Excavator & Earthmoving Finance

What can be financed

New and used excavators of all classes (mini/compact under 6t, midi 6–10t, standard 10–30t, large 30t+), plus the gear that makes them earn: buckets, augers, rippers, tilt hitches, hammers and GPS/machine-control systems. Attachments can usually be rolled into the same facility, which beats paying cash for a $15,000 tilt hitch.

How lenders assess excavator deals

• Machine age and hours. Like trucks, an age-at-end-of-term rule applies (roughly 15–20 years with mainstream lenders). High-hour machines may need a valuation.
• Brand and resale depth. Tier-one brands (Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi, Kubota and similar) are easiest to place; grey imports and unusual brands narrow the lender pool and can price higher.
• Your work pipeline. For larger machines, lenders like to see contracts or a consistent invoicing history — especially for wet-hire operators.

Typical structures

Chattel mortgage over 3–5 years is standard; balloons up to ~30% on newer machines. Lenders class this as plant and equipment finance, so the same programs cover dozers, graders, skid steers and rollers alongside excavators. Established operators with property often qualify for low doc approval — no financials — on machines into the low hundreds of thousands. Rates sit close to truck finance; see indicative ranges.

New vs used: the maths that matters

A new mini excavator with a 5-year warranty and sharp manufacturer-subsidised finance can genuinely cost less per month than a 6-year-old machine at a used-asset rate. On bigger iron the equation flips — depreciation on new 20t+ machines is brutal, and a tidy 4,000-hour machine financed over 4 years is often the better business decision. A broker who does earthmoving deals weekly will price both paths for you.

Frequently asked questions