The Right Way To Buy Used Plant Equipment

As I’m sure you’ve probably noticed by now, plant equipment isn’t exactly cheap! Equipment alone makes up a massive part of your expenditure when you’re running a construction business, so obviously it’s important to make the best decisions when acquiring it. Like countless business owners, you may be considering buying used plant equipment. While this does get you a reduced price, it also introduces a range of other factors which you need to think about.

One of the first things you need to find out about any used piece of machinery is its operating hours. Just like the total mileage on a new car, this is something you simply need to find out before you even consider putting any money down. The hours your machinery has already done will have a direct impact on your overall ROI. If the plant equipment is getting towards the end of its useful life, then you need to find out about the added maintenance it will require, and balance this cost against the money you’ll save by buying a used piece of machinery. Of course, it can be hard to gauge just how much maintenance a machine is going to need over time. Still, it’s important to remember that the savings you’ll gain from the used market aren’t the only factor here.

The previous maintenance record of the equipment in question is another important thing to consider before going ahead with any kind of investment. Talk to any experienced plant manager, and they’ll tell you that any piece of equipment won’t do much for you if it isn’t regularly maintained. A machine with 2,000 operating hours that hasn’t been maintained could easily be in worse condition than one with 20,000 operating hours that’s had regular checks and repairs. When you’re checking out a used piece of equipment, always ask to see the maintenance records, and gauge how well the equipment has been cared for. How often did the machine go in for small repairs? How often were the fluids changed? Has there ever been any massive damage in the history of the vehicle’s life? In the absence of records, you may need to do a little detective work. Just because there’s no recorded maintenance doesn’t mean it hasn’t been done. It’s also worth reaching out to people who have worked with the specific brand and model of the equipment, either online or in person, and ask them about their experiences. An excavator from Liebherr may be able to go much longer without a certain repair compared to one by Caterpillar.

When you come to see the equipment in person, be very aware of any visible signs of wear and tear. Even for those who aren’t in the business, it’s obvious that a construction site isn’t safest place in the world. A few little chips and scratches in the metal is nothing to be worried about – it’s something to be expected! Instead of the current state of the equipment, you should be looking for any damage that points to issues in the past or future. Hairline cracks and rust are the most common ones you need to be aware of. Tires, or the undercarriage of cat-tracked vehicles, are also important to check out, as these are often horribly expensive to repair or replace. Remember that any repairs which may be required in the future means added costs, as well as the equipment going through downtime where you’re not able to use it. some moderate damage, if you know you’d be able to fix it fairly easily, can actually be a good thing when buying used equipment. Pointing this out can get you a significant discount on the machinery.

The machine’s exhaust is another important thing which you need to look over. This is one of the simplest, and most effective things you can do to test the condition of the engine. How the machinery runs when the engine is completely cooled down will give you a strong indicator of how well it’s been looked after over the years. Another big clue is the colour of the exhaust the engine is pumping out. For example, white smoke can often be a sign that the fuel isn’t being combusted properly, and is usually caused by a broken head gasket. Black smoke, on the other hand, typically means that the fuel/air ratio is too heavy on fuel. This could be broken fuel injectors, or something as simple as a dirty air filter. Fail to start the engine, and you could end up overlooking many serious problems.