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Dropside Truck Finance

Spread the cost of dropside trucks from £28,000 to £85,000+ with flexible finance options. HP, lease, or refinance – compare rates from 40+ lenders.

Can you finance a dropside truck?

Yes, dropside trucks are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £28,000 to £85,000, and most deals are written over 12–72 months with a deposit of around 10–20%. Decisions typically take 24–48 hours. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£28k – £85k

Approval Speed

24–48 hours

Same-day for < £75k

Rates From

4.6% APR

What would a dropside truck cost per month?

£52,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical dropside truck price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
From 5.0% APR
Term
12–72 months
Deposit
10–20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
Groundworkers and merchants wanting to own the truck outright

Finance Lease

Rate
From 4.6% APR
Term
12–72 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return, refinance the balloon, or buy at the end
Best for
Tax-efficient, particularly with a crane fitted to the dropside body

Contract Hire

Rate
From 5.4% APR
Term
24–60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return at the end
Best for
Fleets that want the truck replaced on a fixed cycle with maintenance bundled in

Representative example

On a purchase price of £52,000: a 10% deposit of £5,200, then 48 monthly payments of £1,097 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £57,856, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
Ford Transit Chassis Cab Dropside £28,000 – £38,000 3.5t Dropside
DAF LF Dropside £40,000 – £58,000 7.5t Dropside
Iveco Eurocargo Dropside £42,000 – £62,000 Medium Dropside
Mercedes-Benz Atego Dropside with Crane £55,000 – £85,000 18t Dropside/Crane

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Tax benefits

Dropside trucks, and any crane fitted to the body, qualify as plant and machinery for the Annual Investment Allowance, so the full cost is normally deductible from taxable profits in year one, up to £1,000,000. VAT on hire purchase is generally payable upfront; on finance lease or contract hire it's charged on the rentals and recovered as you pay, which can matter more here given how much a crane adds to the invoice value compared with a plain dropside body.

Market context

Dropside trucks are bought by builders, groundworkers, fencing and landscaping contractors, and plant hire firms who need to load and unload bulky materials like scaffolding, kerbstones, or timber from the side and rear rather than through a curtain or box body. Many are specified from 3.5 tonnes up to 18 tonnes, with a crane fitted for firms handling heavier or awkward loads without extra labour. New versus used purchasing often comes down to how heavily the previous owner used the crane and drop sides, since these are the parts most likely to show wear before the chassis does.

Bad credit?

Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I finance a used dropside truck?
Yes. Most lenders will finance a used dropside truck up to around 10 years old at the start of the agreement, and some will go older case by case. Rates on used equipment typically run 0.5–1% higher than new because residual values are less certain. An independent inspection or valuation is common for older or higher-value vehicles before the lender confirms terms.
What deposit do I need for dropside truck finance?
For hire purchase, most lenders ask for 10–20% deposit. Finance lease and contract hire agreements often need no deposit at all, since the lender keeps an interest in the dropside truck throughout the term. Putting down a larger deposit reduces your monthly payments and can unlock a better rate, but it isn't compulsory on most deals; it's a trade-off between cash flow today and the total cost of the agreement.
How quickly can I get dropside truck finance approved?
Straightforward applications for a dropside truck under £75k are commonly approved within 24–48 hours, and same-day decisions are possible once paperwork (bank statements, accounts, proof of ID) is in. Larger or more complex deals, multiple units, or first-time applicants without a strong trading history usually take longer, sometimes 5–7 working days, while the lender reviews the business case and, for higher-value assets, arranges an inspection.
Do I need to have been trading for a minimum period?
Most mainstream lenders look for 2+ years of trading history before offering standard rates and terms on dropside truck finance. Newer businesses aren't automatically excluded, but they may be asked for a personal guarantee from a director, additional security, a higher deposit, or a shorter term to offset the extra risk. Start-ups sometimes do better going through a broker who can match them to a lender that specialises in newer businesses.
Do dropside sides and a tail lift or crane count towards the finance value?
Yes, provided they're fitted before the vehicle is invoiced to you, drop sides, a tail lift, or a rear-mounted crane are normally included in the total finance amount along with the base chassis. This is the more common route, since it means one agreement and one set of payments covering the whole working vehicle rather than separate arrangements for the chassis and the bodywork, which can be harder to keep track of and to insure correctly.

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