X-City/equipement purchases

[canadianclimber]

Hey Guys,

What do you guys think about x-city / x-goverment vehicles or equipement purchases? The dream of one day getting a dump truck or chipper has me always searching the web. I've been coming ascross a lot of x-city equipement that would be good options.

Any thoughts? I figure it's all a crap shoot anyways when you've got a dinky budget like mine. Not looking to purchase anything soon just educated myself so when the time comes I can jump on it.

 

[brendonv]

I've seen both spectrum's...trashed city equipment, babied city equipment. I guess you gotta look at each piece on it's own.

 

[lumberjack]

I agree, it can go either way, but generally you can look at the general condition and get a good idea of the machine's state.

 

[brendonv]

And if Carls ran it,

FORGETTABOUTIT!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[lumberjack]

Haters! One thing about running a machine hard is that you learn the weaknesses and make them stronger, as it should be!

 

[Burnham]

The rigs/equipment that the USFS auctions at the end of it's fleet cycle can go either way, as has been noted. A lot seems to depend on whether the truck or whatever, was assigned to a single operator for the bulk of it's use.

If it was, it tends to have had small problems and regular scheduled maintenance looked after in a timely mannner, but if not, things can be more readily ignored or put off because that rig isn't really cared for by any one individual.

It's not easy to know which is which, by looking. If you bought one I'd driven for 7 or 8 years, you could expect it to have been treated as well as if it were my own...mechanically it would most likely be perfect, but it might look a little worn because I use it not just for transportation, but as a real work truck out in the brush.

There are a couple of things going for the idea of a Forest Service rig...fleet cycle mileages are low, usually around 75,000. And there is required servicing on a 4,000 mile oil change/lube/inspection schedule, with a thorough annual inspection also required. Like I said above, these sometimes slip by if it's a pool rig, but usually not really badly.

 

[canadianclimber]

I figured they can't be any worse then buying something from a landscaper or tree guy that didn't care. I geuss just check it out as much as possible.

Thanks for the quick responses.

 

[squisher]

Have high hopes...........but bid low!

 

[rskybiz]

I've had good experiance with municipal equipment myself I doo look stuff over though!

 

[Altissimus]

. ... My last three trucks come from a yard that specializes in used line equipment from National Grid mostly ...he goes all the way up to buckets and derricks ... I have excellent luck with my pickup trucks there even with some higher mileage...I figure they all get fleet service...

 

[sotc]

My first chipper came from a municipality, twas a good unit

 

[Al Smith]

I think the site is "gov deals " or something like that .It lists about everything from soup to nuts with locations etc .