Do Your Homework
When you’re buying heavy equipment, you need to know what you’re about to get into. Firstly, you want to look at the brand of the device you’re intent on purchasing. There are certain brands that last longer than others.
One: Know The History Of The Device
When it comes to dozers, graders, tractors, and various other heavy equipment, you’re going to find differing brands will have differing idiosyncrasies. Google before you buy to know what strengths and weaknesses of diverse equipment are.
With heavy equipment, you don’t go by mileage, you go by hours. For example, a reasonable price for a 2009 John Deer Skid Steer with 1551 hours might be somewhere around $19k. Double the hours will cut a 33% to 50% off that price, depending on other conditions of the equipment.
Two: How Old Is It?
The year a piece of equipment was designed is additionally important. For example, a 2013 John Deer with twice the hours would likely go for near $27k or $28k, depending. But since it is newer, it hasn’t been subject to the wear and tear which is associated with time.
Three: How Long Has The Equipment Sat Immobile?
One thing about heavy equipment that many don’t consider is sedentary time. It turns out that even a device which has been used for 3,000 hours may not have experienced quite as much use as it seems. 3,000 hours is 125 days. That means a piece of equipment used daily for twelve-hour shifts would have met that quota in only 250 days’ time.
A piece of equipment could have been purchased for a job in 2013, used throughout the duration of an 8.3 month build, and then put into storage until the present day. 3.6 years of being sedentary can deteriorate a vehicle quickly. Even though many skid steers use treads instead of wheels, there are still wheeled models, and those which have rubber components.
Four: Know What Can Deteriorate Over Time
Rubber gets brittle, especially in a dry environment, should a device be left alone too long. Metal can rust in a humid environment. Temperature fluctuations can manifest a crack in the windshield—the list of possibilities goes on. You need to know whether the vehicle has been parked without use for years, or whether it has experienced periodic use. You can use this as a bargaining point. Also, if you are buying or selling something that uses hydraulics, ensure there aren’t signs of leakage.
Five: Find Ads That Address Issues, And Address Them Yourself
As you go about selling such equipment, you need to know that such questions will be asked. If you need to sell a piece of construction equipment like a Caterpillar Skid Steer, check here; according to the site, if you’ve got a skid steer to sell, “In minutes, you can create a classified ad and market it to thousands of users.” In the ad, address common issues for prospective buyers and you can maximize what you make back on the vehicle.
When it comes to buying or selling, there are often financed packages which include amortization. If you’re paying for something at a fixed rate, and it is losing value more quickly than your payment can offset, you’re in an area of bad investment. By knowing the vehicle’s value beforehand, you can keep from getting into a finance scheme that will cost you more.
A Perfect Time To Buy Or Sell
One thing is certain: with the change in economy due to the political climate’s transition, you can expect there to be an increase in construction needs. From a business standpoint, buying and selling before this economic wave hits the mainstream and changes prices makes sense. You’ll have property that increases in value, and you can acquire that which would be worth more later before it increases in expense.
Author Bio
Wendy Dessler
Wendy is a super-connector with Outreachmama who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition.