Backhoe Digger (Was Ye olde road compactors query)

[Roger]

The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words:

A JCB is top of the list ...

Funny you should say that. I came very close to buying a 40 year old one last week. Unfortunately the dealer weighed it in for scrap before picking up messages on his answerphone.

Actually I am in two minds about whether I would prefer a full size JCB or a more modern mini digger. Either way I don't really want to spend more than £1500 which does rather restrict what is available (but could perhaps be persuaded to part with more is offered the right machine).

Anyone know of any such for sale within say 50 miles of Keighley, West Yorkshire?

[Bruce]

There are plenty of JCBs and mini excavators on eBay.

[Roger]

The message from Bruce contains these words:

Thanks.

I was aware of that but AFAICT no self propelled mini digger in working order has gone for as low as £1500 recently and JCBs that cheap are rare and so far not in range. At £3 or more a mile for JCB transport distance can turn a cheap machine into an expensive machine.

It seems that the most JCB advertisers are a good way south of here including the most prolific dealer. At least with mini diggers there is a regular advertiser in Oldham that is only some 40 miles away.

What I would like is pointers to those who don't advertise on the Internet. I have drawn a virtual blank with Yellow Pages.

With the building industry allegedly suffering a serious downturn older machines should be cheap and plentiful but that doesn't seem to be the case.

[Bruce]

Auction houses would be a good source. In the various recessions we had under the previous Tory administration, JCBs sold at auction at ridiculously low prices.

The hire rates for JCBs were so low that it was impossible to make money with a new(ish) JCB purchased at full price or leased. So the clever ones were those who bought JCBs cheaply at auction because previous owners were on the brink of bankruptcy, or in it.

Don't give up on eBay, though!

[Mary Fisher]

We could get together ...

Mary Leeds