Buying a track machine

motorman

Hi lads
I thought about this idea about 5 years ago. Vuying a track machine (13ton) tractor and dumper with the idea of getting work doing site clearance drainage land reclaimation work.
I spent a couple of years in a digger shaping, draining and did some reclimation work.
I decided against the idea back then cause the cost of setting up was to high. Machinary has come down in price since and i am thinking about it again for 2010.
I am out of touch with what lads are charging for such work. What would you expect to earn with the machine and how difficult would it be to get work do you think?? Im based in offaly. Start up cost would be maybe 10 - 15k for good hitachi 120 etc, and lowloader to transport. I have an old lambroghini 85hp that would just about pull it, it would be fine till i got going.
cheers lads

vanderbadger

motorman wrote: »

Hi lads
I thought about this idea about 5 years ago. Vuying a track machine (13ton) tractor and dumper with the idea of getting work doing site clearance drainage land reclaimation work.
I spent a couple of years in a digger shaping, draining and did some reclimation work.
I decided against the idea back then cause the cost of setting up was to high. Machinary has come down in price since and i am thinking about it again for 2010.
I am out of touch with what lads are charging for such work. What would you expect to earn with the machine and how difficult would it be to get work do you think?? Im based in offaly. Start up cost would be maybe 10 - 15k for good hitachi 120 etc, and lowloader to transport. I have an old lambroghini 85hp that would just about pull it, it would be fine till i got going.
cheers lads

well if buying the gear to do work on your own place id say its a good time to buy, heaps of diggers up on dondeal every day, lads arent selling them for no reason though, id say there isnt much hire work going now and its probably the established lads that are getting whatever work is going. good luck with it anyway

dasheriff

Well i have dropped my price to 35+vat per hour.
Now is a great time to buy there is fine machines out there at good money but work is definately slack,you could find it very hard to start out but if i was you id prob chance it, if you have the money but id stay away from borrowing too much at the moment.

powerfarmer

As said its a buyers market out there for track machines at the moment but around here there are a lot of idle machines especially since the farm building grants finished.

DanFindy

I spent the last 3-5 yrs shaping, working on golf courses etc and towards the end i was going to buy my own machine, glad now didnt nearly no work going and rates are dropping like hot spuds, Its a good time to buy however i think you would pick up a very tasty 120-5 and lowloader together now for about 18-20k i think 10-15 is a bit ambitious you would get a dash 2 or 3 but stay awaaaay!!! U can be v lucky with a 2 or 3 but if the brain packs up your fooked...

reilig

DanFindy wrote: »

I spent the last 3-5 yrs shaping, working on golf courses etc and towards the end i was going to buy my own machine, glad now didnt nearly no work going and rates are dropping like hot spuds, Its a good time to buy however i think you would pick up a very tasty 120-5 and lowloader together now for about 18-20k i think 10-15 is a bit ambitious you would get a dash 2 or 3 but stay awaaaay!!! U can be v lucky with a 2 or 3 but if the brain packs up your fooked...

I thought you said in earlier posts that you spent the last 5 years working as a REPS Planner????

motorman

DanFindy wrote: »

I spent the last 3-5 yrs shaping, working on golf courses etc and towards the end i was going to buy my own machine, glad now didnt nearly no work going and rates are dropping like hot spuds, Its a good time to buy however i think you would pick up a very tasty 120-5 and lowloader together now for about 18-20k i think 10-15 is a bit ambitious you would get a dash 2 or 3 but stay awaaaay!!! U can be v lucky with a 2 or 3 but if the brain packs up your fooked...

I ment 10 - 15 for track machine only lowloader would be extra.
What courses dis you work on dan?? I did a bit of that myself.

motorman

dasheriff wrote: »

Well i have dropped my price to 35+vat per hour.
Now is a great time to buy there is fine machines out there at good money but work is definately slack,you could find it very hard to start out but if i was you id prob chance it, if you have the money but id stay away from borrowing too much at the moment.

Thanks dasher!! 35 an hour is for track machine and yourself only?? How would you charge if you had say a 9 ton dumper working aswell??

DanFindy

reilig wrote: »

I thought you said in earlier posts that you spent the last 5 years working as a REPS Planner????

Sorry to confuse u im the past couple of years reps planning, machine driver when i left college untill i started with Teagasc as the money was good driving in the boom times and it helped build my house.

DanFindy

motorman wrote: »

I ment 10 - 15 for track machine only lowloader would be extra.
What courses dis you work on dan?? I did a bit of that myself.

Worked in Enniskillen on Castle Humes Nick Faldo course, worked in Royal Portrush, Dungannon GC, That place in Longford that yer man Kearns was building untill it went bust, Bundoran, Bunclody in wexford the course just behind the town, places like that !!!!!

Colmm23

I know a man that bought a 05 Hitachi Zaxis 130 with 3700 hours, quick hitch, 3 buckets, long undercarraige and long dipper and a heated seat(V handy these days!!:D) for 24500 plus vat. Its a very clean machine so it shows the value to be got today when it was bought new for approx 75K a few years ago.

Username John

motorman wrote: »

Thanks dasher!! 35 an hour is for track machine and yourself only?? How would you charge if you had say a 9 ton dumper working aswell??

I know tis a bit off topic - but just as a matter of interest, for 35E per hour - what size machine do you have?

I am getting some work done, and the lad I normally get has a 21 ton machine.
Just wondering whats a good price for this nowdays?

Thanks for any replies.

dasheriff

motorman wrote: »

Thanks dasher!! 35 an hour is for track machine and yourself only?? How would you charge if you had say a 9 ton dumper working aswell??

Yeah dats for me the machine and deisel.id charge around 150 with no driver for the dumper per day or id charge hourly if with driver.

dasheriff

Username John wrote: »

I know tis a bit off topic - but just as a matter of interest, for 35E per hour - what size machine do you have?

I am getting some work done, and the lad I normally get has a 21 ton machine.
Just wondering whats a good price for this nowdays?

Thanks for any replies.

That was for a 13 ton.
Im not sure about 21 tons now but id say you`d be talking at least €40-45 anyway.

dar31

had a lad dig out lagoon 2 years back, charged E35/hr for 24 ton

mossfort

DanFindy wrote: »

Sorry to confuse u im the past couple of years reps planning, machine driver when i left college untill i started with Teagasc as the money was good driving in the boom times and it helped build my house.

and your a dj and a classic tractor restorer too.;)

DanFindy

mossfort wrote: »

and your a dj and a classic tractor restorer too.;)

Your memory amazes me Ya finger in a lot of pies i like to keep busy......the missus doesnt always agree though, oh ya im the secretary of the Mid West Donegal Vintage Club too, :rolleyes: