Inspecting used equipment remotely

Trust, then verify

You can buy a machine on another continent with confidence if you layer three independent checks: what the seller shows you, what the machine's own data says, and what a third party physically confirms. Skip any one layer and you are guessing.

Layer 1: What to demand from the seller

• Full photo set - all four sides, cab interior, hour meter, serial plate, tires or undercarriage close-ups, any damage
• Continuous walk-around video - cold start and every function worked through its full range in one take
• Service history - whatever exists, unedited
• The serial number - refusal to share it before payment is a red flag anywhere in the world

Layer 2: What the machine's own data says

Modern fleets are telemetered. Komatsu KOMTRAX and Caterpillar VisionLink record hours, fault codes and utilization at the factory level - independent of the dash meter. Dealer service records tie to the serial number. Ask the seller to pull these; on machines we sell, we pull them ourselves before we buy the machine, and share summaries with serious buyers.

Layer 3: Third-party inspection

For machines above about $30,000, pay for independent eyes:

Red flags that end a deal

• Seller refuses the serial number, a live video call, or third-party inspection
• Photos with timestamps or backgrounds that don't match the claimed location
• Price far below market for the class - export scams recycle stolen listing photos
• Pressure to wire money to a personal account or a different company name

Every machine on our stock list comes with the full photo set and video on request, and we welcome any inspection you want to arrange - that openness is the point of owning our stock.