Part 4: How to Inspect a Used Excavator Without Lying to Yourself

A Buyer’s Framework for Separating Opportunity from Disaster

Most bad excavator purchases don’t happen because the buyer lacked information.

They happen because the buyer ignored what the machine was clearly telling them.

Hope is the most expensive fluid an excavator can run on.

This guide isn’t about how to fall in love with a machine.It’s about how to stay emotionally detached long enough to make a smart decision.

The First Rule: Stop Inspecting Parts. Start Inspecting Systems.

Inexperienced buyers inspect components in isolation:

• “The engine sounds fine”

• “The pump was replaced”

• “Tracks are still good”

Experienced buyers inspect relationships:

• How heat moves through the machine

• How wear is distributed

• How the system reacts under load

• How components compensate for each other

A machine is not a checklist — it’s a conversation.

Step 1: The Walk-Around That Tells You More Than Diagnostics

Before the machine is started, you already have answers if you know where to look.

Look for Asymmetry

• One final drive newer than the other

• One track significantly tighter

• Uneven hose ageing

• Mismatched paint on hydraulic components

Asymmetry means history.History means stress.

Look for “Recent Improvement”

Fresh paint, new decals, shiny components — these are not positives.

They usually mean:

• Something failed recently

• The seller fixed what was visible

• Root causes may still exist

A machine that has survived honestly looks its age evenly.

Step 2: Cold Start Is Non-Negotiable

If you don’t see a cold start, you’re inspecting theatre.

On cold start, pay attention to:

• Time to oil pressure

• Idle stability

• Abnormal knock before warm-up

• Blue or white smoke patterns

Engines hide problems when warm.They confess when cold.

Step 3: Oil Tells the Truth (If You Let It)

Check all fluids, not just engine oil.

Engine Oil

• Metallic sheen = internal wear

• Diesel smell = injector or ring issues

• Thick oil = masking strategy

Hydraulic Oil

• Dark, burnt smell = chronic heat

• Foam = air ingress

• Milky = water contamination

Oil doesn’t lie — buyers do.

Step 4: Heat Is the Most Honest Diagnostic Tool

Bring the machine to full operating temperature.

Then push it.

Not violently — deliberately.

Watch for:

• Gradual power loss

• Fan running constantly

• Sluggish response after 30–45 minutes

• Coolant temperature creeping up under hydraulic load

Many machines perform perfectly for 10 minutes.

The problems start when oil thins and tolerances matter.

Step 5: Hydraulic Balance Test (Without Gauges)

You don’t need a test bench to spot imbalance.

Travel Test

• Travel straight on flat ground

• Does it pull to one side?

• Does one track stall earlier?

• Do case drain lines heat unevenly?

Swing Test

• Swing smoothly at low RPM

• Look for hesitation, surging, or chatter

• Listen for pump load spikes

Hydraulics that fight themselves announce it clearly — if you’re listening.

Step 6: Operator Compensation Is a Red Flag

Watch the operator, not just the machine.

Red flags:

• High RPM for light work

• Excessive feathering

• Constant throttle changes

• Overuse of travel to assist digging

Operators unconsciously adapt to weak machines.

That adaptation is hiding something expensive.

Step 7: Fault Codes Are Context — Not Truth

Modern machines throw fault codes for:

• Sensor drift

• Voltage instability

• Heat-related resistance changes

• CAN communication lag

Ask:

• Are codes historical or active?

• Do they appear under load?

• Do they disappear after restart?

A machine with no codes isn’t always healthier than one with honest ones.

Step 8: Ask the One Question Sellers Hate

“What hasn’t been fixed yet?”

Silence tells you more than answers.

If everything has been “recently done,” ask:

• Why?

• In what order?

• With what parts?

• By whom?

Machines are stories. Incomplete stories are dangerous.

Step 9: The Three Categories Every Machine Falls Into

By the end of inspection, every excavator fits one category:

1. Healthy, Aged Honestly

Best buy. Predictable. Repairable.

2. Tired but Balanced

Acceptable if priced correctly and used OEM support is available.

3. Recently Revived but Fundamentally Sick

Walk away. These kill budgets and morale.

Most disasters come from Category 3.

Step 10: The Emotional Kill Switch

If you hear yourself saying:

• “It just needs…”

• “Once we sort out…”

• “For the price, it’s worth the risk…”

You’ve stopped inspecting and started negotiating with reality.

That’s when you walk away.

Why Experienced Buyers Walk More Than They Buy

Good buyers reject 9 machines to buy 1.

Bad buyers buy the first machine that fits the budget and spend years paying for it.

Walking away is not failure.It’s profit protection.

Where Vikfin Fits in This Process

Vikfin isn’t there to sell you optimism.

They help buyers:

• Identify system-level risks

• Decide what’s salvageable

• Source used OEM parts that restore balance

• Avoid throwing good money after bad decisions

The right parts only matter if the machine deserves saving.

The Truth Most Buyers Learn Too Late

The machine didn’t trick you.

You ignored what it showed you because you wanted the deal to work.

Steel doesn’t lie.Heat doesn’t lie.Oil doesn’t lie.

Only buyers do — to themselves.