Be A Wise Buyer:

Inspection Tips when Buying Used Construction Equipment

More often than not, independent contractors would rather lease construction equipment than purchase their own.

This is because there are many risks associated with buying your own construction equipment. Examples of these risks are:
• If you are an independent contractor, you may not have that much cash to purchase your own brand new construction equipment.
• If you own a construction equipment, the investment may not be recovered immediately.
• If the construction equipment is not in use, there will be losses incurred which you have to figure in when calculating costs for a particular project.

Despite these disadvantages, there is still a way for small and independent contractors to won their construction equipment. Instead of buying a brand new loader, crane, lift, grader, scraper, compactor, backhoe loader, trailer or any other type of heavy equipment – you can purchase used construction equipment instead.

Inspection Tips when Buying Used Construction Equipment

If you really want to have your own construction equipment, there is absolutely no harm in purchasing used instead of the brand new ones. Due to the humongous costs involved in buying brand new heavy equipment, it usually makes more practical sense to buy previously owned items.

However, you do need to be aware of exactly what you are purchasing. Here are some inspection tips that you need to remember when buying used construction equipment:

1. Check for minor damages on the construction equipment.
Look at the front-panel error indicators, and check whether there are any missing rear-panel interconnecting cables or blurred CRT displays. There are some minor damages on a construction equipment that you can deal with – but it should not compromise the safety of the person who will operate the equipment at all.

2. Make sure to "test drive" the equipment before buying.
A lot of independent contractors make the mistake of not trying out the equipment before buying it. A thorough visual inspection of the equipment is needed – but you should still try out the equipment for yourself.

For example, if you are buying a second hand loader, use it to lift construction materials. A few minutes of testing would not do for a 'test drive' – make the equipment do what it is supposed to do so that you can check if can still give you years of service around the construction site.
3. Do not be fooled by a new paint job.
There are unscrupulous sellers out there who just cover up the flaws of a construction equipment with a new paint job. Before saying yes to a seller, make sure to check underneath the vehicle, or inspect the internal parts of an equipment.

Watch out for leaks and check on the valves and hoses. It is a good idea to have someone who is knowledgeable about engines with you when you inspect the construction equipment so that any obvious and not-so-obvious problems can be easily spotted.

Lastly, it would help if you will buy from an established dealer, especially when buying second hand equipment. Dealers can provide limited warranties so that you can test the construction equipment thoroughly to spot any unforeseen problems.

Main Menu

Store Menu

Sponsored Links

Be A Wise Buyer:

Related Products And FREE Videos

More Articles

Sponsored Links