What Is the Total Landed Cost of a Used Excavator from China?

Used excavator import cost

What Is the Total Landed Cost of a Used Excavator from China?

Add machine, inspection, origin, freight, destination, tax, delivery and repair exposure before comparing offers.

Direct answer: total landed cost = machine + inspection + China inland and loading + freight and insurance + destination charges + duty and tax + delivery, reassembly and repair reserve.

Used CAT 308E2 excavator for import landed-cost comparison
A compact machine can follow a very different cost route from a 20, 36 or 74 tonne excavator.

USD cost worksheet

Add your real quoted amounts

The calculator runs locally in the browser and sends no data. Enter amounts confirmed by the seller, forwarder, broker and customs adviser.

Total landed cost$0
Non-machine cost$0
Non-machine share0%

Planning tool, not a freight quote or tax calculation. Confirm customs value, duty and tax with the destination broker.

Route by operating-weight class

Cost changes when the shipping method changes

Use packed dimensions and weight from the exact machine. Container, carrier, terminal and road limits control the booking.

7-8 tonnesDry-container candidate after measurement; compare dismantling and delivery.
12-16 tonnesCompare dismantled container with flat rack and reassembly cost.
20-24 tonnesPayload may work while dimensions require dismantling or out-of-gauge planning.
30 tonnes and aboveFlat rack, RoRo or breakbulk with cranes and heavy inland transport.

Six cost traps

The omitted line usually appears later

1
Brochure-based freightThe terminal measures the actual cargo and may surcharge or reject it.
2
CIF treated as all-inclusiveDestination, customs, tax, storage and delivery can remain outside.
3
Dismantling without inventoryMissing parts, hoses, pins and reassembly instructions create cost and delay.
4
Cheap port, expensive deliveryCompare terminal, crane, permits, road route and final-mile delivery.
5
No mechanical reservePump, undercarriage or engine work can exceed the initial saving.
6
Late document correctionInvoice, packing-list or bill errors create delay and extra charges.

Examples to quote by size class

Eight machines with different shipping needs

The listed price is not the landed cost. Request packed size, weight, loading plan and freight for the exact unit.

FAQ

Used excavator landed-cost questions

What is included in used excavator landed cost?

Include machine price, inspection, China inland haulage, cleaning, dismantling, cranes, export handling, freight, insurance, destination charges, duty, tax, broker, storage exposure, reassembly, local delivery and initial repairs. The exact customs basis varies by country.

Is CIF the same as total landed cost?

No. CIF normally covers the contracted cost, insurance and freight to the named port under the agreed rule, but destination handling, customs, duty, tax, broker, delivery and repairs usually remain outside the quoted CIF line.

Why can a cheaper excavator have a higher landed cost?

A low machine price can be offset by weak undercarriage, pump or engine condition, extensive dismantling, out-of-gauge freight, port storage, difficult reassembly or unavailable local parts. Compare risk-adjusted total cost, not one invoice line.

Should duty and tax be estimated by the seller?

Use the seller for machine and shipment data, but have the destination customs broker confirm classification, customs value, eligibility, duty and tax in writing. National rules and valuation practices differ.

How much repair reserve should I add?

Set the reserve from inspection findings and local parts and labor, not a universal percentage. Separate immediate defects, near-term wear and optional cosmetic work, then test whether the purchase still beats the next machine.

What information is needed for a reliable shipping quote?

Provide exact machine identity, measured transport dimensions and weight, removed components, every package size and weight, load and destination ports, mobility status, lifting plan, Incoterm and sailing window. Reconfirm after final dismantling.

Send the model, job and destination port.We can prepare machine options, packed dimensions, loading plan and FOB/CIF quote for the worksheet.