Second hand Mini Excavator sail between individuals

The mini-excavator is one of the most popular constructionmachines for both professionals and individuals.

There are several models, of different sizes and weights,which will offer you different performances. Depending on whether you haveexperience in carrying out work or the duration of the work, there are manychoices available to you. You can find here our article guiding you on which mini excavator to choose according to your needs.
However, what all models have in common is the price. If youwant to buy a mini excavator instead of renting one, but your budget islimited, then the used market is a good alternative for you. However, buying aused machine deprives you of the security and service that a dealer can offeryou when buying a new mini excavator. So, depending on the model, there areseveral things to check before buying used, especially if you are buying from aprivate individual.

• The price

Be realistic, you will hardly find a mini excavator for salefor only 3000€. A construction machine remains an investment, even if it issecond hand. That's why it's a good idea to know the price range of the machineyou want to buy and compare it with the price on the ads you're looking at.    

For a second hand Mini Excavator between individuals, of 800kg, itis rare that the price is set below 4000 €. A very damaged or first rangemini-excavator is around 4000€; as for the high range machines, you will faceprices up to 15 000€.  
To buy a second hand 1 ton mini excavator, count on a minimum of 6000€ for a first range machine, otherwise count on double that for a premiumbrand machine such as Yanmar or Takeuchi for example.      

Finally, for a bigger and more powerful model, you can gofor a second hand 2T5 Mini Excavator. You will still need to count on a budget rangingfrom €20,000 to €27,000 depending on the brand and the overall condition of themachine. For these used mini excavators, the market between individuals issmaller, indeed there are fewer individuals with 2T5 mini excavators thanprofessionals.
If however these prices are still too high, you can try yourluck and consult our article on How to find a mini excavator to give away?        

• The payment method

Many scams concerning construction machines are presentonline. Be very vigilant and try to decipher the real from the fake.        

First of all, pay attention to the person or structure thatposted the ad. Some malicious people usurp the identity of trusted sellers (whodo not necessarily have a website) by using their names, photos, SIREN number,etc. In case of doubt, you can do a reverse search on the images of the ad andsee if they have been used by other people or sites. If none of the picturescome from the seller, this can give you a first indication.

Then, beware of ads where the seller says he can't let youtry the machine on site before buying it. To be on the safe side, it isstrongly suggested that you go to the site to check the condition of themachine and to see if you are comfortable with its operation and if you arecompetent to drive it. It is not recommended to pay a deposit without seeingthe machine because many crooks will take your deposit and disappear. Even fornew Mini Excavators, some sellers try to collect only deposits by promisingextraordinary rates, availability and guarantees...

• The machine and its accessories

Once you are sure that the ad is true and that you are goingto see the machine, take your time to check everything. Look at the operationbut also at the potential leaks and components of the mini excavator becausesome parts are expensive to change in case of failure. Also take a look at theaccessories that come with the machine, because if they are too damaged, theywill reduce the performance of your machine.

• The mode of transport

After your purchase, make sure you have planned a means oftransport for your mini excavator. If you are not using a transport service,check the weight of your trailer, mini excavator and car as a special licensemay be required to drive them.

Do you have a question or need more information? You can contact us for more information!