Today one of the most popular ways of purchasing used heavy equipment or machinery is through the numerous online and brick and mortar equipment or machinery auctions and auctioneers. Here are some of the best in the industry:
Ritchie Brothers, Iron Planet, Machinery Trader
Planning on purchasing a used excavator, bulldozer, wheel loader or other heavy equipment?
Then you will need reliable heavy equipment and machinery shipping and flatbed trailer shipping services.
Great Western Transportation has years of experience and the expertise and knowledge required for reliable heavy equipment shipping from the auction location to any final destination location in the US or Canada. Our flatbed trailers and trucking service will cover all your heavy equipment shipping requirements.
Some of the considerations you should take into account prior to making your heavy equipment or machinery purchase at an auction house are:
- The overall working condition of the heavy equipment or machinery. The heavy equipment should be properly running and have no leaks or mechanical issues that would prevent it from moving under its own power. Machinery is less of an issue, as it will need to be physically moved the full length of the route.
- Determine the shipping and transportation costs and time frames for the full length of the route. Should the equipment or machinery be extremely heavy or have dimensions that are above normal, there may be a need for overweight and/or oversize permits.
- Check whether the heavy equipment has parts that can be removed for over the road flatbed trailer transport. Blades, buckets and cabins might be too large for over the road transport and will require removal prior to pick-up. Check if the auction site is able to remove the parts for you. Construction equipment must also be free of excess dirt / cleaned before it can be transported over the road.
- The auction site must provide you with an original bill of sale or other documents needed to transfer title or ownership of the equipment.
Ritchie Bros and Other Major Auctioneers Tips.
Ritchie Bros is the leading heavy equipment auctioneers in the USA and the world. If you have never been to a Ritchie Bros auction you would be amazed by the experience, the amount of equipment is gigantic. Ritchie Bros is the auction world’s equivalent to what Caterpillar is in the heavy equipment industry.
They are the 800 pound gorilla in the auction industry
So here are some tips that apply to major auctions and auctioneers:
- While Ritchie Bros organizes and run the auctions, they do not coordinate and plan transportation or shipping of the equipment after it has been purchased. Contact us directly at Great Western Transportation for flatbed trucking assistance.
- They will usually provide an onsite contracted mechanic for the disassembly of equipment, whom you will have to compensate yourself for their services. Thus you pay for all the services the mechanic provides.
- If you require a crane or rigging or any other assistance with the removal of the equipment for any reason, you definitely will have to hire and pay for this yourself. There are times a forklift or loader may be made available for your use, at the auction. However, this is not always the case, sometimes it is free and sometimes there is a charge. So plan all your equipment removal and flatbed transportation trucking needs prior to the auction.
- Ritchie Bros staff will frequently help with the loading of most equipment, but not all of the equipment. If you have any questions or need more information contact the local Yard Manager or an auction house representative.
- All equipment you purchase must be fully paid for before it can leave the auction site. Therefore you should never order or book to have the equipment picked-up, until you have verified that the full payment was made. Ritchie Bros will not allow equipment to leave the auction yard without payment in full. Again consult with the auctioneers regarding their equipment removal terms and policies. Some auctions have a maximum time limit by when the equipment must be removed.
- Have a purchase strategy before you go to the auction. Don’t get caught up in the excitement of the auctions, or your emotions will get the better of you. It is important to first determine what equipment is necessary to buy before going to any auction, to avoid making an impulse purchase. It is helpful to make a list of the specific equipment requirements needed to ensure that the right type of equipment is purchased. The budget for the purchase should also be predetermined or at least you must be sure of the amount that a bank is willing to lend for financing the heavy machinery.
- Prior to bidding at the auction, it is necessary to register with the auction house online or at their auction site office. In order to make a bid/purchase you will need to sign certain documents such as an auction purchase agreement as well as provide your company’s name, contact details, a photo ID, banking information and either cash or a guarantee letter from a bank or other financial institution. Your personal bidding number will be issued to you when you are a registered buyer along with an auction catalog and list of items for sale.
- Allow time to inspect the equipment for any damage or problems before the auction starts, if the auction company permits this. Now have a pen and paper and start taking notes. Write down the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) which is usually located on the drivers side windshield in the lower corner. Plus, open all the doors and other areas where the VIN might be located in order to compare all of the VIN’s with one another. If the numbers do not match, it is possible that the vehicle may have suffered a crash that required the replacement of a door from another vehicle.
- Thoroughly check for any signs of rusting or stains. Open the cab door in order to check the floor and under the seats for any signs of rust. Check the engine for signs of water stains; also check around the engine block for any evidence of oil leakage. Find the oil dipstick and check to see if there is a heavy dirt deposit which could be evidence that the equipment has been sitting for a long time or has not been well-maintained. The more experienced you are with heavy equipment the better your inspection will be. You may also want to bring along someone who has experience with heavy equipment to provide you extra information and evaluation of the mechanical condition of the equipment.
- The local auctioneers have a unique tone and phrasing. Listen carefully to get an idea of what is being said and how to place your bid. Watch and learn from other auctions, before the equipment you are interested in comes up for sale. It is very important to understand where the bid is in terms of price at now, as opposed to how much more the auctioneer is asking for you to “get the bid”. Practicing a trial bid at other auctions will allow you to better understand the dynamics of an auction. Write down results of prior auctions to get an idea of price movements. Most important have a purchase strategy and stick to it.
- When the bidding has begun, the auctioneer will start to announce each price and increased increment until no higher bids are offered, at which point the agent will announce that the equipment has been sold.
- They have concession stands, so you can get something to eat or drink and get a bit of rest, so you can stay on top of your purchase strategy.
- These days a lot of the bidding activity comes via the internet/online, so you may never see your competition or those who bid higher than you. If you are buying/bidding via the internet, it is prudent that you have someone do a pre-inspection for the equipment you intend to bid on. This is very much a buyer beware situation; this is a: “As is, Where is” situation. Again getting some insight into auctions is a must before you make your first online or brick and mortar auction purchase.
- Heavy haulers generally require the equipment to be operational in order to make possible the loading and unloading process; otherwise the equipment must be physically moved the whole way. One common failure is the battery, so if the equipment needs a new battery in order to start you need to know it and arrange for it to be replaced. Otherwise you will be charged for the battery by the heavy hauler. Flatbed trucking gets your equipment over the road, but still the equipment must be load onto and off the flatbed. Term “RORO” is used for roll on roll off.
- Antifreeze! If you’re buying in coastal areas or in southern regions, check the antifreeze before shipping through cold areas of country, especially through higher altitudes.
Trust shipping your heavy construction equipment from the auction site to its destination reliably and on time with one of the most dependable heavy equipment and machinery flatbed transportation trucking service – Great Western Transportation.
You can submit rate requests through our heavy equipment and machinery rate request page to receive a quick shipping freight quote.
Safety and Protection: We protect your items against any damage in transit
Auction Sellers: We help you to sell more with accurate transportation estimates
Auction Buyers: Accurate transportation estimates so that your purchases are stress-free
