Humans want to build bigger and better stuff, and we want ourselves to be constantly improving. Constructions and repairs happen everywhere on a daily basis. These happen so often that using heavy-duty equipment to help us have better and faster work has become a staple tool for us.
One of this heavy-duty equipment is the bulldozer. But for such a handy tool, one can’t help but wonder just how much is the cost of buying a bulldozer? Let’s find out.
Bulldozer Average Cost
Not only are bulldozers heavy-duty equipment, they’re also a heavy investment. Regardless of the make and model of the bulldozer, expect to shell out thousands of dollars.
Bulldozer prices depend on a lot of things like the size of the equipment to be bought, its weight, its horsepower rating, if it’s new or used (and how many hours it’s been used), and age and model of the bulldozer.
Breaking it all down, bulldozers are generally divided into three in terms of sizes: small, medium, and large.
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Small bulldozers are the ones you’d need if you’re going to work on residential constructions. The price range for small bulldozers goes for as low as $27,500 and as high as a whopping $222,000.
Medium bulldozers add more versatility to the performance that a small bulldozer gives with the range from $31,900 to as high as $308,000.
Last but not the least, large bulldozers are designed for the most intense and most demanding work. In exchange for their impressive sizes, durability, and horsepower, expect to spend from $102,000 to a jaw-dropping $1.1 million.
Used Caterpillar bulldozers are listed below with prices:
- Small bulldozers (examples include the D3, D4, and D5) are between $32,000 and $204,500.
- Medium bulldozers (like the D6 and D7) go from $54,500 to $230,000.
- Large bulldozers (the D8, D9, D10, and D11) go from $217,000 to $485,000.
In comparison, used John Deere bulldozers’ quotes are listed below:
- Small bulldozers (such as the 450K, 550K, and 650K) range from $27,500 to $57,000.
- Medium bulldozers (such as the 700K and 750K) can be bought for as low as $31,900 and as high as $210,000.
- Large bulldozers (like the 850K, 950K, and 1050K) go from $102,000 to $595,000.
You can opt to buy new equipment instead. The following are the prices for new John Deere bulldozers:
- Small bulldozers can be bought for as low as $147,000 and as high as $222,000.
- Medium bulldozers range from $180,000 to $308,000.
- Large bulldozers go from $155,000 to somewhere around $1.1 million.
Inclusions
For the money you shell out, you get an equipment that would be a big asset to whichever purpose you see fit. The quality of the bulldozer you’ll get will ultimately depend on the amount of money you’re willing to spend and the kind of dozer you require. Depending on the negotiation you would have with the seller, you could have additional perks such as an insurance package.
Other Costs to Consider
You also have to consider how you can transport or ship your heavy equipment. There are lots of services dedicated to moving your bulldozer.
The cost for transporting bulldozers largely depends on the distance needed to cover and the weight of the shipment. However, some transport services allow you to set your own price for moving your equipment, such as UShip. Expect to shell out at least a thousand dollars for the transportation cost alone.
Since bulldozers exert a huge amount of power, they consume just as much fuel to keep them running. These machines are equipped with huge fuel tanks and need a lot of fuel. Generally, the larger the bulldozer, the more fuel it needs, adding up to the costs involved in running them.
Specifications for dozers, such as this guide by Alexandrovitch, also list how many liters of fuel a bulldozer typically consumes every hour. With the current fuel price, expect to spend from $3.12 to about $101.33 for fuel per hour.
Also, think about how you can avail insurance for your bulldozer. Since buying a bulldozer is a huge investment, it’s recommended that you protect your hard-earned money too. There are insurance companies that can take care of your bulldozer’s insurance, like Avante Insurance Agency. The cost for insuring your equipment depends on the consultation you’d have with the agent of the company
Buying Tips
After deciding whether you want a new or used model, you can then begin searching for the bulldozer that can suit your needs. There are lots of websites that allow you to avail of and buy bulldozers, whether they’re new or used. Just be careful of who you’re dealing with and ensure that your money is going to something that you really wanted to have.
A good place to look for used Caterpillar bulldozers can be found in the Caterpillar’s Used Equipment page.
Factors That Matters
There are some things that make a specific make and model more expensive or more affordable.
- Size — smaller bulldozers require less material to build, and the same goes for the price. Less materials needed equates to a less expensive equipment. Think about what situations you’d likely need a bulldozer and choose a size that matches your needs.
- Weight — this also follows from the reasoning of the previous bullet. Less materials means that the equipment is lighter. Again, think carefully about where you’d need a bulldozer and choose a perfect match.
- Horsepower — a bulldozer that can give off more power needs more parts to work. Generally speaking, the greater the horsepower that a bulldozer can provide, the larger its size and the heavier its weight.
- Condition — are you fine with a used bulldozer or do you prefer to get something new? Used bulldozers are cheaper than new ones, and the more hours they’d been used before, the cheaper they get. If you really don’t mind using either a new or used model, save the extra cash and opt for a used one.
- Hours used — for used bulldozers, this refers to how many hours the bulldozer was utilized before it was put up to be sold. The more hours that the bulldozer was used, the cheaper the bulldozer becomes.
- Age — along with the bulldozer’s condition, bulldozers manufactured a couple or several years back tend to be much cheaper than models made a year or two ago. However, in exchange, you’d be sacrificing newer technology that might be present in newer models if you decide on buying older ones. Think carefully about what you need your bulldozer to do and find something that suits your needs.
Regardless of the purpose you have in mind for getting a bulldozer, it’s always important and helpful to think of it as a huge leap.