1

• Ensure that you have the right spec of Unimog for the job you are doing both now and in the foreseeable future.
• Consider the pros and cons of Long Wheel Base against Short Wheel Base, also small chassis against heavy chassis.
• Check that the Unimog has the right hydraulic system, PTOs and linkages etc. for your work. Most of these can be retro fitted BUT CHECK OUT THE COSTS FIRST!

2

• Get a machine in good condition from someone who has looked after it. Subsequent repair bills can be very alarming if a vehicle has been abused or neglected.
• Unimogs are usually cheap to maintain but very expensive to neglect. A good track record is more important than the age of a machine or mileage/hours worked.

3

• Do not fall into the trap of getting a machine for its attractive low price or low mileage only to find that it is the wrong tool for the job.
• Consider that if two or three guys are working with the Unimog you may have to fork out wages of anything up to £300,000 over a period of three years.
• If having a different machine improves their output by just a few percent you can do the maths yourself!
• It is a false economy which is sometimes not easy to spot when you pay wages weekly but pay for the Unimog in one hit.

4

• Equally, do not overspend by insisting on new or nearly new – think about repayments if the work goes quiet.
• You do not have to spend a fortune to get a good reliable Unimog. Remember even very young machines can still break down, have accidents and be unavailable for other reasons.
• We also urge you to keep the Unimog as versatile as possible and be very cautious of special ‘all singing’ outfits which can easily become white elephants if the nature of the work changes.

5

• To summarise we would recommend selecting a good quality Unimog in a reasonable price bracket, pay to have it fully checked over, fitted with the equipment you need, warranted and then if necessary take out finance for part of it.

Need Help with Finance?

There are many different ways of using finance – some of them are very tax efficient indeed and can often make buying your machine over time cheaper than buying it outright. Below are some links to finance companies that we have found to be helpful to our customers:

Beechwood Finance
Bond Investments
Eagle Asset Finance

Please Note: We are NOT financial advisors, get NO commission and therefore can take NO responsibility for any problems you may have with these finance companies. The links above will open in a separate window that is NOT part of this site.

Buying From Atkinson Vos

We offer a number of ways to buy a Unimog depending on your budget.

Option 1 – Trade Sale – Auction Terms
This is the same as buying a used machine privately or at an auction. The Unimog can be inspected and test driven before purchase. The buyer will be informed of any known problems but fixing them will be the buyer's responsibility. There is no warranty. Repairs can be carried out by Atkinson Vos at an additional cost if requested.

(Machines which we sell on behalf of our customers are in the above category).

Option 2 – Checked Over
The Unimog will have undergone a check-over in our workshop where major functions and oil and water levels are checked. Major defects will be rectified. One month warranty (see below). Repairs can be carried out at additional cost by Atkinson Vos if requested.

Option 3 – Fully Serviced and Repaired
The Unimog is sold ready for work but not in perfect condition. All oils and filters replaced. Checked over, any faults repaired (with the exception of age-related wear and cosmetic defects). Three month warranty (see below).

Option 4 – Refurbished
As above but with the addition of a full repaint, significant cosmetic defects rectified and soundproofing kit fitted in cab. Three month warranty against failure of major parts.

Warranty Information

1) The warranty period on Options 3 and 4 can be extended at extra cost

2) The warranty covers major drivetrain components i.e. engine, gearbox, transfer box, PTO box, PTO shafts, prop shafts and axles (i.e. hubs, ½ shafts, diffs)

3) Damage or failure caused by operator error or by ignoring instructions in the owners manual are excluded

4) Wearing parts such as brakes, clutches, road springs and tyres are specifically excluded as is electrical wiring and lighting, air and brake pipe work, hoses etc. because of the second-hand nature of the vehicles

5) In all cases of warranty claims, Atkinson Vos Ltd. will undertake to supply the necessary parts (either new or good quality second-hand) and the customer will provide the costs of labour required to fit them

6) The exact terms of warranty and work to be carried out are to be agreed at the point of sale

Many of the Unimogs which we sell are 10-25 years old and it is not cost-effective to restore them to showroom condition. Like all equipment, Unimogs need competent operators, understanding and maintenance. We will do our best to explain the major functions of the machine and will usually supply an owners handbook too. Please CONTACT US if you have any areas of doubt.