Backhoe question?

I hate to ask about a John Deere backhoe on an AC board but it shouldn't be any worse than asking about a Massey these days. I work with a gentleman who seems to be an honest person and he purchased a used backhoe to work on his place while he was building a new house. The contractor had made him mad with his reply to him about digging a basement for such a large house and told him he could probably do it hisself if he had his own backhoe so he went and bought one. He has kept the backhoe for 2 or 3 years now and said he had been thinking about trading it for a small tractor to maintain his place. I asked him about selling it and he said he hadn't thought about it but he told me the history behind the purchase. He bought it with a problem in the hydraulic system ( contamination) and most of the seals were shot severely. Before he came to work with us, that was his area of expertise, so he bought it and rebuilt everything and flushed and replaced the fluid. He says I can park it in my garage for a week and there will not be a drop of anything on the floor. He said the tread on the tires was excellent when he bought it but that the sidewalls were cut up so severely that two of them would leak down so he took it and all new tires put on at a cost of $1800. He is kind of a stickler for everything being right. It is a '97 John Deere 310SE which is a turbo 80+ hp tractor with 4wd. It has about 1500 hours on it and he was guessing he would sell it to me for about $20K. Does anybody that has any knowledge about backhoes have any thoughts on this? Thanks

Coke's right , that 's a lot of coins,especially today for a 'toy'.Sounds like a good machine( I've run Case 580,680s mostly) but if you're happy, he's happy and the wife's happy..then go for it.

I know that you gentlemen are right about it being too much for just a toy, which it would be. I know my practical side would have decided that in the end but just every now and then I wonder how it would be if my other side were to win an argument. I just had a hunch this was a good machine but as I tell my wife when she comes back from shopping, "just because something seems like a bargain doesn't mean it is if you have no use for it".

I bought one of the original Case 530 Construction Kings a early 60's I believe.  It had a overhauled engine but needed tires I paid $3500 at the auction and drove it home.  I then found a set of brand new blemished tires "AKURET brand" at a local tire store and was able to get them delivered and installed for $500 cash. It leaks and needs a few cylinder seals and a I have replaced a few hoses, but I put in my own drain field and dug out stumps and fill dirt and it more than paid for it self in he first two years. I would not get rid of it for anything except maybe trade on a AC backhoe. At $20,000 you have alot of digging to get your money back but you may.  Depends on what you plan to use it for if your going into buisness it is probably a good machine if your looking for something to play with I would go a cheaper route, unless you plan to sell once you use it.

 a wanted to buy ad in the local farm paper might help with getting something for the right price. I found the 816, buy putting a WTB ad on Craigs list. Might be selling it, if I can come to a price agreement on a T-14 with hoe down the road

Edited by Dave A - 26 Jan 2010 at 9:28am