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The Case 450 is a good little dozer for the money. Big enough to do serious work and small enough to be manuerverable and good on fuel. The 188D is a reliable engine. Watch for blow-by as a sign of a tired engine. I'm told that the #3 con rod is usually the first thing to go, resulting in a new block "window". Usually the hole is not in a serious place and can be brazed up, but better to rebuild before the engine lets go. What you get should depend on what you plan to do with it. The 450 is durable but not a real "hoss". I found that my 450 loader would have to work prety hard to knock down moderate sized trees. It comes down to a trade off between inital cost, operating cost and time to complete a project. In other words I was able to clear a nice area out of the woods for my house, but it took awhile and both the 450 and myself were pretty tired at the end of the day. Parts are pretty easy to get. Your dealer probably does not stock most parts, but can order and get them in a reasonable time. Parts cost are pretty good compared with Cat I guess, but even routine things like hoses can get pricey fast. If the undercarriage is fresh, all gauges working and showing proper operating range, engine in good shape with little or no smoke, then yes $12K is about right. Remember that even my old loader looks good right after a power washing. Check the color/condition of all fluids. Ask when they were last changed. Check the hour meter and ask if it is true. The 188 should start right up. Best of luck,
John
1968 Case 450
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