Excavators are type of heavy duty equipment used mainly during construction work. They can dig through the concrete, transfer loads of bricks and break down entire huge structures. Due to their wide applications, they are very much required in any construction project. Caterpillar Inc. ranks foremost in selling the best quality of ~300 different types of construction related equipment. Generally, Caterpillar Inc.’s excavators are preferred by any commercial user. They manufacture excavators which are easy to operate, possess good mobility, speed and have safety features. In addition, these are upgraded with latest technology and are easy to maintain.

Caterpillar provides two types as, crawler and wheel excavators. There are 54 and 17 different models of crawler and wheel excavators, respectively. These models differ from each other in their maximum speed and operating horsepower. In addition to the brand new models, Caterpillar also sells used excavators which are in good working conditions. Due to the wide variety of Caterpillar excavators, it’s a challenge for a commercial user to choose the suitable type of model.

Any heavy equipment including excavator is highly expensive, the buyer needs to be careful while selecting the right type of excavator. The following guidelines will be helpful for the buyer during the process of buying an excavator:

1. Buyer should learn about the applications of excavators. They should be set their own needs and expectations.
2. They should gain knowledge of the parts of excavator and understand their functions. Further, they should learn the application of different types of models by referring to the available options and product specifications. Also check for reliability and ease of use.
3. Buyers should keep in mind the conditions at the construction site and whether an excavator can function well in these conditions. Also they are required to consider weather conditions and excavator storage and transport.
4. To decide on the type of excavator required. The crawler excavators are most commonly used. They move on steel tracks and provide stability on the uneven spaces. The wheel excavators are less commonly used, which move on wheels instead of tracks. This gives them more mobility than crawler to move from one job to another.
5. To decide on the excavator model type and size. Mini excavators are small sized and used for work in small construction spaces and cause minimal damage to the landscape. While large excavators are huge machines used for heavy construction work.
6. Generally excavators are provided with standard buckets. However, buyers should be aware of other attachments such as specialized buckets (heavy duty, severe duty tilt, sorting buckets), augers used for drilling, thumbs to grasp objects, hydraulic hammers, rakes, mulches and rippers. Possessing multiple attachments allows excavator to perform a variety of tasks, simply by switching the attachment.
7. Buying used excavator: Since these machines last long and can operate for long hours, user can try this option of buying a used excavator. The user should ascertain the working condition of excavator and the cost of repairs.

The most important guideline during process of buying an excavator is the nature of construction project and which model can best perform that type of work.