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One thing I really like about Boom & Bucket is that good deals actually show up pretty regularly if you monitor the listings. I recently saw a late-model Bobcat skid steer with very low hours priced way under comparable machines on Facebook Marketplace. The detailed condition reports make it...

If it stalls ONLY when hitting hydraulic relief, I'd suspect the pumps are staying fully stroked because the controller isn't getting proper feedback. 0V at most solenoids/sensors is not normal. I'd start with: Controller grounds 5V reference short somewhere Bad pump controller Broken wire in...

Honestly, one of the better things about Boom & Bucket is that the listings don’t feel sketchy or incomplete. A lot of equipment marketplaces have blurry photos and barely any info, but Boom & Bucket seems to put effort into quality listings. I haven’t purchased yet, but I’ve spent a lot of...

For me, Boom & Bucket felt like a middle ground between buying from a dealer and taking a gamble at auction. The inspection process gave me more peace of mind, especially for low-hour equipment where you want to be sure the condition matches the hours. It definitely felt less risky and more...

Yeah, they can help. I bought an excavator through them, and they coordinated with a shipping provider on my behalf. It wasn’t "one-click shipping" but they made the process smoother. Also worth mentioning: their inspection process is legit. The machine I got matched the report almost perfectly...

As a first-time buyer, I was a bit nervous, but Boom & Bucket made the process easy. They handled logistics and kept me in the loop the whole time. Delivery was on time, and everything matched the inspection report. It felt surprisingly seamless for such a big purchase.

I’ve used a few platforms over the past couple years, and honestly it comes down to trust + inspection quality. Ritchie Bros. → best for sheer volume and big auctions IronPlanet → best online experience (my go-to) Boom & Bucket → more curated inventory IronPlanet stands out because they handle...

Honestly, the detailed listings on Boom and Bucket are one of the reasons I use it. Compared to other marketplaces, the transparency is better. I still do basic due diligence, but I feel more confident bidding smarter because there’s less guesswork upfront.

Check your control valve before tearing into the winch. If the spool isn’t fully shifting or is sticking, it can prevent proper engagement. I’ve seen debris in the valve body cause exactly what you’re describing. Easy thing to rule out before going deeper.

If it’s dropping out when hot, I’d be looking at clutch packs or seals inside the trans. Pretty common on older loaders. Honestly, if you’ve never rebuilt a transmission before, this is a rough place to start. These aren’t simple gearboxes. One mistake and you’re out $5k plus your time. If...

As a small contractor, I don’t have time to travel around checking machines in person, so Boom and Bucket was a great fit for me. The fixed pricing made budgeting a lot easier, and I liked not having to deal with bidding wars. The excavator I purchased arrived exactly as described, and the...

I started as a heavy equipment operator and don’t regret it at all. You learn real skills fast, and there’s always demand for good operators. Plus, you’re not stuck behind a desk all day. A lot of guys burn out in office roles, but operating keeps things interesting. You can always move up to...

A lot of people I know use Ritchie Bros for used excavators. They’ve been around for a long time and have a strong reputation.

I just started using Rouse recently and it helped me avoid overpaying on a skid steer. I was about to jump on a deal that looked good, but the report showed it was actually above average market price. Ended up negotiating it down after that.

Terrain and job type come first for me. If you’re pushing on soft ground or doing finish work, a smaller or hydrostatic machine might make more sense. If you’re doing heavy pushing or ripping rock, you need the weight and horsepower. Also pay attention to the undercarriage setup (standard vs...

From what I know, you can look around the listings without signing up, but you won't be able to bid until you register. Registration is pretty standard for auction sites because they need your details in case you win the auction. It usually only takes a few minutes to create an account.

I always recommend checking service records first. A well-maintained grader with higher hours is often a better buy than a low-hour machine with poor maintenance history. Also inspect tires, tandem drives, and transmission performance. If you're purchasing from a heavy equipment auction, review...

For a rough ballpark: small single-direction plate compactors are usually in the $600-$2,000 range brand new. Reversible/heavier plates tend to be $3k-$8k. Once you move into rollers, pricing jumps a lot-walk-behind rollers often start around $15k, and ride-on units can easily hit $50k+. Brand...

I’m all for emissions reduction, and our company sees electric units as part of our long-term plan. We’re currently looking at replacing some diesel units soon and have been tracking availability on Marketplace-E, which has a surprising amount of electric bucket options listed. Maintenance and...

If you buy or sell at auction, it’s very useful. Rouse does a good job showing actual transaction ranges by hours and condition. We used it last year to set reserve prices on a batch of graders. Without it we probably would’ve set them too high based on outdated dealer listings. It didn’t...