Used machines dominate the search results because the headline price is lower. Whether they're the better buy depends almost entirely on hours, engine brand, and whether parts still exist for it.
Under 500 hours is barely broken in. 500–1,500 is normal midlife with plenty left. Past 2,000 hours you should assume pumps, cylinders and final drives are approaching a rebuild — and on a small machine those repairs can approach half the purchase price.
A used machine is only worth what you can keep running. Before you buy, look up one seal kit and one hydraulic pump for that exact model and see whether a domestic supplier stocks them. If the only source is an overseas listing with a six-week lead time, walk.
Used machines sell as-is. A new machine here carries a 2-year limited parts warranty and lifetime technical support, and at the 1-ton end the price gap against a decent used unit is often only a couple thousand dollars.
Above 2 tons, where new pricing climbs steeply, a documented used machine from a known brand with service records and available parts is a genuinely smart purchase. Below 1.5 tons, new usually wins on total cost.
Past about 2,000 hours, budget for major hydraulic and final-drive work. It's not automatically a dealbreaker, but it has to be priced into the offer.
We stock new machines only — at these price points a new machine with a warranty is almost always the better value. Call (804) 499-2129 and we'll tell you honestly if a used unit you're looking at is a good deal.
Cold-start it yourself, check for cylinder seepage and hose weeping, measure track and sprocket wear, sweep the boom through full range under load, and pull the hour meter photo against the service records.