Questions we are asked
What buyers ask when they are trying to judge a machine by its meter.
Reading the meter
What counts as high hours on a used excavator?+
Above ten thousand hours on a twenty ton machine is genuinely high and the price should show it. Between five and ten thousand is normal working stock. Under a thousand is unusual and worth paying a premium for.
Is 5000 hours a lot for an excavator?+
Not really. A well kept twenty ton machine at five thousand hours is in its middle life and has years of work left. It is the service history rather than the reading that should decide you.
How many hours will an excavator last?+
A properly maintained machine will run to fifteen thousand hours and beyond, with the undercarriage and pumps replaced along the way. The machine rarely dies, it just becomes uneconomic to keep repairing.
Should I buy a low hour machine or a cheaper high hour one?+
If the machine has to work every day and you cannot afford downtime, buy the low hour machine. If you have your own workshop and the work is intermittent, a higher hour machine at the right price makes good sense.
Do hours matter more than the year of manufacture?+
Usually yes. A 2018 machine with two thousand hours has done less work than a 2023 machine with six thousand, and it is the work that wears a machine out rather than the calendar.
What the meter does not show
Can an hour meter be tampered with?+
It can, which is why you should never rely on the reading alone. Compare it against the wear on the pedals, the seat, the pins and the undercarriage, because those are much harder to fake.
How do I know the hours on a machine are genuine?+
Ask the seller to photograph the meter with today's date written beside it, and ask for close pictures of the wear points. We do both as a matter of course and would be wary of anyone who will not.
Does the type of work affect how worn a machine is?+
Considerably. Breaker and demolition work is far harder on a machine than loading or trenching, so ask what the machine actually did rather than only how long it did it for.
What wears out first on a used excavator?+
The undercarriage, and it is also the most expensive routine item to replace. Tracks, rollers, idlers and sprockets should be checked before anything else on a tracked machine.
Hours on other machines
Are hours different on a roller than an excavator?+
Yes, and much less severe. A roller works at low engine load, so an hour count that would concern you on an excavator is still early life on a roller.
How many hours is high for a wheel loader?+
Loaders often work longer shifts than excavators, so the numbers run higher. Look at the transmission, the pins and the bucket edge before you judge a loader by its meter.
Do trucks use hours or kilometres?+
Kilometres, and the same logic applies. Steady road haulage is far gentler than short site runs on rough ground, so ask about the work rather than only the reading.
What is the lowest hour machine you have?+
The SDLG 956L loader in Mohammedia at 167 hours. Among the excavators the Caterpillar 323D shows 387 hours and the 320D shows 480.
