Verification

How we verify a used excavator

Verification is a sequence, not a single glance at the hour meter. This page describes the order we check a machine in, and what evidence a buyer receives at each step.

The six checks

1. Hour meter and records

The dashboard reading is photographed and filmed in one take, then compared with the wear on the machine. A number that does not match the wear is treated as a question, not a fact.

2. Undercarriage

Track shoes, rollers, idlers, sprockets and chain stretch, photographed on both sides. This is the most expensive wear item on a crawler machine and the easiest to hide in a listing.

3. Hydraulics

Cylinder rods for scoring, hoses for cracking, the main valve block and the area under the machine for fresh oil. Leaks are noted, not polished away before the photo.

4. Engine

Cold start, exhaust colour after start, idle stability and any fault code shown on the display. The video is recorded with sound so the buyer can hear what they are being offered.

5. Structure

Boom and stick welds, bucket pins and bushings, cab or canopy, steps and handrails. Repairs are recorded; a repaired machine is not automatically rejected, but it is disclosed.

6. Attachments and loose parts

Bucket, breaker or other attachments included in the sale are listed in the unit file, so nothing is assumed at loading.

What you receive

A unit file, photos per area, a cold-start video and the inspection notes. If you appoint a third-party inspector, their report is added and we do not edit it.

What this is not

It is not a warranty and it does not predict future failures. It is evidence of condition at a point in time, taken before the balance is paid, so the decision is made on facts rather than on a description.

See the inspection checklist Arrange an inspection

Common questions