I ended up buying a 2001 EC 215 New Holland Excavator. I must say it is strong, comfortable, and nicely designed. It is an LC and is pretty stable. It has all the bells and whistles and is up to date, technologically speaking. Many parts on it are O & K or Kobelco. I do not like the swing gear...it has a lot of play. Also, the dealer network is poor. All in all, it is a good machine.