Whatever size the job needs, there's usually one in the catalogue at the Cambridge Machinery Sale in Sutton, near Ely, with 20 to 50 lots at a time.
The range climbs from micro and mini diggers, small enough for tight access, through midi machines and up to full-size excavators built for the heavier work, in both tracked and wheeled form, with the occasional backhoe loader alongside. The familiar weight classes are all regulars: 5-tonne, 8-tonne, 13-tonne and up, and the badges are the ones you'd expect on any site: JCB, Caterpillar, Kubota, Hitachi, Komatsu, Takeuchi and Volvo. Most of it is consigned by businesses turning kit over as a matter of course: plant hire fleets and groundworks contractors refreshing their machines, dealers trading stock, and farms selling older equipment on, so what reaches the catalogue carries real hours and a genuine working history.
Buying an excavator or digger
Catalogues go online ahead of each sale with photographs and descriptions, so you can line up what you're after before the day. Registration is free, and you can bid in the room, by phone or online.
A digger is only worth buying if it's right, so it pays to see it first. The machines are out on the 40-acre site at Sutton in the run-up to the sale, where you can check the hours, the tracks and the general condition before you bid. The buyer's premium is 6% plus VAT on the first £2,500 of the hammer price and 3.5% plus VAT above that, with collection from Sutton to sort once the machine's yours.
Selling an excavator or digger
On the selling side, a single machine or a handful goes into the monthly sale, in front of buyers bidding from across the UK and overseas.
Cheffins handles the cataloguing, photography and marketing, then the sale and the paperwork after it. Pre-sale appraisals are free, and Joe Page looks after excavator and digger entries, so he can tell you what your machine's likely to make and which sale to put it in.
Why Cheffins for excavators and diggers?
Cheffins has sold machinery since 1941 and runs the sale every month, so it's a regular route to market rather than a one-off. With around 30,000 registered bidders in more than 50 countries and a strong export trade, a tidy machine tends to sell well whoever's in the market that month.
Excavator and digger FAQs
Where can I buy a used excavator at auction?
Cheffins sells used excavators and diggers at the monthly Cambridge Machinery Sale in Sutton, near Ely, with selected machines also in timed online auctions and on-site sales. You can bid in the room, by phone or online, and registration is free.
How do I sell my digger at auction?
A single machine or a small group goes into the monthly sale, in front of buyers across the UK and overseas. Pre-sale appraisals are free, and Joe Page can advise on what it's likely to make and which sale to use.
What mini diggers are available at Cheffins?
Micro and mini diggers feature in most monthly sales, with makes such as JCB, Kubota and Takeuchi in the smaller size brackets up to around 5 tonnes. Stock changes every sale, so check the current catalogue for what's in.
Can I view excavators before bidding?
Yes. Machines are out on the 40-acre site at Sutton ahead of each sale, so you can check the hours, condition and tracks in person before you bid.
How are excavator auctions priced, and what fees apply?
Registration is free, and buyers can bid online at no extra cost. At the Cambridge Machinery Sale, the buyer's premium is 6% plus VAT on the first £2,500 of the hammer price, then 3.5% plus VAT above that. On-site sales can differ, with the premium generally around 3.5% plus VAT depending on the sale. Check the payment and collection terms for the specific sale before you bid.
Related sections
Plant & Machinery · Telehandlers · Modern Tractors · Cambridge Machinery Sales · On-site Auctions · Machinery & Vintage Auctions
Ready to buy or sell an excavator or digger?
Take a look at what's in the next sale, or call the machinery team on 01353 777767 (option 1) or email [email protected] to talk through selling a single machine or a fleet of them.