Mine charges $20 and I recently sold a machine, and it cost the buyer with a different bank $20 to wire money. The seller just needs to send the account, routing and bank info, so its pretty easy to do.

A "bank check or certified check" were the way things used to operate, but those still take 2-3 days to clear vs wire transfers are immediate.

Plus, only the buyer needs to go to the bank to initiate the transaction, not the seller too.

Yes, ours charges $5 to get a wire and I think $20 to send one. I use ACH almost exclusively but that does take 1 day unless you pay an extra fee (I think - it says "may incur a fee" - we have a pretty substantial range of accounts at our bank and they do a lot of stuff for free).

 

[Shawn T. W.]

My "problem" with wire is in the past when I did it, I had to be there physically in the bank to sign stuff ... Which was hard, as I was on the road, I thought I was moving to TN, and had well into 6 figures in a bank there, ended up finding a house in MO ... It was a HASSLE to get them to close my account and send me the money, they would send any to the closing agent, had to send a certified check to my home address in AZ ... Sent it in a regular envelope, no tracking!

 

[dieselscout80]

On the Hitachi I showed above ...

https://www.tractorhouse.com/listing/for-sale/246903277/hitachi-zx26u-5n-mini-excavators

It shows these orange "extensions" on the blade, are they "steps"?

View attachment 5604164

Seems like it's still a current model, which interests me, as it should have parts availability for longer ... But still under the 25 HP emissions requirement ... And I was wrong on the mileage, its only 250 miles away ... But I'd have to save up some more pennies!

View attachment 5604165

There is this Deere D35 in the next town over from me, which I probably could arrange delivery on my schedule ... But I'm pretty sure it will have at least a tier 3 engine, which I don't want ... But I'm sure it's a good/better digger than it's little brother D17 ...
https://www.tractorhouse.com/listing/for-sale/255009573/2011-deere-35d-mini-excavators is the $2K extra for a thumb reasonable?

I think 2013 the last year for reasonable emissions equipment, so that 2011 should be fine emissions wise.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

I think 2013 the last year for reasonable emissions equipment, so that 2011 should be fine emissions wise.

It kinda depends on how they are meeting the requirements ...

For example my 2005 Kubota L5030 gross 52 HP meets the standard without any computer aided sensors ... Which is considered tier 2.

In 2008 is when tier 4 starts (no tier 3 in this engine size) they cut the required Particulate Matter by half, but everything else is the same as tier 2 ...

Also kinda interesting is that my 2021 25 HP SCUT has similar numbers required as my 2005 Kubota does, while my SCUT is commonly referred to as "no emissions" that's not entirely true, as you can see that there is indeed a requirement, which I believe is met by tightening up clearances in the cylinders, but also improving injector pressure and spray patterns, but it has no computer or other sensors ...

Comparing the requirements of my 2021 SCUT to the 2011 Deere 35D are also very similar, with only slightly lower numbers in two areas ... So maybe it doesn't have a computer and sensors ... If it does, it would easily turn into a nightmare, being built in the "teething" time period of these new standards ...

Probably easiest way to tell, is turn on the key, if it has a "check engine" light, it does! I'm not seeing anything that looks like a chk engine or wrench in here ... Although I'm not sure what they all are?

I'm thinking that the less than 8kw tier 1 engines are about as close to old school engines, look at there allowed numbers!

 

[deezler]

^ yep.

Basically, everything below 19 kW (~25.5 HP) doesn't need any special emissions controls, so no manufacturer is going to add a costly system that purchasers don't want. Between 19-56 kW you get a DPF (diesel particulate filter) to catch soot, that periodically needs to clear it's throat with a "regeneration" (spraying fuel late, after combustion so it flows out the exhaust into the DPF). Above 56 kW you also need an SCR system (selective catalytic reduction) that employs DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) to convert oxides of nitrogen.

I will say, having a DPF is really nice, you'll never see a black cloud of soot out your tailpipe. You can start up inside the garage or barn without a nasty cloud of smoke. Much healthier exhaust to breathe around. And the DPF regens should only be every 50 operating hours or longer (avoid excessive idling, work the machine to ensure this), so no big deal. But having to add DEF and deal with the SCR reliability issues is less fun.