Tautliner truck finance for general freight operators
Rigid curtainsider (tautliner) bodies — financed as one complete working truck, chassis and body together.
A tautliner-bodied rigid truck earns on flexibility — side-loaded from a dock or forklift, freight secured behind curtains rather than a fixed box. We structure the finance around the complete working vehicle, chassis and curtainsider body, so the whole rig is covered rather than the chassis alone. New or used — we can usually fund it.
Who it's for
General freight operators, distribution businesses and transport subcontractors running rigid curtainsider (tautliner) trucks.
Wrap the curtainsider body into one facility
A bare cab-chassis isn't much use for freight work on its own. The curtainsider (tautliner) body, internal load restraint and gates can usually be included in the same chattel mortgage as the truck, so the whole rig is one asset and one repayment.
A balloon keeps repayments in line with freight income
General freight work is often invoiced on 7 to 30 day terms, so income can lag behind running costs. A balloon (residual) lowers the monthly repayment so you're not carrying the full cost of the truck while waiting on payment. At the end of term you can refinance the balloon, pay it out, or move to the next truck.
Established ABN and property often means no financials
If your ABN has been active for 2+ years, you're GST registered and a director owns property, tautliner truck finance can frequently be arranged with no tax returns, BAS or bank statements. That's usually enough headroom for a rigid tautliner including the curtainsider body.
Buying secondhand? A title check protects you
Most tautliners on the road are bought used, from a dealer or privately. Dealer purchases are the most straightforward to finance. For a private sale we run a PPSR check before settlement to confirm the truck is free of any registered finance or encumbrance.
Get pre-approved before you commit to a truck
A pre-approval tells you your limit before you start looking, so you can negotiate on price rather than waiting on finance to catch up once you've found the right truck.
Own the truck, claim the GST and depreciation
On a chattel mortgage your business owns the tautliner from day one, so you can generally claim the GST input tax credit on the purchase and depreciate the truck over its working life. Confirm the detail and timing with your accountant.
Talk to a specialist
Get the right rate and the right structure for your next asset. No pressure to proceed, no credit-file hit to ask.
- Panel of commercial lenders
- Low-doc options for established ABNs
- Pre-approval before you buy
Work it out backwards.
Start with a repayment that keeps cash in your business and see what it finances — then we’ll line up the right rate to match.
A balloon lowers your monthly repayment and keeps cash in the business. ~30% is common; new vehicles can go to 40%.
Your rate depends on the asset, its age, your ABN and security. A guide, not a quote.
Estimate only, excluding fees and charges. Not a quote, offer, or credit assistance. Actual repayments depend on the lender’s assessment.
Common questions
A tautliner truck is a rigid vehicle with the curtainsider body built onto its own chassis, financed as one complete unit. A tautliner semi-trailer is a separate towed unit, usually paired with a prime mover, and is financed under trailer finance instead.
Explore more finance
Ready to move on your next asset?
Get pre-approved and negotiate as a cash-equivalent buyer — we'll handle the rate, the structure and the paperwork.