trucks · Equipment & asset finance
Refrigerated truck finance
A reefer truck is really three assets: chassis, insulated body and fridge unit. We make sure all three are funded together and the term matches their combined life.
What is refrigerated truck finance?
Refrigerated truck finance is funding for a truck fitted with an insulated body and a refrigeration unit, secured against the vehicle. Reefer trucks carry food, pharmaceuticals and flowers across Australia, and lenders assess the fridge unit and body as a significant part of the asset value alongside the chassis.
Refrigerated transport is a compliance business as much as a freight business. Cold chain requirements from food safety schemes and major retailers mean temperature has to be maintained and often logged continuously. That drives what you buy: dual-temperature bodies for mixed chilled and frozen loads, data loggers, and fridge units with the capacity to pull temperature down quickly on a multi-drop run in an Australian summer.
When financing, make sure the quote covers the complete vehicle. A cab chassis funded on its own, followed by a body and fridge unit paid from cash flow, is a common and expensive mistake. If you are retrofitting a unit onto an existing truck you already own, a lender can sometimes fund the upgrade against the truck. Your broker will tell you which panel lenders do this and what documentation they need.
Refrigerated truck finance at a glance
| Typical price range | $80,000 – $400,000 |
|---|---|
| Finance term | Up to 84 months |
| Useful life | About 14 years |
| New or used | Used reefers are common but body and fridge condition varies widely; new builds suit operators needing dual-temperature or specific compliance for food contracts. |
| Indicative rates (Chattel mortgage) | 6.9% – 14.5% p.a. · rate history |
| Finance structures | Chattel mortgage (recommended), Truck finance, Equipment loan |
How lenders assess refrigerated truck finance
Lenders value the refrigeration unit and insulated body separately from the chassis, because both age differently. Fridge unit hours matter as much as truck kilometres, and a tired unit can significantly reduce what a lender will fund. Operators with supply contracts to supermarkets, distributors or food service businesses are assessed favourably. Fridge units retrofitted after purchase can usually be added to the same contract. Age limits typically require the truck to be under 15 years at the end of the term.
Before you buy
- Ask for fridge unit run hours and service history — a Thermo King or Carrier unit past 15,000 hours may need major work.
- Check the insulated body for delamination, water ingress and door seal condition; a body that cannot hold temperature is unusable.
- Confirm the setup meets the temperature and hygiene requirements of the contracts you want, including dual-temperature if you carry chilled and frozen together.
Commonly financed
Isuzu FRR 110-260 with Thermo King · Hino 500 Series with Carrier Supra · Fuso Canter 918 refrigerated · Iveco Daily 70C refrigerated · UD Croner MK with Thermo King T-Series
Estimate refrigerated truck repayments
- Number of repayments
- 60
- Balloon at end of term
- $48,000
- Total interest (est.)
- $67,938
- Total repaid (est.)
- $307,938
This calculator provides an estimate only and does not account for fees, charges or the specific terms a lender may offer. It is not financial advice or an offer of finance.
Key terms
What is refrigerated truck finance?
Refrigerated truck finance is a secured loan or lease used to buy a truck with an insulated body and refrigeration unit, with the complete vehicle as security. Terms usually run 48 to 84 months and the body and fridge unit are funded with the chassis.
How do lenders assess a refrigeration unit?
Lenders look at the unit’s make, model, age and run hours, and its service history. Because a replacement unit can cost tens of thousands of dollars, a well-maintained fridge with documented servicing materially improves the valuation of the whole truck.