Looking to buy a vcm. Been buying diced cheese for 3-4 months , working great, now want to buy vcm to chop my own.Live in NJ, looking for one used. Don’t think I want to buy off ebay. Need to see and hear it run.Any ideas? Thanks What
Check out any local used restaurant equipment suppliers, check out E-Bay to see if there is anything available locally, give a call to Hobart. They also sell used/reconditioned equipment. Also, be sure to check your local papers for restaurant sales or auctions. I recently came across a lady who bought what is essentially a brand new, 80-quart Thunder Bird mixer for just $2,000.00 Complete with bowl and mixing attachments. The name was unknown to the other bidders, but a quick call on her cell phone to me confirmed what she was already thinking. Too good of a deal to let it slip away.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
This is the only time I have disagreed with Tom, His assessment of situations is always been superb.
In this instance he states (Check out any local used restaurant equipment suppliers)
My experience and contact with buyers nation wide indicates that the vast majority of used equipment dealers have only one tool and that is the damp rag with which they wipe off the used equipment they offer for sale.
Use extreme caution if buying used. At one time we had one of the nations largest used equipment rebuilding programs. We now offer only a couple of items because we cannot properly rebuild most items and offer them at prices anywhere near the price at which used items are being offered by the damp rag rebuilders.
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George Mills
When my partner and I went to look at used equipment, such as Hobart mixers, we would see dozens of junked units in various states or autopsy. If they got a mixer in that was broken, they would simply scrounge the junkers for the needed part to get it running. Then they would throw on a new coat of battleship gray and affix shiny plates to it. Good as new!
There are some real rehabbers out there for specific brands and models who actually make stuff like new… but they are not that common or that inexpensive.
In our experience, it was much easier to pick up barely used equipment like mixers and ovens at auction or from shops that went out of business. We have averaged about 20 cents on the dollar on equipment that was either never used or used for less than two years.But it took months of watching and waiting.
Just be sure that whatever you consider your critical equipment is new or in new condition. It is not worth it to lose a day or more of sales as well as injure your reputation.
Now wait a minute George, In my defense, “What” said/indicated that he wasn’t buying unless he could see the mixer and hear it run, and since he already has exposure the the VCMs he should have a pretty good idea of what he’s looking at, so…as is always the case, let the buyer beware. You are absolutely correct though, all too often we hear about someone buying a rebuilt mixer, like a 60-quart (of any model) that won’t even mix a dough based on 25-pounds of flour. You can almost be assured that mixer was rebuilt/refurbished with degreaser, soap and water, and if you are real lucky, they might have even tossed in a free repaint. 
I can fix most fryers, ovens, grills, becauce I’ve learned over the last 10 years how. I just don’t feel I know enough about the vcm to buy used off ebay.I checked most supply houses and nobody has one.I still have to take a ride to Philadelphia, Pa,they have great equipment supplies all on the same street.I was hoping someone had one they didn’t use or know someone that had one . Thanks Bryan
Bryan;
Don’t forget to contact Hobart Corporation too. They got tired of the bad rap they were getting from fly by night equipment rebuilders a number of years ago, so they set out to correct the situation by buying all of the used Hobart equipment they could find, they then sorted it into two piles, scrap and rebuildable. Now their rebuilt/refurbished equipment lives up to their reputation. You can reach their Troy, Ohio facility at 937-332-3168. also, if you are planning to go to the Orlando, FL Pizza and Restaurant show in a few weeks, keep an eye out for a VCM on the floor. A couple years ago we had one in the Dough Center that was up for sale right from the show. I know its a long wait, but if you don’t have anything by next spring, there is the New York City PMQ Pizza Show around the first week of March and you might run into something there too.
Good luck with your search.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
Thanks GM & Tom. Ill give hobart a call and will keep looking.Thanks Bryan
Thanks Charles, too. My hood came out of a school at auction, and my 80 qt mixer out of a pizzeria at auction ,also. I just haven’t seem any vcm’s.Thanks Bryan