In the Case product line, I would avoid anything before the 580D. The 580B's and C's have little resale value, their hydraulics are weak compared to the D and later and all-around, the Case backhoes fall into "before D" and "after D" in ability and resale.

We have a 580D, 2WD, 4-in-1, extenda-hoe. Wouldn't be without it. As others have said, once you have a backhoe, you'll wonder how the heck you got along without it. There is no other machine on this farm that gets run as much as the 580D and it gets used for everything from digging to lifting to being used as a crane. In your area, 4WD is likely a very good idea. I find that it is very difficult to dig in gravel pits around here without 4WD -- but when you are adept with a backhoe, it is very difficult to get the machine stuck. 4WD is a matter of getting work done, not of "not getting stuck."

If I had to pick the order of how important the various options are, it would go like this:

1. 4-in-1 front bucket. Far and away more important to farmers than the others.

2. 4WD.

3. Extenda-hoe.

We gave $16K for the 580D, with 5K hours on the clock. Someone had thrashed the Case 207 engine and had put in a rebranded Cummins B3.9 in it's place. We planned on reselling it too. Now the major proponent of keeping the backhoe "no matter where we live" is Mrs. NVDave. Why? Because it makes the "honey-do" list go so much faster.