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Price guides

Grader Price Guides

2 machines covered. 1 model currently carries a clearly labelled estimate derived from a sourced new price. Verified market ranges replace estimates only after clearing our sample-size gate.

Graders trade in a smaller, more professional market than most equipment — buyers are civil contractors and shires who know exactly what circle wear costs. Machine-control fitout increasingly separates the market's top end from the rest. Every range below comes from verified current listings, with the sample size printed beside it.

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Cat 12M No estimate yet used pricing being rebuilt Cat 140M ≈ $171,000 modelled 8-year modelled reference · not sold data

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Grader buyer’s guide

What size grader do you need?

Blade width and operating weight set the class. Councils and maintenance contractors run mid-size machines for road formation and grading; bulk civil and mining reach for larger graders. Increasingly the deciding spec is not size at all but whether the machine is ready for machine control — buyers pay up for one that is.

Machine control

A grader wired for GPS or 3D machine control — or sold with the kit — commands a clear premium, because civil buyers who would otherwise pay to retrofit get it built in. Check exactly what is fitted and whether the mounts, wiring and licences transfer, as retrofitting later is expensive.

Buying used vs hiring

Graders trade in a smaller, professional market, and for short jobs they are usually wet-hired with an operator on contract rather than dry day-rate. If your work is steady, owning pays; if it is occasional, contracting the machine and operator often wins. The buy-vs-hire calculator helps you weigh it.

Grader FAQ

What is a grader used for?
A motor grader levels and shapes surfaces to a fine tolerance — road formation and maintenance, batters, drainage falls and building pads. Its long wheelbase and adjustable moldboard let it hold grade far more precisely than a dozer or loader can.
What should I check on a used grader?
Circle and moldboard condition first — a grader that still holds grade earns its price — then transmission and tandem-drive hours, and whether it is machine-control ready. Council and fleet auction disposals set the floor of the market; high-hour driveline wear is quoted straight off the top.
Do I need a licence to operate a grader?
There is no specific High Risk Work Licence to operate a grader, but a workplace almost always requires verification of competency and a construction white card, and driving it on a public road needs the appropriate driver’s licence and registration. Check your state WHS regulator and the site rules before you operate.
Can you drive a grader on the road?
Graders routinely travel between jobs, but that road use still runs under state registration rules — most states register construction plant conditionally, with limits on routes and use and requirements like beacons. Duty treatment varies more than buyers expect: several states exempt conditionally registered plant or charge a nominal amount, while others treat graders less generously than smaller machines. Check your state transport authority and revenue office.
What is GPS or machine control worth on a grader?
A clear premium. Civil buyers who would otherwise pay to retrofit the kit will pay up for a machine already wired for it, which is why machine-control readiness increasingly separates the top of the market from the rest.
How much does it cost to hire a grader?
Graders are usually wet-hired with an operator on contract rather than dry day-rate. Use the buy-vs-hire calculator to weigh owning against contracting the machine, and see HeavyBook’s hire section for any published rates with their sample sizes.
Can I finance a used grader?
Yes — used equipment finance is widely available through brokers and lenders. HeavyBook’s equipment finance calculator gives an indicative monthly repayment across 1–7 years; it is indicative only and not financial advice. HeavyBook may receive a fee if you proceed with a broker we refer you to, and we never recommend a specific credit product.

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