Buyer Questions, Answered
Plain answers to what people ask before they buy a used vehicle, truck, RV or machine.
Compact Track Loader vs Skid Steer in 7 Numbers
Compact track loader vs skid steer on one maker's matched pair. Weight, tipping load, rated capacity, speed, ground pressure and wear part life.
The Used Telehandler Inspection Checklist
How to inspect a used telehandler before you buy. Hours by age, boom wear pads, chain stretch, fork wear limits, the load chart and the CARB engine label.
Don't Buy a Used Backhoe Until You Check These 8 Spots
How to inspect a used backhoe loader. What high hours really means, how to match service records to the meter, and the 8 spots where backhoes wear out.
9 Checks to Run Before Buying Used Heavy Equipment
Before buying used heavy equipment, prove the seller owns it, check for theft and liens, read the engine tier for California rules, then run it under load.
The Used Tractor Buying Checklist
A used tractor checklist you can take to the sale: ROPS and PTO shields, fluids, hitch and hydraulics, the test drive, tires, paint, and lien and theft checks.
What to Look for When Buying a Used Mini Excavator
How to check a used mini excavator before you pay: tracks and sag, swing and pins, hydraulics under load, which engine and emissions setup it has, and the papers.
How Many Hours Is a Lot for a Tractor?
What counts as high hours on a used tractor, how to turn the meter into hours per year, why low hours are not free, and what to check at each hour band.
How Many Hours Is a Lot for a Skid Steer?
What skid steer hours really mean, how many track sets a loader has worn by each reading, and the questions to ask at 1,000, 3,000 and 5,000 hours.
What Does a Pre-Purchase Inspection Include?
What a pre-purchase inspection covers on a car, truck, RV or heavy machine, what it cannot see, and how to get the most from the report before you pay.
Is a Pre-Purchase Inspection Worth It?
When a pre-purchase inspection pays for itself on a used car, truck, RV or machine, when you can skip it, and what it means when a seller says no.
What to Look for When Buying a Used Skid Steer
The checks that matter on a used skid steer or track loader. Drive motors, chaincase, hydraulic drift, pins, the attachment plate, tracks and the hour meter.
How Many Hours Is a Lot for an Excavator?
Why excavator hours alone do not tell you much, how to read the hour meter against real wear, and the checks that show what life is left in a used machine.
How Many Hours Is Too Many on a Used Forklift?
How to read forklift hours on gas, propane and electric trucks, why chains, forks and the battery matter more than the meter, and what to check before buying.