Quick answer: compare the full yearly cost of owning with what you would actually spend on hire for the days you use the machine. Owning costs money on the days the machine sits idle (finance, storage, insurance, inspections, servicing and transport), so the answer depends on how many days a year you really use it, and on whether one machine suits all your jobs. There is no single usage percentage that settles it; put your own numbers in the comparison below.
Compare the total cost
| Cost line | Owning, per year | Hiring, per year |
|---|---|---|
| Machine | Purchase price spread over the years you keep it, less resale value, plus finance cost | Hire rate x the days or weeks you use it (long-term rates apply on qualifying hires) |
| Idle days | Paid for whether used or not | Not paid once off-hired |
| Transport | Your trailer or truck, its registration and the driver’s time | Delivery and collection quoted per job, or pickup on an approved package |
| Inspections and servicing | Periodic and major inspections, servicing, batteries, tyres, repairs | Carried by us as the owner; you do pre-start checks and report faults |
| Storage and insurance | Secure storage and cover for the machine | Hire conditions and any insurance requirement in the agreement |
| Fit to the job | One machine, whatever the job needs | The machine each job needs: electric, narrow, tracked or boom |
Hire tends to win when
- Use is occasional or seasonal, so idle days would dominate the cost of owning.
- Jobs vary: a 19ft electric one month, a tracked machine the next.
- You do not want to run inspections, servicing records, storage and transport.
Buying tends to win when
- The same machine works most weeks of the year, and the comparison above shows owning is cheaper over the time you will keep it.
- You have storage, a way to move it and a plan for servicing and inspections.
The middle path
A long-term hire gives you a dedicated machine for a project without buying it; published long-term rates apply on hires of three months or more on the machines that show them. If you are leaning towards buying, hiring the exact model first is a practical test. Every product page has an Enquire to buy button.
FAQs
Can I buy an ex-hire machine from Equip Hire? We take buy enquiries on fleet machines. Enquire on any product page.
What should I check before buying used? See what to check before buying a used scissor lift.
How do I compare hire costs? See scissor lift hire costs for what a hire quote includes.
Need a machine for this job? Get a hire quote with the job, the suburb and how long you need it, or call 0472 721 234.