When Buying A Machine, How do I Mitigate Risk?

When Buying A Machine, How Do I Mitigate Risk?

Purchasing agricultural machinery is a major investment. 

When it comes to risk there are several key factors worth considering:

How often will I use the machine? 

Infrequent use almost always leads to a buyer being price driven. If the machine is cheap, then it has to be accepted that there is a compromise in quality compared to more expensive machines. Moderate to high use brings quality and value into the equation. 

Risk factor – if I buy on price alone do I expect there won’t be multiple issues to deal with during the life of the machine? 

There are many stories and reviews on the internet of cheap machines “looking the part”, but in practice they’re made of inferior quality materials, which don’t last. That’s when you might hear someone say “how much does it weigh?” It’s because the machine has turned out to be junk and fit only for sending to the scrap metal yard. More confidence can be placed in machinery that is marketed as “built for Australian conditions”. In this instance significant research and development has been undertaken to ensure that the machine is robust and able to handle moderate to high use. 

Does the machine have back up available in Australia? 

That means having access to timely technical support and parts. You don’t want to be in a situation of the importer and distributors having limited knowledge and all major faults require parts to come from overseas.

Is the machine a known brand in the market with a solid reputation?  

If it is then you can be confident that you will get the back up and service you deserve. In this instance there will be several layers of support available to you.  Firstly from the dealer you bought the machine from. Secondly, the importers that dealers source machinery from, invest in specialist technical representatives. Thirdly the Australian based technical representatives will have access to a technical representative from the factory of origin.   

Research, research, research. In the digital age there is plenty of information available in the form of reviews. Any reputable machine brand will have a solid history of performance backed up by favourable and practical reviews from current owners.  

There’s no such thing as the perfect machine, but when it comes to risk you have three options – eliminate, isolate or minimise.

In a separate article we discuss “Why does tractor horsepower matter?” Click Here to Find Out More.