Makin Traks founder Daz Scale outlines key pieces of advice for those seeking to purchase second hand machinery
The second hand machinery and parts market can be a tricky sales floor to navigate, with plenty of dealers vying for your business, a wide range of equipment available and a lot of competition for the good pieces.
Getting some insight into the used machine market and some helpful advice on how to navigate it effectively can go a long way.
Makin Traks is a used machinery dealership based in Sunshine Coast, owned and operated by Daz Scale.
Well-known for specialising in low-hour, high-quality Cat dozers, Makin Traks also supplies graders and skid steers, sourced from Australia and overseas.
Speaking to Earthmovers & Excavators, Scale provides an insight into the second hand machinery market and outlines key pieces of advice for potential buyers seeking to navigate its waters.
It’s a busy time for Makin Traks, which recently opened a brand-new facility and expanded operations. The dealer is also experiencing high levels of demand for certain machinery, including dozers and graders.
“The dozer spaces and the grader spaces are still thriving, but the skid steer market has dropped off a little bit,” Scale says.
“Overall, in order, dozers would be the strongest market, then graders and then skid steers for us.”
While sourcing quality second hand construction machinery is not an issue, Scale reveals that growing shipping costs and the Australian dollar’s poor performance against its US counterparts are posing challenges for the industry.
This makes it all the more important to find the right deal when buying second hand machinery.
To ensure this, Scale outlines eight key pieces of advice for those seeking to buy second hand machinery in today’s market.
1. The right dealer
“First of all, find a dealer that you feel comfortable dealing with,” Scale says, highlighting the importance of initial reactions.
“How do you feel on the phone or meeting them in person? Are they transparent? Do you feel like they’re easy to deal with?
“It’s got to be an easy, comfortable gentleman’s agreement,” he adds.
2. Machine year and hours
Secondly, Scale highlights the importance of verifying the machine’s hours and model year, once you’ve found the right machine for you amongst the wide variety on offer.
“When you look at in the dozer world, if you look at [a Cat] D3 through to D11, you’re talking about a variation from an 8-tonne machine to a 130-tonne machine,” he explains.
“You’re talking about variation in 80 horsepower through to 1,300hp.
“So, you really want to find the right machine for you, [the one] that suits.
“Then number two, you really want to verify the machine’s year and the hours,” Scale adds.
No matter the year or type of equipment, Scale advises getting a complete status report to verify the machine’s hours.
“Whether it’s a 2015 or a 2018, whatever it is, you really want to get the machine plugged into a computer to do an ECM (electronic control module) download to verify machine information.”
3. Verify repairs
Knowing what repairs have been completed on the machine prior to the sale should be another priority, according to the Sunshine Coast machinery dealer.
“You really want to verify what repairs are being completed on the machine prior to sale,” he says.
“There’s always going to be something. If the machine’s got 5,000 hours, there’s always going to be something to do on the machine to get it to what we would call ‘job-ready’.
So, do the bearings need replacing? Do the hydraulic hoses need replacing? Does it need seals? Does the AC need regassing? What condition is the undercarriage?
“You really want to know [and] verify what repairs are being done on it, so that you know what you’re really getting,” Scale adds, leading nicely into tip number four.
4. Workshop report
Scale emphasises the importance of checking what the dealer or seller has done with the machine in terms of both completed and ongoing repairs or works.
“Just verify that those repairs have been done or are being done,” he says.
5. Photographic evidence
Asking for photos of the machine when all works are completed is a good way of finding out more about it, Scale explains.
He says that transparent dealers and dealerships will have a folder of photos showing the machine at various stages of repair right up to completion, to give prospective buyers a full and transparent history.
“There are a number of things there that you want to see,” he says.
“You’d want to be walked through the process and feel like you’re part of the rebuilding, the repairing on the machine.”
If it is clear that the machine has been recently painted, Scale advises buyers to ask why it has been painted and if it would be possible to see photos of the machine before and after the paint job.
“Some dealers may just go out there and do Dulux makeovers for the sake of it, just to try and flog off the machine,” he says.
“You really want to know what you’re buying.”
6. Warranty options
Potential buyers should also assess if the dealer offers any warranty options on the machine.
Some dealers, like Makin Traks, do offer warranties while others do not.
“Check with the dealership and see if there are any warranty options on the machine,” Scale advises.
“If there are warranty options, how long is it for and what does it include?”
Makin Traks offers a 12 month warranty on second hand machinery, covering everything from the powertrain to transmission and hydraulics.
“It just gives the customer a bit of peace of mind, knowing that in three months’ time, if they had a serious mechanical problem they’re going to be supported,” Scale adds.
7. Transport assistance
Transporting large pieces of machinery can be a tricky and costly endeavour. Scale advises buyers to ask the dealer if they offer any assistance with transport.
If there is assistance, Scale explains this allows buyers to receive their machine in “turnkey” condition.
A Makin Traks customer from NSW recently purchased a Caterpillar D5K Crawler Dozer from the Sunshine Coast dealership.
Scale explains Makin Traks assisted with pricing up the cost of having the machine picked up in the Sunshine Coast and delivered to his customer’s property, work-ready.
8. After sales advice
Finally, Scale advises buyers to ask their dealers about after sales support or advice, something Makin Traks offers its customers.
He highlights the importance of buyers being able to access “expert advice” from the dealer, particularly in terms of operating the machine or any repair needs that might crop up.
“It’s something we offer and it’s something I’d highly recommend any buyer to look for before purchasing a $200,000, $300,000 or a $500,000 machine,” Scale says.
New facility
Makin Traks opened its brand-new facility in Yandina in March this year, allowing the company to expand its operations and footprint.
The new site, which features upgraded workshops and manufacturing facilities, is specifically designed for the repair, maintenance and preparation of earthmoving equipment.
Alongside the main 4,000 square metre workshop, two additional buildings have allowed Makin Traks to expand its spare parts stock and attachments offering, and the site has also seen the business expand its custom fabrication work.
The new facility is something the Makin Traks team is very proud of.
“We can fit 50 or 60 dozers just under cover,” Scale explains, outlining the scale of the new facility.
“It’s a fantastic facility and it’s paying dividends already.”
Customers who enter the workshop are blown away, Scale adds, saying the new premises has allowed Makin Traks to take its used machinery “to the next level”, further setting it apart from the competition.
For more info, visit www.makintraks.com or call Daz Scale on 0402 940 490. Read more about Makin Trak’s new Yandina facility here.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news in the earthmoving industry
- Never miss a great deal and subscribe to our monthly magazine
- Download a free copy of our latest digital magazine to catch up on the biggest news and developments in the earthmoving industry