I’m pretty sure this counts as a “Now I’ve seen everything” moment. I know that a lot of cool stuff comes up as Groupons, but this one takes the cake on weird. I guess the construction industry in Vegas has gotten so bad they have to figure out what to do with all this equipment, but really? Paying $119 for 90 minutes in the seat of a bulldozer or excavator? We were quoted $400 for a day with this same machine pictured in Vegas if we wanted to rent it and have it delivered.
Here in SoCal the price was similar, depending on where you are located, and we even called a local backhoe company and gave them the run down on what we were writing about and asked what it would cost for them to provide us with a place to play, some quick lessons, and a couple hours of digging. They told us they would gladly allow us to play in the dirt with their equipment for $50 an hour if we planned it a few weeks ahead to they wouldn’t be missing out on a real job. When we told them they could drink beer and laugh at us the response was “You bring the beer and we’ll talk about a discount, but we can drink a lot of beer.”
Now considering the fact that I was a heavy equipment operator once upon a time, and have driven every type of tractor except a big dozer, I could be up and running in one of these with 15 minutes practice. But what about those of you who haven’t operated a backhoe, excavator, or dozer?
Would you pay $120 for 90 minutes of big kid fun while your wife shops and gambles in Vegas?
$119 for 90 minutes of lessons for a guy like me who has NEVER operated one might be a deal if I wanted to do a do it myself digging project.
But for FUN ? No,I rather go to a driving school.
If the market is there for people who enjoy roof falls, black lung, and methane explosions, I can provide a similar service(recreation?) with underground mining equipment. Oh, the fun!
It’s interesting, but I have other things I would want to do with $120. If for some reason I was planning a Vegas trip with a substantial budget, I might consider it.
does the backho give you a lapdance?
LOL! In Vegas it might!
Sure I’d do it. I’ve dropped more than $120 in ten minutes in Vegas let alone 90!
A clean hands kind of guy would be all over that….
Seems like a good deal for future job training. If you do get job operating one, all that would be a tax deduction.
I’ve driven, loaded with and hauled front end loaders. I’ve never driven a track vehicle, so I’d almost be willing to pay that to drive one.
Now if I was planning a inground pool………………….hmmmmmmmmmmm! $120 you say,DEAL!
My dad bought a track ho recently and untill then I had never used one, backhoes, 988 Cat loaders, 1115 APC’s, big 8X8 Oskosh trucks ect, all kinds of equipment but never an excavator. Its loads of fun! My first time out I was digging in a rock slide on his farm. What a sense of power, you can move the world, its a bit like having a shovel as a kid but a thousand times more powerfull and you don’t get tired.
That would be awesome! I’m game, always wanted to go into a coal mine.