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Joined: Aug 2004
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Now that I'm about to move into the retrement home full time, I've got alot of 'projects' lined up in my mind, and in my corner of Pennsylvania you can't dig 3 inches without hitting rocks, is it worth while to invest in one of these mini dozers? Struck corp www.struckcorp.com has a magnatrac 6000 28 hp diesel dozer with a bucket loader attachment for $21,000. I plan to have a beach area dug out in my pond as well as clear a wooded area and build a 50 by 30 reflecting pond in front of the house. I've got the time and I've operated heavy equipment before so I'm sure I can work the thing (maybe not fix it, but definately work it) but I wonder if anyone out there has experience digging their own ponds or specifically with a struck dozer? Or maybe it's better to rent, any thoughts? How's the resale value on this type of equipment?


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Hmmm.... I'm not really sure what to think of those things.

I would suggest that you'd be better off, and get much greater and varied use, from a used 4wd backhoe in the same price range.

My thought on re-sale is that these items appear to be really niche market... not likely to sell to anyone that would use one for a living so it might be a hard sell just to other 'private' owners. But really hard to know... never heard of them before.


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Unless you think you can use it for several years, my advise would be against it for the same reasons as Pottsy indicates.

For that price, you can buy a CAT D4 in fairly good condition that will be large enough to accomplish most of your heavy work yet agile enough for some final touches. The great thing about the CAT (or JD for that matter) is the high resale value and that it is a size that everyone wants.

The backhoe may be the ticket too. Guess it depends if you can push the dirt where you want it, or if you need the bucket and rubber tires to pick it up and move it.

When we started buying equipment for our project the biggest mistake that we made was buying too small. Equipment dealers will let you test drive. Take advantage of that and see what you can handle. I have equipment stories that never end. Just talked to the State today and laid the groundwork for a new permit.

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Interesting setup. Looks like you would have a more compact package compared to a tractor with front loader. On the down side it looks like it would tear up any turf that you drive it over.

A wheeled tractor would be much more land friendly and still do some very heavy work for the same or less money.

Just my two cents, but, Get something you will use most of the time, maybe more general purpose. If you need to have a more heavy duty machine (front loader / backhoe) Rent one. Saturday delivery by noon you can have it for 8 hours run time over the entire weekend. I pay $187.50 +$50 delivery/pickup.

Bottom line whatever your decision, enjoy yourself! I know it is a great stress reliever for me to get outside and move some dirt.

JW

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I bought a trackhoe with visions of using it to do everything I wanted and then selling it for little loss. It didn't exactly work out that way.

While I enjoy my trackhoe and am glad I bought it, you may well be money ahead to rent whatever equipment you need when you need it unless you are an astute buyer and mechanically competent, want to do a side business, or can utilize it for tax advantages.


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PaPond,

A small used dozer, like a CASE 450, will cost you a lot less and retain its resale value. I bought one for a pond renovation project about 1 year ago and it is worth more now than what I paid for it...but I had the assistance of an experienced dozer man/mechanic to evaluate what I was buying before I bought it. Otherwise, I would have made a bad mistake. If you are not an experienced dozer person/mechanic, get one to help you.

The only problem I've had is that I don't want to sell mine now that I have finished the intended work. They are so much fun and so useful. They can do things a tractor can't.

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PaPond,
I would recommend that you buy a used skid loader (Bobcat). You can get one with tracks- they are very versatile, they move a lot of dirt, they have as much horsepower as what you are looking at and they hold their value ( as long as you buy used and it's a diesel), They're also fun to play with and easy to work on.

Brad B.

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I owned a magnatrac. It was awesome. It is aggressive on the soil, and I couldn't cross the blacktop drive with it, but it could push, dig, and knock over about anything.

You gan get nylon pads for the tracks which inverts the tread, and makes it blacktop driveable, and less aggressive.

I sold mine at the advice of a friend and bought a wheeled unit. I like the magnatrac better.

HOWEVER, it was slow, and it was a 20 minute ride from one end of our campground to the other. That's my only complaint. When I e-bayed it, I had a couple folks fighting over it. It is a niche, but one with a great following.


Matt

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I have a magnatrack 5000 which i bought 8 years ago - I just had to have one - small compact- front end loader - three point hitch with pto and a backhoe attachment--- great little machine- albeit slow, slow- have since graduated to a John Deere CT322. Homestead Campground -- did you sell yours on EEbay????? how did that work out for you??

Thanks Seashores


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