Quick answer
Compare the exact configuration, inspection findings and work included in each offer. Two excavators with the same model name can need different repairs or come with different attachments. Ask each seller to connect the price to an identified machine and a written preparation scope. A price difference becomes useful only when you can explain what changes between the offers.
Key takeaways
- Match model variants and required attachments before comparing prices.
- Turn each inspection finding into a specific action or question.
- Separate completed repairs from work promised before collection.
- Record exclusions and the evidence required to accept repairs.
- Keep the final quotation tied to the selected inventory ID.
1. Put both offers on the same basis
Start with two identified candidates, labelled A and B in your comparison file. These are worksheet labels, not machines offered in this article. Record each inventory ID, full model variant and quoted currency. Confirm that both proposals cover the attachment and working configuration your job requires.
A familiar model name can conceal differences in the arm, track shoes, hydraulic equipment or supplied bucket. A quotation covering a bare machine and one including a coupler are different packages. Ask for separate prices for optional equipment so you can compare the packages you would actually buy. Keep the same collection or delivery basis throughout this exercise.
2. Turn inspection findings into quoted work
Give every finding a reference: a photograph, measurement, video timestamp or technician's note. For example, a report of oil around a cylinder needs diagnosis before either party prices the remedy. Cleaning the area and replacing seals are different scopes of work.
Caterpillar recommends reviewing maintenance records, identifying who performed repairs, inspecting and operating the machine, and allowing for necessary parts and labour when assessing a purchase.
Request an itemised response to each finding. State whether the seller will investigate it, repair it before collection or leave it for the buyer. Attach a workshop quotation where work remains with you. This keeps an observed symptom from becoming an unsupported discount or a promise to replace an entire component.
Sources for this section:[1]
3. Define what a repair price includes
For proposed work, request the component, diagnosis, parts specification, labour, testing and completion date. Ask whether the parts are new, used or remanufactured and who supplies them. Record any warranty offered, including the provider and its written coverage.
For completed work, ask for the repair record and the result of the subsequent test. A photograph of a repainted component records its appearance; it does not establish which internal parts were changed.
Caterpillar's repair-decision guidance considers warranty, production downtime, operator familiarity and other business costs alongside the immediate repair bill when evaluating the available options. Apply that wider view to your own start date and workshop capacity.
Sources for this section:[2]
4. Complete one comparison worksheet
Copy this table into your purchase file. Fill both columns from written offers and inspection records. The blank cells are for your candidates; they are not published stock information. Add separate rows for each repair that affects your decision.
| Compare | Candidate A | Candidate B | Supporting record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory ID and model variant | ____ | ____ | Listing and identification photos |
| Price and currency | ____ | ____ | Dated quotation |
| Included bucket and attachments | ____ | ____ | Item list and photos |
| Inspection findings | ____ | ____ | Report references |
| Seller's repair work | ____ | ____ | Parts, labour and completion scope |
| Buyer's remaining work | ____ | ____ | Workshop quotation |
| Repair acceptance | ____ | ____ | Agreed test and evidence |
| Exclusions and ready date | ____ | ____ | Written confirmation |
5. Resolve the items that could change your choice
Compare the machine price plus the work you have agreed to fund. Keep undiagnosed problems separate until a qualified technician has assessed them. Inventing a repair allowance makes the total look complete while leaving the purchase decision unresolved.
A lower offer may suit a buyer with workshop capacity and time to prepare the machine. Another buyer may need agreed repairs completed before collection. If both candidates meet the same requirements, use the documented differences to negotiate. If one cannot demonstrate that it meets them, settle that question before treating its price as a usable alternative.
6. Carry the agreement into the final quotation
Ask for a revised quotation showing the chosen inventory ID, included attachments, repair list, exclusions and readiness date. Assign a reference to each accepted inspection finding so the seller, buyer and inspector can follow the same record.
Agree how completed work will be checked before collection. Retain the acceptance evidence with the final offer, including any items you accepted unchanged. When asking Plinton about a price, send the inventory ID and the preparation scope you want priced. That gives the discussion a defined machine and a clear set of requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply one repair percentage to both asking prices?
Use an itemised workshop quotation for each identified repair. A fixed percentage does not describe the parts, labour or testing that either machine needs.
What if a seller offers a different inventory ID during negotiation?
Open a new comparison column for that machine. Confirm its configuration, condition and included work before transferring the agreed price or acceptance terms.
References
- What to Know About Buying Repaired Heavy Equipment ↗Caterpillar · Accessed 2026-09-12
- Repair, Rebuild or Replace? 10 Factors to Consider ↗Caterpillar · Accessed 2026-09-12
Editorial standard: Updated 2026-09-12. This guide separates general process guidance from machine-specific facts. Confirm the current inventory ID, machine evidence, inspection scope, carrier quotation and destination requirements before making a transaction decision. Read our editorial and verification standard.