Rental Equipment

[rScotty]

I always figured that renting and maybe even buying from a rental yard made sense for the mechanically inclined guy wanting to save money.
After all, most of the equipment is low hours and sort of maintained.....emphasis on "sort of".

So last week some buddies rented a mini excavator for weekend chores - which they more or less got done. It was their first time with one, and from the stories I'm hearing they were able to get a couple hours work done in only a couple of days.

But in telling - and hearing - about the rodeo that went on that weekend, the amount of abuse that poor machine took has completely changed my mind about buying used from a rental place.

Does anyone do a lot of renting?
rScotty

 

[4570Man]

I wouldn’t be that afraid of buying rental equipment. It’s mostly industrial equipment and industrial equipment is made to take a beating. As far as renting equipment I rarely do it. It’s too expensive and I’ll either buy the tool I need or pay someone that has one to do the job.

 

[mike0000]

I have bought a few “retired” rental unit tools from Home Depot. Bought a jackhammer, a hardwood floor drum sander, and a hardwood floor nailer. All have served me well, none of them Seemed to have been too abused. I use these enough that I’ve come out ahead on owning versus continuing to rent when needed. I’m not in a rush to finish the job since they are mine and I don’t need to return them to the store per rental agreement. There also have been times I needed to rent a tool and all were rented out, that really changes plans for the day.

Mike

 

[Smokeydog]

Bought my B26 from a rental store at auction 2016. Had about every available option and only had 50 hours in less than a year. Owner thought it would be a money saving option instead of renting a Skidsteer and miniX for drainfield diy work. Didn’t rent so had to go. Most hours used at business grading parking and equip lots. Saved $8,500 from new. Been a good one. Kind of like making $170/hr for the first 50 hours.

Missed a similar deal from Hertz. Local B26. Moved to upstate Virginia day before I found out. Could have bought it and they would have brought it to me, I would have owned it site unseen.

Bought a multiquip concrete mixer, never used from Myrtle Beach rental $900. Made a mini vacation with the wife for a couple of days. They brought it to the hotel parking lot when we left.

Still have my first Hillti sds drill and concrete vibrator used from rental store.

One advantage in buying used equipment from rental store is that it is not been stolen. I have walked away from some sellers when something smells fishy from private sellers.

 

[mcfarmall]

I think it varies from one rental yard to another. On of the local places around here does ZERO maintenance and repairs to equipment. The last time I rented a Vermeer stump cutter, it was missing 12 out of 16 teeth and the weld was completely broken where the wheel attached to the shaft. I had to reweld it before I could finish my first stump. Needless to say, I would never buy ANYTHING that my local rental yard(s) are selling.

 

[RichardMeyer]

Depends on the rental yards. I rent a mini ex every couple of years and our yards turn over their equipment every two years so the equipment is always tight.

 

[JasperFrank]

As McFarmall mentioned it really depends on the rental business and how they operate. We had two rental places in town. One was very professional. Check off when it went out and check off when it came back. All relatively new equipment. And there was always a guy on the lot pressure washing the equipment. That buisness closed down, so I had to go the other one, which had all the appearence of a wrecking yard. Everything was battered and dirty. And when I'd ask for a demo that the thing worked, sometimes the one they picked out wouldn't work.

 

[Fxfymn413]

Check this out from Sun Belt; Sunbelt Gear

A friend has several pieces he has bought from them and has had great success.

 

[Thomas]

As friend who work at rental he told me you don't want the headaches and that why we take used equipment to auctions.