Had a used telco (Telsta) bucket, 33' max work height, on a Ford 350 chassis with the standard Ma Bell utility body. Bucket ran of of a mounted genset. Got about 10 years service out of it with only a few minor problems. (Paid 12K when I bought it)
Cab & body had a real bad cancer problem finally.
Traded it in for a '95 Ford F-700 w/55' Teco, center mount,2 man end mount tub, fully hydraulic, 15kv certified & tested.($42K)
(HV cert not 'needed' as we only do site lighting type work, but that's how it was)
Have it 6+ years, relatively trouble free till this spring. Hose leaks (2) $900.00, upper and lower boom cylinder re-builds,
($4500) (Brake job...$1100)
There are pros and cons to either renting or owning.....renting you are subject to availability and sometimes $$$$$$ high rates, but you don't have repair/insurance costs. Owning....the repair/ins & payments, and trying to keep it a productive item. (That's a tough call in the winter, and on rainy days)
Insurance is not real bad, it a part of our 'package'.
Anyone looking may try the Electrical Advertiser Mag, there's a lot of used, and a few 'factory' rebuilds in there always.
John
