Recent content by winston_wisdom

  1. winston_wisdom

    Best Machines to Buy on IronPlanet for a Small Construction Business

    Machine recommendations would depend entirely on the top of work you plan to do. General landscaping verse pool, grading, etc and the type of environment (large lots/ranches vs tight residential) I'd recommend a different machine. Whatever you buy on IP, I'd recommend a unit with a full...
  2. winston_wisdom

    Best Ways to Motivate Crews on Long Projects?

    Cash money. Bonuses, even if relatively small go a long way. Tie them to on-time completion and no errors to align motivations. Cash money people appreciate but I'm not qualified to give financial or tax advice. Drinks, breaks, etc should be standard operation. Maybe something special like...
  3. winston_wisdom

    Can we upload video on this forum?

    I've seen it on other threads. I'm assuming it's either via attachment or media icons. Maybe just pasting certain links (youtube) will populate in the thread?
  4. winston_wisdom

    Do Experienced Buyers Set Maximum Bids on GovPlanet?

    Auto-bid is great. You won't run the risk of a poor connection leading to you not getting that last bid in.
  5. winston_wisdom

    Behind The Rise of Ritchie Bros. Auctions Brand?

    They've made some good acquisitions as well. Now it seems they've got a bit of a flywheel spinning. Their auctions get a lot of buyer eyeballs, which means units consistently sell at or above the predicted amount, which means sellers keep brining equipment to RB, which means they'll keep getting...
  6. winston_wisdom

    How true it is that Boom and Bucket have regional inspection?

    The 'Boomers' were acquired by Ritchie Bros a bit ago. From what I've gathered, their platform is still great in that they only list fully inspected OR operational units. But given the new ownership, the inspections now all roll through the RB Global / IronPlanet platform. You'll see B&B link...
  7. winston_wisdom

    Is Boom & Bucket Safer Than Auctions for Low-Hour Equipment? Real Buyer Experiences

    Ask your rep there where the unit comes from. My understanding is that B&B's low hour inventory often is underutilized rental units. If a machine doesn't get rented, it ain't making money and is taking up space on the yard. So rental companies will offload that thing. You can potentially get a...
  8. winston_wisdom

    Assurances - IronPlanet vs Bidadoo, Boom&Bucket etc...

    Any of ya'll have experience needing to use any of these (or other) platforms assurance/guarantee programs? What was the issue, what was the process like, did you receive compensation or a resolution? How much weight do you put into a post sale coverage when you're looking to buy?
  9. winston_wisdom

    Do you prefer bidding wars or “buy now and sleep at night” pricing?

    Most sites now you can put in your max price for an auction. When I was bidding, I'd do that and walk away. Then I avoid that stress towards the end of an auction, and I wouldn't find myself feeling like I needed to go higher. There's almost always another similar machine. It not, I can fall...
  10. winston_wisdom

    How Do You Handle Daily Job Site Safety Meetings?

    We always kept it quick unless something on the site changed or we're moving onto a new phase of work. Either way, at least a couple time a week I call on a guy to answer something. I want to make sure they're paying attention, not still waking up. Call someone out the day after the Texans or...
  11. winston_wisdom

    What's considered "high hours" on a backhoe?

    Well maintained with high hours will beat out a lower hours machine whose owner neglected the service recommendations. You can ask for service records, a responsible owner should have some sort of tracking. That's usually a good sign. Brand is a huge factor in my opinion. Go with the tried and...
  12. winston_wisdom

    Ritchie Bros. vs IronPlanet: Which Platform Works Better for Sellers?

    Would be great to see price comparison data. I'd expect IronPlanet to be higher since you can sell at retail or set a floor price. But for generic units, maybe it doesn't differ that much. I think both are best in the biz if you need money for the machine by a certain time.
  13. winston_wisdom

    How to Avoid Damage and Delays on Heavy Equipment Transport?

    At the very least, require that an experienced hauler look over any load a newbie is takin' on the road. They should be able to spot a poor tie down or potential issues. It also helps to have one guy around who messed up once but has a nickname tied to that time he tipped a mini ex off the...
  14. winston_wisdom

    Trade-In vs. Private Sale: Selling Your Heavy Equipment Smartly?

    $$ difference is mentioned above. But if you're trading in to trade up, that might be the way to go. Really depends on the market and your regional. OEM dealers have targets they need to hit so might help you quite a bit on a new unit if they need to hit numbers. The trade in value vs private...
  15. winston_wisdom

    Where Do You See Heavy Equipment & Trucking by 2035? Electric, Autonomous, Hydrogen or Same Old Diesel?

    Glad I've gotten mostly out of the biz at this point... Probably a lot of change coming in the next decade that an old fella like myself will be too slow to adapt to. But who knows, I managed to make it long enough to be posting on forums about heavy equipment. The industry is slow to adapt...
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