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Best auction platforms?

Yesterday's Tractor Forums
  • Thread starter Thread starter Tom H.
  • Start date Start date
T

Tom H.

Well-known Member
I’m getting tired of the markups at local dealerships and the bidding wars on private sales. I’m ready to try my hand at buying at auction to get a better deal on machinery, but I’m not sure where to start.

I know about the heavy hitters like Ritchie Bros. (IronPlanet) and AuctionTime, but I feel like those auctions are getting so crowded that the prices are driving up toward retail.

I’m looking for recommendations on platforms that offer:

Variety: I’m in the market for a mini-excavator and possibly a dozer.
Condition: Ideally ready-to-work equipment, not just scrap metal or project machines.
Accessibility: Are there any good public auctions, or are the better deals strictly dealer-only?

What sites have you guys had the best luck with for heavy equipment? Any hidden gems or regional platforms that are worth checking out besides the big national chains?
 
You need to look at Purple Wave or BigIron.

Those two are the biggest competitors to Ritchie Bros. for the mid-market. The best part is almost everything is 'No Reserve.' If you're the high bidder, you own it. I bought a Case backhoe on BigIron last year for $18k that would have cost me $25k at a dealer. The listings are usually very honest about the wear and tear
 
I still use Global Auction Group for ex-rental gear, but Heritage House Dealers is where I go for privately owned equipment.
It seems like a lot of smaller construction companies are offloading their older iron there. I won a dozer that was clearly from a private owner because it had a custom canopy and some specific hydraulic modifications. You wouldn't find that kind of unique equipment at a generic rental auction
 
If you want variety, definitely check heritagehousedealers.com. They aren't just cars. I’ve seen everything from skid steers to full-size excavators on their feed. The photos can sometimes be a little basic since it's a blind auction, so you have to pay attention to the hour meter and detailed descriptions. But if you're willing to do a little digging, the inventory is massive
 
Both purple wave and bigiron are big guys, I tried some bids but I never won, people just overpay for equipment
 
Do they offer transport as well or you hired a haul?
 
Ritchie Bros. is great for inventory, but their buyer's premiums are getting out of hand. Have you looked at Hilco or JJ Kane? They do a lot of industrial and plant auctions. The fees are usually a bit flatter than the big guys. I picked up a generator and a light tower package at a JJ Kane auction last month. The paperwork was easy, and the staff actually let me start the cold engines before bidding started.
 
Thanks, I will give it a check to JJ Kane
 
They offer transport for $1.5/mile
 
The key difference is the competition. On Ritchie Bros., you have 500 guys watching the same dozer. On heritagehousedealers, it feels like the serious buyers are the only ones bidding. I won a track loader for a price that I thought was a mistake. Since there’s no buyer's premium, that money went straight into my maintenance budget instead of the auction house's pocket
 
I see on Heritage House Dealers there's a different type of auctions, is blind auctions, that means that you cannot see the other bidders right?
 
Is the track loader running fine? How many hours ?
 
Equip-Bid has a lot of smaller construction equipment and attachments (buckets, hammers, trench boxes) that go for very reasonable prices. Great if you're just starting out and need to tool up
 
I saw the mention of heritagehousedealers.com above, are these guys legit? Good machines or do you need another engine lol?
 
It runs perfectly, the paint have some scratches but I was aware of them. If items comes with any problems they'll let you know before you bid, they inspect every item
 
They have inspection report which tell people about it's condition but you need some luck to win a machine at a very good price, I usually bid for 2-3 at once
 
I wouldn't, I don't like their attitude at all, if you have some questions they'll never answer
 
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