Guides
Buying guides, spec references and straight answers on trucks, trailers, plant and parts in Australia. Written for the people who run them.
Where to Sell Heavy Machinery in Australia: Platforms, Fees and Reach Compared
An honest comparison of where to sell trucks and machinery in Australia: specialist portals, Gumtree and Facebook, auction houses, dealers and listing here.
6 min read
What Does a Used Tipper Truck Cost in Australia? Prices by Size, Age and Body Type
Used tipper truck prices in Australia across 8t, 12t and heavy rigid classes, plus what the body, hoist and tare weight do to the asking price.
6 min read
What Does a Used Semi Trailer Cost in Australia? Prices by Type, Age and Build
Used semi trailer prices in Australia for tautliners, flat tops, drop decks, tippers and tankers, plus what condition and compliance gear do to value.
5 min read
What Does a Used Prime Mover Cost in Australia? Real Price Ranges by Age, Brand and Configuration
Used prime mover prices in Australia, from sub-$50k older units to late-model Kenworths, and what actually moves a truck within its price band.
6 min read
What Does a Used Forklift Cost in Australia? Electric, LPG and Diesel Compared
Used forklift prices in Australia by capacity and fuel type, plus battery condition, mast options and the running costs that outlast the purchase price.
7 min read
What Does a Used Excavator Cost in Australia? Real Prices by Size and Hours
Used excavator prices in Australia from mini to 20 tonne, and the five things that move a machine tens of thousands within the same size class.
6 min read
What Does a Used Bus Cost in Australia? Minibus to Coach Prices
Used bus prices in Australia across minibuses, route buses, school buses and coaches, plus the compliance items that decide what one is worth.
6 min read
Truck Wreckers and Dismantlers in Australia: How to Use Them Properly
How Australian truck wreckers work, what they can and cannot supply, how to describe the part you need, and when a wrecker beats a new part.
6 min read
Truck Tyre Sizes and Costs in Australia: Reading the Sidewall and the Bill
Australian truck tyre sizes explained, what a set costs by position, and how tyre condition should change what you pay for a used truck or trailer.
7 min read
What Does It Cost to Run a Truck Per Kilometre in Australia?
Build an honest cents per kilometre figure for an Australian truck: fuel, tyres, servicing, rego, insurance, finance and depreciation, with a worked model.
6 min read
What Does It Cost to Register a Truck in Australia?
How heavy vehicle registration charges are set in Australia, why the bill varies by configuration and state, what CTP adds, and how to budget it into a purchase.
5 min read
Truck Licence Classes in Australia: LR, MR, HR, HC and MC Explained
What each Australian truck licence class covers, from LR to MC, the typical prerequisites in each state, and how to work backwards from the truck you want.
5 min read
Truck Insurance and CTP in Australia: What You Actually Need
CTP, third party property, comprehensive, goods in transit and liability cover for Australian truck owners, what drives the premium, and the gaps that hurt.
5 min read
Truck Gearbox and Diff Interchange: What Actually Bolts Up
A reference guide to heavy vehicle gearbox and diff interchange in Australia: bellhousing patterns, spline counts, ratios and what stops a swap.
7 min read
What Does a Truck Engine Rebuild Cost in Australia? In-Frame vs Out-of-Frame
Australian truck engine rebuild costs explained: in-frame versus out-of-frame, what the labour and parts split looks like, and when to walk away instead.
7 min read
Truck Diff Ratios Explained: Picking the Right Final Drive for the Work
How heavy vehicle diff ratios work, what happens when the ratio does not suit the work, and how to read a ratio before you buy a used truck.
7 min read
Air Bag or Spring Suspension? What Trailer Suspension Choice Really Costs You
Airbag versus mechanical spring trailer suspension in Australia, compared on ride, tare, maintenance, resale and Higher Mass Limits eligibility.
5 min read
Tautliner, Flat Top or Drop Deck? Choosing the Right Trailer for the Work
A vendor-neutral guide to Australian trailer types, what each carries best, what each weighs, and how the choice affects payload and loading time.
6 min read
Skid Steer, Posi Track or Mini Loader? Picking the Right Compact Machine
Wheeled skid steer versus tracked loader versus mini loader in Australia, compared on ground pressure, wear cost, attachments and resale.
7 min read
8 Tonne, 12 Tonne or 26 Tonne? Picking the Right Rigid Truck Size in Australia
A plain guide to rigid truck GVM classes in Australia, what each can legally carry, what licence each needs and which job each actually suits.
7 min read
Retread or New? Truck Tyre Economics for Australian Operators
When retread truck tyres make commercial sense in Australia, where they should never be fitted, and how to compare cost per kilometre honestly.
6 min read
Buying a Truck or Machine Sight Unseen: The Regional and Interstate Playbook
How to buy heavy equipment remotely in Australia: verifying the seller, arranging inspection, organising transport and structuring payment safely.
6 min read
Pre-Purchase Inspections for Trucks and Machinery: Worth It, and What to Ask For
When a professional pre-purchase inspection on a truck or machine is worth paying for, what a good report covers, oil sampling, and using the report to negotiate.
6 min read
PPSR Checks for Trucks and Machinery: What They Cover and What They Miss
How to run a PPSR check on a truck or excavator, what encumbered, stolen and written off mean, why machinery searches differ, and what PPSR cannot tell you.
6 min read
NHVR General Mass Limits Explained in Plain English
General Mass Limits for Australian heavy vehicles in plain English: axle groups, how limits combine, the 1 August 2026 increases, and where to check the numbers.
7 min read
Load Restraint Basics: What Australian Law Actually Requires
The performance standards behind Australian load restraint, how tie-down and direct restraint differ, why curtains are not restraint, and who is liable under CoR.
6 min read
Isuzu vs Hino vs Fuso: Choosing a Used Japanese Rigid Truck in Australia
How Isuzu, Hino and Fuso rigid trucks compare on parts, service, resale and known weak points, and which suits which job in Australia.
7 min read
How to Write a Truck or Machinery Listing That Actually Sells
What serious heavy vehicle buyers look for in a listing, the specifications you must include, and the photos and wording that cut time wasters.
6 min read
How to Sell a Truck in Australia: Pricing, Paperwork and Getting Paid
A step by step guide to selling a truck privately in Australia: pricing, preparation, safe payment, transfer of registration and PPSR discharge.
7 min read
How Many Kilometres Is Too Many on a Used Truck?
Kilometres alone will not tell you if a used truck is worn out. Here is what the odometer, hour meter and service history together actually mean.
7 min read
Heavy Vehicle Registration State by State: What Changes When You Cross a Border
How heavy vehicle registration, inspection and CTP differ across Australian states, and what happens when you buy or move a truck interstate.
6 min read
Heavy Vehicle Dimension Limits in Australia: Height, Width, Length and Overhang
Australian heavy vehicle dimension limits explained: 4.3 m height, 2.5 m width, length by combination including the new 20 m rule, and when you need a permit.
6 min read
Heavy Machinery and Truck Scams in Australia: The Patterns to Know
The scam patterns hitting Australian truck and machinery buyers: deposit fraud, fake escrow, stolen plant, doctored hour meters and undisclosed finance.
6 min read
Excavator Undercarriage: How to Measure Wear and What Replacement Really Costs
Undercarriage is the biggest hidden cost in a used excavator. How to measure wear percentage, what drives it, and what a rebuild costs in Australia.
8 min read
What Size Excavator Do You Actually Need? 1.7t to 30t Compared
Choosing excavator size in Australia: dig depth, reach, transport requirements, site access and the licence and float costs each class brings.
7 min read
Will That Bucket Fit? Excavator Hitch and Attachment Compatibility Explained
A practical guide to excavator quick hitch types, pin sizes and attachment compatibility in Australia, and how to check fitment before you buy.
8 min read
Roadranger vs Automated Manual: Which Truck Transmission Should You Buy?
Eaton Roadranger versus AMT and automatic truck transmissions in Australia, compared on driver availability, repair cost, resale and licence conditions.
7 min read
DPF Cleaning vs Replacement: What It Costs and Why Deleting Is Not an Option
Diesel particulate filter cleaning, repair and replacement costs for Australian trucks, and why removing one from a registered vehicle is unlawful.
7 min read
Cummins X15 vs Detroit DD15 vs Volvo D13: Which Engine to Buy in Australia
How the three most common heavy truck engines in Australia compare on service life, parts, rebuild cost and what each is worth in a used truck.
8 min read
CML vs HML: How Australian Operators Legally Carry More
CML was absorbed into General Mass Limits on 1 August 2026. What that means, what HML still offers, the accreditation and suspension rules, and the arithmetic.
5 min read
Buying Used Truck and Machinery Parts Without Getting Burnt
How to verify a used heavy vehicle part before you pay, from part numbers and casting marks to freight, returns and safe payment in Australia.
6 min read
Buying Heavy Machinery in Western Australia: Ex-Mine Gear and What It Really Costs
Why the WA machinery market prices differently, what ex-mine equipment is worth, and the freight and compliance factors east coast buyers underestimate.
6 min read
Buying a Used Tipper Trailer in Australia: What to Check and What to Pay
Used tipper trailer buying guide for Australia: body condition, hoist, tare weight, suspension and the compliance items that decide what it is worth.
6 min read
Buying a Used Prime Mover: The Inspection Checklist That Saves You $30,000
A practical pre-purchase inspection checklist for used prime movers in Australia, covering chassis, driveline, emissions gear, fifth wheel and the paperwork.
9 min read
Buying a Used Excavator: The Inspection Checklist Before You Transfer Money
A field checklist for buying a used excavator in Australia, covering hours, undercarriage, hydraulics, pins and bushes, serial plates and PPSR.
7 min read
Buying a Used Crane Truck in Australia: HIAB Ratings, Inspection and What They Cost
What to check before buying a used crane truck or HIAB in Australia, how lift ratings work, and the certification paperwork that must come with it.
6 min read
Buying a Truck in Queensland: Market, Inspection and Registration
What to know when buying a truck in Queensland, from the local market and safety certificate rules to transferring registration and buying interstate.
5 min read
Buying a Bus to Convert: What to Look For and What the Rules Require
Choosing a bus for a motorhome conversion in Australia: which base vehicles work, what to inspect, and the registration and certification you will need.
7 min read
The Best Used Vans for Tradies in Australia: Payload, Running Costs and What to Avoid
Comparing used HiAce, Transit, Sprinter, Vito and Trafic for Australian trades on payload, load space, running cost and known problem areas.
7 min read
ADR Compliance for Used and Imported Trucks in Australia
What the Australian Design Rules require of a heavy vehicle, how imported trucks get approved, and what to check on the compliance evidence before buying.
6 min read
AdBlue and SCR Faults on Australian Trucks: Symptoms, Costs and the Law
Why SCR and AdBlue systems fail on Australian trucks, how derate works, what repairs involve, and why AdBlue deletes and emulators are unlawful on road trucks.
7 min read
What Can You Drive on a Car Licence in Australia? The 4.5 Tonne GVM Line Explained
The 4.5 tonne GVM boundary decides whether you need a truck licence in Australia. Here is how it works, what counts, and where people get caught.
6 min read
Kenworth vs Volvo vs Scania: Which Prime Mover Actually Suits Australian Work?
American conventional or European cab-over? A neutral comparison of Kenworth, Volvo and Scania prime movers on resale, parts, comfort and Australian conditions.
6 min read