What a prime mover costs in Australia

Used prime movers on 14 live Australian listings run from $55,000 for a 2016 Scania with 1.2 million km to $355,000 for a 2023 Kenworth T610. New DAF and Sitrak units start near $175,000 to $230,000, while most established brands quote on application. Kilometres, sleeper, engine and mass rating move the price more than age.

A prime mover is priced on kilometres, specification and brand, not on the year plate. That is why a 2016 Scania with 1.2 million km asks $55,000 while a 2023 Kenworth T610 asks $355,000, and why a 76,000 km day cab can cost the same as a 987,000 km sleeper. Established makes mostly do not publish new prices, so the useful evidence is what dealers ask today. This guide sets out 14 listings across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland, how new compares with a three to five year old unit, what drives the price, and how an owner operator or fleet funds the purchase.

What prime movers are listed for

Prime mover prices are not set by a list. Kenworth, Mack, Freightliner and Volvo quote to spec, so the evidence is what dealers ask. The table below is 14 listings across five states from Truck Dealers Australia, opened on 31 October 2026. If you want one brand in more depth, read our Kenworth prices guide, our Mack prices guide or our Volvo prices guide. This page compares brands, new against used, and what a buyer actually pays. Figures are sellers' asking prices, indicative market data and not Ventas offers. The last column puts every price on an ex GST basis, which we worked out ourselves by dividing inc GST prices by 1.1.

Three things stand out. First, kilometres and age pull in different directions. The 2019 Kenworth T610 at 1,252,788 km asks $175,000 ex GST, while the 2023 T610 at 696,853 km asks $322,727 ex GST, a gap of $147,727 for 556,000 fewer kilometres (our arithmetic). Second, a low-kilometre truck can still be cheap if it is a day cab: the 2021 Cascadia with 76,000 km asks $125,000 inc GST, the same money as a 2019 Scania R650 with 987,335 km. Third, listings contradict themselves. The Cascadia shows 336 hp in one field and 505 hp in the description, AYI shows a 900,000 kg GCM field against 90,000 kg in the text, and two Kenworth listings are tagged NSW while the text puts the truck in Shepparton. Confirm every detail with the dealer. The same site shows several used trucks at a placeholder price of $49, which we left out.

New against three to five years old

The new prices we can see publicly are the value brands. A new DAF CF450 asks $229,900 ex GST and a new Sitrak C7H in WA asks $175,000 inc GST ($159,091 ex GST, our arithmetic). The established makes mostly do not publish: the new Cascadia above is price on application, and the other new Freightliner listings beside it also show no price. Our Kenworth guide puts a new T909 build at $450,000 to $550,000 plus on-road costs, which is roughly double the DAF.

For an owner operator the choice is rarely new against used on price alone. A three to five year old unit in our listings costs from about $113,636 to $322,727 ex GST, so it can sit well below a new Kenworth and, at the cheap end, below a new DAF. What you give up is the factory warranty. The new Cascadia listing shows a 4 year or 800,000 km factory warranty, while the used trucks mostly show none,. A used truck with a million kilometres on the clock is a bet on the engine, and the price already reflects that.

Emissions rules matter for new stock. ADR 80/04 is the Euro VI exhaust emissions standard, and the NHVR ties its Euro VI mass concession for steer axle loads to meeting ADR 80/04 or later, so newer Euro VI trucks can carry more on the steer axle. We have not tested how the standard changes the price of a new truck, and we found no published price index for used prime movers, so we do not claim whether used values are rising or falling.

What moves the price

Specification moves the price more than the badge. These are the factors visible in the listings above.

• Kilometres. The Mack with 1,058,045 km and the 2019 Scania with 987,335 km both sit near $113,000 to $163,000 ex GST, against $322,727 for a 2023 T610 at 696,853 km.
• Sleeper or day cab. The 76,000 km Cascadia is a day cab. Sleeper sizes in the table run from 36 inch to 54 inch, and a day cab suits shorter runs.
• Horsepower and mass rating. Ratings run from 450 hp to 660 hp, and from 60 tonne GCM (DAF) to 131 tonne (Western Star and Mack road train). A road train rated unit costs more than a B-double only unit with the same engine.
• Transmission. Most newer listings are automated manuals; the 2018 Western Star is an 18-speed manual.
• Brand and parts support. Mainstream American and European brands have deep dealer networks. Newer imports such as Sitrak have less resale history, which lenders and buyers weigh.

Prices in the table are before on-road costs, which the Western Star and Kenworth AYE listings state separately. Add stamp duty or transfer fees in your state, registration, insurance and an independent mechanical inspection. Ask whether the price is inc or ex GST before comparing two trucks.

Financing a prime mover

Most prime movers are bought on a chattel mortgage, where the business owns the truck and the lender holds security over it. Terms of up to seven years with a balloon are common on linehaul work. New trucks finance off the dealer's build contract, while used trucks need a valuation and, for older units, a shorter term because lenders apply age limits at the end of the loan. The owner operator guide covers the first-truck case.

Lenders are generally comfortable with mainstream makes that resell well, such as Kenworth, Mack, Volvo, Scania and Freightliner. They are more cautious on high-kilometre trucks, imports with little resale history and applicants with no freight contract behind the truck, and they may ask for a deposit or a shorter term. Some will say no. Ventas is a finance broker, not a lender, so we do not quote rates here. They change with the lender, the security and the file.

Illustrative only, subject to lender assessment. A used prime mover at $180,000 ex GST, with allowances that are our assumptions:

And how it is typically funded:

Debt here is 80 per cent of the ex GST price. A property-backed loan can cover the deposit if you own property, at the cost of putting that property at risk. A balloon lowers repayments but leaves a bill at the end, so size it to the likely resale value. What makes a prime mover deal fundable:

• Work lined up. A contract, a regular customer or a subcontract history.
• Driving and trade experience. Time in the seat or running a fleet.
• Deposit and security. Cash, equity in a truck or property.
• A mainstream truck. Reasonable kilometres for its age, with a clean inspection.
• Clean records. Recent BAS, bank statements and a credit file with no unexplained defaults.

To get a number from Ventas, send the make, model, year and kilometres, the price and whether it is inc or ex GST, the work the truck is going into, and your deposit or security. Start at truck finance, fleet buyers can use fleet finance, and the prime mover finance answer covers the basics. Finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.

This is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Figures are indicative market data from the sources listed, not Ventas offers, and move with the market. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a professional. All finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.

This article is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Ventas Asset Lending is a finance broker, not a lender. Approvals are subject to lender assessment. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a qualified professional, including your accountant for any tax questions.