How do these prices look?

While struggling between a backhoe and mini-excavator I came across this place. About a week ago I took a ride over there and looked at the machines, most are repainted auction items. Please take a look at the prices and let me know what you think. If I go for one it will be in the 6-10K weight range.

The only advantage I can see as opposed to an auction is that one gets the chance to drive it around the lot.

http://www.carrollequipment.com/

Thanks,

Don

I would recommed a takeuchi mini excavator. I have had very good luck with the takeuchi brand equipment. Looking that the takeuchi machines they had, I would not buy none of them. Look like they have had a ruff life and then covered up with a new paint job.
Check out www.proxibid.com
They have nemerous havy equipment auctions every month. Its amazing how low good machines go for on this auction site.

All those machines are repainted, dealer claims they come that way from the auction but that may not be totally true. I registered for two auction companies this week, going to attend one on Saturday. Problem is you don't get a chance to run the machines before paying to the best of my knowledge.

I was at a Richie Brothers auction this spring (Olympia, WA). There if you went 2 or 3 days early you could run most anything you wanted. only thing they did not want you to disturb the ground. (no digging)

I scored a few nice Mack R688 tenwheelers at an auction last fall. I could sell them for $35,000 I paid $19,000 for one and $21,000 for 2 of them. You can mess around starting them up, but no digging or anything.

No doubt there are deals to be had. My cousin is running my grandfather's excavating company now and he told me that since some of the municipalities started combining auctions and advertising heavily the prices jumped considerably. Of course, the deals are out there, just need to be at the right one.

Would I buy a machine from the auction maybe or maybe not. I have been going to Ritchie Bros auctions for years. When you go to a auction you have the attitude your buying a machine as is where is. You go and inspect the machine the day before and its up to your judgement if the machine is good or not.

They clean and paint the machines for a reason it is because shiny paint sells. When you have been going to Ritchie Bros auctions as long as my familly has you learn what is junk and what is not. There is good deals seasons during the fall and winter the sales are slow during the spring junk sells for double what it should.

Myself if your buying a used machine that has gotten a 5 gallon rebuild the company or the owner is trying to hide the fact the machine is seen its last days. You want to see the machine the last day it worked still dirty and intact.

There is one company in B.C. sells used Komatsu's I'am not meantioning any company names but they repaint the machine they are cleaned up like you wouldn't beleive. Its to make them look new ya they look good but you start running them the problems show up like hydraulic leaks etc.

Good Luck oh ya out in the Surrey Auction they have a shuttle bus usually there is equipment salesmen riding on the bus you over hear their conversations usually its good info on what is at the auction site that is junk and what they are looking at.

I figured fall is the time since the season is winding down. I am waiting for the one in my area to post the inventory on-line.

A owner operator's machine is the best a guy that owned the machine and ran it himself is better than a company machine with different operators. The owner is upgrading to a newer machine.

Mini excavators seem to be the most abused machines compared to full sized excavators. The ones at Ritchie Bros the minis look like they went through a battle and back. I repaired the rental minis at the local rental shop its amazing how abused the machines got.

Greasing and oil changes are the big thing to look at. If the grease on the boom looks like its older than the hills and never been greased since new run away.

Ford LT-9000 said:

Would I buy a machine from the auction maybe or maybe not.

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Would you buy a machine from anywhere?

Just trucks no machines for me

As I said I have spent allot of time at Ritchie Bros auctions watching people bid on junk that shouldn't have been sold at that price.

Sometimes I like to sit in the crowd with a bid book and drive the price of a trucks up. One truck I was interested in I kept bidding it was more than I wanted to spend but and another person must have wanted it because they kept bidding. I pulled out and the truck sold for 3 grand more than I was willing to pay for it :laugh

Some of the trucks I looked at I have a set price I know what they are worth and when the bidding starts climbing way past what its worth I can't beleive it. One truck I thought I would get cheap was a 2002 F-550 4x4 cab and chassis the truck had engine problems. It sold for a price I thought was way too high.

In the spring and summer guys have jobs and they need a piece of equipment and will pay a higher price for it. I see it in dump trucks some of the wrecks guys are buying them even if they have 2000 dollars in damage etc.

Mini excavators are big sellers at the Surrey site. Guys that want a toy to play with will spend 20 grand on a worn out mini.

Ritchie Bros cleans and paints up a excavator it adds 10 grand to the value even if its leaking ever fluid imaginable.