A used machine can be an excellent investment — or the start of a long, expensive argument. The difference usually lies in what was checked before money changed hands. This is the checklist we use ourselves when we inspect machinery for customers.
1. Identity: plate, serial number and documents must match
Locate the manufacturer's identification plate and the stamped serial number (PIN) on the frame. Compare them with the documents on offer: invoice, CE declaration, service history, and for road vehicles the registration certificate. Plates that are missing, loose, re-riveted or freshly painted are a reason to stop.
2. Hours versus wear
An hour meter can be replaced. Judge the hours against the condition of the pedals, seat, joysticks, steps and the undercarriage. A "4,000-hour" machine with worn-through track pads and polished pedals has worked much longer.
3. Structure and welds
Inspect the boom, stick, frame, slew ring mounting and counterweight for cracks, repair welds and plate reinforcements. Fresh paint over structural areas deserves extra attention, not less.
4. Undercarriage and tyres
On tracked machines, measure the remaining life of pads, links, rollers, idlers and sprockets — the undercarriage can represent 20–30% of a machine's value. On wheeled machines, check tyre age, cuts and uneven wear that can point to axle or alignment problems.
5. Hydraulics
Look for leaks at cylinders, hoses and the main pump, pitted or scored rods, and drift when the boom is held under load. Ask for a pressure test or a recent oil analysis where the price justifies it.
6. Engine and drivetrain
Cold start is the honest start: watch exhaust colour, listen for knocks, check for blow-by at the filler cap. Check the gearbox, axles and final drives for leaks and noise under load.
7. Electronics and fault codes
Modern machines store fault codes and operating data. Read the display or ask for a diagnostic printout — repeated derate, emissions or hydraulic codes are expensive to ignore.
8. Attachments and couplers
Check that quick couplers lock and that safety systems work. Confirm which attachments are included in writing, with their own serial numbers where they have them.
9. Service history and CE documentation
A machine with a service history is worth more than one without — and documents also help with financing, insurance and resale. New machines in the EEA must be CE-marked with an EU Declaration of Conformity; for used machines, ask for the original documents where they exist.
10. Ownership, liens and theft checks
Confirm the seller actually owns the machine and that it is free of finance liens or pledges. For high-value machines, ask for the purchase invoice chain and run the serial number through theft registers where available.
11. Price, payment and contract
Agree price, delivery terms (Incoterms), payment schedule and warranty in a written contract before paying. Pay only to the bank account stated on an invoice issued by the registered company, and verify that account by phone. For higher values, use staged payments or an escrow service.
12. Transport and site readiness
Check transport dimensions and weight against permit limits for the route, and make sure unloading equipment is available at the destination. Transport insurance is cheap compared with a dropped machine.
Would you rather have someone else do the checking? Ask us for an inspection with a written report — on any machine, not only the ones we sell.
