Pre-purchase Checklist
Nine inspection categories for buyers of used construction equipment in Europe. Take it to the machine, send it to your inspector, or use it alongside a MachineryAssistant report.
What the checklist covers
Buyers travelling to inspect a used machine — excavators, wheel loaders, or telehandlers — at a seller's yard or dealer location. Also useful for sending to an independent pre-purchase inspector in advance.
Nine categories: documents, hours, hydraulics, undercarriage and tyres, pins and bushings, cab, attachments, test run, and seller questions. Items are ordered by impact on value and inspection risk.
Before travel to identify which categories apply to the machine type. During the inspection to ensure systematic coverage. Alongside a MachineryAssistant report or model guide for context on specific risk areas.
Inspection checklist
Items are ordered by impact on value and risk within each category. Adapt to the machine type and generation where noted.
Use with reports and model guides
Review the checklist before committing to a viewing trip. Identify which categories are most relevant to the machine type and generation — a Tier 3 excavator has no DPF system to check; a Next Gen has electronics to verify. Knowing what to focus on saves time at the machine.
A MachineryAssistant report flags specific risk areas for the listing you are researching — undercarriage wear, missing service records, unusual seller context. Use the checklist to cover all categories systematically, not just the ones the report highlighted.
View a published report →A model guide tells you which generation you are looking at and which emissions system is fitted. The checklist ensures you cover all inspection areas during the physical visit. The guide gives context; the checklist gives the framework.
CAT 320 model guide →Print or bookmark
This checklist is on this page — no account required. Bookmark it to return on inspection day, or print it from your browser using Ctrl+P / ⌘P to take a copy to the machine.
You can also send the URL to your pre-purchase inspector or yard contact before the viewing.
Daily Bulletin
The Daily Bulletin applies this checklist framework to one machine per report — asking-price position, photo notes, inspection flags, and a verdict on each specific listing.
What this checklist cannot replace
The checklist is a buyer framework — systematic, practical, and independent. It is not a condition certificate and does not guarantee machine quality or purchase outcome.
A trained eye — ideally familiar with the specific model and generation — will identify wear patterns, repair history, and risk signals that a buyer checklist cannot capture. Consider engaging an independent inspector for machines above your confidence level.
Cat ET, KOMTRAX, Volvo CareTrack, Hitachi ConSite, and equivalent telematics systems provide fault code history, DPF regeneration frequency, and component wear indicators not visible during a physical inspection. Request access where the seller can arrange it.
An undercarriage measurement report from a specialist quantifies wear as a percentage and is the standard format used in price negotiations. A visual check is a starting point, not a substitute.
Emissions Stage/Tier compliance, cross-border registration, and import requirements vary by jurisdiction. This checklist does not constitute legal or compliance advice — verify with the relevant authority before purchase.
This checklist is a buyer inspection tool — not a condition certificate, valuation, or purchase guarantee. MachineryAssistant is independent and does not represent sellers or act as a broker.
Guides and reports
Generation history, emissions systems, GC variant warning, and model-specific inspection context for the most traded 20t excavator in Europe.
Asking-price benchmarking for a 2017 CAT 320FL against 8 active European comparable listings — with inspection flags and a verdict.
Asking-price benchmarking reports and model guides for crawler and wheeled excavators across Europe.