What should be paid attention to when buying a used excavator? And how can we avoid potential pitfalls?
I. Equipment Source
Understanding Previous Usage
Try to inquire about the previous working environment of the excavator. For example, if it has been working under heavy-duty conditions such as in mines for a long time, the wear and tear of the machine will be more severe than that in ordinary construction sites. For excavators used in mines, components like the undercarriage, boom, and arm may deform or crack due to frequently withstanding huge impact forces.
Find out the service life and working hours of the equipment. The working hours can be checked through the hour meter on the excavator, but some sellers may tamper with this data. Generally speaking, the fewer the working hours, the longer the remaining service life of the equipment may be. However, it is also necessary to make a judgment in combination with the actual maintenance situation. Although some equipment has a relatively large number of working hours, its performance may still be good if it has been properly maintained.
Verifying Equipment Source Channels
If you are purchasing from an individual seller, you should carefully examine the seller's reputation and the reason for selling. For example, some individual sellers may choose to sell because the equipment has frequent malfunctions and the maintenance cost is too high. In such cases, the excavator may have potential problems.
If you are purchasing from a used equipment dealer, you should choose a formal and reputable merchant. Check the dealer's qualifications, business history, and customer reviews. Formal dealers usually conduct preliminary inspections and tidying up of the equipment and may provide certain after-sales guarantees during the transaction process.
II. Equipment Condition Inspection
Appearance Inspection
Carefully check whether there are obvious collision marks, deformations, or paint touch-ups on the body of the excavator. Paint touch-ups may be used to cover up some damages of the equipment. For example, if you find that the paint color of a certain part of the body is slightly different from that of other parts, or the paint surface is not smooth enough, this part may have been hit and repaired before.
Check the degree of wear of the tracks. Severe track wear will affect the walking stability and working efficiency of the excavator. Check whether the teeth of the tracks are intact and whether the connections between the links are loose. If the track wear exceeds a certain limit, the cost of replacing the tracks later also needs to be considered.
Check the appearance of the working devices (such as the boom, arm, and bucket). Check whether there are cracks, deformations, or traces of welding repairs. For welded parts, pay attention to the welding quality. Poor welding may lead to serious accidents such as fractures during the use of the working devices.
Performance Testing
After starting the excavator, observe whether the engine starts smoothly and whether there are abnormal vibrations, smoke emissions, or strange noises. A normal engine should start relatively quickly, run smoothly, and emit smoke of a normal color (usually light blue). If the engine has difficulty starting or emits a large amount of black or white smoke, it may indicate that there are problems with the engine, such as fuel injector failures or piston ring wear.
Test each movement of the excavator, including walking, slewing, digging, and lifting. Check whether each movement is sensitive and powerful and whether there are any jams, delays, or abnormal noises during the movement. For example, when performing the digging action, if you feel that the digging force is insufficient, it may be due to leaks in the hydraulic system or failures of the oil pump.
Check whether the hydraulic system leaks. Check whether there are oil stains on the hydraulic pipelines, cylinders, and other parts. Slight oil stains may be normal, but if a large amount of hydraulic oil is found to be leaking, it will affect the working performance of the excavator, and hydraulic oil leaks may also cause damage to other components.
Internal Inspection
Check the maintenance records of the equipment to understand whether the equipment has been maintained according to the specified time and requirements. For example, whether the engine oil, hydraulic oil, and filters have been regularly replaced. Complete maintenance records are an important reference basis for the equipment to be well maintained.
Check whether important components of the equipment, such as the engine, hydraulic pump, and distribution valve, have traces of disassembly and repair. Although these components may be disassembled due to normal repairs during the use process, if they have been disassembled too many times or the repair process is of poor quality, it may affect the performance and service life of the components.
III. Documents and Procedures
Title Certificate and Invoice
Ensure that the seller can provide the title certificate of the excavator, which is an important document proving the ownership of the equipment. If there is no title certificate, there may be risks of property rights disputes.
Ask the seller to provide the purchase invoice. The invoice can be used as proof of the source of the equipment, and in some cases, it may also be helpful for matters such as the subsequent resale or warranty of the equipment.
Other Related Documents of the Equipment
Check the certificate of conformity of the equipment to understand whether the equipment meets the relevant quality standards.
If the equipment still has a remaining warranty period, ask the seller to provide relevant documents and instructions related to the warranty so that you can enjoy the warranty service when necessary.
IV. Price Evaluation
Market Research
Before purchasing, conduct sufficient market research on the prices of used excavators. You can learn about the approximate price range of excavators of the same model, year, and working hours through online platforms, used equipment trading markets, industry forums, and other channels. Different brands, models, and the actual condition of the equipment will have a significant impact on the price.
Consider the depreciation situation of the equipment. Generally speaking, the depreciation rate of excavators is relatively high in the first few years, and it will gradually decrease as the service life increases. For example, a new excavator may depreciate by 20% - 30% after one year of use, but the depreciation rate may reach 60% - 70% after five years of use. However, this is just a general reference, and the specific situation still needs to be judged according to the actual situation of the equipment.
Price Reasonableness Judgment
If the price of a certain used excavator is significantly lower than the market price, you should be extremely cautious. It may be that the equipment has serious quality problems, property rights disputes, or other hidden unfavorable factors. Don't be greedy for cheap prices and ignore potential risks.
V. Contract Signing
Defining Contract Terms
In the contract, clearly note the basic information of the equipment, such as the model, serial number, purchase price, and payment method. The clarification of this information can avoid misunderstandings or disputes during the transaction process.
Stipulate the rights and obligations of both parties. For example, the seller has the obligation to provide true information about the equipment and relevant documents, and the buyer has the obligation to pay according to the agreed time and method. At the same time, clearly define the delivery time, place, and method of the equipment.
For the quality guarantee clauses of the equipment, make detailed agreements. For example, it is agreed that within a certain period of time after the purchase (such as one week or one month), if major quality problems that are not disclosed in the contract are found in the equipment, the seller is responsible for handling them through repair, replacement, or refund.
Cautiously Handling Exemption Clauses
Carefully read the exemption clauses in the contract. Some sellers may add some unreasonable exemption clauses in the contract, such as not assuming any responsibility for the existing potential problems of the equipment. For such unreasonable exemption clauses, buyers should consider carefully and, if necessary, consult professionals or ask the sellers to modify them.
