Purchasing used machinery comes with a number of great advantages, but finding the right merchant is often a daunting task. To help ensure that you can make an informed decision, we have compiled our top five tips to get you started!
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Research, Research, And More Research!
It’s absolutely essential to do your homework into the background of any dealer you’re looking to purchase used construction equipment from. You may find the perfect equipment with the ideal specs, but is the merchant reputable? Always check their background online and look at complaints, reviews, and the number of years they’ve been operating.
Get in touch with the seller and inquire if they have complete ownership of the machinery or direct written consent from the owner for selling. If the seller hasn’t paid their debt on the equipment, ownership isn’t transferred to the buyer. That means any machinery you’re considering should be free of liens.
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Check Machinery Usage
Once you know that a company is legit, you can safely move on to the next step. This means checking how long a machine can operate for with ease. Though this won’t automatically discount any potential problems with the equipment, knowing that it can operate for hours is a good sign.
Always inquire about the maintenance history of the equipment. The machine may have only seen little use, but if it was never serviced, that’s definitely an indication of underlying problems. A machine that may have been in use longer but has a solid service record of maintenance will always prove the better choice. Your seller should be willing to work with you to provide a maintenance report that you can look over and ascertain what kind of servicing the machine may need in the future.
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Check For Signs Of Wear
Since you’re purchasing used equipment from surplus net, signs of wear are always expected. Having some dings or scratches aren’t necessarily a deal-breaker, but you need to check the machine for anything that’s beyond reasonable wear and tear. Significant cracking, for example, will mean having to pay hefty repair costs at a later time.
You can avoid this problem altogether by working directly with only a reputable dealer. A trustworthy company will always ensure that their machines are working properly and they’ve been adequately maintained.
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Check For Leaks
Always check over the fluids inside of a machine because it can be indicative of underlying problems not disclosed during the time of sale. Getting a direct analysis of transmission fluids, coolant, engine oil, and hydraulic fluid can help you feel better assured about the overall condition. Usually, equipment with a good maintenance history shouldn’t have problems with leaking fluids or anything similar in nature.
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Check Over The Tires
Though many buyers focus on the technical aspects of purchasing used machinery, never ignore the significance of the condition of the tires. Most construction equipment will wear out their tires quickly, and that will mean having to purchase new ones when you’ve just made your purchase.
Always look for any signs that the tires were patched or retreaded. If any cuts exist in the tires, always check if they’re serious or simply superficial. Any damage that exceeds a quarter of an inch will likely pose a major problem without knowledge of the machine’s background.
Lastly, check for signs of uneven tire tread wear which may or may not be consistent with the age and use of the machine. If you see any, this usually means that there’s a serious problem with the machine’s alignment and may end up costing more to fix later on.
