A buyers guide to buying a backhoe loader

A backhoe loader is no doubt the most versatile machine that can be found on a job site. One could even say that the backhoe is the Swiss army knife of heavy machines. It might not be the best machine for the job but when required, it most definitely gets the job done. It is quite literally the go to machine found on pretty much every possible job site. Be it the desert or snow, the backhoe will get the job done at a cost much lower than that of your specialist equipment.

Knowing how efficient a backhoe loader is one thing and buying it an entirely different ball game. Here are basic questions to ask when considering buying a backhoe loader.

1. Do you need one: Depending on the nature of your work and how you choose to use the backhoe, the most important question to ask is if you actually need to buy one or will renting it suffice for your needs. No point buying a backhoe is the job demands extensive use of an excavator or if your backhoe is required for less than 20-30% of the work on the site. Backhoe loaders are expensive machines to buy and require a more than modest spend on maintenance and storage. So be very clear if you need to actually buy a backhoe loader and if yes, do you have sufficient work on hand for the machine to earn its keep.

2. Old or new: Now that you have decided that you have to buy a backhoe loader, the question at hand is whether to buy a new machine or an old one. If buying a new one, you might as well buy the best backhoe loader in India that is available you would think. But the question still remains if your job requires you to buy the best backhoe loader in India or will a basic version suffice. Choose the make of the machine depending on your requirement and not on what is available. The more sophisticated machines come at a premium that you don’t necessarily need to pay. An old but maintained backhoe might be a good choice if the required work is very basic. Plus they can be brought much cheaper than the new ones.

3. Earning potential: This most probably the most important question that you should be asking. Once brought, do you have enough work for the machine to earn its keep? Old or new there is no point spending in a machine if you can’t use it to its potential. Your earnings should be on a positive note after deducting the storage maintenance and driver fees.

These are just the basic and first questions to ask when considering buying a backhoe. While the calculations and the bottom profit line may seem complicated, it is most definitely not rocket science. Whether the investment in the backhoe will give good returns will depend entirely on your clarity and calculations about why you need a backhoe and how you plan to use it.