Hello and I am completely new to this forum. I am an active Redditor/Voater but there does not seem to be a strong community there concerning heavy equipment or perhaps I just haven't found it so here I am. A little back story, I am a land owner/farmer who is fairly new to the industry though I have dabbled in it in many ways from being a diesel mechanic to growing garlic. I am currently in the process of purchasing a track loader to clear a large area of brush/trees/blackberries etc in Western Oregon as part of a CReP program with the USDA. I have rented bobcats/skidsteers before for a number of years and know my way around a t-190 fairly well. I have never bought anything like this before though. I have found an adequate machine with low hours that is in my price range, High Flow hydralics, new tracks etc. Its what I was looking for almost exactly but it is located about 600 miles from my farm. I am fine with paying $900 to have it shipped that distance but my worry is that I will get scammed somehow. Honestly I am less worried about the machine being broken/abused as (im not afraid of a tool box) I am about wiring a huge chunk of cash (30k+) to a bank account of someone I don't know and having the grave misfortune of it actually being the bank account of a Nigerian Prince. Could any of you guys let me know if you have ever done business with Americ Machinery 690 Walnut Ave, Vallejo, CA. I know this is probably just the paranoia talking but are they the real deal and do I have to worry about getting robbed? I've done everything I can think of to verify them and they seem completely legit but I would love to hear from some random unbiased people who have worked/purchased from them and would tell me their experience before I transfer a major chunk of my life savings to their bank account. Better yet is anyone near here who could verify they are real and maybe even check out the machine for me??? (asking a lot I know) Well, Cheers! Merry Xmas, and thanks for any/all help in advance! -Telo
Personally I would make the drive and bring the machine back with me. But I probably share in your paranoia, I just don't trust anyone. If I was further south I would go check out the loader for you. Just a few weeks ago I picked up a compactor in your neck of the woods, its not a horrible drive.
hi where are you located in Oregon? i think a track hoe might do better job.. i would not buy any machine sight unseen and would not wire transfer any funds either .. (just my 2 cents)
Teo; Don't do the wire transfer. Drive or fly to the business and get a receipt and pay with a cheque if possible. Do a title search to make sure there are no liens against it. My own experience several years ago wasn't with equipment but it wasn't good. I bought a boat engine off of ebay from what I thought was Michigan Motorz. They wanted a money transfer. I wasn't sure so I contacted ebay through my account. They said sure this is a good company and go ahead with the transfer. Michigan Motorz is a legitimate business but somehow the scammer went through another ebay members account and my money was gone and no motor. Ebay would not do anything for me and I contacted the RCMP here in Canada and they said because it was in another country they had no jurisdiction. Unless you are sure about this company or you have broker or someone to hold the money till you receive the goods it is not worth the risk. You probably have more protection than me because the transaction is in your country but I would not count on it. Ernie
A road trip is always cheaper than a repair bill on a POS. Go look at the thing before you spend a penny. Greyson