Before You Buy: Five Questions Worth Asking

Buying equipment can be exciting. It can also be a pretty big investment, which is why at Itec we’d much rather spend a little extra time talking about what you actually need before we start talking about what you should buy.

After more than 25 years in the equipment business, we’ve learned that bigger isn’t always better, new isn’t always the only answer, and the most expensive option isn’t necessarily the right one.

Whether you’re adding a machine to a fleet, replacing something that has put in its time, looking at used equipment or buying something for a specific job, there are a few questions worth asking first.

1. What am I actually going to use it for?

It sounds obvious, but it’s probably the most important question.

Think about the work the machine will be doing most often, not just the job sitting in front of you today. What will it be lifting, digging, moving or loading? How many hours will it run? What kind of production do you expect from it?

The better we understand the job, the easier it is to narrow down what makes sense.

2. Where is it going to be working?

A machine working in a wide-open yard has very different demands than one working in the bush, underground, on rough terrain or in a tight construction site.

And around Northern Ontario, we get a little bit of everything.

Ground conditions, access, transportation, weather and even where the machine will be serviced can all make a difference when choosing equipment.

3. Am I buying for today’s job or for what’s coming next?

Sometimes it makes sense to buy with a little room to grow. Other times, it means spending money on capacity you may never use.

This is where it helps to have a conversation about the bigger picture. Are there different attachments that could make one machine more useful? Is your workload changing? Are there projects coming up that could change what you need?

There isn’t one right answer. There’s just the answer that makes the most sense for your business.

4. Does new make the most sense?

Not always.

Depending on the application, hours of use and budget, a good used machine can be a great option. In other situations, repairing or rebuilding what you already own might make more financial sense than replacing it.

We believe customers should understand all of their options before making that decision.

After all, there’s no prize for owning more machine than you need, and there’s certainly no sense spending money where you don’t have to.

5. Who is going to be there after I buy it?

This one may not feel quite as important when the machine is shiny, new and working perfectly.

Eventually, it will.

Ask about parts. Ask about service. Ask where the technicians are located and what happens when something breaks. Ask whether components can be repaired or rebuilt. Most importantly, know who you’re going to call when you need help.

Because buying equipment is one transaction. Owning it is the part that lasts for years.

At Itec, of course we like selling equipment. That’s part of what we do.

But we’d much rather see a customer leave with something that genuinely makes sense for their operation, their workload and their budget.

Sometimes that’s a new machine. Sometimes it’s used. Sometimes the best answer may already be sitting in your yard and just needs a little attention.

The important part is taking the time to figure that out before you buy.