Check Richie Brothers out.........

[perry]

Richie Brothers is a heavy equipment auction company and their located in many cities across the USA. I checked out the Atlanta auction scheduled for next week, they have lot's of 'new' attachments and used skid steers plus, they allow you to preview before auction. As usual, buyer be careful.

 

[Idoitall]

Perry. I'm still looking for a machine and I also checked out the site. I found that if you register you have access to previous auctions and you can search to see what machines brought. Not seeing these machines will only give one an idea of pricing and to see if it is worth going to. It is an absolute auction with no reserve, so there may be a few good buys here. However, I suspect there will be plenty of savy buyers on site to snap them up.

I may go to the Atlanta sale myself. The Nashville sale is tomorrow and I have noted a few to see what the sell for.

I would not buy one online. Just to conservative to do that.

 

[Idoitall]

Perry. I'm still looking for a machine and I also checked out the site. I found that if you register you have access to previous auctions and you can search to see what machines brought. Not seeing these machines will only give one an idea of pricing and to see if it is worth going to. It is an absolute auction with no reserve, so there may be a few good buys here. However, I suspect there will be plenty of savy buyers on site to snap them up.

I may go to the Atlanta sale myself. The Nashville sale is tomorrow and I have noted a few to see what the sell for.

I would not buy one online. Just to conservative to do that.

Oh yea. Another source that I have recently found is CRAIGSLIST, a free nationwide classified ad site. (http://www.craigslist.org/about/cities.html).

Select any city and then from there you can select a state on the right. From there a list of cities within that state will appear. I have used bobcat, skid, skid steer, skid, steer, etc. as search words. I was looking for a way to search all cities in a state but couldn't find that.

A number of the ads appear in multiple cities and states and look suspicious. I would never buy something here sight unseen!!!! But I'm sure that there are legitimate ads here. I even ran across several backhoe attachments somewhere.

 

[TriHonu]

Oh yea. Another source that I have recently found is CRAIGSLIST, a free nationwide classified ad site. (http://www.craigslist.org/about/cities.html).

Select any city and then from there you can select a state on the right. From there a list of cities within that state will appear. I have used bobcat, skid, skid steer, skid, steer, etc. as search words. I was looking for a way to search all cities in a state but couldn't find that.

A number of the ads appear in multiple cities and states and look suspicious. I would never buy something here sight unseen!!!! But I'm sure that there are legitimate ads here. I even ran across several backhoe attachments somewhere.

I attend most of the Ritchie Brothers Auctions in Lakeville, MN just south of Minneapolis MN.
Yes there are deals to be had, but they are few and far between. You will be bidding with a lot of professionals from the earth-working industries who know exactly what this stuff is and what it is worth.
Some of the equipment is new, however some is being dumped because it is a "problem child" or at the end of its lifecycle and not cost effective to maintain/run.
The equipment is available for inspection for a couple of days prior to the auction. You can start and move it around a little. This helps your decision but will not tell you if there is a problem under the usual working conditions. There is also a small lot charge on any lot that sells for less than 2500 dollars and is 10% of the sale price. Everything is sold as is where is, however they have large forklifts and will load items for no charge.
I have bought a number of skidsteer attachments and paid significantly less than what I would pay at a dealer for the same used equipment. The last auction I bought an almost new Bobcat brand 66" 4 in 1 Combination Bucket with teeth for $700. With 10% small lot fee and tax it was $820.05 out the door. Compared with other used equipment in this area it should have sold for at least $1600. I consider this a bargain.
In this part of Minnesota there are a number of auctions that are primarily Heavy and Landscape equipment. Usually the auctions are held in the spring and late fall or winter. Most is consigned to the auction service so it can all be sold at the same time drawing a larger crowd.

 

[Idoitall]

I attend most of the Ritchie Brothers Auctions in Lakeville, MN just south of Minneapolis MN.
Yes there are deals to be had, but they are few and far between. You will be bidding with a lot of professionals from the earth-working industries who know exactly what this stuff is and what it is worth.
Some of the equipment is new, however some is being dumped because it is a "problem child" or at the end of its lifecycle and not cost effective to maintain/run.
The equipment is available for inspection for a couple of days prior to the auction. You can start and move it around a little. This helps your decision but will not tell you if there is a problem under the usual working conditions. There is also a small lot charge on any lot that sells for less than 2500 dollars and is 10% of the sale price. Everything is sold as is where is, however they have large forklifts and will load items for no charge.
I have bought a number of skidsteer attachments and paid significantly less than what I would pay at a dealer for the same used equipment. The last auction I bought an almost new Bobcat brand 66" 4 in 1 Combination Bucket with teeth for $700. With 10% small lot fee and tax it was $820.05 out the door. Compared with other used equipment in this area it should have sold for at least $1600. I consider this a bargain.
In this part of Minnesota there are a number of auctions that are primarily Heavy and Landscape equipment. Usually the auctions are held in the spring and late fall or winter. Most is consigned to the auction service so it can all be sold at the same time drawing a larger crowd.

I went to the Nashville auction today, mainly just to educate myself and observe. In the nearly 1000 items for sale, from cranes to folk-lifts, to man-lifts, to trailers, to dozers and loaders, and so on, they had about 30+ SS machines, about half CTL and the rest wheeled. There were Bobcats, 1 Gehl, Deere, Cat, 1 Scat Trak, 1 New Holland Lx665 Turbo, and 1 Komatsu. While the newer machines looked good, I would say most others were average or below, some rough.

They had four 2000 model 763's from United Rental that sold for $9000-$9500, and a 863 turbo for $9800. The Scat-Trak brought $6500 and the NH $7000.

I didn't stay for the attachment sale, but they had quite a few buckets, a trencher, a backhoe, plates, forks and bale spears. I'll check the lot #'s to see what they sold for.

I agree that there were plenty of pro's there bidding. The auctioneer even called several of them by name, so that tells me they are regulars. While I was impressed with the facility, the number of items, and the organization, I wasn't overly impressed with the quality of the machines and the prices that I looked at.

So, I'll look some more.

 

[TriHonu]

I went to the Nashville auction today, mainly just to educate myself and observe. In the nearly 1000 items for sale, from cranes to folk-lifts, to man-lifts, to trailers, to dozers and loaders, and so on, they had about 30+ SS machines, about half CTL and the rest wheeled. There were Bobcats, 1 Gehl, Deere, Cat, 1 Scat Trak, 1 New Holland Lx665 Turbo, and 1 Komatsu. While the newer machines looked good, I would say most others were average or below, some rough.

They had four 2000 model 763's from United Rental that sold for $9000-$9500, and a 863 turbo for $9800. The Scat-Trak brought $6500 and the NH $7000.

I didn't stay for the attachment sale, but they had quite a few buckets, a trencher, a backhoe, plates, forks and bale spears. I'll check the lot #'s to see what they sold for.

I agree that there were plenty of pro's there bidding. The auctioneer even called several of them by name, so that tells me they are regulars. While I was impressed with the facility, the number of items, and the organization, I wasn't overly impressed with the quality of the machines and the prices that I looked at.

So, I'll look some more.

I searched the want ads, dealer lots and auctions for more than a year before I bought my loader. I got tired of the stories or lack of information about the maintenance history and hours. Ultimately I purchased from a dealer (Lano Equipment).
So I called the dealers, explained my needs and what I was willing to spend. One dealer literally laughed at me and told me I would never get a machine for the price I was willing to spend.
Lano listened and told me they didn't have anything available at the time but would contact me. I thought "Yea Right..." but about a month later they called me and said they had what I was looking for. They gave me a 60 day guarantee, and the wheels and bucket I wanted. I took it home and found it had an intermittent wiring problem. So I took it back and they fixed the problem, no charge, got it back next day.
They now have a loyal customer and will continue to get my business. They have been very helpful. I have purchased my Tilt-tach and Grader from them.
Don't be afraid to ask the dealers for help. There has to be a good one near you. I was looking at a number of brands and ended up choosing Bobcat. The combination of support, price and resale value were key factors in my decision.
Good luck on your search.

 

[skidsteer.ca]

I searched the want ads, dealer lots and auctions for more than a year before I bought my loader. I got tired of the stories or lack of information about the maintenance history and hours. Ultimately I purchased from a dealer (Lano Equipment).
So I called the dealers, explained my needs and what I was willing to spend. One dealer literally laughed at me and told me I would never get a machine for the price I was willing to spend.
Lano listened and told me they didn't have anything available at the time but would contact me. I thought "Yea Right..." but about a month later they called me and said they had what I was looking for. They gave me a 60 day guarantee, and the wheels and bucket I wanted. I took it home and found it had an intermittent wiring problem. So I took it back and they fixed the problem, no charge, got it back next day.
They now have a loyal customer and will continue to get my business. They have been very helpful. I have purchased my Tilt-tach and Grader from them.
Don't be afraid to ask the dealers for help. There has to be a good one near you. I was looking at a number of brands and ended up choosing Bobcat. The combination of support, price and resale value were key factors in my decision.
Good luck on your search.

I agree.
1
Bobcat website states "we allow the dealers the freedom to set their own pricing" which tell me watch where you shop.
2
Most are under different local management, and there can be a huge difference in attitude from store to store.
Ken

 

[Tazza]

I agree.
1
Bobcat website states "we allow the dealers the freedom to set their own pricing" which tell me watch where you shop.
2
Most are under different local management, and there can be a huge difference in attitude from store to store.
Ken

Thats some pretty good service!
Glad you are happy with your machine AND the dealer. My dealer is very helpful, when i had problems a few years back they were great, took the time to explain what to do to fix it. They never said just bring it down so they could charge me for it.

 

[TriHonu]

Thats some pretty good service!
Glad you are happy with your machine AND the dealer. My dealer is very helpful, when i had problems a few years back they were great, took the time to explain what to do to fix it. They never said just bring it down so they could charge me for it.

I informally "interviewed" most of the dealers in my area. The responses I got from salesmen were interesting. I found the best approach was to accurately describe my needs and budget. When they recommended a machine I asked them to tell me why this machine was better than "Machine X at Dealer Y". I appreciated the fact that Lano gave me options that would cost less to purchase and explained why they were less expensive.
I also have a neighbor who is an excavating contractor, and spoke with him about different brands and dealers. He has run Bobcat equipment for many years. I offered to pay him to inspect my final selection (He declined the pay) and he did a once over on the machine and showed me the common wear issues and how to inspect them. I would have gladly paid for the lesson.

I do most of my own mechanics work, however "If you use it, it will eventually break."

" and you are almost forced to go back to the dealer for parts/support. As we all know this is a wallet empting experience... I don't mind spending money, however I demand value for each dollar spent.
The best advice I can give anyone is to become an educated buyer. If you don't have the knowledge, find someone who is and ask for help. I learned along time ago you can get the answers you need if you are willing to take someone to lunch at their favorite spot while you ask the questions!

 

[perry]

I informally "interviewed" most of the dealers in my area. The responses I got from salesmen were interesting. I found the best approach was to accurately describe my needs and budget. When they recommended a machine I asked them to tell me why this machine was better than "Machine X at Dealer Y". I appreciated the fact that Lano gave me options that would cost less to purchase and explained why they were less expensive.
I also have a neighbor who is an excavating contractor, and spoke with him about different brands and dealers. He has run Bobcat equipment for many years. I offered to pay him to inspect my final selection (He declined the pay) and he did a once over on the machine and showed me the common wear issues and how to inspect them. I would have gladly paid for the lesson.
I do most of my own mechanics work, however "If you use it, it will eventually break." " and you are almost forced to go back to the dealer for parts/support. As we all know this is a wallet empting experience... I don't mind spending money, however I demand value for each dollar spent.
The best advice I can give anyone is to become an educated buyer. If you don't have the knowledge, find someone who is and ask for help. I learned along time ago you can get the answers you need if you are willing to take someone to lunch at their favorite spot while you ask the questions!

That's right Ken, attitude plays a big part in everything. I buy my parts from the BC dealer farthest from my home just because of local attitude's, It also plays a big part in how I price a job!. Sometimes you know if a particular customer will 'never' be pleased.
Went to RB for a look-see yesterday and found what I want in attachments, caught a salesman coming back from lunch and he gave me average win prices which were reasonable, IMO. I saw one attachment that I might need?, it's a small tri-angle bucket with a small opening, about 12"-16" with four large teeth. Stump bucket I presume?.

 

[perry]

That's right Ken, attitude plays a big part in everything. I buy my parts from the BC dealer farthest from my home just because of local attitude's, It also plays a big part in how I price a job!. Sometimes you know if a particular customer will 'never' be pleased.
Went to RB for a look-see yesterday and found what I want in attachments, caught a salesman coming back from lunch and he gave me average win prices which were reasonable, IMO. I saw one attachment that I might need?, it's a small tri-angle bucket with a small opening, about 12"-16" with four large teeth. Stump bucket I presume?.

Found out it is a 'stump bucket'
Also, RB here in Atlanta has '73' skid steers up for auction..WOW..

 

[reliefdvm]

I live about 5 miles from the Denver RB facilty - So I go to all their auctions more as a day out - not to actively buy. For the most part I have found the prices to be pretty high. All of the skids were so far above what I would pay for the condition that I ended up purchasing new. I have seen pallet forks and hay spikes going for more than I paid for mine new at the JD dealer. The best deals are usually found at the end of day 2 when they have all the miscellaneous stuff that is not part of the internet auction. They will have pressure washers and surplus flooring and the like. I picked up a pallet of 6 generators (8.5 Kw) that were brand new for $900 total - they had 12 pallets of generators.

 

[perry]

I live about 5 miles from the Denver RB facilty - So I go to all their auctions more as a day out - not to actively buy. For the most part I have found the prices to be pretty high. All of the skids were so far above what I would pay for the condition that I ended up purchasing new. I have seen pallet forks and hay spikes going for more than I paid for mine new at the JD dealer. The best deals are usually found at the end of day 2 when they have all the miscellaneous stuff that is not part of the internet auction. They will have pressure washers and surplus flooring and the like. I picked up a pallet of 6 generators (8.5 Kw) that were brand new for $900 total - they had 12 pallets of generators.

Relief, I also screened the 'miscellaneous section' and found that most all the 'new' stuff was China made. I didn't even hang around to bid on that stuff.