Best brand

[komatsu d475-1]

What Grahams saying is right so maybe people here should just tell us what their favourite all round machine is that they have operated over their entire career,
For myself this has to be an early [97ish] Komatsu pc210-6 which in its day i though was the dogs nads.I think as the years went on that -6 machines went soft as it seemed that they didnt have the hours in them or the power of the older ones but sure thats only my notion!!!!!!!! cheers Mervyn
+cant see any reason why Nick or anyone else cant tell us what their favourite all time machine is
Sample pict

[d4c24a]

well on mervyns good idea ,for the smaller machines
i will go for the early pel jobs ,back in the ninteys while on price work duct laying they were the machines to have on a earn money basis the eb22.5 was a good size longer dipper and quick
out dig the equivilent kubota any day
on the bigger scale i have a soft spot for the fh130-3 i used to operate
cheers graham

[QuickDigg93]

How about link belt? are thier excavators any good? i haven't gotten a chance to operate one yet.

[Nick Drew]

How about link belt? are thier excavators any good? i haven't gotten a chance to operate one yet.

Same as the Case mate, Sumitomo based machines only normally seen in America.

Nick

[Jack]

I Do Like Kobelcos Our Machines Hasnt any Problems in the , Well, 5 years we have had it I Have Tried a few other machines I have operated for whole days ( Im quite good for a 14 year old ) Volvo Minis Are very Nice and comfortable Hardly any vibrations when you have a hammer on the end. JCB 8014 i found very shakey and i was all over the shop in the cab!

Thats My little snipet, I dont know if i went off topic

[si25]

ok, so i know this may be a little off the subject, but it doesnt matter how good the machine is if the support for it is no good.
i'm getting at overall reliability, parts and availability, and service or technical assistance.
so, just to throw a spanner into the conversation, here's my six pence worth.
forget how comfortable your machine is, forget the nice looking cab, the little trick extra that the other brand doesnt have. because all of that will be of little use when the tool is stood waiting for parts or manafacturer assistance.
just a thought!
but while i'm here, my favourite brands would be caterpillar for kit 5years or older and volvo for everything younger.
si25

[nick lamb]

So, im sure this question has been asked before, but what do all you out there think is the best brand of excavator? and why?

its the one that does not break down has good dealer backup uses little fuel and gets the job done
oh and is worth a few quid still when trade in time comes

i think you will struggle to find some one with enough seat time on the various machines to truly answer that question
as they all have good and bad points
cheers graham

Based on what Grahem says,I'll jump off the fence and put my money on Cat for over all profit in my pocket at the end of the day when I've bought it,worked and sold it.

[Neil D]

Graham, why all those words when 'Volvo will surfice!?! lol

IBH
he can't say Volvo now hes been made a director of the uk chapter of the Antique caterpillar machinery owners club!!!!

Neil

[d4c24a]

Graham, why all those words when 'Volvo will surfice!?! lol

IBH
he can't say Volvo now hes been made a director of the uk chapter of the Antique caterpillar machinery owners club!!!!

Neil

did,nt some other bloke made a director too ,his name escapes me at the minute
i forgot to thank you for seconding TC,s nomination

[jamesc192]

hi all,

new to this site but just thought i would add my bit, i started off in a hymac 580c, drove that for a year or two, then an o and k rh4, which at the time was an excellent machine, alot of power, then drove a jcb 814 for a few months, moved on to a js130, and after a that i ended up in the best machine that i have ever driven a cat 317, it was so smooth and powerful, i have never driven anything like it since, have had a spin in a few hitachi's although they are good, the cat was always my favourite, have had a career change sine then so not driven anything much newer.

cheers

james