Shoutout to the old timer who talked me out of buying that $400 telescoping boom jib attachment

I was dead set on getting this aftermarket jib for my 50-ton Grove last month. Figured it would help me with those tight reach jobs where I'm always just a few feet short. The salesman swore it would pay for itself in six months. But then this retired operator at the supply yard pulled me aside and asked how many times a year I actually need that extra 20 feet. I did the math right there... maybe four or five jobs max. At $400 plus install time and the extra weight on the crane, it would take like three years to break even. Now I just rent a bigger rig for those rare jobs and pocket the difference. Has anyone else almost dropped serious cash on something you use maybe twice a year?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_jana9d ago

Wait, doesn't having that extra reach on your own rig save you a whole day of coordinating rentals and hauling? I had the opposite experience with a truck mounted auger attachment. Debated it for months, finally bought it, and now I use it for fence posts and small foundations like eight times a summer. Plus I can charge the customer a bit more for the convenience of not waiting on a rental company. The money I've saved in rental fees and lost time paid for the thing before the first winter hit. Sometimes the math works out different if you factor in how much easier it makes your daily life.

lisa_ross169d ago

Had a buddy who bought a mini skid steer for the same reason. Paid itself off in two seasons.