This decision matters more in excavators than in most equipment categories, because the used market is deep. These machines have sold in volume for decades, which means at almost any price point you have a real choice.
The specific version of the question most buyers face: a three-to-five-year-old name-brand machine, or a new machine from a value-tier manufacturer, at roughly the same money.
Both are defensible. Here's how to tell which fits you.
What the Used Market Looks Like
Cat holds roughly 24.3% of used financed compact excavator sales, Bobcat 20%, and Kubota 16.2%, with models like the Deere 35G, Kubota KX040-4, and Deere 50G among the most sought after.
What that means practically: the machines you'll find used are mostly from manufacturers with deep dealer networks and readily available parts. That's a genuine advantage of buying used in this category — you're buying into an established support ecosystem.
It also means those machines hold value, so the discount from new is smaller than you might hope.
The Case for Used
Depreciation already absorbed. The steepest value drop happens in the first couple of years. A machine at 2,000–3,000 hours has taken that hit and has substantial life left.
Proven durability. A machine that's run 3,000 hours without major failure has demonstrated something a new machine hasn't.
Deep parts network. Established brands have parts availability everywhere.
Better resale. You'll recover more when you sell.
More machine for the money — potentially. A used 5-ton may cost what a new 3-ton does.
Attachments may come with it. Used machines frequently include a thumb, buckets, and sometimes a coupler. Those have real value and buyers routinely undervalue them.
The Case for New
Warranty. Coverage against the failures you can't inspect for.
Known history. No previous owner's neglect to inherit.
Zero hours on wear components. Full undercarriage life, fresh hydraulics, no accumulated fatigue.
Current emissions and safety features.
Financing terms are generally better on new equipment.
You choose the configuration — tail swing, cab or canopy, auxiliary hydraulics, thumb. On used, you take what's available.
That last point matters more than people expect. Adding auxiliary hydraulics or a thumb to a used machine that lacks them costs meaningfully more than ordering them.
What to Inspect on Used
In rough order of expense to fix.
Undercarriage. Tracks, rollers, idlers, sprockets. The most expensive wear system, and a full replacement is a substantial share of a used machine's value. Check for worn sprocket teeth, seized rollers, chunked tracks, and improper tension.
Slew bearing. Play or noise during rotation is a major repair. Slew slowly and listen; check for rocking.
Pins and bushings. Work every joint — boom, arm, bucket. Slop means wear throughout the front end.
Hydraulic cylinders. Scored rods, weeping seals, and drift when holding a load raised.
Hydraulic system. Fluid condition and service records. Ask specifically whether it ran a hammer — hammer hours are the hardest hours a machine takes, and they show up in hydraulics and structure.
Boom and arm structure. Cracks and repairs at high-stress points.
Engine. Cold start, smoke, blow-by, leaks.
Auxiliary hydraulics. Present? Working? Factory or aftermarket?
Get an independent inspection on anything significant. It costs a fraction of a bad purchase.
The Hammer Question
Worth its own note, because it's the single biggest variable in used excavator condition.
Running a hydraulic breaker is the hardest thing you can do to an excavator. Impact loads travel back through the arm, boom, and frame. Hydraulic oil degrades faster. Structural fatigue accumulates.
A 2,000-hour machine that spent them on demolition is in different condition than a 4,000-hour machine that dug in dirt.
Ask. Look for cracks and repairs at the boom and arm. Check hydraulic service history.
Head to Head
| Used Name Brand | New Value Brand | |
|---|---|---|
| Warranty | None | Yes |
| History | Unknown | Known |
| Undercarriage life | Partially consumed | Full |
| Parts network | Deep | Varies |
| Resale | Better | Weaker |
| Configuration choice | Take what's available | You spec it |
| Attachments | Often included | Extra |
| Risk | Higher | Lower |
| Financing | Harder, worse terms | Easier |
How to Decide
Buy used if:
- You can inspect competently or hire someone who can
- Undercarriage checks out or the price reflects it
- The configuration matches what you need
- You value the parts network and resale
- You're comfortable with no warranty
Buy new if:
- You need a specific configuration
- Warranty coverage matters to your cash flow
- You can't evaluate a used machine confidently
- You'll run the machine to end of life, where entry price matters more than resale
- You want zero hours on the undercarriage
The Undercarriage Rule
If you take one thing from this page: the undercarriage decides most used excavator purchases.
A machine with a worn undercarriage isn't cheap — it's a machine with a large bill attached. Price the replacement and add it to the purchase price before comparing against new. That comparison frequently flips.
FAQ
How many hours is too many?
Depends entirely on maintenance and duty. A well-maintained 4,000-hour machine beats a neglected 1,500-hour one. More →
Is a used name brand better than a new import?
Depends on the specific machines. Check the undercarriage on the used one and the parts availability on the new one, then compare.
What's the sweet spot for used?
Commonly 2,000–3,000 hours — past the steepest depreciation, well short of major component life.
Should I get an inspection?
For anything significant, yes.
Can I finance used?
Generally, though terms are typically worse than on new.
What about auction machines?
Cheaper, and you frequently can't inspect properly or run them. Higher risk, and it suits buyers who can absorb a bad outcome.
Do attachments transfer value?
Yes, and buyers undervalue them. A thumb, a coupler, and a bucket set have real worth.