# Best way to sell a excavator?



## ruskent (Jun 20, 2005)

I have no clue what will happen this year with business. I am considering selling my PC150 to put extra money in my back account. I am doubting if there will be landscape jobs this year that will require such a machine. 

If I do decide to sell it, whats the best method to go about that?



This economic situation is so frustrating. I think I did everything right. Advertised alot. Got a lot of good leads. Designed good plans. I have over a million dollars in designs out there that people told me they want to do the project, fine with the price, love me, but they don't feel safe doing it right now.


So frustrating.


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

Advertise in a construction mag, www.machinerytrader.com , talk to a local salesman, they might know of someone looking for a machine like yours or talk to local used dealers. 

Don't take her to a auction. Prices are way down at auctions. Just got the flyer the other day for RB in Orlando, FL. There are 385 excavators there. Things are not good.


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## AtlRemodeling (Jan 23, 2008)

I sold a number of pieces on Ebay. I set a fairly substantial reserve price which was not reached on any of the auctions. Turned around and email the highest bidder for each and reached an agreement with them directly.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

Ship it to me and i will care for it for awhile....feed and all.


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## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

Find a place where you can park it on a well traveled road. Clean it up and put a for sale sign in the window! Set the price on it a little high so you can make them a deal.


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## Vinny (Jul 21, 2007)

AtlRemodeling said:


> I sold a number of pieces on Ebay. I set a fairly substantial reserve price which was not reached on any of the auctions. Turned around and email the highest bidder for each and reached an agreement with them directly.


 
I like that idea:thumbsup:


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

It will be tough to sell in this economic climate. I hate to see you take a big loss on it.

I would encourage you to stick it out if you can, better times are coming. You will need that machine when business picks up.....and it will.

Don't get too discouraged.


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

Question is for me is the machine paid for? If it is then why sell it, its not going to hurt you sitting there and as others have mentioned you may need it. As said above dont do an auction unless you have a reserve, the marketis flooded and prices are way down as other companies are going under or guys have the same idea as you do. I myself am waiting untill summer to see how the market is, i have plans of buying a used loader for snow removal.


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## ruskent (Jun 20, 2005)

Its paid for. I would only sell it if I need the $. AND its possible that sooner or later I will need the $. I should be able to sell it and break even on it.


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

ruskent said:


> Its paid for. I would only sell it if I need the $. AND its possible that sooner or later I will need the $. I should be able to sell it and break even on it.


I looked at doing the same Rusk. Thought about dumping my bobcat and dump truck for cash if I needed to. Because of the market right now it was not worth it to me based on the offers available right now.

Selling anything in a market like this will not reap much.


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

We have equipment that we hardly use, but it is paid for. It would be nice to have some extra money, but it is nicer to have that iron when you need it. Extra money is usually just pissed away anyway.


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## denick (Feb 13, 2006)

Best way to sell a excavator?


For a Profit!


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

ruskent;602418
If I do decide to sell it said:


> paid up ins. policy, hydraulic hose failure on exhaust manifold


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## rustyjames (Aug 28, 2008)

dayexco said:


> paid up ins. policy, hydraulic hose failure on exhaust manifold


I saw that happen to a 235 CAT about 10 years ago. By the time they got the fire extinguished that thing was beyond being toasted.


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## john1066 (Dec 26, 2007)

This is what were doing right now nothing is work and its all paid for


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## LNG24 (Oct 30, 2005)

Matt,

If its paid for HOLD IT! If you are making payments you will most likely loose money on it. 

As far the hidden question: I've known you long enough to know YOU KNOW what happened. Doing things right, if you did the right things you will be able to survive this down turn and come out on the other side. if you did things wrong and got in over your head, you will go under. Only time will answer this question, but seeing you have this money maker (excavator) paid for and I think you have other equipment paid for, then I think you are ahead of the game. 

So what happened? Greed! Not from you, but from Wall Street AND Home Buyers and Sellers who have been profiting off Real Estate and took it as a given. No one is entitled to make a profit from the sale of their house. No one is entitled to use their homes as a cash machine. So what happened? A little self correction which we always experience about every 10 years caused the house of cards to collapse. Now everyone is pointing fingers while many are STILL pulling out as much cash from this fiasco as possible. 

From people stealing everything out of their homes (wire, copper pipes, kitchen cabinets, lighting fixtures, etc) and then letting the bank take it over to people who are renting out their homes and collecting rent while they are not paying the mortgage to Wall Street Brokers and CEO's and CFO's even employees who are taking Federal Bail Out Cash and pocketing it. 

So hang on tight, keep those purse strings real tight. Only spend where you absolutely must and hang onto what you can. You can make much more money with an excavator paid in full than you can with employees and leased or rented equipment. Also, look into subbing out work from other contractors who had to sell their equipment, but be real careful. You want to secure your costs on any jobs you sub out. Make sure you get your costs front loaded on the billing as if you are going to get screwed, it will be on the back end. 

Also, be sure to keep your sitting equipment secure. When we went through this in the 90's A lot of equipment disappeared. Not small stuff. HUGE equipment! 

Now, do you want to bid out a small job here in Dutchess?


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## rino1494 (Jan 31, 2006)

dayexco said:


> paid up ins. policy, hydraulic hose failure on exhaust manifold


That happened to a old 992 loader in a coal mine near me. The loader had the door at the back of the cab. Hose broke and caught on fire. The guy couldn't get out of the cab because of the fire at the door. He tried kicking out the windows but couldn't do it. He did from smoke inhalation.


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## rustyjames (Aug 28, 2008)

I can see that john1066 loves his CAT's and Dog's :thumbsup:


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## Vermaraj (Mar 6, 2007)

Might consider leasing it out for 6 or 12 months. At least you will get some cashflow to cover your carrying cost.


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## john1066 (Dec 26, 2007)

let it sit in the back yard like i was telling someone the other day it costs us less to leave them there than to run them not burning fuel not paying $80.00 an hour for an operator. they aren't wearing out teeth or needing a whole bunch of maintenance. so there is a good side to it all


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