Midi excavator finance
The 5 to 10 tonne class is where a groundworks firm stops hiring in and starts owning, and where funders start asking what the machine is working on.
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Yes. Midi excavators in the 5 to 10 tonne bracket are one of the easiest plant categories to fund, treated as hard security by every mainstream funder. New, ex-demo and used machines are all acceptable, and reduced tail swing models hold value particularly well because urban sites demand them. The detail that trips buyers is specification rather than price: a machine without a compliant quick hitch, or one fitted with a hitch that a main contractor will not allow on site, can be worth noticeably less on resale. Funders know this, so check the hitch and the blade configuration before the invoice is raised.
Who finances this
Established groundworks and civils subcontractors running two or three machines who need a digger that can dig a genuine foundation and load a six tonne dumper without struggling. The trigger is typically a step up in contract size, moving from extensions and driveways to housing plots, attenuation tanks or a utilities framework, where the mini simply runs out of reach and bucket capacity. Agricultural contractors and muck-away firms buy in this class too.
How lenders see it
This is core business for plant funders and competition for the deal is genuine, which works in the customer’s favour. Resale depth is excellent across Kubota, Takeuchi, JCB, CAT, Hitachi and Komatsu, and export demand supports values even when the domestic market softens. Funders will generally go to nil deposit for a trading limited company, and will stretch the repayment profile further on a new machine than a used one. What gets a midi declined is rarely the asset: it is arrears on existing agreements, a director with a discharged bankruptcy that has not been disclosed, or a business trying to fund a machine that is plainly too big for the work it does. Hire fleets are assessed on the whole book rather than the single unit.
Buying used
Yes. Used midis are funded as a matter of course, and machines around eight to ten years old with a full service record remain perfectly fundable.
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Stage payments and retention
Flowzo funds the gap created by stage payments, long terms and retention, the cash flow problem the plant itself does not solve.
Buying plant at auction? We can give you an indicative decision before you bid, and we list every UK machinery auctioneer and livestock mart.
Machines we have funded
| Kubota KX080-4 | 8 tonne midi excavator |
|---|---|
| Kubota U55-4 | 5.5 tonne reduced tail swing machine |
| Takeuchi TB290 | 9 tonne midi tracked excavator |
| Takeuchi TB260 | 6 tonne midi excavator |
| JCB 86C-1 | 8.6 tonne compact tracked excavator |
| JCB 65R-1 | 6 tonne reduced tail swing machine |
| CAT 308 | 8 tonne short radius excavator |
| Hitachi ZX85USB-6 | 8.5 tonne short swing excavator |
| Komatsu PC80MR-5 | 8 tonne tight tail swing excavator |
| Volvo ECR58F | 6 tonne short swing excavator |
What a midi excavator actually costs to buy
Prices for a midi excavator advertised by UK suppliers run from £25,995 to £33,995 (checked 28 October 2026).
Brand swamps age and hours: a 2019 CAT 308 Next Gen with 4,597-5,532 hours sold for £32,950-£33,500 on Mascus, while a newer 2022 Sany SY80U with only 2,387 hours (same 8-tonne class) sold for just £30,995 on Iron and Earth, the 3-year-younger, lower-hours machine was still £2,000-2,500 cheaper purely because of make. Separately, a 2016 Takeuchi TB290 on 9,146 hours (£27,495 + VAT) outpriced a 2023 Hitachi ZX48U-6 on only 2,260 hours (£26,995 + VAT), because the Takeuchi is the larger 9-tonne machine, tonnage class beats both age and hours.
| Machine | Asking price | Seen at |
|---|---|---|
| Kubota KX060-5 midi excavator, 2021, 5,657 hours, hammer-piped, hydraulic Q-hitch + 3 buckets | £25,995 +VAT | ironandearth.co.uk |
| Hitachi ZX48U-6 CLR midi excavator, 2023, 2,260 hours, Yanmar engine, hammer-piped, hydraulic Q-hitch + 2 buckets | £26,995 +VAT | ironandearth.co.uk |
| Takeuchi TB290 midi excavator (9-tonne class), 2016, 9,146 hours, Yanmar engine, hammer and rotate piped, hydraulic Q-hitch + 3 buckets | £27,495 +VAT | ironandearth.co.uk |
| Sany SY80U midi excavator (8-tonne class), 2022, 2,387 hours, Yanmar engine, hammer and rotate piped, hydraulic Q-hitch + 1 bucket | £30,995 +VAT | ironandearth.co.uk |
| CAT 308 Next Gen, midi excavators 7t-12t category, 2019, 5,532 hours, sold by Flannery (U.K.) Ltd | £32,950 VAT not stated | mascus.co.uk |
| CAT 308 NextGen, midi excavators 7t-12t category, 2019, 4,597 hours, sold by Flannery (U.K.) Ltd | £33,500 VAT not stated | mascus.co.uk |
| Takeuchi TB250-2 midi excavator, 2023, 3,383 hours, Yanmar engine, hammer-piped, hydraulic Q-hitch + 1 bucket | £33,995 +VAT | ironandearth.co.uk |
Prices checked 28 October 2026 on ironandearth.co.uk, mascus.co.uk. These are asking prices observed on dealer and marketplace listings, shown as examples. They are not a quote or an offer of finance, and they move with the market. Check the current advert before budgeting.
How finance works on a midi excavator
The prices above are what a seller is asking. What a funder will actually do with the purchase is a separate question, and it is the one that decides whether the deal happens.
| Question | Typical answer |
|---|---|
| Term available | 12 to 72 months. Most agreements sit between 24 and 60 months; anything shorter or longer needs a funder check before you rely on it. |
| Age of the asset | There is no single cut-off. It depends on the asset class, and condition, hours and resale value are underwritten rather than the year alone. Tell us the age and we will say before you commit. |
| Buying from a private seller | Often possible, but case by case. It needs a funder who will write it, an inspection and proof of ownership, so say whether the seller is a dealer or a private seller when you enquire. |
| Deposit | Frequently nil where the credit profile is standard. Where it is not, typically 10–20%, nearer 20% if a default is recent. |
| VAT on the purchase | Both approaches exist, depending on the funder. The agreement is commonly written on the ex-VAT price with the VAT paid upfront and reclaimed, though some funders will include the VAT in the agreement. |
General guidance from our own funder panel as at 31 October 2026, not a quote and not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status and to the funder's own criteria.
How much deposit do I need on a midi excavator?
Nil deposit is achievable for a limited company with reasonable accounts and no adverse credit, particularly on a new machine from a main dealer. Where trading history is short, or the machine is older, a contribution helps the case considerably. We will tell you honestly which of those two situations you are in before applying.
Can I part exchange my old digger into the deal?
Yes, and it is very common. The part exchange allowance is treated as your contribution, which can turn a marginal application into a straightforward one. The dealer needs to show the allowance clearly on the invoice, and if the outgoing machine is still on finance we will settle that agreement as part of the transaction.
Will a quick hitch affect the finance?
Not the approval, but it can affect the valuation. Funders take a view on residual value and a machine with a non-compliant or unpopular hitch is harder to sell on. It matters more on used machines. If you are specifying new, choose the hitch your main contractors will actually accept.
Can I finance a midi excavator with GPS machine control?
Yes. Factory-fitted or dealer-fitted machine control can normally be included on the same agreement provided it is itemised. Retro-fit systems bought separately from a third party are harder, because the funder is being asked to take security over something bolted onto an asset it already owns.
Do I have to insure the machine separately?
Yes. Every funder requires the machine to be insured for its full value with their interest noted, typically under a plant all risks policy. Your broker or insurer can add the funder as an interested party. Cover needs to be in place before the machine is released, so arrange it alongside the finance rather than after.
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