Direct answer: Before buying a used CAT 320D2 excavator, verify the identity and configuration of the exact machine, inspect dated condition evidence, and compare a written equipment-and-shipping quote for your destination. A model badge or attractive photo is not proof of hours, service history or mechanical condition.
Executive summary
Use the same machine identifier across the serial/PIN photo, inspection report, video, quotation, contract and loading records. Check the engine, hydraulics, swing and travel functions, structure and undercarriage; document any untested item. Then compare the total cost to your named port, including what the seller’s FOB, CFR or CIF price does—and does not—cover.
The supplied photograph shows an excavator visibly marked “CAT 320D2.” It is useful as a model-identification and visual reference, but it does not establish the photographed machine’s year, hours, ownership, condition, inspection status, price or availability. The buying steps below are designed to help importers evaluate a specific used Caterpillar 320D2 listing using evidence rather than assumptions.
1. Identify the exact CAT 320D2 unit
Ask for clear, current images of the machine serial number or PIN, model plate, engine plate and dashboard. Record the identifier before discussing a deposit. Confirm that the same unit appears in every walk-around, inspection document, quotation and contract. If the seller offers several used CAT 320D2 excavators, do not let photos or specifications from one machine stand in for another.
Also confirm the configuration being quoted: bucket and attachments, boom and arm arrangement, track shoe condition, cab equipment and any disclosed modifications. Ask which details are confirmed by a plate or measurement and which are seller-provided descriptions.
2. Verify hours and service evidence
A dashboard reading is one data point, not a complete service history. Request a readable meter photo and a live video showing the display in the cab. Where records are available, compare the reading with service documents, prior inspection material and relevant machine data. Ask for the date and source of each record, and have unexplained gaps or inconsistencies noted in writing.
Request the maintenance documents that actually exist for the selected unit. Do not assume that a complete dealer history, fluid analysis, electronic log or rollback test is available unless the seller supplies it. For every claim that matters to your decision, ask what evidence supports it and whether an independent inspector can verify it.
3. Inspect mechanical condition with a repeatable checklist
Ask the seller or inspector to document a cold start, idle and operating-temperature behaviour, warning indicators, visible leaks, unusual exhaust or noise, and engine response. The hydraulic check should show the available boom, arm and bucket movements under safe test conditions; the video should identify slow, uneven or noisy operation instead of editing it out.
Check swing and travel in both directions, straight-line tracking where practical, brake response, control functions and visible damage. Review the boom, arm, bucket, pins and joints for wear or repair evidence. Inspect the undercarriage—track shoes, links, rollers, idlers, sprockets, track frames and adjusters—and request measurements or close-ups where possible. A checklist is not a guarantee: test scope, site conditions and items that could not be operated should be recorded.
4. Ask for a video that proves it is the same machine
For remote buyers searching “used CAT 320D2 excavator for sale,” a short promotional montage is not enough. Request one continuous or clearly sequenced walk-around that begins with the serial/PIN area, shows the dashboard and meter, then covers the engine start, controls, hydraulic movements, swing, travel and areas of concern. Ask the seller to include the date and to explain any function that could not be demonstrated.
If the purchase value or distance makes independent verification worthwhile, agree on the inspection scope before the inspector visits. Ask for the inspector’s report, original images and limitations. The buyer should know what was observed, what was tested and what remains unverified.
5. Compare CAT 320D2 price and landed cost fairly
The price of a used Caterpillar 320D2 varies with the exact unit, condition, attachments, documentation, export preparation, destination and freight market. Compare like with like: machine price, included attachments, inspection scope, repairs or exclusions, loading, export documentation, freight, insurance and quote validity. Ask the seller to identify the currency and the payment milestones in writing.
FOB, CFR and CIF are not interchangeable totals, and these Incoterms® 2020 rules are intended for sea or inland-waterway transport. For a shipment handed to a carrier at a container terminal or using multiple modes, ask your freight forwarder whether a rule such as FCA, CPT or CIP is more suitable. Under CIF, the seller arranges and pays carriage and specified insurance to the named destination port, while risk transfers when the goods are on board the vessel; the rule’s default insurance cover is limited. Import clearance, duties, taxes and inland delivery are generally not included. State the named ports, exact scope, exclusions, insurance level and applicable Incoterms version in the contract.
6. Plan export documents and destination checks
Before payment, make sure the model and serial/PIN description is consistent across the pro forma invoice or contract, commercial invoice, packing list and shipping instructions. Confirm the expected loading method and ask for loading photos tied to the same machine. Import rules, taxes, age restrictions, emissions requirements and customs documents vary by country and can change; verify current requirements with a licensed local customs broker or the relevant authority.
For buyers comparing routes to Nigeria, Kenya, the UAE or Saudi Arabia, start with the named port and request a destination-specific quotation rather than relying on a general shipping estimate. You can review HMP’s practical market information for Nigeria, Kenya, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, then confirm current country-specific requirements independently.
Buyer checklist: used CAT 320D2 excavator
- Serial/PIN, model and engine identity are readable and match the quoted unit.
- Meter evidence and available service records are dated and attributed to a source.
- Current photos and video show the exact machine, not a similar unit.
- Engine, hydraulics, swing, travel, structure and undercarriage are covered in writing.
- Untested items, known faults, repairs and inspection limits are disclosed.
- Attachments, price, currency, payment milestones and quote validity are explicit.
- FOB, CFR or CIF quotation names the port and separates included from excluded costs.
- Contract, invoice, packing and loading records repeat the same unit identity.
Frequently asked buyer questions
What is a fair price for a used CAT 320D2?
There is no universal fair price without the exact machine and commercial scope. Compare documented condition, configuration, attachments, inspection evidence and delivered-cost components. Request a written quote for a named unit and destination port.
Is a used CAT 320D2 suitable for my project?
Suitability depends on the work, ground conditions, required reach and digging depth, attachments, transport limits, operator support and local parts access. Confirm the exact machine configuration against your project requirements before ordering.
Can I buy a used Caterpillar 320D2 from China without visiting?
Remote purchase is possible, but it should be evidence-led. Use unit-identifying photos, a live or continuous inspection video, written condition notes, an agreed third-party inspection scope where appropriate, and a contract that identifies the exact machine.
Next step
Use the current used CAT 320D2 product record as a starting point for model-specific enquiries, then confirm its live availability and every unit fact directly before purchase. Browse the used excavator inventory or contact HMP with your destination port to request a unit-specific evidence pack and written quote. This article’s supplied image is illustrative and should not be treated as evidence for the linked listing.
