Why there's no blue book for heavy equipment
Car buyers have Kelley Blue Book. Equipment owners don't have a free equivalent. The professional valuation services, such as EquipmentWatch and Rouse, are built for dealers, lenders, rental companies and fleets. When people in this industry say “Blue Book,” they usually mean EquipmentWatch's Rental Rate Blue Book, which covers rental and cost rates, not what a used machine will sell for.
Used equipment is also harder to price than cars. Two machines of the same model and year can be thousands of hours apart, carry different attachments, and sit on undercarriages at opposite ends of their life. That's why this tool gives a range and shows each step, instead of a single number that looks more precise than it is.
What moves the value of a used machine
Hours
Hours are the main driver, which is why the estimator starts from an hours tier. Hours only mean something next to the machine type: 5,000 hours is late in life for a small skid steer and mid-life for a large dozer. Check yours with the Equipment Hours Checker.
Condition
A machine that runs and works without leaks sells at the range shown. One that needs repairs sells at a discount roughly equal to the repair bill plus the buyer's risk. A non-running machine is priced on its parts and steel.
Undercarriage and attachments
On tracked machines the undercarriage is one of the most expensive wear items, so its remaining life moves the price. Extra buckets, a thumb, a hammer or a quick coupler add value; the estimator doesn't count them, so add them when you ask for an offer.
Region and season
Demand follows construction activity, so the time of year and where the machine sits change how fast it sells and who buys it. Shipping cost to the buyer also comes out of the price.
Records and model year
Service records and a clean title help a buyer trust the hours. The hours tiers already capture most wear, which is why the age adjustment in this tool is small and capped at 15%.
How we calculate
In plain words: estimate = model price range for your hours tier × age factor × condition factor, rounded to the nearest $500 (or $100 under $10,000).
- Hours tier. Every model on HeavyDutyYard has four price ranges, one for each hours tier: Under 2,000 hrs, 2,000–5,000 hrs, 5,000–8,000 hrs, 8,000+ hrs. We take the range for your hours.
- Age factor. The tiers already reflect typical age for those hours, so the age adjustment is small. Age is counted from 2026.
- Condition factor. Applied separately to the low and high ends of the range.
- Data check. If a tier in our data is missing or priced above the lower-hour tier before it, we use that previous tier minus 20%. This applies to at least one tier on 0 of 298 models, and the result says so when it happens.
| Machine age | Factor |
|---|---|
| 0–5 years old | × 100% |
| 6–10 years old | × 95% |
| 11–15 years old | × 90% |
| 16+ years old | × 85% |
| Condition | Factor (low–high) |
|---|---|
| Running well | × 100% |
| Runs, needs work | × 65–85% |
| Non-running | × 20–35% |
These factors are HeavyDutyYard's own conservative assumptions, not industry statistics. The non-running factor roughly matches the running vs. non-running examples on our non-running equipment page. Model price ranges were updated October 2026.
Check the price guides by machine type
Each guide breaks down used prices by size class and hours, with the models people ask about most. For depreciation curves and what holds value, read the heavy equipment value guide and the equipment depreciation guide.
Used price guides
Related tools and guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a blue book for heavy equipment?
Not in the way there is for cars. There is no free consumer price guide for used construction equipment. The professional data services, such as EquipmentWatch and Rouse, are built for dealers, lenders, rental companies and fleets. In this industry, “Blue Book” usually means EquipmentWatch's Rental Rate Blue Book, which covers rental and cost rates rather than resale value. This estimator is a free starting point built on our own model price ranges.
How accurate is this estimate?
Treat it as a starting range, not an appraisal. It uses the price range we publish for each model at four hours-based tiers, then applies fixed adjustments for age and condition. It cannot see attachments, undercarriage wear, paint, records, your region or the season, and those can move a real offer up or down. For a firm number, send us the machine details and photos.
How many hours is too many on a used machine?
It depends on the machine type and size. Caterpillar's 1998 Performance Handbook ownership-period guide puts a mid-size excavator (320B–330B class) at 10,000 to 15,000 hours depending on the work, and a mid-size dozer at 8,000 to 12,000. Our Equipment Hours Checker compares your hours with sourced benchmarks for each type.
Why does a non-running machine still have value?
Engines, hydraulic pumps, cylinders, final drives and undercarriage parts sell on their own, and the steel has scrap value. The estimator values a non-running machine at 20–35% of its running value, which roughly lines up with the illustrative examples on our non-running equipment page. The real number depends on what failed.
Will HeavyDutyYard buy my machine?
We make cash offers on some machines. When we don't, you can list it free on the HeavyDutyYard marketplace, where we review each listing and screen buyer messages before they reach you. We reply to every request within one business day.