Help me buy a CAT 307 (or walk away)

[Diamondback]

A CAT 307 excavator is for sale near me. I like the size of this unit. At 7 tons it will do the bigger work I need around our property and still fairly transportable. The owner describes it as a 2000 model with 4200hrs, a thumb, new undercarriage and runs great "I use it every day". He's asking $15,000 but will negotiate a little lower for cash.

I would be considered by many a "operator wanna be" and an average mechanic at best. So, here are my concerns:

1) Are 4200 hrs generally considered mid-life of this machine or is in it's "golden years"?

2) Are there any specific questions I should ask of the owner to get a better feel for the condition of the unit that can't be seen with a visual inspection.

3) A general check list of things to look for to see existing or potential future problems with this unit would be very helpfull. Please feel free to offer any suggestions.

Simply put, I am always concerned when buying used equipment but the cost of nearly new or new is not feasible right now. Appreciate any help, thoughts or experience with this or other similar machines. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Localmotion]

Depends whether it is 4200 easy hours or 4200 hard hours? As is mentined on many threads here at TBN, hours are only really an indication to engine condition and more important is to see the visual & mechanical state of the machine.

The key thing to check on a used excavator is the ring gear (the central pivot on which the excavator slews and housing all the hydraulic connections to the undercarridge). Make sure that when slewing the machine is responsive, stops quickly and turns smoothly.

Likewise check all the pins for wear - do some "air" digging and check to see there are no rattles, worn pins or bushes...

With regard the new undercarridge - just ask what exactly has been replaced? It may be that he has only changed the tracks and some rollers, or it could be that he has really fitted a new undercariidge with new idlers and sprokets...

Finally whenever a seller tells me that he has fitted new parts recently, I always ask to see the reciepts

 

[excav8ter]

As far as the hours go, if its been maintained well, you should get another 6,000 hours out of it. I owned a Komatsu pc20-5. Bought it new and serviced it regularly, ran it for 10,000 hours and only replaced a final drive once and tracks 3 times. It is still in use by another competitor/friend of mine.

 

[tlbuser]

Hire a local heavy equipment mechanic to check it for you (preferably not the same as he uses). I wouldnt be scared off buy the hours alone. working on the stuff takes big tools, requires heavy lifting and usually deep pockets when something breaks. Not often you can run to the auto store for parts, but sometimes with a little ingenuity and time...rebuilding the old parts or finding good used are options.

 

[Egon]

If not sure an inspection by a qualified mechanic may be in order. :thumbsup:

Check with the local Cat dealer as they may have serviced it??

 

[Builder]

Hire a local heavy equipment mechanic to check it for you (preferably not the same as he uses). I wouldnt be scared off buy the hours alone. working on the stuff takes big tools, requires heavy lifting and usually deep pockets when something breaks. Not often you can run to the auto store for parts, but sometimes with a little ingenuity and time...rebuilding the old parts or finding good used are options.

I have done this more than once and it worked for me, too. I've had equipment brought in from 3,000 miles away and found that ~$125 for a mechanics inspection (usually a sheet where the mechanic performs routine checks) is a great way to get a little extra insurance.
Hours don't scare me too much, either. A machine with 420 hours could be more abused than a machine with 4200 hours. I bought one machine with 5,000 hours on it and it was a good as a comparable machine I had with 1,500 hours on it.

 

[crazyal]

It sounds like your plans are for personal use. If so then the hours wouldn't bother me a bit. You could send the oils out for analysis, it'll give you a better idea of the shape of the engine and transmission. I also like to check out the pins and at some point ask the owner to go over where he greases. If it sounds like he's kind of guessing or is real vague then maybe it wasn't maintained as well as it should have been. After all it's easy to grease it up just before you sell it but not so much fun to grease it each day as required.

 

[Diamondback]

Yes, it would be personal use machine.

Couple questions, I have read many posts about having the oils "sent for analysis" but don't have a clue where one sends the samples? Other than engine oil what other fluids need to be sent? Who reads the results and determines whether the engine is OK? Remember, I don't run machies for a living so be easy on me.

Appreciate all the responses, Diamondback

 

[Builder]

Blackstone. I send stuff to them all the time. Just get a smaple from the reservoirs you have concern about and get the samples to them.
Blackstone Labs

 

[tlbuser]

S.O.A.P. is Spectrographic Oil Analysis Program in a nutshell, they look at small micron particles in the oil and tries to distinguish where they came from; bearings, rings, etc. They also look for additives and contaminants that may be harmful; antifreeze, fuel, etc. All of the fluids can be analyzed for their condition

Another one http://www.wearcheck.com/literature/brochures/wci.pdf they're in Cary, NC