Excavator · 5 tonne · indicative used estimate
Cat 305 CR Excavator Price Guide
A broad indicative used-price band for the Cat 305 CR, modelled from a sourced new price and HeavyBook’s disclosed excavator depreciation curve. It is not verified sold data; age, hours and condition decide where a real machine lands.
We don't have a verified used price range for the Cat 305 CR right now.
The transparent estimate below is a modelled reference from a sourced new price. It is deliberately separate from verified market ranges and never counts as market evidence.
Know what one of these sold for? Send us the price — it's how the guide gets rebuilt.
Modelled guide · not sold data
Used — indicative estimate
This is a broad modelled estimate, not a verified market range. It starts with the sourced indicative new price of $98,000 and applies HeavyBook’s declared depreciation curve for excavators at the reference ages shown above. A real machine can sit outside it because of hours, condition, attachments and location. See the method →
The five-tonne class is one of the busiest segments of the Australian mini-excavator market, and the current-generation 305 CR is Cat's entry in it — a compact-radius machine whose tail stays close to the tracks for work on tight urban and residential sites. Plumbers, landscapers and small civil contractors buy it, and hire fleets stock it heavily. Australian machines typically carry a hydraulic quick coupler and a bucket set, in canopy or sealed cab. The long-stick and counterweight options change dig depth, weight and lift capacity meaningfully, so confirm the exact configuration of a used unit. Cat's launch pitch here was stronger breakout and deeper standard dig than the outgoing model it replaced — the practical difference buyers notice on the tools.
What a Cat 305 CR is used for
The Cat 305 CR is a five-tonne compact-radius midi excavator — the size that covers most residential and light civil digging while still floating on a standard plant trailer.
- Residential footings and site cuts
- Drainage and service trenching
- Landscaping and retaining-wall excavation
- Tight-site work against fences and walls
Modelled guide · not sold data
Indicative depreciation path
A broad working-machine path from the sourced indicative new price. It uses HeavyBook’s disclosed excavator curve, not observed Cat 305 CR resale results.
Swipe the chart to compare every reference age →
This curve compounds a category assumption and rounds to the nearest thousand. Hours, condition, configuration and location can move a real machine outside it. See and challenge the method →
What Moves the Price
Hitch + bucket set
A hydraulic hitch with a proper bucket set is the single biggest add. Machines sold bare consistently land at the low end of the range.
Low hours for age
Well under average annual hours reads as a weekend machine. Buyers pay a visible premium over the same year at contractor hours.
Auction vs dealer
Auction is the floor of the market. Dealer and private sales recover most of the gap — at the cost of time and effort.
Tracks & condition
Worn rubber tracks and tired pins get quoted straight off the asking price — buyers price the fix before they price the machine.
Need it for one job, not the yard?
Dry-hire day rates for a Mini Excavator 5t are published city by city — every rate with its source count.
Estimate Finance for a Cat 305 CR
Start with the current guide price, then adjust the amount, payment frequency, term and the annual rate you have been quoted.
Estimate repayments →HeavyBook may receive a fee if you proceed with a broker we refer you to.
Bought or sold a Cat 305 CR?
Tell us what it went for — sixty seconds, anonymous. Every submission is reviewed as potential evidence for a future verified range.
Add this machine’s price →Watch 305 CR prices
Leave an email. When a verified range changes, HeavyBook reviews the update and sends one note — no schedule, and unsubscribe any time.
Pre-purchase inspection checklist
The checks that separate a good buy from a money pit — pins and bushes, tracks, service history red flags. Requests are reviewed and emailed manually.