$50,000 and $250,000 can both put a motor grader in your yard, but they do not put the same machine there. One is a 2008 Caterpillar 140M with 11,224 hours, listed at $49,900 in Pennsylvania. The other is a 2022 John Deere 772G with 3,947 hours, listed at $259,500 in El Paso. Same category, different generation, different risk, different job.
This report maps what each budget buys from dealer listings and completed auction sales reviewed in early October 2026. Listing figures are asking prices unless stated; auction figures are Purple Wave contract prices from earlier in 2026, labelled as sales.
The Used Motor Grader Market Is Not One Price Curve
Machinery Trader’s CAT 140M page showed 70 listings when reviewed, from $49,900 to $276,919, with an average ask of $114,777. That average describes almost no real machine. The John Deere 772G is wider, with 160 listings from $59,664 to $607,690. No single used motor grader for sale represents the market.
Geography adds another layer. The regional differences in the U.S. motor grader market can move a near-identical machine across a budget line, as the location section shows.
How the 2026/27 Price Bands Were Built
The bands rest on three kinds of evidence:
- Dealer listings on Machinery Trader and Construction Equipment Guide, mostly updated between August and early October 2026.
- Completed Purple Wave sales from February and March 2026, which did not publish hours.
- A few dealer-site listings with visible dates.
Canadian listings were excluded because their U.S. prices are conversions. The sample is a few dozen machines, so the findings describe the listings reviewed, not a national average.
The Four Budget Bands
| Price Band | Typical Model-Year Profile | Representative Models | Typical Hour/Condition Pattern | Common Configuration | Buyer Position |
| Under $50K | 1989 to 2008 | JD 672B, CAT 120H, Volvo G720B, one 2008 CAT 140M | Hours often above 10,000 or unknown | Enclosed cab on the 140M; no AWD found | Secondary work, farm roads, export |
| $50K to $100K | 2007 to 2013, a few 2016 to 2017 | CAT 140M and 140H, JD 772G and 672G, Komatsu GD655-6 | About 7,500 to 17,800 hours | Cab, A/C, rear ripper; some 6WD | Small contractors, municipalities |
| $100K to $150K | 2008 to 2020, heavy overlap | CAT 140M (AWD, VHP Plus), JD 772G | About 6,700 to 12,500 hours | AWD or 6WD; Tier 4 Final on 2020 Deere | Professional buyers balancing cost and capability |
| $150K to $250K+ | 2014 to 2022; near-new above $250K | JD 772G and 772GP, CAT 140M3 and 160M2, JD 872GP | About 3,900 to 8,200 hours; 900 to 3,950 above $250K | AWD, joystick or fingertip controls, JDLink | Production fleets, long-hold owners |
Under $50,000: Entry Into the Used Grader Market
Below $50,000, the evidence thins quickly. The cheapest CAT 140M among those 70 listings was a 2008 unit with 11,224 hours in Allentown, Pennsylvania, asking $49,900. The dealer says only that it runs and operates. It is one listing, not a trend.
Under that figure, the machines are older platforms or auction lots. A 1995 Caterpillar 120H sold for $29,150 and a 2005 Volvo G720B for $26,950 at a Purple Wave government auction on March 17, 2026. A 1989 John Deere 672B was listed at $18,000 by an Indiana dealer, last updated in February 2026. Graders of that era generally predate modern emissions hardware and electronic controls, so they are simple, but parts sourcing is case-by-case.
These machines suit road maintenance, farm tracks, secondary site work and export, not production grading to tolerance. No Komatsu grader for sale below $50,000 passed the date check, since the cheap Komatsu entries found were dated from 2025 or earlier.
The real split in this band is between a low price and a low cost. An $18,000 grader can still cost more than a $49,900 one once tires, hydraulics, or a drivetrain repair arrives.
$50,000 to $100,000: Where Choice Broadens
This is where the Caterpillar 140M becomes the reference machine. A buyer scanning every CAT motor grader for sale in this band meets the same cluster of 2007 to 2011 builds, usually near 10,000 hours:
- 2009 CAT 140M, 10,083 hours, $78,000 asking, Oelwein, Iowa
- 2007 CAT 140M, 10,136 hours, $85,000 asking, De Pere, Wisconsin
- 2008 CAT 140M, 7,883 hours, $90,000 asking, Bozeman, Montana
- 2010 CAT 140M, 17,789 hours, $67,000 asking, Aurora, Colorado
Completed sales of land nearby. At Purple Wave on March 26, 2026, a 2010 140M brought $79,200, a 2008 brought $70,400, and a 2005 140H VHP Plus sold for $62,700 on March 3.
Deere pricing is similar, with front-wheel-assist machines that listings label 6WD. A one-owner 2010 John Deere 772G with 7,510 hours asked $84,900 in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, a 2013 772G with 12,004 hours asked $76,500 in Denison, Texas, and a 2012 672G sold for $58,300 on March 12. A 2017 Komatsu GD655-6 asked $89,000 at an Oklahoma City dealer.
What does the extra $25,000 to $50,000 buy? Mostly a newer era: an enclosed cab, air conditioning, and, in several listings, joystick steering. The spread within one model name is wide, and an analysis of CAT 140 price ranges across generations headlines about $6,000 to $640,000.
$100,000 to $150,000: The Professional Buyer’s Middle Ground
Here the bands overlap. This money buys either a newer Deere or an older Caterpillar with something special about it:
- 2018 John Deere 772G, 6,937 hours, AWD, $104,000 asking, Novi, Michigan, listed as-is
- 2017 John Deere 772G, 7,623 hours, 6WD, $121,900 asking, Pharr, Texas
- 2020 John Deere 772G, 6,700 hours, Tier 4 Final, $147,100 asking, Enid, Oklahoma
- 2009 CAT 140M AWD, 11,716 hours, $100,600 asking, North Platte, Nebraska
- 2008 CAT 140M, 12,508 hours, Tier 3, $110,000 asking, San Antonio, Texas
The Enid machine shows why details matter. Its extended powertrain and hydraulic coverage ends November 16, 2026, or at 7,000 hours, about six weeks of protection and no reason to pay extra. Elsewhere, a 2010 CAT 140M AWD with about 6,700 to 7,000 hours asked $101,000 in Detroit, while a 2010 140M with 17,789 hours asked $67,000 in Colorado. The $34,000 gap pays for roughly 11,000 fewer hours and front-wheel assist.
A well-maintained older machine can beat a cheaper worn one, but the listings show it only through hours. The 2008 140M with 7,883 hours asks $23,000 more than the 17,789-hour 2010 and carries about 9,900 fewer. Neither listing publishes service records, which is the evidence that would settle it.
$150,000 to $250,000+: Newer, Lower-Hour and Higher-Spec Machines
At this level, the listings move into 2018 to 2021 builds with roughly 3,900 to 8,200 hours:
- 2018 John Deere 772GP, 8,201 hours, $150,000 asking, Sioux City, Iowa
- 2020 John Deere 772G, 6,041 hours, $199,000 asking, Midland, Texas
- 2018 CAT 140M3, 3,971 hours, $210,000 asking, Troy, Ohio
- 2020 John Deere 772G, AWD, 6,273 hours, $210,000 asking, Oklahoma City, a government lease return
- 2021 John Deere 772G, 3,933 hours, 6WD, $225,000 asking, Grand Junction, Colorado
Auction sales agree: a 2014 CAT 160M2 VHP Plus sold for $183,700 on February 12 and a 2019 John Deere 872GP for $169,400 on February 26.
The 2018 Deere with 8,201 hours asks $150,000, while the 2018 Caterpillar 140M3 with 3,971 hours asks $210,000: $60,000 more for roughly 4,200 fewer hours and a Cat badge. Technology starts to show in descriptions, with JDLink and Tier 4 Final on the 2020 Deeres and joystick or fingertip controls on newer units. One Midland Deere is listed without Topcon grade-control provisions, so even expensive machines differ.
Above $250,000, the market is near-new. A 2022 Deere 772G with 3,947 hours asks $259,500 in El Paso, and a 2022 CAT 140-15 was listed at $259,000 in Columbus, Ohio through July. A 2022 772G with 2,351 hours asks $329,000 in Kansas City with warranty to March 2027 or 4,000 hours. A 2022 Komatsu GD655-7 asks $367,000, and 2024 Deere 772Gs with 930 to 3,453 hours ask roughly $450,000 to $608,000.
How CAT, John Deere and Komatsu Position Across the Bands
Inventory depth tells part of the story. Construction Equipment Guide’s dealer view listed roughly 600 Caterpillar motor graders, about 440 Deere graders and just seven Komatsu machines. A separate set of CAT, John Deere, and Komatsu price comparisons covering 2020 to 2026 places Caterpillar highest, Deere in the middle, and Komatsu lowest.
Caterpillar
The 140M spans almost the whole ladder, from $49,900 for a 2008 to $210,000 for a 2018 140M3. Any CAT motor grader for sale from Holt Cat, Ohio CAT, or Fabick Cat has a Cat dealer behind it, and dealer-backed stock is common among the 140M listings. Caterpillar announced the 140 LVR in September 2025 and added a joystick option to its next-generation 140 that December, per Machinery Trader. A snapshot cannot isolate how new CAT launches influence used grader prices, but it is a variable to watch in 2027.
John Deere
The 772G is the volume model, asking $76,500 for a 2013 and $607,690 for a 2024. Each 2020 John Deere motor grader for sale that lists engine details shows Tier 4 Final and JDLink. At comparable age, Deere asks sit below the Caterpillar examples found, but hours differ, so the gap is a signal, not a measurement.
Komatsu
A Komatsu grader for sale is a scarce find. The $89,000 2017 GD655-6 and $367,000 2022 GD655-7 track age and hours, but few listings mean few comparison points.
Why Model Year Alone Does Not Explain Price
Look at any 2020 John Deere motor grader for sale. Three 772Gs listed within about 700 hours of each other asked $147,100 at 6,700 hours, $199,000 at 6,041 and $210,000 at 6,273. That is a $62,900 spread. Warranty status, AWD, inspection paperwork, and seller type are candidate explanations, but the listings do not say which counts most.
Overlap runs the other way too. A 2018 Deere at $104,000 undercuts a 2008 Caterpillar at 110,000.So”100K means a 2018 grader” is false, since it can buy a 2008 or a 2018. And “$50K means unusable” is false, since a 140M that runs sits at $49,900.
Representative Real-Market Machines (ask = asking price, sold = auction contract price)
| Price | Brand | Model | Year | Hours | Configuration/Key Feature | Location | Market Interpretation |
| $49,900 ask | CAT | 140M | 2008 | 11,224 | Enclosed cab; runs and operates | Allentown, PA | Lowest 140M of 70 listings |
| $29,150 sold | CAT | 120H | 1995 | Not shown | Township surplus, Mar 17, 2026 | Oxford, KS | Older, secondary work |
| $78,000 ask | CAT | 140M | 2009 | 10,083 | Joystick steering, A/C | Oelwein, IA | Typical second-band entry |
| $89,000 ask | Komatsu | GD655-6 | 2017 | Not shown | Dealer listing, Sep 28, 2026 | Oklahoma City, OK | Newest unit under $100K |
| $104,000 ask | John Deere | 772G | 2018 | 6,937 | AWD, as-is | Novi, MI | Newer than most Cats at this price |
| $110,000 ask | CAT | 140M | 2008 | 12,508 | Tier 3 | San Antonio, TX | Same yard asks $90,000 for similar units |
| $147,100 ask | John Deere | 772G | 2020 | 6,700 | Tier 4 Final, warranty to Nov 16, 2026 | Enid, OK | Short warranty window |
| $210,000 ask | CAT | 140M3 | 2018 | 3,971 | Ripper, 17.5R25 tires | Troy, OH | Low-hour Cat premium |
| $210,000 ask | John Deere | 772G | 2020 | 6,273 | AWD, government lease return | Oklahoma City, OK | $62,900 over the Enid unit |
| $259,500 ask | John Deere | 772G | 2022 | 3,947 | Fingertip controls, impact absorption | El Paso, TX | Near-new territory |
How Hours, Condition and Configuration Shift Value
Hours carry a premium, but not a straight-line one. One San Antonio dealer listed three 2008 140Ms with 11,464, 12,095 and 12,508 hours at $90,000, $90,000 and $110,000, so a 400-hour difference sat beside a $20,000 gap. That points to specification or condition rather than hours. The premium for low-hour graders shows most clearly when low hours and desirable configuration arrive together.
AWD and 6WD add traction in soft or sloped ground, and engine generation separates a Tier 3 Caterpillar from a Tier 4 Final Deere. History matters as much. A government lease return, a one-owner machine, and a dealer unit each say more than a model year, while an auction lot offers a lower price and less certainty.
Why Location Changes What Your Budget Can Buy
Three 2008 Caterpillar 140Ms show the problem. Allentown, Pennsylvania asks $49,900 at 11,224 hours, San Antonio asks $110,000 at 12,508 hours, and a VHP Plus in Miami asks $109,500 at 9,831 hours. Then the pattern reverses: a 2017 Deere 772G in Pharr, Texas asks $121,900 at 7,623 hours, while a 2017 772G in Towanda, Pennsylvania asks $175,000 at 5,824 hours.
So there is no clean east-versus-west rule here. Hours, specification, and seller differ in every pair, and the same San Antonio yard asks $90,000 for similar units. Why used grader prices vary by location comes down to local supply, dealer concentration, and freight, and regional used motor grader pricing across the U.S. gives a wider map. The listings held too few Northeast, West Coast, or Mountain West machines to say more, and freight is not published.
The Hidden Cost Difference Between a Cheap Grader and a Good Grader
A used motor grader for sale at $45,000 is not a $45,000 investment. Freight, taxes and fees, tires, cutting edges and service catch-up all land on top, and hydraulic, drivetrain or electronic repairs can follow when records are thin. Repair costs vary too widely to quote, which is the point: a $120,000 machine that arrives needing nothing can cost less to own than a $60,000 one that needs a transmission.
Financing narrows the gap less than buyers expect. Machinery Trader’s payment estimates, which assume a highly qualified borrower, run from about $1,060 a month on the $49,900 listing to about $4,462 on a $210,000 one. Lining up freight, inspection and credit early widens what a buyer can act on quickly, which is why how early equipment planning can improve grader purchasing deserves attention first.
Which Budget Makes the Most Sense for Different Buyers?
What the Extra Money Buys
| Budget | What Buyers Commonly Gain | What They May Still Compromise On | Best-Fit Buyer | Main Risk |
| Under $50K | A running older grader, or a 2008 M-series at the top of the band | Unknown or high hours, thin records | Secondary work, farm roads, export | Repairs that erase the savings |
| $50K to $100K | A 2007 to 2013 Cat or Deere with cab and A/C, near 10,000 hours | Tier 3 engines, few AWD units | Small contractors, municipalities | Condition varies sharply at one price |
| $100K to $150K | A 2017 to 2020 Deere near 7,000 hours, or a Cat with AWD or lower hours | Short warranty, older Cats above 10,000 hours | Professional buyers balancing cost and capability | Paying for features the work never uses |
| $150K to $250K+ | 2018 to 2022 builds, 3,900 to 8,200 hours, Tier 4 Final, newer controls | Brand premium, uneven grade-control provisions | Production contractors, long-hold fleets | Near-new money for hours the workload does not need |
The right band follows the job:
- Production contractor: the $150,000-plus band, or the upper middle band with documented 2017 to 2020 Deeres.
- Smaller contractor or backup machine: $50,000 to $100,000, if service records exist.
- Municipal buyer: $50,000 to $100,000 for the main machine, under $50,000 for secondary roads.
- Export buyer: compare landed cost, not asking price.
- Lowest outlay: the first band. Lowest risk, newest technology or resale focus: the third and fourth bands, with the warranty clock checked.
Is the Most Expensive Used Grader the Smartest Buy?
Not automatically. The lowest price, best condition, lowest hours, newest model, best configuration, best records, and strongest resale are rarely the same machine. A $329,000 grader with 2,351 hours lowers risk, but a contractor with light annual hours may never earn that premium back. Professionals reject cheap machines when hours cannot be verified, replaced components are undocumented, or the seller cannot say what has been rebuilt.
Final Buyer Takeaway
At $50,000, you buy a running older machine and the repairs age brings. At $100,000, a 2007 to 2013 workhorse near 10,000 hours. At $150,000, a 2017 to 2021 grader under roughly 8,000 hours. At $250,000 and above, late-model hours with warranty. Match the band to the workload first and the badge second.
Where to Go From Here
If one of these bands fits your workload, usedmotorgrader.com lists well-maintained used motor graders from top brands, including CAT, John Deere, Komatsu and Volvo. Machines are presented professionally, with strong overall condition, proper supporting documentation, the machine records that matter, and smooth site availability. Budgets from entry-level to late model are covered, in useful configurations such as AWD. Shortlist by hours, records, and configuration, then compare against the figures above.
FAQs
1. What is a realistic budget for a dependable used motor grader?
A: In the listings reviewed, 2007 to 2011 Cat 140Ms and Deere 772Gs near 10,000 hours clustered between about $67,000 and $90,000. Newer 2017 to 2020 Deere units ran from $104,000 to $210,000. Records matter as much as the headline price.
2. Are older graders under $50,000 worth buying?
A: They can be for secondary work, farm roads, or export, when the price reflects the repair risk. Treat any grader at that price as an inspection project, since hours are often unknown.
3. Does a higher price always mean lower operating risk?
A: No. Three 2020 Deere 772Gs with similar hours asked between $147,100 and $210,000, and the cheapest carried a warranty ending November 16, 2026. Documentation and seller support lower risk more reliably than price alone.
4. What matters more, model year or operating hours?
A: In this sample, hours and documented condition separated prices more cleanly than build year. A 2018 Deere asked less than a 2008 Caterpillar, and a 7,883-hour 2008 Cat asked $23,000 more than a 17,789-hour 2010. Weigh both, then check the records.
Tags: Used Motor Grader Market Trends, Used Grader Buying Tips, Grader Market Insights
