Buying Used Excavators and Telehandlers at Auction in the UK
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Used excavators and telehandlers sell through timed online, live webcast and on-site auctions across the UK. Before you bid, check hours against wear, undercarriage or tyres, hydraulics, and the boom or dipper for repairs. Budget the hammer price plus buyer's premium, VAT and transport, and set a maximum bid from the all-in cost.
Where do used excavators and telehandlers sell at auction?
Most used excavators and telehandlers in the UK now sell through online and webcast auctions, with lots catalogued in advance and a fixed bidding window, so you can research and bid from anywhere. On-site sales still happen for full site or business closures where moving the machines first would not make sense.
There are three formats you will meet, and the format changes how you plan your day around the sale.
- Timed online auctions. Each lot has a published closing time and you bid through the platform up to that point. This is the most common format for plant.
- Live webcast auctions. An auctioneer runs the sale in real time and you bid online as each lot comes up, exactly as if you were in the room.
- On-site sales. Held at the premises, usually for a site clearance or a business closure where the assets are sold where they stand.
Plant is our largest category by lot count, covering excavators and mini-diggers, telehandlers, wheel loaders, dumpers and forklifts, often bundled with ex-fleet vehicles and agricultural equipment in multi-lot sales. We catalogue every lot on-site, so the listing reflects the machine as it stands rather than a dealer's sales copy, and you can bid online from anywhere with collection arranged UK-wide from our London base. You can see current lots on our plant machinery auctions page, and our full walkthrough of the buying process is in how to buy plant and machinery at auction in the UK.
What should you check on a used excavator before bidding?
On a used excavator, check the hours against the visible wear, the undercarriage, the hydraulics for leaks and ram play, the engine on start-up, and the boom, dipper and bucket for cracks or weld repairs. Excavators are sold as seen, so the condition you confirm before bidding is the condition you own.
Undercarriage wear is one of the largest single repair costs on a tracked machine, so it deserves the closest look. Use the table below as your inspection order on the viewing day, or work through it against the catalogue photographs and condition report where a physical viewing is not practical.
- Hours and history. What to check: Hour meter against apparent wear; service records if any. Why it matters: Low hours on a heavily worn machine is a warning sign.
- Undercarriage. What to check: Sprockets, rollers, idlers, track tension and pad wear. Why it matters: Often the biggest repair bill on a tracked machine.
- Hydraulics. What to check: Leaks, ram and pin play, hose condition, auxiliary lines. Why it matters: Slow or weeping rams point to wear and cost.
- Engine. What to check: Exhaust smoke on start-up, knocking, oil and coolant levels. Why it matters: See it running and moving under its own power if you can.
- Structure. What to check: Boom, dipper, bucket and chassis for cracks and weld repairs. Why it matters: Repairs are not always a problem, but price them in.
- Identity. What to check: Make, model, serial or PIN, year and included attachments. Why it matters: Confirms the lot and matters for any later resale or export.
What should you check on a telehandler?
On a telehandler, focus on the boom wear pads and extension chains, the hydraulics and rams, the tyres, and the attachment carriage. Confirm exactly which attachments are in the lot, check the hours against the wear, and ask for any thorough examination records if the machine has been used for lifting.
Telehandlers earn their keep on farms and construction sites, so they are often worked hard. The wear points differ from an excavator.
- Boom and wear pads. Check for play and scoring on the boom sections and worn wear pads, which affect stability under load.
- Chains and hydraulics. Inspect the extension chains, the rams and the hoses for wear and leaks, and watch the boom raise, extend and crowd smoothly.
- Tyres. Large agricultural or industrial tyres are expensive to replace, so check tread, sidewalls and matching across axles.
- Carriage and attachments. Confirm the carriage type and exactly which attachments, such as forks or a bucket, are included in the lot.
- Lifting records. A telehandler is lifting equipment, so ask whether a thorough examination under LOLER has been done and when it is next due.
How many hours is too many on used plant?
There is no single cut-off. As a general guide, many excavators and telehandlers are mid-life somewhere around 5,000 to 8,000 hours and still have plenty of working life left if they were maintained. Hours matter far less than how the machine was used and looked after, so always read hours alongside the condition, not on their own.
The table below gives rough working bands to frame a viewing. Treat them as orientation only, because a well-serviced machine at higher hours can be a better buy than a neglected one at lower hours.
- Mini excavator (under 8t). Lower hours: Under 3,000. Typically mid-life: 3,000 to 6,000. Higher hours, inspect closely: Over 6,000.
- Midi and standard excavator. Lower hours: Under 5,000. Typically mid-life: 5,000 to 8,000. Higher hours, inspect closely: Over 8,000.
- Telehandler. Lower hours: Under 4,000. Typically mid-life: 4,000 to 8,000. Higher hours, inspect closely: Over 8,000.
These bands are general guidance for framing an inspection, not a valuation. Provenance helps too. A machine coming from a liquidation or an ex-hire fleet often has a clearer usage pattern than one with no history, and we state the source in the catalogue where we have it.
How does online bidding on plant work, step by step?
To bid on plant online you register with the auctioneer, clear any identity check or refundable deposit, then bid either by entering a maximum (proxy) bid or by bidding live as the lot closes. If you win, you pay in full before collection, usually by bank transfer within a set number of working days, then arrange transport within the removal window.
- Register. Create an account, confirm your details and accept the sale terms. Higher-value sales may ask for an identity check or a refundable deposit.
- Inspect. View on the open day, or study the catalogue photographs and condition report and ask us specific questions before the lot closes.
- Set your maximum bid. Enter the most you will pay and let the platform bid on your behalf up to that ceiling, so you often win below it.
- Mind the close. A bid in the last 10 minutes resets the lot's countdown to a fresh 10 minutes, so a contested lot runs on past its listed end time until the bidding stops. Be available near the close, or leave a proxy bid to hold your maximum.
- Pay and collect. Pay in full before collection, then collect within the stated window. We arrange collection UK-wide from our London base.
What does a winning bid on an excavator actually cost?
The hammer price is not the final price. A buyer's premium of roughly 15 to 20 percent is added on top, VAT applies to the premium and often to the hammer price, and you pay to transport the machine. On a machine bought for export, the VAT is handled differently. Always work out the all-in cost before you set your maximum bid.
In the example above, a £20,000 hammer price becomes roughly £24,900 delivered once a 15 percent buyer's premium, VAT on that premium, and low-loader transport are included. The figures are illustrative. The point is to bid on the all-in number, not the headline hammer price, and to set your maximum by working backwards from the total you can justify.
Two VAT distinctions change what you can reclaim. A VAT-qualifying lot is sold plus VAT, and a VAT-registered buyer can usually reclaim it in the normal way. A lot sold under the VAT margin scheme shows no reclaimable VAT, because VAT is accounted for by the seller on their margin. Check which applies per lot, especially if your costing depends on recovering the VAT.
How do you collect a heavy excavator after the sale?
You are responsible for collecting the machine within the removal window stated in the catalogue. Match the transport to the weight: a mini-digger fits a plant trailer, but a standard excavator needs a low-loader and may be an abnormal load. Confirm loading arrangements on site, and book transport as soon as you have paid, because removal windows are firm.
- Match the transport to the machine. A mini-digger can travel on a plant trailer; a 13 to 30 tonne excavator needs a low-loader, and the largest machines may need notified abnormal-load movements.
- Confirm loading. Check whether the site has loading plant, or whether the machine can track onto the trailer under its own power.
- Watch the deadline. Lots left beyond the removal window can attract storage charges, so arrange collection early.
We sell UK-wide from our London base and put the collection location and window in the catalogue for each sale, so you can price transport before you bid rather than after.
Can you buy at a UK auction to export an excavator?
Yes. We are EORI registered and set up for export to overseas trade buyers. On an export lot the VAT is taken as a refundable deposit and returned once you send valid evidence of export within the time limit in our terms. VAT on the buyer's premium is not refundable, and the treatment differs between VAT-qualifying and margin-scheme lots, so confirm the status of each lot with us before you bid.
Export demand is one reason well-specified excavators and telehandlers hold their value at auction. Machines from a UK fleet with a clear history travel well, and our online bidding means an overseas buyer can compete for a lot without attending in person. If you are exporting, tell us before the sale so we can confirm the documentation and the deposit-and-refund process for that lot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Bidding the hammer price, not the total. Premium, VAT and transport are real money. Budget all of it before you set a maximum.
- Skipping the undercarriage. On a tracked machine this is the costliest thing to get wrong. Inspect it, or read the condition report and ask.
- Ignoring collection. Confirm transport, access and loading for a heavy machine before you bid, not after you have won.
- Reading hours in isolation. A low-hours machine that looks abused is worse than a higher-hours machine that was maintained.
- Letting the close set the price. Fix your maximum in advance and let the proxy bid hold the line through any anti-sniping extension.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy an excavator at auction without viewing it in person?
Yes. Most UK plant now sells through online and webcast auctions, and we catalogue each lot on-site with photographs and a condition report. If you cannot attend the viewing day, read the condition report closely and ask us specific questions about the machine before the lot closes.
What is the most expensive thing to get wrong on a used excavator?
The undercarriage. Sprockets, rollers, idlers and tracks are one of the largest repair costs on a tracked machine, so inspect them closely and factor any wear into your maximum bid. On a telehandler the equivalent high-cost items are the boom, wear pads and tyres.
How many hours should a used excavator have?
There is no fixed limit. As a general guide many excavators and telehandlers are mid-life around 5,000 to 8,000 hours and still have plenty of life left if maintained. Hours matter less than how the machine was used and serviced, so always read hours alongside the condition report.
What does a winning bid actually cost?
More than the hammer price. A buyer's premium of roughly 15 to 20 percent is added, VAT applies to the premium and often to the hammer price, and you pay to transport the machine. Work out the all-in cost before you set your maximum bid, and check each lot's VAT status.
How do I collect a heavy machine after I win?
You arrange collection within the removal window in the catalogue. A mini-digger fits a plant trailer, but a standard excavator needs a low-loader and may be an abnormal load. Confirm loading on site and book transport as soon as you have paid. We arrange collection UK-wide from our London base.
Can I buy at a UK auction to export the machine overseas?
Yes. We are EORI registered and set up for export. On an export lot the VAT is taken as a refundable deposit and returned once you provide valid evidence of export within the time limit in our terms; VAT on the buyer's premium is not refundable. The treatment also differs between VAT-qualifying and margin-scheme lots, so check the status of each lot before you bid.
Sources and references
- Thorough examination of lifting equipment (LOLER) · HSE, 2026 https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/loler.htm
- VAT margin schemes (how VAT is charged on second-hand goods) · GOV.UK / HMRC, 2026 https://www.gov.uk/vat-margin-schemes
- Get an EORI number · GOV.UK, 2026 https://www.gov.uk/eori
- VAT on goods exported from the UK (Notice 703) · GOV.UK / HMRC, 2026 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-on-goods-exported-from-the-uk-notice-703
We run online auctions of plant, machinery, ex-fleet vehicles and business assets across the UK, catalogued on-site and open to bidders anywhere. EORI registered and export-ready for overseas trade buyers.
View live plant auctionsUniversal Auctions Group · EORI registered and export-ready · on-site cataloguing, UK-wide collection. This article is general information for trade buyers and sellers and is not financial, tax or legal advice.
