1. How to inspect used equipment before you buy

If you can, inspect the machine in person or send someone you trust. If you are buying at a distance, ask for the following before you send any money:

• A cold-start video. A machine that has been warmed up before you arrive can hide hard starting, smoke and noise.
• Close-up photos and video of the serial plate, hour meter, tires or tracks, hydraulic hoses, pins and bushings, and any leaks.
• Hours against wear. Very low hours with heavily worn pedals, seat or pins deserve questions.
• Fluids. Ask for recent service records, or an oil and hydraulic fluid sample if the price justifies it.
• Function checks. Hydraulics through full travel, PTO engagement, 3-point hitch, brakes, steering, and every attachment you plan to use.
• Serial number match. The serial on the machine should match the title or bill of sale and the listing.
• Liens. Ask for written confirmation that the machine is free of liens, and keep the answer.

2. How out-of-state hauling works

• Use a licensed and insured carrier. Ask for its USDOT or MC number and verify it with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
• Confirm in writing who arranges and who pays for freight, and who is responsible if the machine is damaged in transit.
• The bill of lading is the key document. Note any existing damage on it at pickup, and photograph the machine on the trailer.
• When the machine arrives, inspect it before you sign the delivery receipt. Write any damage on the paperwork and photograph it right away.
• Agree on a pickup window, but expect weather and driver schedules to move it.

3. How to spot equipment sales scams

Consumer protection agencies have warned that scammers copy real equipment businesses, or invent fake ones, with professional-looking websites. Warning signs:

• The price is far below the market for the same machine and year.
• You are asked to pay by wire transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency, or to a personal account that does not match the business name.
• The seller will not let you visit, will not do a live video of the machine, or will not give a street address you can verify.
• The website is new, the phone number only reaches voicemail, or the address on Google Maps is an empty lot, a house or a different business.
• You are pressured to pay quickly “before someone else does”.

How to protect yourself: look up the business in your state’s business registry, check how long the website domain has existed, call a number you found independently, ask for references you can verify, use an escrow service for large purchases, and never release payment before you have seen the machine or an independent inspection.

4. Paperwork checklist

• Title (where required) with the seller’s name matching the seller you dealt with, and no unexplained gaps in ownership.
• Bill of sale with the machine’s make, model, year, serial number, hours, price and the terms of sale.
• “As-is” or warranty terms written down. Verbal promises are hard to prove.
• Lien release if there was a loan on the machine.
• Taxes and registration. Rules differ by state and by machine type, so check with your state or county office.
• Keep copies of every message, invoice, photo and receipt.