This is a worldwide equipment auction site they have no reserve auctions typically twice a year at their regional auction sites. I have not had the chance to attend my local auction yet work seems to get in the way, but I plan to attend the one in Denver (Longmont) on March 11-12. I can't afford to buy anything but it would be a great way to understand equipment cost. If I had money I would think that bargains can be found.
The link to RB Bros wesite http://www.rbauction.com/index_all.jsp
If this is at one of their regular sites it might be a drive by format where everyone sits in bleachers and the equipment is driven by. I don't care
for this type of sale after being at one. The crowd is so big and so many bid takers that no one is sure where the bid is at. Saw some very unhappy
people who thought they had the bid or bought the item after they had quit bidding. I would only bid at one of these types as an internet bidder,
then you know if you have the bid and exactly what it is. I prefer the type where everyone walks to each piece as the crowd thins out some.
That said RB can have some real good prices on stuff now and then. To get an idea of retail values of construction type equipment you can
check out www.machinerytrader.com . Also if you know someone with a dealership license and are in the CO/WY area check out www.klode.com
they have stuff that might need some work as it comes from an insurance settlement. Mainly autos, but have seen some bobcats and such.
Brian
I went to one of their auctions here in Louisville, KY. about three years ago when I was looking for a bobcat. The skidsteers they had were pretty much all junk and they went ridiculous high. It may not be that way in other areas but I won't waste my time with another one here in Louisville.
I own an Industrial air compressor and vacuum company. We work on the compressors RB uses here at the auction site in Washington. They do a lot of sandblasting and painting ( we call it the Sherwin Williams overhaul).
On that same note, about eight years ago I sold a used 150 h.p. Junk Compressor to Rinker materials for an asphalt plant for $1500.00. Two years ago they got tired of sinking money into it and they bought a new one from us with an energy grant. About six months later we got a call from a plant in Vancouver Washington with questions and parts needed for a compressor with our stickers on it. It was that same unit , they bought it for $6000.00 at RB auction. I am in the business of selling and servicing machinery, I make more on service than sales so I dont mind people buying crap. Watch out!!!!!!
I know machinery not equipment, so last year I decided on a backhoe instead of a bobcat (the skid steer I rented with a hoe attachment could'nt dig my stumps and wouldnt move my trees at all) I have relatives in the excavation business so I used an equipment dealer they use. It took him about six months to find me a good backhoe for under $20,000.00. I started out with the misconception that I could get a decent 4wd Cat,Deere or case hoe for less than $20,000.00(I had a ford previously and the parts prices were much higher). I finally settled on a 2wd case 580K with 3300 hrs for $15,000.00 after seeing the high prices for all the crap equipment.
The hoe works great (with chains on the tires) and it will be easy to sell after I am done with it. Even if I only get ten grand for it I will have saved a bunch of $$ over renting or paying someone to dig for me. Also I can spend all weekend on it and my wife never bothers me to mow grass,make dump runs, or any of the long list of honey Do's. To me that alone is worth way more than the six grand It may cost me.
I live in NW washington and the hoe came from a utility company in Northern California. They took great care of it and it was only $550.00 to pay the step deck hauler to truck it to me. Kent
The old adage you get what you pay for is true no matter if it's a backhoe or a shovel.
I'm pretty well convinced that RB is not the way to go unless they have a zillion for sale and nobody bids but me. Is it true for equipment like it is for cars? Buy new for say $32k and lose thousands when you drive off the lot. Buy that same vehicle with 50k miles but well maintained for $16k or buy worn out 200k miles for $6k but spend $4k on a new transmission. I usually buy used Jap cars with 100k miles and American cars with 80k miles to expect the same life expectancy. For you buy American folks I own 3 US made vehicles and 1 Jap vehicle. They range in age from 1994 to 2007. I'm self employed and I needed a tax break. If I thought I could convince the IRS that a computer geek needs a backhoe to teach other computer geeks I'd write that sucker off too.
Are older year models, lower hours, better than newer year model, more hours assuming the price is the same?
What are hours to mileage for comparison? 50k miles is like 1100 hours, 150k miles is like 3300 hours?
If the equipment has been abused I would think that would be pretty easy to spot.
I know that some low life’s claim that granny only drove the backhoe to church on Sunday.
For cars I look at the rubber on the brake pedal if the ribs are worn off that baby has a lot more than 50k miles on it. I would think equipment has tale tale signs as well.
Hmm......................................................Backhoe $15,000
"Being busy" on the tractor avoiding honey dos. Priceless
I also think with new home starts tanking that bargains are out there for the taking. I need to find a buddy that is an equipment mechanic.
For some reason, machinery of this sort tends to have a higher value. I ended up buying 2 new dump trucks and a new excavator because I looked and looked for something less $$, and only found junk needing work. There may be exceptions now if a company bought too much equip. and can't pay there bills...
I keep looking for that miracle cheapo but in good useable shape track loader where cosmetic appearance is not important, but have yet to find it. It does surprise me how many Cat machines (and other brands I am sure too) say that the engine/trans/whatever else has been recently rebuilt with what seems like not so many hours on the machine.
Does this hold true for most any heavy equipment? Say 3000 hrs and you are on borrowed time?
I hear people say if you buy John Deere or Cat, you are just paying extra for the paint.
50 years of farm experience says.... BS. We run 90% John Deere because it IS built better. Case in point, JD loader, bought slightly used, engine rebuilt @ 8,000 hrs. trans. @ 14,000 hrs, other than that 00.0000001% down time or repairs.
JCB loader, bought new, it has less hours, and doesn't work as hard as above tractor, yet already has 2x $$ repair bills.
Seems small machines get thrashed. Rental units, too.
I hear about low hour nice machines imported from Japan, but so far only hearsay...
I need to find a buddy that is an equipment mechanic.
Last summer when my daughter and I were camping on our property, we'd go into the tiny town of Dolgeville, to hit the smoothie shop and take advantage of the air conditioning. It only took two visits to meet one guy with a tractor business who gave me his card and another guy who sent me driving down a winding hilly road to someone else who got my chainsaw running again....for free.
Before we got up to Oppenheim, I contacted my neighbor to ask if it was okay to drive over a short piece of their frontage to get to our side because we didn't have a driveway opened yet. The wife sent us their okay and when we arrived, not only had her husband opened up a driveway for us but with his really old rickety tractor, had cut the hay on our front pasture so we didn't have to clear it to camp. He wouldn't let me pay him for the gas he used so I left him all the wood I cut for his wood burning furnace.
I think that once you get out to the country, you're gonna find all sorts of help out there.
Joined: 2007-12-05