CAT 320, Komatsu PC200, or Hitachi ZX200: Picking a Used Mid-Size Excavator That Matches the Job

The 20–23 ton class is where a lot of international demand sits. It is big enough for serious digging and truck loading, small enough to move between urban sites, and liquid enough in the used market that you can usually find stock. Three nameplates show up in inquiries every week: Caterpillar 320, Komatsu PC200/PC210, and Hitachi ZX200.
None of them is universally "best." The right choice depends on your parts channel, operator habits, and whether the machine will live in soft soil, rock, or a rental yard where uptime is the product.

CAT still wins on brand recognition with many government and corporate buyers. Resale tends to be steadier in markets where CAT dealers are active. On used units, pay attention to the hydraulic pump hours story and any history of undercarriage replacement. A clean CAT with honest hours and tight pins can cost more than a Japanese alternative in similar condition — you are partly paying for the badge and the parts network.
Operators who grew up on CAT controls often prefer to stay there. If your crew already knows the pattern, training cost is real money, even if nobody puts it on the quotation.

Komatsu mid-size excavators are common on road projects and general contracting spreads. Fuel efficiency and hydraulic feel are frequent reasons buyers come back for a second unit. In the used market, check the engine for blow-by, listen to the pump under dig load, and inspect boom foot bushings — high-hour civil machines wear those points hard.
Parts availability is generally good in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, though local stock depth varies by country. If you already run Komatsu wheel loaders or dozers, keeping the excavator in the same family simplifies filters and dealer relationships.

Hitachi ZX200 machines are widely traded out of Japan and other Asian markets. Many buyers like the balance of digging power and purchase price on the secondary market. As with any popular model, condition varies wildly. Look closely at center joint leaks, swing bearing play, and whether the monitor shows active fault codes.
If your market has strong Hitachi technician coverage, this platform is easy to live with. If your nearest parts shelf is thin, factor longer lead times into the ownership cost — a cheaper purchase price can disappear in downtime.

(1)Rental fleet: prioritize models your local operators already know; residual value matters.
(2)Quarry loading / rock: undercarriage and bucket/GET condition outweigh cosmetic cab quality.
(3)Urban utility / road work: tighter swing, reliable hydraulics, and lower fuel burn often beat raw breakout force.
(4)Remote site with weak dealer support: choose the brand whose filters and common wear parts you can actually source in-country.
When buyers ask us to "just send the best one," we ask three questions back: What material are you digging? Who repairs it locally? How long do you plan to keep it before resale? Answer those, and the choice between CAT 320, PC200, and ZX200 usually becomes obvious.
We keep rotating stock across these platforms and can share inspection photos, hour details, and shipping options for current units. If you tell us the jobsite country and main application, we will shortlist machines that fit the work — not just the budget line.