Lease vs. Buy Guide

Choosing between leasing and purchasing Cat equipment depends on your business situation, cash flow needs, tax strategy, and how you plan to use the equipment. Both options have distinct advantages.

**Buying** gives you full ownership, equity in the asset, and no restrictions on hours or usage. It's typically best for equipment you'll run for many years, core machines central to your operation, and situations where you want to build asset value on your balance sheet.

**Leasing** preserves cash and credit lines, offers lower monthly payments, provides potential tax advantages (operating lease treatment), and gives you flexibility to upgrade at lease end. It's ideal for project-specific equipment, technology that evolves quickly, seasonal needs, and businesses that want to keep fleet age low.

Cat Financial offers both traditional purchase financing and Fair Market Value (FMV) leases. Many Wyoming contractors use a blended strategy — owning their core fleet while leasing specialty or project-specific machines. Your Wyoming Machinery sales representative can model both options for any equipment configuration.