How to Buy Heavy Equipment at an Auction

November 1, 2022
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4 Min Read

Every auction is different—especially when it comes to a heavy equipment auction.

At Bright Star, we sell anything from portable sawmills to tractors.

With over 200 pieces of heavy equipment per auction, we simplify finding the items you need.

But what is classified as heavy equipment? And how do you buy heavy equipment at an auction?

Let’s look at different types of heavy equipment and how we make choosing the right piece—or pieces—easy.

Step One: Define Your Options

Heavy equipment comes in all shapes and sizes—literally.

Also known as rolling stock, heavy equipment includes many types of heavy-duty vehicles.

For instance:

  • Skid steers
  • Telehandlers
  • Boom lifts
  • Scissor lifts
  • Forklifts
  • Wheel loaders
  • Dozers
  • Excavators

Plus:

  • Off-road dump trucks
  • Skidders
  • Knuckle booms
  • Portable sawmills
  • Heavy-duty trucks (semi-tractors, dump trucks, etc.)
  • Trailers
  • Tractors

Our equipment comes from local and national sources, so you don’t have to travel to find the items you need.

However, knowing which items will be at an auction is essential for any buyer. For this reason, we provide 1-3 days of viewing the heavy equipment before the auction date.

We also try to have all details and pictures available to view online by three weeks prior to auction time. 

For those that like to “kick the tires” and inspect equipment in person, we try to provide 1-3 days of viewing the heavy equipment before the auction date.

If you can’t make it to our “open house” during those few days, contact us, and we'll schedule an appointment.

For your convenience, we also categorize the equipment at every auction.

Skid steers are kept in one group, boom lifts in another, and so on.

This makes it easy to find and analyze all your options in one spot.

From skidders to trailers, we make it our priority to find and organize the heavy equipment that’s worth your consideration.

Step Two: Choose Your Price Range

We don’t put any limits on buying heavy equipment at an auction.

As a customer, you can purchase as many—or as few—pieces as you like.

Typically, most of our customers pay with cash or a check.

No down payment is required for buyers using either option.

We also work with a finance company for customers looking for an alternative.

But, if you’re a customer who needs to take out a loan, we require that you are pre-approved in order to bid on heavy equipment.

Regardless of your payment method, your options are limitless.

Unlike buying from an individual, at a heavy equipment auction, you decide what price you’re willing to pay.

At the end of the day, competing bidders determine the market value of an item.

This gives you the freedom to stay within your personalized price range while providing you the opportunity to buy items at competitive prices.

Choose according to your own budget, and we’ll provide the products and delivery services that you need.

Step Three: Place Your Bid

After deciding on a budget, placing your bid is the next step.

Whether you’re in-person, calling in, or placing a bid online, we’ll keep you updated on the current highest bid.

Conveniently, this allows out-of-state bidders to participate in all our heavy equipment auctions.

We upload product images to our website prior to the auction date so that you can stay at home and view your options.

Our heavy equipment auctions are absolute auctions, meaning that the sale price—the highest bid—is finalized before the item leaves the ring on auction day.

Although you can bid as much as you want to, buyers are never pressured into bidding over their budget.

Instead of moving from one dealer to the next without finding what you need, nationwide bidding makes it easy for you to “shop” at one auction—in-person or virtually.

Step Four: Decide on Transportation

After making one or more purchases, we will keep your heavy equipment on our own or the seller's property until all items are invoiced and settled.

Usually, it takes about a week until the closing process is complete.

With this in mind, you can either return to the equipment site with your own trailer or request a delivery.

From a pallet load to an oversized load, we work closely with a logistics company that is happy to provide nationwide shipping for an additional charge.

Approximately 60-70% of our customers use the logistics company we partner with for transportation.

However, regardless of where you live, transporting your own heavy equipment is also an option.

Contact information for shipping your equipment will be on your invoice, so simply take your preference after paying for your purchase.

Step Five: Enjoy Your Purchases

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as experiencing a good auction.

Our end goal is always to provide our customers with high-quality options that last for years to come.

Our auctions are unique in how we bring together nationwide buyers looking at locally and nationally-sourced heavy equipment.

We narrow down the best options for you so you can confidently place a bid—even from the other side of the country.

Plus, no matter how many pieces you buy, we don't ask you to sign a contract or provide paperwork. You only need to agree to the bidder terms.

If you’re interested in buying, we’re interested in selling to you.

We make it easy to enjoy your purchases when you’re shopping at a Bright Star heavy equipment auction.

Because every step of the way, we provide high-quality products, flexible payment options, and unbeatable nationwide customer support.

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Are you interested in staying up to date with Bright Star auctions?

We hear you. We love a good auction too.

Don’t miss out on our amazing variety of heavy equipment sold at market prices.

Sign up for our newsletter today and start investing in irresistible deals—all year long.

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