I think the backhoe attachment is great for what it is. A simple, compact, and powerful attachment to add to your bobcat that simply gets work done. Its a necessity here in California. It keeps me busy with work at least 40% of the time. Here in Cali the homes are built very close together which means tight access so in my opinion bobcats rule. When I started learning how to run Bobcats I was also trained to run the backhoe attachment so I became very skilled at using it from the start.
The company I work for has a 337 Bobcat Excavator which I run occasionaly. The attachments we run on this are 12", 18", 24", 36" buckets, UB 1,000-1,250 ft. lb. hydraulic breaker, compaction wheel, and an auger. This is my bosses machine of choice combined with an 863 bobcat for moving spoils or whatever. When I began working for this company about 5 months ago it was pretty much the first time I had ran a Bobcat Ex and Im impressed. I had run full size Cat Exs in the past. The Bobcat Ex is far easier, smoother, and faster than a Bobcat backhoe attachment, but thats what the machine is designed to do! This machine is good with demo and excavating.
I began learning how to run equipment when I was 18 for a small Bobcat company. I started off as a laborer and trained to become an operator. It took about 1 1/2 years before I had my own rig. I did this until I was 24 and stopped for about 2 years (not because I wanted to) and started running equipment again about 5 months ago. I am now 27. So, I would say I have about 6 1/2 years of experiance on heavy equipment. I love construction and heavy equipment (especially Bobcats). As lame as this sounds I am very passionate about it and it shows through my work ethic, attitude, and the quality of work I produce.
The reason I know what to do next is because I have learned from some of the best guys in Cali.