How to Find the Cheapest Used Excavator in China

Описание: So, let’s first understand the cost breakdown of a used excavator.

Here’s the breakdown:

1. Middleman Commissions: To find the right model, you usually need to go through a middleman. Simply broadcasting a general ad is pretty much useless. The chances are you’ll need a middleman to connect you with the right sellers. Middlemen typically have networks through WeChat and QQ groups, each with at least 500 members. By collaborating, they can quickly find a matching model. Building such a network costs money, and for each excavator found, you’ll usually pay a 1500 RMB info fee or introduction commission.

2. Procurement Cost: This is the net cost of the excavator itself. If you can find a seller directly, you can buy it. A used excavator should be in good working condition—engine running smoothly, no issues with the hydraulic system, and clear nameplate info. It’s best if the seller can provide the original invoice to verify the machine’s authenticity. If the details don’t match, you’ll want to discount the price. The hour meter should show real hours too.

3. Logistics Costs: Transporting the excavator to the refurbishing site will typically cost between 2000-8000 RMB.

4. Refurbishing Costs: This includes cleaning the entire machine, flushing the pipes, cleaning the engine, flushing the hydraulic system, replacing broken parts and wear items, bodywork, interior refresh, repainting, and labeling. During refurbishment, the hour meter is usually reset—usually to 500 hours, but sometimes even under 200 hours. So, if a machine looks brand new but shows 5000 hours, it’s gonna raise some red flags. Many sales companies take advantage of this by claiming the machine is brand new stock. Refurbishing is typically done in batches, not on an assembly line, so the original nameplates often get mixed up or lost, and stamped markings can be rubbed off during bodywork or covered with paint. Over time, people stop caring about this, and after refurbishment, it’s nearly impossible to find the original paperwork. We usually pick a nameplate that matches the model from a pile and slap it on. It’s kind of like those DIY car refurbishing videos you might have seen—usually a bit of a mess. Excavator refurbishing workshops are no different. People don’t care much about documentation details. Unfortunately, we can’t change this.

5. Logistics Again: After refurbishing, the excavator has to be transported to the market parking lot, which means more logistics costs.

6. Parking Costs: Parking the excavator in the market’s lot for display can cost about 2000 RMB a month. That adds up to around 3333 USD a year. This pressure to sell quickly is one reason why some companies will rush a sale, and when that happens, integrity often takes a backseat.

7. Resale Costs: Usually, each company only keeps 2-10 machines on hand, and only about 2 are displayed in the market. So, if you see 200 excavators in a market, there could be 100 companies behind them. At peak times, the market can hold up to 600 excavators. This means you can easily find almost any common model from the same company. But not all these excavators belong to the company—they have to pay the original owners for them. For example, a client of mine wanted a DH150, it's procurement Cost was 120,000 RMB. But the company quoted me 150,000 RMB, and I’d have to mark it up further to make a profit. So, the more you buy, the more extra fees you end up paying.

8. Deposits: Deposits can be a big problem. Sometimes, companies just want to grab your deposit without any intention of actually selling you the excavator. The deposit is usually 30%, and once you’ve paid it, getting it back is difficult. If you’re worried about losing it, you’ll need to keep negotiating with them. At this point, they have the upper hand, and if there are any problems, they’ll try to make you compromise. Some companies will just take the deposit and ignore you completely. That’s why a third-party escrow system, like Alibaba’s, is useful—but unfortunately, I didn’t have that option. If a company promises something that sounds too good to be true, you should go see the excavator in person before paying a deposit. It’ll still be there, and even if it’s sold, there may be another similar one waiting for you. Don’t rush into it.

9. International Shipping Fees: Every company has its logistics partners, but not all of them can handle customs clearance. They might just help you get the excavator to the port. This is when you might run into EPA clearance issues. Sometimes the machine will get held up at customs. I remember seeing a guy on YouTube whose excavator was held up. He had to take off the engine to clear it, and later, he had to buy a new EPA-compliant engine. Finding the parts in the U.S. was a huge hassle, and he wasn’t sure if his excavator would ever work again.

To save money, you’ll need to cut some steps out.

I’d be happy to help you with all of this.