Most "mini excavator for sale" listings hide the real number behind a quote form. This page does the opposite — it walks through what each size class costs, what it can dig, and where buyers most often overspend.
We're a stocking dealer in Virginia, not a drop-shipper. Machines are on the ground here, and every price below is an out-the-door machine price with no dealer prep fee bolted on at signing.
New mini excavators break into four honest price bands. Anything advertised far under the bottom band is usually a used import with no parts pipeline behind it.
Size is decided by two things: the tightest gap the machine has to fit through, and the deepest hole you need to dig. Buy for the gap first — a machine that can't reach the backyard is worth nothing, no matter how much it digs.
A standard residential gate is 36 inches. A 1-ton class machine with retractable tracks clears it. From 1.5 tons up, plan on removing a fence section or working from the driveway.
A used 2,000-hour machine at 60% of new price looks like a deal until the first hydraulic pump goes. On imports especially, parts availability — not purchase price — is what decides your total cost of ownership.
At the 1-ton end, new machines are cheap enough that used rarely makes sense. Above 2 tons the gap widens and a well-documented used machine with service records can be a smart buy — if you can source parts for it.
Almost every bad equipment purchase traces back to one of these five things being skipped.
A 1-ton gas machine around $6,500 is the realistic floor for a new excavator with a branded engine and a parts pipeline. Below that you're generally looking at used imports or machines with no warranty support.
Yes. Commercial financing is available for registered businesses through Western Equipment Finance, typically on 24–60 month terms. Call (804) 499-2129 and we'll tell you in a few minutes whether it's a fit.
A 1-ton machine plus attachments runs roughly 2,500–3,000 lbs and tows behind a half-ton truck on a suitable trailer. From 2 tons up you want a dedicated equipment trailer and a 3/4-ton or larger tow vehicle.
We ship to all 48 continental states on flat-rate freight tiers from $300 to $2,300 based on mileage — quoted up front, never TBD. Attachments ship free when they go out with a machine.