Used Excavator Buying Answers
Direct answers to the questions our export buyers ask — pricing, model selection, inspection, import, and shipping for used excavators from China.
What's a fair price for a 2018 Cat 320D with 5,800 hours?
Expect roughly USD 48,000–55,000 FOB Shanghai for a well-inspected 2018 Cat 320D at ~5,800 genuine hours. The full 320D range in our stock runs USD 28,000–65,000 depending on year, hours, and attachments.
What do used mini excavators (1–8 ton) cost?
Used mini excavators start around USD 6,000 (Sunward SWE60E) and run up to about USD 28,000 (Caterpillar 307D), with Komatsu PC55/PC60 at USD 12,000–22,000 and Hitachi ZX55U/ZX60 at USD 11,000–19,000.
What's the difference between FOB and CIF price?
FOB covers the machine loaded at a Chinese port; CIF adds ocean freight and marine insurance to your destination port. Neither includes import duties and local taxes.
How much does shipping a used excavator cost?
Shipping cost depends on machine size, destination route, and method — container, RoRo, or flat-rack. We itemize freight separately from the machine price and quote the exact figure once we know the machine and destination.
Why do two Cat 320D excavators have different prices?
Same model, different year, genuine hours, undercarriage wear, and attachments. Our 150-point inspection reports all four on every machine, so the price difference is visible — not hidden.
Cat 320 vs Komatsu PC200 — which should I buy?
Buy Cat 320 where Caterpillar dealers are strong (Nigeria, Kenya, Philippines, UAE); buy Komatsu PC200 where Komatsu support dominates (Indonesia, Vietnam, Russia). Komatsu is ~10% more fuel-efficient; Cat holds resale better.
Komatsu PC200-8 vs Cat 320 — which holds value better in Africa?
Cat 320 retains about 55–65% of value over five years vs 52–60% for a Komatsu PC200-8. In African markets, Caterpillar's denser dealer network makes the 320 the safer resale bet.
20-ton vs 30-ton used excavator — which for my job?
Choose a 20-ton for general construction, trenching, and loading; step up to a 30-ton for mining, quarrying, and heavy earthwork. The 20-ton is the most-traded segment and has the widest parts availability.
Cat 330D vs Doosan DH300 for mining — which?
Cat 330D/336D2 costs USD 45,000–95,000 with unmatched parts support; Doosan DH300/DX340 delivers similar tonnage at USD 38,000–75,000. For remote African sites, Cat's parts availability usually wins.
Wheel vs track excavator — which should I buy?
Tracks for soft ground, digging, and steep sites; wheels for road work and moving between urban jobs. We stock both — XCMG XE150W/XE200W wheeled and Caterpillar M315F/M318F.
What inspection report do you provide before deposit?
A 150-point pre-shipment report covering engine, hydraulics, undercarriage, paint thickness, and hours verification — with photos and video — before you pay any deposit.
How do I verify an excavator's operating hours are genuine?
Cross-check the meter against service history, undercarriage wear, and paint condition. Hours rollback is common in the trade — which is exactly why our 150-point check includes hours verification.
Can you source a specific year + hour-range model from your network?
Yes — if it's not in our 300+ machine Hefei yard, we source from our verified yard network. Tell us the model, year band, and hour ceiling and we return matching units with reports.
What payment terms do you accept for first-time international buyers?
T/T USD wire (Bank of China / SWIFT), Wise, L/C through Bank of China, or CNY via Hong Kong. First-time buyers typically use T/T with a deposit against the approved inspection report.
How do I safely buy a used excavator from China?
Insist on an inspection report, hours verification, and clear FOB/CIF terms before any deposit — and buy from an exporter who shares photos and video of the actual machine.
How do I import a used excavator to Kenya?
Ship to Mombasa (28–32 days from Shanghai) with KEBS PVoC certification handled in-house. We manage the PVoC inspection and documents so the machine clears customs.
How do I import a used excavator to Nigeria?
Ship to Lagos / Tin Can Island (32–38 days) with SONCAP certification, which we arrange. SONCAP is mandatory for clearing used machinery in Nigeria.
How do I import a used excavator to Indonesia?
Ship to Tanjung Priok (14–20 days) with the SNI mark requirement handled. Indonesia restricts used machinery imports — we confirm eligibility before you commit.
How do I import a used excavator to Saudi Arabia?
Ship to Dammam or Jeddah (22–28 days) with SASO COC + SABER platform registration — both arranged by our team.
Do you handle KEBS PVoC / SONCAP / SASO / EAC documentation?
Yes — SONCAP (Nigeria), SABER/SASO (Saudi), PVoC (Kenya/Tanzania/Ghana), KEBS, GSA (Ghana), and EAC documentation are handled in-house, with Bureau Veritas / SGS / Intertek coordination on request.
How long from deposit to delivery at Mombasa / Lagos / Jebel Ali / Vladivostok?
Port-to-port after loading: Mombasa 28–32 days, Lagos 32–38, Jebel Ali 18–25, Vladivostok 7–10 (RoRo). Total from deposit to arrival is typically 28–45 days.
Can I share a 20-ft container with 1–2 mini excavators or 1 midi unit?
Yes — a 20-ft container fits 1–2 mini excavators (1–8 t) or one midi unit. Sharing a container lowers the per-unit freight when you buy two.
What duties and taxes apply when importing a used excavator?
Duties and taxes are set by your destination country, not by us — they depend on the CIF value, HS code, and local rate. We provide the invoice value, HS code, and documents you need to calculate them accurately.
Which ports do you ship used excavators from?
Shanghai (default), Ningbo, Qingdao, and Tianjin — we pick the port nearest your machine's yard to keep inland transport down.