2 hours ago
I understand that people in the English-speaking world pay a lot of attention to engine numbers and VINs. Many consider them the primary way to verify authenticity. This is likely influenced by heavy equipment forums. Most visitors there are English-speaking users, mainly from North America. In North America, laws around used equipment are strict, so just checking the serial number can usually tell you the full history of a machine.
But that doesn’t apply in China. Chinese buyers generally don’t care much about serial numbers. There are significant legal and cultural differences. So when you’re buying an excavator from China, you might feel like no company is fully honest.
This is a real-life example of the “Ship of Theseus” paradox.
The ship wherein Theseus and the youth of Athens returned had thirty oars, and was preserved by the Athenians down even to the time of Demetrius of Phalerum; for they took away the old planks as they decayed, putting in new and stronger timber in their place, so that the ship became a standing example among the philosophers, for the logical question of things that grow; one side holding that the ship remained the same, the other contending that it was not the same.
If an excavator has had every component replaced except the main body, engine, and hydraulic system, and the engine number and VIN look authentic, is it still the original machine? Is it real, fake, or a grey?
In China, excavators are used to their maximum value. When they are resold for the first time, they often look dirty and worn, which hurts sales. So used equipment companies refurbish them. Some tell customers it’s a refurbished machine, while others present it as nearly brand new. You’ve probably seen this: young salesgirls often say “it’s almost new.” They might not even know the full history—they just repeat what their boss instructed.
If you only trust the engine number and VIN, that’s fine. I could find a complete record in a database, paste it, take a few photos, and tell you: “This is a 2024 nearly-new machine.” You, thinking like an American, would probably say, “Perfect, that works.” But in reality, it could be a 2010 machine with 20,000 hours of use. Does that make sense?
Typically, refurbished excavators are fully restored to perform like new machines—good-looking, stable, and high-performing. As a working machine, shouldn’t actual performance and reliability matter more than the VIN? That’s what Chinese buyers focus on.
I’ve noticed a problem: the more truth I tell customers, the more anxious they get. Some go digging on Alibaba or Facebook, searching for their ideal “original machine.” But when they send me the photos, none of them are truly original—they’re all refurbished. And then they continue searching, over and over.
If telling the truth creates more anxiety, I sometimes question whether it’s worth it.
I always emphasize: the only real way to verify an “original machine” is to compare the original purchase invoice with the excavator’s actual condition. That’s what I do for a living—I can help you with that.
But here’s the catch: when I help refurbish an original machine, some parts will inevitably be replaced, and it will get a fresh coat of paint. Then it’s back to the “Ship of Theseus” paradox. At that point, is it still original in your mind, or not?
If you want the truth, I’ve told it to you, and the truth can be harsh and hard to accept. This is essentially a cultural or philosophical question. If you keep obsessing over it, it’s exhausting. Let me stress again: there is no truly “original machine.” Important enough to repeat three times: all are refurbished, all are refurbished, all are refurbished!
If you care more about stability and usability, I think we’ll have a lot more common ground.
If you buy from me, I’ll help you source a used machine from the ground up, refurbish it starting from the original, and it will still be cheaper than most stock machines. If you’re considering a machine on Alibaba and are unsure about its reliability, I can inspect it and tell you the true condition. I help remove that worry.
So before buying a used excavator, consider what matters most to you. If you accept the reality of the Chinese market, just pick a machine you like and bring it home to work. If you can’t accept it, you might buy locally or from Japan or Thailand—but even then, some machines may originate from China. Japanese and Thai sellers often proudly tell you: “It’s original.”
When you relentlessly chase the “truth,” you’ll eventually see that what I’ve told you is the truth. And no matter what, after telling you the truth, I can also help solve the problems. Every issue has a solution.
Don’t be too hard on yourself.
I’m Mike Phua.
But that doesn’t apply in China. Chinese buyers generally don’t care much about serial numbers. There are significant legal and cultural differences. So when you’re buying an excavator from China, you might feel like no company is fully honest.
This is a real-life example of the “Ship of Theseus” paradox.
The ship wherein Theseus and the youth of Athens returned had thirty oars, and was preserved by the Athenians down even to the time of Demetrius of Phalerum; for they took away the old planks as they decayed, putting in new and stronger timber in their place, so that the ship became a standing example among the philosophers, for the logical question of things that grow; one side holding that the ship remained the same, the other contending that it was not the same.
If an excavator has had every component replaced except the main body, engine, and hydraulic system, and the engine number and VIN look authentic, is it still the original machine? Is it real, fake, or a grey?
In China, excavators are used to their maximum value. When they are resold for the first time, they often look dirty and worn, which hurts sales. So used equipment companies refurbish them. Some tell customers it’s a refurbished machine, while others present it as nearly brand new. You’ve probably seen this: young salesgirls often say “it’s almost new.” They might not even know the full history—they just repeat what their boss instructed.
If you only trust the engine number and VIN, that’s fine. I could find a complete record in a database, paste it, take a few photos, and tell you: “This is a 2024 nearly-new machine.” You, thinking like an American, would probably say, “Perfect, that works.” But in reality, it could be a 2010 machine with 20,000 hours of use. Does that make sense?
Typically, refurbished excavators are fully restored to perform like new machines—good-looking, stable, and high-performing. As a working machine, shouldn’t actual performance and reliability matter more than the VIN? That’s what Chinese buyers focus on.
I’ve noticed a problem: the more truth I tell customers, the more anxious they get. Some go digging on Alibaba or Facebook, searching for their ideal “original machine.” But when they send me the photos, none of them are truly original—they’re all refurbished. And then they continue searching, over and over.
If telling the truth creates more anxiety, I sometimes question whether it’s worth it.
I always emphasize: the only real way to verify an “original machine” is to compare the original purchase invoice with the excavator’s actual condition. That’s what I do for a living—I can help you with that.
But here’s the catch: when I help refurbish an original machine, some parts will inevitably be replaced, and it will get a fresh coat of paint. Then it’s back to the “Ship of Theseus” paradox. At that point, is it still original in your mind, or not?
If you want the truth, I’ve told it to you, and the truth can be harsh and hard to accept. This is essentially a cultural or philosophical question. If you keep obsessing over it, it’s exhausting. Let me stress again: there is no truly “original machine.” Important enough to repeat three times: all are refurbished, all are refurbished, all are refurbished!
If you care more about stability and usability, I think we’ll have a lot more common ground.
If you buy from me, I’ll help you source a used machine from the ground up, refurbish it starting from the original, and it will still be cheaper than most stock machines. If you’re considering a machine on Alibaba and are unsure about its reliability, I can inspect it and tell you the true condition. I help remove that worry.
So before buying a used excavator, consider what matters most to you. If you accept the reality of the Chinese market, just pick a machine you like and bring it home to work. If you can’t accept it, you might buy locally or from Japan or Thailand—but even then, some machines may originate from China. Japanese and Thai sellers often proudly tell you: “It’s original.”
When you relentlessly chase the “truth,” you’ll eventually see that what I’ve told you is the truth. And no matter what, after telling you the truth, I can also help solve the problems. Every issue has a solution.
Don’t be too hard on yourself.
I’m Mike Phua.
