Checklist before you pay for a used excavator

The checklist exists because payment is the point of no return

Once money moves, the buyer carries the risk. Running through these checks first is what separates a considered purchase from a hopeful one.

The unit, the plate and the evidence

Confirm the full model name including its generation suffix, ask for cold-start and working video, photographs of the machine plate, and a disclosure of anything that could not be tested. The evidence should belong to the machine number you are buying.

Inspection

Choose the level you need: extra photos and video, a live call on which you pick the parts to be shown, or your own third-party inspector in China.

Documents and terms

Agree the four core documents plus any destination certificate, and confirm the payment terms in writing on the proforma invoice. A deposit normally holds the machine once import eligibility is confirmed.

Import rules on your side

Check the import rules that apply to you — age limits, duties and any conformity certificate — with a licensed broker in your country, before you commit.