Welder Dave
Senior Member
First of all glad you got a good machine. You can do more than you ever thought with a skid steer.Very good point and wish I had that luxury, but considering I was already handicapped by coordinating availability for delivery, also coordinating someone to come with me to see the machine is unrealistic. Good machines move fast, many within a day or two.
Even with all the research I did, I will say that I was a bit intimidated when I first saw the machine. They look like go-karts in pictures and videos but in person they are what they actually are... 6,000lb of steel on wheels. I am sure there were things I could have looked at and didn't (either by choice or just lacking the awareness to), but it's a risk I knew I was going to take considering this was going to be a first for me. In the end, I think I made out well without an "expert" on site because the seller was very forthcoming in telling me what I needed to hear.
You were very very fortunate the seller was forthcoming with the history of the machine and repairs/issues it's had. A decent seller would take a small deposit and give you time to bring someone with you to inspect a machine. It sounds like this seller would have. A common tactic from shady sellers is they have someone coming to take a look so you better act fast. If that's the case why isn't it sold already?? If you're there first you could at least offer a small deposit for a day or 2 to have someone inspect it. It's no different than buying a used car. Did the seller determine what the leak was and fix it properly? A few minor repairs is normal with used machines.
If you've been on the forum for a while you'd have read many horror stories of people buying what they thought was a good machine or told by the seller it was a great machine only to end up with a machine needing expensive repairs.