There are many factors to consider during a heavy machinery demonstration, so it is a good idea to have an extensive checklist. This will ensure you buy a machine that is best suited to the work involved. Productivity should be top of mind during a heavy machinery display. However, there are many other aspects to consider when choosing construction equipment for sale.
Buying machinery for your business is a big investment. To make sure you get a good deal and end up with the right equipment, we have compiled a checklist to consider at the demo stage.
Determine the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
The initial purchase price is the first factor that will determine your decision. Most dealers and manufacturers will help you to determine the TCO of the machine that you want to purchase. It’s important to get the biggest return on your investment for the time you intend to keep and run the machine.
As a part of evaluating TCO, you also need to ask about fuel efficiency. In other words, getting the same amount of work done while burning less fuel. Cycle times are another factor to properly determine TCO. Check the cycle times to see how long it takes to load the truck from ground level.
Comfort & Access to Controls
Comfort and access to controls should be a priority. Taking into account the amount of strain that can be added during a long day at the controls, you need to ensure they are sensitive and easy to reach. An uncomfortable machine can lead to a loss of productivity over time.
Similarly, your visibility is a vital factor when choosing a machine such as an excavator. You need to have excellent visibility to the boom and attachment, plus the side and back of the machine.
Service Access & Common Service Parts
Easy service access means faster maintenance turnaround times. You should ascertain that the access points are in safe areas, and that, for example, to access the components you don’t have to take the engine out to get to a fitting.
If you are running a fleet of different machines, check to see if any particular piece of machinery you are purchasing has the same parts as your existing equipment. Common parts make for faster and easier service.
The Importance of Telematics Support
Here at MetroHire, we recommend that telematics are important to provide good insights on machine management. Ask about the type of telematics support offered by your IEM and determine if it’s easy to manage. You want simple case alerts that only address critical issues; this helps to prevent costly downtime.
Machinery Warranties
For manufacturing businesses, machinery is often mission-critical. Although a machinery warranty won’t stop failures from happening, it will offer you insurance for any potential break-down. Most machinery applications put a lot of stress on the machine involved, and damage can be very costly to repair. If you can get a comprehensive warranty, you know you will always be covered.
Buy Directly from MetroHire
No matter what type of heavy equipment you need, from bulldozers and excavators to motor graders, loaders, or cranes, we believe it’s important to buy right. So, for your next heavy machinery display, be sure to prepare and take checklists that your team can use to evaluate the machinery thoroughly.
Once you’ve purchased your machine, be sure to use the prestart checklist to keep it up and running, and for forklift hire in Auckland, keep MetroHire top of mind.