Beavertails move plant without a low loader licence burden, which makes them the practical choice for hire firms shifting diggers between sites.
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Yes. A beavertail truck funds as a commercial vehicle with the sloping bed, ramps and winch forming part of the asset. Used beavertails fund well because plant hire firms and machinery dealers buy them steadily. The practical issue is payload against the machines being carried: operators regularly buy a beavertail that is legal empty but overweight with the excavator they actually move, and a funder who knows the sector will ask what plant is going on the back. Work out the heaviest machine first, then specify the chassis around it.
Used kit: Yes — used beavertails fund well to around ten years, with ramp, bed and winch condition checked more closely than engine mileage.
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Business asset finance is quoted on a flat rate, so that is what this shows — with the equivalent APR underneath, because the two are not the same number. A quick guide only; your actual rate depends on the asset, term, deposit and lender.
Representative example: on Hire Purchase, borrowing £25,000 over 48 months at a 6.0% flat rate (equivalent to 11.5% APR representative), you would repay around £646 a month; total amount repayable approximately £31,000, of which £6,000 is the cost of finance. This calculator is for illustration only — it is not a quote or an offer of finance, and the rate and repayments you are offered will depend on the asset, term, deposit and your circumstances. CW Asset Finance is a credit broker, not a lender, and may receive a commission from the lender that funds your agreement. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval. CW Asset Finance is an Appointed Representative of Rural Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 630701).
Beavertails resell readily into plant hire and construction, so funders treat the asset as reasonably liquid — better than a car transporter, not as broad as a flatbed. The winch and ramp arrangement is checked, since a damaged winch or bent ramps materially affect usability. Plant hire operators generally read well because they own tangible assets and often already hold finance agreements the funder can see performing. Groundworks contractors get the usual construction-sector scrutiny around contract security. Funders will ask what is being carried and whether the vehicle is correctly plated for it, because an overweight configuration is an enforcement risk. Declines tend to be new-start plant firms with no fleet, no contracts and no licence rather than problems with the truck itself.
Examples of the machines we are asked to fund. This is not an exhaustive list — if what you are buying is not here, it does not mean we cannot fund it. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.
| Machine | What it is |
|---|---|
| DAF CF 290 beavertail | Plant carrier for diggers and dumpers |
| MAN TGM 18.290 beavertail | Eighteen tonne plant body with ramps |
| Iveco Eurocargo 180E beavertail | Value plant carrier for hire fleets |
| Volvo FM 380 beavertail | Heavy beavertail for larger machines |
| Mercedes-Benz Atego 1524 beavertail | Mid-weight plant body for site moves |
| Scania P280 beavertail | Durable plant carrier for daily hire work |
| Isuzu Grafter 7.5t beavertail | Small plant carrier for mini diggers |
| Ford Transit beavertail | Light plant body for tools and machines |
| Ray Smith beavertail body | British plant body with winch and ramps |
| Iveco Daily 7.2t beavertail | Compact plant carrier on a light chassis |
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Plant hire companies, groundworks contractors moving their own machines, machinery dealers delivering to customers, and agricultural contractors shifting equipment between farms. The trigger is usually the cost of hiring in transport every time a machine moves, or a hire fleet reaching the size where self-delivery is quicker and cheaper than booking a haulier. Tree surgeons and fencing contractors buy smaller beavertails to move chippers, stump grinders and mini diggers between jobs.
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Bought on hire purchase, business plant and machinery normally qualifies for capital allowances on the full cost even though you pay for it monthly, which is a large part of why hire purchase is the common structure. On a finance lease you generally set the rentals against profit instead. The rules change between budgets and your position depends on how you trade, so treat this as the direction of travel and get your accountant to confirm the detail before you commit.
More than most people assume once you add the body, ramps, winch and fuel. A machine near the top of a chassis rating will usually put you overweight. Work from the heaviest machine you actually move, add the body weight, and specify the chassis from that figure. Funders do query mismatched specs.
Beavertails are cheaper to buy and run and need no separate trailer, which suits machines up to mid-size. Low loaders carry far more and handle tracked machines and wide loads, but bring artic operation and often abnormal load requirements. Most hire firms start with a beavertail and add a low loader when machine sizes outgrow it.
Yes — a winch is standard on these vehicles and funded as part of the body. Funders will look at its condition and service record on a used purchase, because recovering a non-running machine is the main reason the winch exists. A seized or damaged winch reduces the valuation noticeably.
Over 3.5 tonnes used for business purposes, generally yes. Plant hire firms sometimes assume moving their own machines is exempt, and that assumption catches people out at roadside checks. Funders ask about licensing because an unlicensed vehicle cannot legally do the job. Confirm your position with your transport manager before ordering.
Often yes. Funders who write plant hire regularly will look at machines and transport on the same facility or on linked agreements, which keeps administration simpler as the fleet grows. It also gives the funder a clearer picture of the business. Tell us what else is on order and we will structure it as one conversation.
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Not an offer of finance. All finance is subject to status, affordability and lender approval.
Tell us what you’re looking to fund and Conor will come back to you personally — usually the same day.
Prefer to talk? Call 07581 364281 · serving Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wakefield, Selby, Tadcaster & across North & West Yorkshire.