Payloader

[Moss Man]

I'm starting to research payloaders and would appreciate any info from those with experience on different machines. I need a decent loader for multiple uses, in the summer months I'd be working it in my gravel pit making stockpiles to sell when needed, I'd be using it to load firewood into the dump trailer and dump truck, I'll be storing some winter sand and would use it for that and I might have opportunities in the winter subbing it out for snow removal. The only loaders I have had the chance to use are the John Deere 544 and 644 and they seemed to be adequate machines. My criteria is that I would like a decent sized rig with the nuts to get the job done, but not too large a machine for ease of use. I don't want to break the bank, but would like to at least get a new enough machine to have the single joystick controller for the bucket. Maintenance is of a concern, but I do have a friend that treats me decent on diesel work. My thought is that around a 3 yard bucket would be good. I lean towards John Deere because the contractor that works in my pit has 2 644's and parts are readily available locally. My other friend has a Komatsu 150 and I highly respect his opinion when it comes to heavy equipment. My hope is to pick one up this winter at an equipment auction, so I figure now is the time to get a better grip on what I want and actually need. Obviously price is a factor and hopefully by going to auctions I can get a newer machine for an affordable price. I'm not going to be doing this full time, it's part of a deversification plan to not have all my eggs in one basket, so I don't plan to spend 50 grand on one.