26 February 2021

5 important things to consider when buying used equipment

“What could’ve been a bargain turned out to be a costly disaster.”

A typical scenario which some of our customers unfortunately had to deal with. When buying used heavy machinery, it can be costly, sensitive and even damaging to your production when you purchase the wrong machine. Following these 5 simple steps will help you avoid making poor decisions.

1. It’s all in the details

The first and most obvious step is to inspect the current condition of the machine you’re interested in. You want to be sure everything is working perfectly/ as advertised. For instance:

How’s the general appearance? Inspect for any visibible cracks or welds.
What is the condition of the attachment(s)? Attachments can be very costly. If they need replacement, make sure the price of the machine corresponds with any necessary replacements.

If distance might be a bottleneck to inspect details, ask for a video call. This way you can have a closer look and see any details that might have been left out in the original ad.

2. Correlation working hours

Do the pictures match the working hours on the machine? What do machines look like with comparable working hours? If you think anything is off, simply ask to verify the working hours through the original manufacturer’s system.

At Smitma, we regularly come across machines that have been tampered with in terms of working hours. Since we are able to verify the exact hours through the manufacturer’s system we can identify whether or not there is any discrepancy. If we have identified a difference in hours we will always address this on the website and price our machines accordingly.

3. Inspection report

Always ask if there is an inspection report available. Inspection reports provide detailed insight into the machine’s current (in)visible condition. The richer the report, the better!

Please do note that reports created by the supplier might be biased. Therefore, it is important to always double check the report with its visible condition. If you’re dealing with an acknowledged merchant, it’s probably safe to assume that the report is reliable.

4. Buy from an acknowledged dealer/ marketplace

Used heavy equipment is available all around the world. When you have found the right machine for your business, but unable to travel to the seller’s location, you will have to take a risk. There are several ways to reduce the risks of getting scammed. One of which is buying from popular marketplaces or acknowledged dealers. Ask for references or go through reviews if you’re not convinced. We’ll give you our top 5 marketplaces below:

Another detail you should definitely pay attention to is that the banking details correspond with the seller’s when you receive a formal quote. Better safe than sorry!

5. Quality over price

Always remember that you are buying a machine that matches your needs. Preferring quality, in most cases, will actually save you money in the long term.

Last but not least, a good relationship is built on trust. See how far the seller will go to take away all your concerns!

We hope that these simple steps will help you to avoid making poor decisions in the future!

See which machines we have in stock below.