Looking through the upcoming auction, most of the pieces I am interested in are not in their yard and it is only about a week away. What is the deal with these sorts of units? Do they expect to have them in the yard by auction time or is it a pig in a poke? Very sketchy information except for model and serial.
Usually when I am looking at stuff that's not in their yard it is not going to be either... for these items it is best to call them and find out where it is and if you can go where it is and inspect it.
A lot of times they won't show up until about 3 days before the auction.
A lot of items won't show up until a few days before the auction or even the day before. Ritchie Bros is really good about letting people try out and inspect machines though and leaves the keys in most of them.
Only thing they don't leave the keys in are the cranes.
For obvious reasons they can't leave the keys in everything.
Can you drive a service truck right up to them or are you limited to what you can carry as far as tools, test equipment?
Call up the location you are wanting to go to and ask them, I always just assumed most of the pieces that don't show up till a few days before auction are ones that are still getting run and used.
I called them, they gave me some guy's cell number and he never called back...typical....
I think depending on what it was, you could make arrangements to do a more thorough inspection but not likely the day before the auction.
I carry a few tools in my pocket like allen wrenches to check excavator finals to let a little oil drip out on a paper towel while no one is watching and see if there are metal particles. A few spare tools in my truck a couple hundred yards away in case I need something else. They probably have rules against it so I don't ask, don't tell.
Ritchie LA, pull oil samples, cut filters etc is okay...No reason hide your inspection of the machines.
There is a reason these machines end up there ! Worn out , financial , bankruptcy ,etc . Lots of Dupont overhauls .
Lots of very good equipment too. Edmonton is their biggest site and the 4 day sale I bought my dump truck, they had some new unused tri-axle trucks with pickers. Probably million dollar trucks to replace.