Buying
used carpet cleaning equipment can be a great way to save money for your
business – if you do it the right way.
However,
if you’re not careful, buying a used piece of equipment can actually cost you more money.
Let
me give you an example.
A Used Truck Mount Gone Awry
A
customer of ours was looking for a used truck mount to use in the van. He came
into our store excited that he found a 2008 van and truck mount that he was
told was in great working condition. The entire package was selling for just
under $20,000. Had this unit been as advertised, it would have been a fantastic
deal.
Unfortunately,
he showed up to our service department after purchasing this equipment with a
unit needing more money in repairs than it was actually worth.
The
truck mount wasn’t really a 2008 model. It was a 2003. And, the hoses and
accessories that came with the unit were trashy looking and far from usable.
This
customer had the hopes of going to work right after purchasing the equipment.
Instead, he ended up with a truck mount that wasn’t even worth fixing.
How to Buy Used Carpet
Cleaning Equipment
Unfortunately,
that “working and clean” equipment is more of a mirage than reality in the
cleaning and restoration industry. Oh, there are plenty of people willing to
sell used equipment, but the unfortunate truth is that very few pieces are
worth the time and effort for all parties involved.
So,
how do you buy used cleaning and restoration equipment without getting ripped
off? There are a few things we recommend to our customers:
1. Do your homework.
When
considering a used equipment purchase, it’s important to do some research
first. Oftentimes, people want to offload used equipment because it’s faulty or
plagued with issues. Check forums, manufacturer websites and other resources to
ensure you’re not considering a unit that’s a lemon.
2. Get the equipment inspected before
purchase.
The
biggest problem that customers have when buying used equipment is that they
don’t have it property inspected before purchasing. Just because the used
equipment looks clean on the outside or has low hours, doesn’t mean that the
inside working parts are in good condition.
The
way to combat this problem is to bring the used equipment to a qualified
service department to have it thoroughly checked out before your purchase it.
Even if you have to pay a small inspection fee, it will beat paying thousands
of dollars for something that doesn’t work.
Let’s look at the example
of our customer. If he would have taken the time to bring it to a service
department like ours to have it inspected, we could have told him within five
minutes
that the unit wasn’t even close to worth what the seller was asking. The
customer’s $20,000 could have been saved rather than wasted.
3. Get recommendations from experts.
When
considering a piece of used equipment, check with a trusted
service team or vendor. They might be able to recommend some used
products that would work well.
4. Consider new equipment.
Although
you might not want to pay full price for your carpet cleaning equipment, it can
honestly be the most cost effective and beneficial option – especially when you
consider the potential problems that come with a used unit.
Any
savings you might reap from the initial purchase might be lost over time with
the additional repairs needed for a used unit. The reality is that you don’t
know what problems you might be inheriting with a used piece of equipment.
New
equipment comes with a warranty and peace of mind, which might be very valuable
to you.
So, what’s the lesson to be learned here?
Be
careful when buying used carpet-cleaning and restoration equipment. What might
seem like a good deal could turn out to be a terrible business decision and
huge waste of money.
Culled from The Cleaners Depot
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