Mini excavator vs skid steer, job by job, with rental rates
Skid steer or mini excavator? Two public schedules disagree on which costs more per hour, so the page prices both from one Maine supplier’s bid.
Author: Aarti Singh
Aarti Singh is a content editor at KCS Global Group, editing articles for Cab And Cargo, The Backlog Brief and The Throttle Times. She holds a BBA and an MBA. Aarti checks drafts for factual accuracy against primary sources and for clarity, so readers can act on the information without guesswork. Articles she edits begin as AI-assisted drafts and are verified and revised by her before publication.
Excavator cold start in winter, from plug-in to first bucket
Cold excavator starts in winter: DEF freezes at 12°F yet won’t stop the engine starting, and No. 2 diesel clouds near 14°F, so blend fuel early.
Excavator hydraulic oil change interval by brand and oil
Excavator hydraulic oil intervals hinge on the filter too: Komatsu’s 5,000 hours drops to 2,000 with a non-genuine one. Six makers’ rules compared.
Excavator Financing Rates, Down Payments and Loan Terms
Excavator financing math: each Kubota rebate breaks even below a 4.4% loan rate, while one posted bank sheet starts equipment loans at 7.25% APR.
Used excavator inspection that finds worn parts before you bid
A used excavator’s IronClad report leaves hydraulics, leaks and load faults outside dispute coverage, so get the undercarriage measured before bid day.
Rent vs Buy an Excavator Comes Down to the Hours You Pay For
Renting versus buying an excavator: a Deere 35 P-Tier lists at $68,240, and owning one costs 14.4% to 17.6% of price a year on stated inputs.
Used 20-ton (metric) excavator prices at auction, sale by sale
20-ton excavator auction prices by sale: a 2012 Case CX210C at 7,555 hours brought $59,400, and a salvage 2024 Deere 210 P-Tier brought $68,200.
Common Excavator DPF Regen Problems on Tier 4 Machines
Excavator DPF regens burn soot, never ash. The Komatsu PC290LC-11 pairs its KDPF with SCR; a Cat 320 asks nothing of the operator at all.
Cat 320 excavator problems by generation, 320D to 320 GC
A Cat 320 from the 320F L on can derate on a DEF fault; EPA’s 2025 guidance allows 36 hours at full power first, if Caterpillar releases an update.
Excavator Hydraulics Slow When Hot? Test Before Buying a Pump
Hydraulics slowing on a hot excavator? Cat’s 320 manual treats hot hydraulic oil as a Category 3 warning: stop the engine, check level and cooler.
