Buy a Case 440-3 with some corrosion?

[BeenLookin]

Hello all. I am new to the forum and would appreciate your advice.

I am looking to purchase a 2011 Case 440-3 with only 600 hours. Cab with A/C, 2-speed, and ride control. Price is $33k.

Previously owned by landscaper but being sold by used equipment dealer now. Always stored indoors. That is the original paint and condition is about as good as it gets for this age. Fires up fine and everything looks good.

The only thing that bothers me is when I looked through the side grill plates near the bottom of the cab at the back where the boom is.

You can see corrosion on the injector pump, metal hydraulic tubes, and other from when the landscaper pushed snow and some snow/salt got in there. We tried to tip the cab but was so heavy we couldn't get it far enough so I wasn't able to get a closer look.

I have to make a decision now and can't go back to look at it again. Is that corrosion minimal and still worth buying the machine or will I have to deal with a nightmare of replacing the injector pump and a bunch of rusty hoses or worse in the future?

Please look at the pictures. Worth the price? Price is not negotiable. I have included a few pictures of what I could see on the inside. Your help is much appreciated.

 

[BeenLookin]

Engine looked fine from the back when doors are opened. It is what I can't see under the cab that worries me. Are hydraulic drives at great risk? Thanks.

 

[mrbb]

just my 2 cents, IMO I gather this machine was towed a lot on salty roadways, thus why all the rust inside engine bay and just was never washed well afterwards
that said, RUST will only keep getting worse, making removing anything rusted harder and worse, cause bolt heads to snap off and or things to strip
SO< how good are you with a torch and or welder to remove and get out broken bolts ??

I own many things much much older in better shape,,
So,
unless you have your heart set on this machine,(and again are good with added steps, welding/torch, and lots of cursing, Haha!, as when bolts break and are rust frozen on to thing your going to need them skills)

I think I would pass and keep looking, better machines are out there for the price your in IMO!
I think the low hours might be making you want it more than condition its in are showing its real worth!

 

[Gearclash]

Can't tilt the cab tells me the gas strut(s) to assist the cab tilt are bad. The rust looks abnormal, agree that machine was in the salt wars. That said I might buy something like that if the price was right and soak everything with oil. That being said, I won't own a series 3 Case.

 

[BeenLookin]

Thank you for the replies. I have taken your advice and told the seller I will pass and keep looking. I always figured that I would be able to tell by looking at the outside of the machine if it was used around salt. I never imagined that the outside could look so good but yet have salt corrosion under the cab. It was a good lesson.

 

[BeenLookin]

Can't tilt the cab tells me the gas strut(s) to assist the cab tilt are bad. The rust looks abnormal, agree that machine was in the salt wars. That said I might buy something like that if the price was right and soak everything with oil. That being said, I won't own a series 3 Case.

Gearclash, would you please expand on why you don't like the Case 3 series? I read other posts from KSSS and others saying they thought it was a good series. I am interested to know what you don't like about them.

Basically, I am looking for pre-emissions machine, with enclosed cab and A/C, that uses hand controls. This machine would be used around the farm for various type work like digging, gravel road repair, brush clearing, and moving pallets. I have hilly land so I planned on getting steel OTT for when needed. I thought about a tracked machine but I think it is more than I need and the maintenance and repair costs scare me because I won't be able to justify the costs. Thank you.

 

[mrbb]

Thank you for the replies. I have taken your advice and told the seller I will pass and keep looking. I always figured that I would be able to tell by looking at the outside of the machine if it was used around salt. I never imagined that the outside could look so good but yet have salt corrosion under the cab. It was a good lesson.

many reasons why the outside looks good, is that's what people see and tend to take care of most
just like cars in salt belt, you can have a spotless exterior and then get under the vehicle and find things are beyond passing an inspection and down right dangerous!
people only clean and wash what is easy, and painted body panels have more protection than bare metal, even when coated with some thin factory coating!, plus, IMO< modern metals used to make many things is junk from the get go, recycled metal, made by adding old rusty metal to batches

this is why you see many NEW vehicles with NO dents or scratches having rust bubbles under the paint between later of coatings
the darn metal is rusted from the factory before being coated!( I had 13k worth of warranty work done on rust issues on last truck due to this reason) is also why IMO< they have shorter warranty on body than drive train,a s they KNOW its bad and about how long it takes to be a issue(just after most warranty periods)

as for being rusty in so many places, also keep in mind when you drive(or two a machine) is sloppy slushy roads with salt mixed in or worse, that liquid solution they spray on road ways(even more aggressive corrosion than just salt alone)
that misty water mix gets every where, add wind to PUSH it into nooks and cranny's , and again in places folks just do NOT wash at all, or seldom, and or do a good enough job to wash away ALL residue from salt and such(and pressure washing can push salty residue into places it just sits and eats after the water dries and salt is left behind!
then add in many workers that do the washing or using of someone else's equipment, don't care about it lasting,as there not the one's paying for it, so to them, let it rust away and then they get new one to use and abuse again!
sad, but good help is harder to find now than ever!

SO< its not hard to figure out how a newish machine can be so rusty!

ME< on skid steers, I TRY and find ones that didn't get used for snow work, and or concrete work, , beating up concrete all day, IMO is extra hard on skid steers and seen too many operators just beat the snot of them to get work done as fast as they can!, so, them I avoid if I can! HAHA! just my 2 cents!

some times rental company's that rent to home owners, are good places to get one at, due to most do better PM on things from my experience, as they want things to work and tend to bail on them around a 1000 hours to up grade to newer one
this won't help you find a pre emissions one though, but thought I would add for food for thought for you or others reading that are looking!

 

[BeenLookin]

many reasons why the outside looks good, is that's what people see and tend to take care of most
just like cars in salt belt, you can have a spotless exterior and then get under the vehicle and find things are beyond passing an inspection and down right dangerous!
people only clean and wash what is easy, and painted body panels have more protection than bare metal, even when coated with some thin factory coating!, plus, IMO< modern metals used to make many things is junk from the get go, recycled metal, made by adding old rusty metal to batches

this is why you see many NEW vehicles with NO dents or scratches having rust bubbles under the paint between later of coatings
the darn metal is rusted from the factory before being coated!( I had 13k worth of warranty work done on rust issues on last truck due to this reason) is also why IMO< they have shorter warranty on body than drive train,a s they KNOW its bad and about how long it takes to be a issue(just after most warranty periods)

as for being rusty in so many places, also keep in mind when you drive(or two a machine) is sloppy slushy roads with salt mixed in or worse, that liquid solution they spray on road ways(even more aggressive corrosion than just salt alone)
that misty water mix gets every where, add wind to PUSH it into nooks and cranny's , and again in places folks just do NOT wash at all, or seldom, and or do a good enough job to wash away ALL residue from salt and such(and pressure washing can push salty residue into places it just sits and eats after the water dries and salt is left behind!
then add in many workers that do the washing or using of someone else's equipment, don't care about it lasting,as there not the one's paying for it, so to them, let it rust away and then they get new one to use and abuse again!
sad, but good help is harder to find now than ever!

SO< its not hard to figure out how a newish machine can be so rusty!

ME< on skid steers, I TRY and find ones that didn't get used for snow work, and or concrete work, , beating up concrete all day, IMO is extra hard on skid steers and seen too many operators just beat the snot of them to get work done as fast as they can!, so, them I avoid if I can! HAHA! just my 2 cents!

some times rental company's that rent to home owners, are good places to get one at, due to most do better PM on things from my experience, as they want things to work and tend to bail on them around a 1000 hours to up grade to newer one
this won't help you find a pre emissions one though, but thought I would add for food for thought for you or others reading that are looking!

Thanks!

 

[Gearclash]

Gearclash, would you please expand on why you don't like the Case 3 series? I read other posts from KSSS and others saying they thought it was a good series. I am interested to know what you don't like about them.

Basically, I am looking for pre-emissions machine, with enclosed cab and A/C, that uses hand controls. This machine would be used around the farm for various type work like digging, gravel road repair, brush clearing, and moving pallets. I have hilly land so I planned on getting steel OTT for when needed. I thought about a tracked machine but I think it is more than I need and the maintenance and repair costs scare me because I won't be able to justify the costs. Thank you.

Series 3 machines are the beginning of the emissions junk. The 400 non series 3 were still Tier 2 yet and as far as I am concerned, Tier 2 is as far as I want to go with emissions garbage. Tier 2 was the happy spot economically.

I am also not a fan of full cabs on a skid steer. Once the side glass gets dirty on them it is very hard to get perfectly clean again. For what you want to do I would recommend looking at a compact wheel loader.

 

[JoeCamel]

Can't tilt the cab tells me the gas strut(s) to assist the cab tilt are bad. The rust looks abnormal, agree that machine was in the salt wars. That said I might buy something like that if the price was right and soak everything with oil. That being said, I won't own a series 3 Case.

If it's like my 60xt there are two bolts behind the rear glass that need to be removed to tilt the cab but mine has 600+ hours and is 10+ years older yet is no where near as corroded. If what he can see is that eat up what do the electrical connections look like?

 

[Topper1]

And i prefer the series 3 machines.
I pull the side glass every spring for a thorough cleaning and polish. Lasts the season with regular washing.
The t3 units are still pre emission for the most part and easy to work on imho.
Agree, that much rust on the engine is a definite pass. It's a nightmare in waiting.