With the earthworks season already upon us, machinery has been in demand on busy job sites and at times like this, another set of tracks on the ground can make those short deadlines more achievable
If you’re in the earthmoving game, then chances are very high that you have looked at a work site and thought, or perhaps even verbalised, that another machine would make things go a whole lot more smoothly.
Whether it’s smoother, faster, or whatever, the conclusion is that you really should have allowed for an additional machine – heck, maybe even two.
That’s where secondhand machinery can come to the rescue fast, and in a surprisingly short timeframe. Sometimes it could be in the form of a piece of hire kit, but for those long-haul ventures, an enterprising contractor with financial nous may opt to buy something outright, use it for the duration of the contract and flick it off at the end of the job. It can be a way to negate hire fees and reduce outgoings substantially.
Obviously, buying secondhand comes with its own issues, such as reliability, wear and tear, not to mention that it may not be set up exactly as needed for the job at hand, but often the price is right and the bugs that can come with a new piece of kit have long been taken care of.
Magnum Equipment has long been a seller of heavy used equipment and although they distribute new Hidromek and Morooka machinery, secondhand gear is their happy place and something the business has thrived on for many years.
“We know secondhand really well,” says Magnum Equipment founder and director Liam Field. “Our contacts overseas go back many years, and they make us aware of the machinery that will meet the high standards we require for our customers.”
Some of the recent arrivals that have been prepared for sale by the company’s in-house technical team include there Komatsu dozers and a wheel loader.
The Komatsu WA500-8 wheel loader was manufactured in 2019 and has a 5.8m3 bucket. Having just clicked over 10,260 hours, the machine will be well suited to a busy quarry site or similar operation.
“The three Komatsu dozers are 2012 to 2014 models and are in excellent order,” says Liam. “They all have full cabs with aircon and everything you’d expect from a top brand. The size range makes them ideal for towing implements or blading decent-sized sites. One hasn’t even done 1000 hours yet.”
Another dozer awaiting a new operator is a formidable 2015 Cat D7E. With just over 11,500 hours on the clock, there should be plenty of work in front of the beast for a long time yet.
“The diesel-electric drive machine has a five-metre blade and standard shoes,” says Liam. “It’s one of the best we’ve seen in a while.”
Not to be outdone in the brand representation is a Hitachi ZW220-6 wheel loader. Tipping the scales at 17,650kgs and with a 149kW(200hp) power plant, the machine easily handles its 3.6m3 bucket, allowing for fast and efficient turnaround times.
“One thing buyers should know is that we don’t hide a secondhand machine under layers of new paint. We like them to see the machine as it was in its previous life and that way all the wear points are on display and they can see what servicing and repairs have been carried out,” says Liam. “We can certainly arrange for a paint job to be done after it is purchased, but we prefer that a buyer sees that nothing has been camouflaged or hidden.”
As one would expect with a machinery dealer, trade-ins form part of the business and Magnum Equipment is no different. Sold new, but back on the lot awaiting a new owner is a 2019 Morooka MST2200VDR tracked dumper.
“This one was sold new by us and the owner upgraded to the latest model,” says Liam. “We’ve got all the service history on it, and it has performed exceptionally well during its working life. It will be an excellent addition to the fleet of a progressive contractor.
“Buying to order is also a service that we can carry out on behalf of customers. There is a lot of equipment out there, but some of it has been flogged to death. Our contacts ensure we have tabs on some of the best secondhand machinery available.”
For more information, contact Liam Field at 021 334 098 or Luke Field at 021 988 223 or visit magnumequipment.co.nz
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