saveasteading Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 I'm going to an agricultural auction and have my eye on some basic materials and tools that will come in useful. At a previous one I went to for experience, this sort of stuff sold at about 10% to 50% of the best competitive quote for new. Trailers were selling for about 1/3 less than they would be on Marketplace. I was surprised to see Stihl hedgecutters etc going for £400 or more, because surely there is a risk. Or more likely the people buying them work with them all the time and can tell. But cement mixers / lawn mowers / mini excavators. How do I have the faintest idea that they work well or at all. when thy are sitting in a field and not testable. Or is there some honour among farmers? If things were regularly useless then the auctions would soon enough be regarded as dumping grounds and avoided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 How good are you at fixing things? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 (edited) I’ve bought a lot of things at auction both agricultural and general. Luckily it’s all worked although I’m relatively handy at fixing stuff. It is a risk but my experience so far is positive. Stuff at auction will be well used but most of the mechanical stuff and engine based stuff seems well serviced especially if it’s come off a farm. What I tend to do is look at the cost of spare parts for the thing I’m interested in and see what’s the most likely part that might need replacing worst case or how much a professional service would cost. I factor that into the auction price. Edited May 27 by Kelvin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 2 hours ago, SteamyTea said: How good are you at fixing things The grandchildren think I can fix anything. That respect can only drop with time. Glue, cleaning, nuts and bolts..yes. Engines, no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 Some while ago I bought a large rotovator from a farm auction. There were 3 of them on auction and pre auction I had a look at them. All 3 refused to start. It became clear there was another bidder wanted them all, he got the first 2 but I won the third. When I got it home I found the mixture screw was missing from the carb. I found a replacement and then it worked. I strongly suspect the other bidder removed the mixture screw from all 3 before the auction so if anybody tried them, they would not start. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 You are suggesting that end of life junk is not normally submitted or accepted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSB Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 we buy lots from auction, it really is buyer beware and we've been seriously bitten once for about £200 when we were assured by the auctioneer that it was fine and didn't obey our golden rule, always view. It was pretty much a pile of parts. Hubby did get it going, but probably took a whole week of hours to do so, Other than that we stick to better quality stuff, Kubota excavator, stihl chainsaw, dumper and lots more. There is no honour amongst farmers to outsiders, maybe to each other, but they just want as much as possible. We like deceased estates as the stuff is more often working. Do ask yourself 'why are they selling', they will never tell you the truth and if it was good then they would sell privately as auctioneers fees are huge. So, after rambling my point is, buy if you can climb all over it, pull the starter to check it's not seized and you can fix it if it doesn't work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 6 minutes ago, LSB said: We like deceased estates I'd expect the same applies at dispersal sales whatever the reason. It was probably working until they ceased trading. I thought that would be a bit sad but nobody seems to think that way. But at the 'bring and buy' auctions there could be all the junk. I'm going anyway. It is a good day out for people watching. Many of the attendees appear to be dressed up as cartoon farmers (tweeds and Barbours or dungarees as appropriate), and most are there for a day out and a look at the tractors. I think I will lay off the expensive plant, except maybe a mixer, and wait for them to appear in private sales when I can see it working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSB Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 5 minutes ago, saveasteading said: I'd expect the same applies at dispersal sales whatever the reason. It was probably working until they ceased trading. I thought that would be a bit sad but nobody seems to think that way. But at the 'bring and buy' auctions there could be all the junk. I'm going anyway. It is a good day out for people watching. Many of the attendees appear to be dressed up as cartoon farmers (tweeds and Barbours or dungarees as appropriate), and most are there for a day out and a look at the tractors. I think I will lay off the expensive plant, except maybe a mixer, and wait for them to appear in private sales when I can see it working. they are great fun, at our recent one a hire company had gone bust so huge lots for sale, probably all serviced etc. but we didn't need anything they were selling. Cheffins near Cambridge are good because you can have a really good trial. That's where we bought our excavator, hubby drove it around for 20 mins, dug in their ready pile for testing. Not cheap, but we wanted one for the whole build and to sell again after when we'll probably get the same back. Watch our for VAT if it has belonged to a business and our local auction has 25% buyer fees plus VAT Years ago we found them more honest, we bought our lawn tractor with AF (all faults) label for £200 and rebuilt, not much wrong with it. Nowadays nothing is labelled. Ours also regularly has building materials like heras fencing and scaffolding towers which are always useful. I feel the days of genuine bargains has gone, we bought a 'lot' of 3 mixers for £30, 2 worked one was repaired and 2 were sold for £50 each privately. We are still using the other one for our build. Good luck and enjoy yourself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 1 minute ago, LSB said: heras fencing and scaffolding towers which are always useful. that's on the list. but they seems to go for just 1/3 less than on Marketplace, then there is transport, so barely worth it. at the recent sale a 'box of drainage fittings' sold for £40 for about 100 bits. some were very obscure though. I would have to design the drainage around the bits. I'm looking at some cls and ply that I was about to order anyway. but if it isn't well under half the best new price then somebody else is welcome. I am using Wickes for the cost comparison. less 10% discount, less VAT. Then as you say add VAT sometimes and there is 10% commission. I will have every lot costed first and won't budge over my figure. A mixer will be the biggest risk I may take. They don't seem to let you do much with them here. You can't run an electric mixer in the middle of a field. Viewing is same day from 90 minutes before. I might be on here again next week asking how to get it going. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 1 hour ago, saveasteading said: A mixer will be the biggest risk I may take. How big a mixer you after? They are pretty cheap new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 For Heras fencing try the hire places. I got an absolute bargain from a large hire place in Dundee. They can’t hire out anything that isn’t in good condition to commercial building sites so have piles of decent fencing sitting about. They were glad to get rid of it. I bought enough to do over 120m plus some spare with feet and brackets for just over £1000 delivered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 For a period of over 6 months it is cheaper to buy than hire. Plus, at the end of a hire, all the damage and loss has to be paid for. Then they sell it off. The going rate on "Marketplace" seems to be between £10 and £20 for a panel with a foot and clips, mostly acc to quality and damage. That seems fairly high when there's so much around. And then there is transport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelvin Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 I spent weeks trying to buy on marketplace with no joy. Buying seconds from the hire place was a great bargain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceverge Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 I would advocate a good trial on any machine you are going to buy. Get it hot and use every function. Repairs on plant are often much more expensive than the equivalent fix on a car. Having let my heart rule my head a few times and discovering something was far more worn out than it appeared to be make sure you do this. Also write the price you're willing to pay on a piece of paper and DO NOT EXCEED IT. A good auctioneer will wrangle a small fortune from an unwary buyer. I bought a secondhand chainsaw from a dealer/hire shop recently, very pleased with it. He had obviously gone over it and made sure it was all kosher. Much less risky than a ln auction. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted May 28 Author Share Posted May 28 On 27/05/2024 at 19:16, SteamyTea said: How big a mixer you after? They are pretty cheap new. 100 litre will do for diy as it comes fast enough for mix/barrow without exhaustion by mid-day . 10 x 20kg bags per mix is a lot of humping. I'd want bigger if employing a labourer though. That is £290 at screwfix. Well used and who knows the condition? £50 as a risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gus Potter Posted May 29 Share Posted May 29 (edited) On 27/05/2024 at 16:48, LSB said: There is no honour amongst farmers to outsiders, maybe to each other, but they just want as much as possible. That's a good summary in terms of machinery. On the other hand if they are selling off timber or say insulation then it can be a good option. That said I used to buy lots of ducks and poultry from the Lanark auction mart.. no complaints.. Edited May 29 by Gus Potter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted May 29 Author Share Posted May 29 5 hours ago, Gus Potter said: I used to buy lots of ducks and poultry from the Lanark auction mart.. no complaints.. We're they in working condition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishjohn Posted May 30 Share Posted May 30 (edited) On 27/05/2024 at 19:16, SteamyTea said: How big a mixer you after? They are pretty cheap new. an altrade belle min petrol mixer will be close to£1000 now ,but if this is start of job,then buyind new and keep it clean will mean you can get 50% ,at least of it back at end of job --. I looked at s/h ones ,but then allow for possible replacement bits .like a g/box £170 ,a new drum ,£180 and god forbid an engine at £400 over the build time . smae goes for buying cheap wheel barow --they don,t last --buy the right one -altrad with puncture proof tyre It will take a FULL load form your mixer and is bulletproof f saw the lumps of granite ihave had in mine and thats 4 years of abuse with granite and stones and concrete etc . the builders onsite brought 2 new cheap ones at start of job and both are looking pretty bent and knackered now was just not worth the chance and get a sparebelt for the mixer --very cheap -but will only break when mixer is full of stuff !! learnt that the hard way this week -- 4 years old and belt broke -- none local so waitng all week for a couple of replacements £16 inc carriage --cost me more than that for my builder standing round and hand emptying and mixing what was in it when it broke Edited May 30 by scottishjohn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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