Overdrive Funding helps Australian earthmoving businesses access competitive machinery and vehicle finance. Whether you're buying your first excavator or adding a dozer and float to an established fleet, we compare the market, negotiate the deal and manage everything from start to finish.
Earthmoving is capital heavy and utilisation driven. A machine sitting idle on a low-rate loan still costs less than a machine working hard on a bad one — but a well-structured deal on a well-bought machine is what actually builds the business. Wet weather, dry spells between civil contracts and slow-paying head contractors all make repayment structure as important as the headline rate.
What earthmoving businesses finance
- Excavators from mini through to 30-tonne and above
- Bulldozers, graders, scrapers and compactors
- Wheel loaders, skid steers, backhoes and posi-tracks
- Tipper trucks, water trucks, float trailers and dog trailers
- Utes and site vehicles for supervisors and operators
- Buckets, hammers, grabs, tilt hitches and attachments
- Refinancing owned plant to release equity for expansion
New or used, from dealers, private sellers or auctions anywhere in Australia. Our machinery finance options page covers the full asset range, and excavator finance goes deeper on the most commonly financed machine in the industry.
Buying used, and why it matters to lenders
Earthmoving is one of the industries where buying used makes strong commercial sense. A well-maintained machine with 6,000 hours can do the same work as a new one at a fraction of the price, and depreciation has already been absorbed by the first owner.
Lenders view used plant through the lens of resale. Recognised brands with strong secondary markets — Caterpillar, Komatsu, Hitachi, Volvo, Kobelco — are easier to finance than obscure machines, because the lender can realise its security if things go wrong. Machine age, hours and service history all move the dial on both rate and deposit. If you're weighing two machines, the one with better resale will usually finance more cheaply, which can close the price gap between them.
Rates, deposits and low doc approvals
Low doc (no financials) machinery finance is available up to $500k for the right profiles, assessed on your ABN, GST registration and the asset rather than full financial statements. Deposits generally range from 10–30%, with $0 deposit available on stronger applications.
Established ABN (2+ years), new machine, full doc
Established ABN, used machine, low doc
Newer ABN (under 12 months)
Prior credit issues, specialist lender
| Borrower profile | Typical rate | Typical deposit |
|---|---|---|
| Established ABN (2+ years), new machine, full doc | From 6.1% | $0 – 10% |
| Established ABN, used machine, low doc | 7% – 10% | 10% – 20% |
| Newer ABN (under 12 months) | 9% – 12% | 10% – 30% |
| Prior credit issues, specialist lender | 12% – 15% | 20% – 30% |
Rates are indicative only and subject to lender assessment, asset age, term and your individual circumstances.
Managing cash flow between contracts
Earthmoving income arrives in lumps and stops for weather. Structuring a balloon of 20–40% keeps repayments manageable through the quiet stretches, and pairing plant finance with invoice finance against progress claims or a cash flow loan covers wages and fuel while you wait on payment. Insurance premium funding spreads plant and liability premiums across the year instead of one annual hit.
Why earthmoving operators use a broker
Lender appetite for used plant varies enormously and changes constantly. One lender will fund a 12-year-old excavator at a sharp rate; another caps asset age at eight years and won't look at it. Some price aggressively on Cat and Komatsu but load the rate on lesser-known brands. Working that out yourself, deal by deal, is a full-time job.
We hold the panel and place your application where it will be approved at the sharpest available rate. Our service is completely free. We're paid by the lender only after a deal settles, so there's no cost to you—even if you choose not to proceed.
Get a quote
Looking for the best rate on machinery and vehicle finance for your earthmoving business? You're in the right place. Speak directly with Simon and our team, or get a free quote online.