Buying a new agricultural machine certainly worries many farmers, because this decision is associated with a huge financial outlay. What's more, it may happen that the selected machine will not meet expectations, or we will simply be deceived by a stranger. That is why we have prepared some advice for you regarding the safe purchase of any agricultural machine for work on the farm. Thanks to them, you will avoid the risk and the most common mistakes among buyers.
- Online classifieds of agricultural machinery
- No photos of the machine in the sale ad
- Ask for a video showing how the machine works
- Remember to check the serial number
- Low prices as a suspicious sign
- Arrange a meeting with the person selling agricultural machinery
Online classifieds of agricultural machinery
If you are looking for machines and tools online, pay attention to the offers of manufacturers or ordinary users who have been publishing sales announcements for at least several years. Otherwise, you have no guarantee as to who they are and whether their description in the offer can really be trusted. Ideally, you should look for websites that provide feedback for sellers. This will allow you to check the ratings from other buyers, which verifies their authenticity.
No photos of the machine in the sale ad
If the seller did not include any photo of the machine in the advertisement, it is better to skip such an offer. Only pay attention to offers with photos, as this means that the person has nothing to hide. However, if the photos are not clear, ask privately for corrected photos of the agricultural machine. In this way, you will be sure that he actually has the machine in his possession and you will be able to take a better look at it.
Ask for a video showing how the machine works
When talking to the seller, a good solution is to ask for a video in which he personally shows the full operation of the agricultural machine. Such a video will allow you to assess the actual condition of the device, its operation and, above all, make sure that the seller is not trying to deceive you and is willing to help.
Remember to check the serial number
Agricultural machines have a serial number on the rating plate, which allows you to get to know all the data and trace its history in the Central Information, e.g. on the epuap.gov.pl (CEPIK) website. As a result, you will be able to check the selected machine from a legal point of view, whether it has been stolen or other disturbing incidents have not occurred. Therefore, obtaining an identification number from the seller is very important. Usually such information is already in the advertisement or on the photo of the machine, but sometimes it can be unclear.
Low prices as a suspicious sign
Offers of agricultural machinery with low prices are suspicious, which is why we prefer to warn you about them and think about it for a while. Evaluate for yourself how much you would sell such a machine for, depending on the year of production, condition and mileage, and then start a conversation. However, do not be deceived, because many scammers deliberately lower their ratings by selling such machines with major or minor defects that they will not inform you about. Under no circumstances should you buy a cheap agricultural machine before seeing and testing it.
Arrange a meeting with the person selling agricultural machinery
Whether it's a more expensive or cheaper model of agricultural machinery - in both cases you should see it live before making a purchase. Of course, it's not just about looking at it from the outside, ask them to turn it on and test drive it. If the seller won't turn on the machine, don't buy it. Such behavior is a clear sign that the person has something to hide.
In turn, after the test drive, the decision is up to you, namely you already know more or less what you can expect from the machine. However, do not forget to check the registration document and other important documents related to the equipment on the spot.
