Buying guide

How Much Does a Mini Excavator Cost in Australia?

The sticker price is only part of what a mini excavator costs you. What comes with it, what freight adds, and what it costs to keep running all change the real number. Here is how it works across the Jay-Hawk range, with prices you can check against anyone else's.

Prices across the range

All prices include GST. Freight is extra and depends on your address (more on that below).

As a rough guide, the bigger the machine, the more it costs, and the engine brand moves the price too: the JHM14 and JHM14K are the same chassis, and the $4,050 difference is the genuine Kubota engine.

What should be included in the price

Two machines at the same price are not the same deal if one comes bare. Before you compare, check what is in the box. Every Jay-Hawk machine ships with:

• A quick hitch
• Buckets
• A ripper
• An auger
• A 2-year manufacturer's warranty, with hoses, bearings and seals replaced free during that time

If another seller's price does not include attachments, add what a ripper, auger and extra buckets would cost you separately before you compare. See what's in the attachment bundle for the detail.

How freight is worked out

Machines are delivered from the nearest major port. If your site is within about 100 km by road of that port, delivery is free. Beyond that, you pay per 100 km (or part of it): $250 for machines under 2 tonnes and $350 for machines 2 tonnes and over. Tasmania and very remote sites are quoted individually.

The quickest way to see your number is the freight checker: enter your postcode and pick a machine. You can also pick up from our Arana Hills yard in Brisbane for free.

Deposits and lead times

Machines in stock are secured with a 10% deposit. Made-to-order machines take a 30% deposit and usually take around 8 to 10 weeks; we tell you the expected wait before you pay. The balance is due before delivery or pickup. Full details are in our terms.

Costs people forget

• Transport: if you want to move the machine yourself later, check your trailer and tow vehicle are rated for its weight.
• Servicing: service at the intervals in the operator's manual and keep the receipts. It keeps the warranty valid and the machine running.
• Wear parts: bucket teeth, filters and eventually rubber tracks. We sell tracks and teeth too.
• Fuel: all the machines in the range are diesel.

So what will I actually pay?

Take the machine price, add freight to your postcode (or nothing if you pick up or live near a port), and that is it: the attachment bundle and warranty are already in the price. If you want a firm number in writing, send us your address and the model you are looking at.