How many hours will these John Deere mini excavators last?

[dig]

I have a small hobby farm and looking for a toy like this with the plow to help with some small projects.

I looked the chinese brands like Chery which float around for like $4-5k but I'm worried about availability of parts.

So I came across this John Deere but I'm worried about 3800 hours. How much longer until this thing needs an engine rebuild? I might call Boom & Bucket and see what they say.

 

[winston_wisdom]

First off, forget about those Chinese brands like Chery. You'll be pulling your hair out tryin to find parts when somethin breaks. And trust me, it will break. Downtime is a killer in business, even more of a pain in the a## on a personal project you're trying to get done.

Now, about that John Deere with 3,800 hours - not bad at all. A well-maintained tractor can easily go 10,000 hours before a rebuild. Heck, I've seen some go even longer. John Deere makes solid machines, and if this one's been taken care of, you could get another 6,000 hours out of her.

Go with the Deere. It's American-made, parts are easy to come by, and you know what you're gettin'.

 

[HeavyWrench1986]

Solid advice from @winston_wisdom! Maintenance is everything, if that Deere has been properly serviced, 3,800 hours isn’t much at all. Have you checked its service records, @dig? That’ll give you a good idea of how well it’s been taken care of and whether you might run into major repairs soon.

 

[Jobert_Scott]

3,800 hours isn’t too bad if it’s been well-maintained! Like others have said, these Deere minis can last well past 10,000 hours with proper care. Might be worth checking compression and hydraulic health before pulling the trigger. Did you get a chance to look at the undercarriage wear? That can tell you a lot about how it’s been used.

 

[benvr]

Perfect machine for small projects on a farm/ranch. Though depending on how big your space is you might want to account for moving it around. Covering 1,000 acres at excavator speeds is annoying. A backhoe might be a better but more expensive option. But it'll cover more ground and give you more versatility.

But 3,800 hours on a well maintained Deere is nothing. Especially if you're not planning on wearing it down anyway. Heck, you could even rent it out on a platform like Rubbl or something. I'd consider this if it's going to sit for a long time. Better to have it get used occasionally and put some money in your pocket.

Ideally by from another hobby farmer.

 

[Leo Wright]

Lots of good points here! @benvr makes a solid case for thinking about mobility, and if you’ve got a lot of ground to cover, a backhoe might be worth considering. But if the Deere is in good shape, 3,800 hours shouldn’t be a dealbreaker. Have you had a mechanic look it over yet, @dig? Would be good to check for any hidden issues before pulling the trigger!