Just a guess
I'm new at the backhoe pricing game, ran them plenty but never owned one. I was thinking today when pondering the price I paid for mine that the most likely reason the cost on new machines is going up, aside from inflation, could be due to the competition from the skid steer/mini-X driving demand down for TLB. Generally when this stuff occurs, they make fewer pieces so the manufacturing cost per each increases.
I am taking delivery of a 2000 Case 580 with 2700 hours tomorrow. Should have been today so I am sort of bummed. The hauler was not available. The hood needs paint but the rest of the machine is great sans a little rust on the doors (which I am looking to replace). A bit off topic, sorry. My thought is that good used TLB's will retain or even escalate in value if the trend continues. Meanwhile, the market around here is loaded with mini-x machines which I anticipate will have the opposite affect on them.
Don