Bulldozers and motor graders are the muscle of major earthmoving and road construction projects. They're high-value machines with a specialist buyer pool — and when it's time to sell, understanding what your machine is worth in the current market makes the difference between a strong deal and leaving money on the table.
Bulldozers / Dozers
A crawler bulldozer (dozer) uses a front-mounted steel blade to push large quantities of soil, rock, sand, and debris. The blade can be angled, tilted, and lowered for precision grading. Dozers range from small landscaping machines of 5–10 tonnes to massive mining dozers exceeding 70 tonnes.
In the UK market, the most commonly traded dozers are in the 10–35 tonne range — used on civil engineering, quarrying, landfill, and large earthmoving projects.
Dozer Manufacturers
Caterpillar (USA) — the dominant dozer brand in the UK market, with significantly higher market share than any competitor. CAT dozers command the strongest resale values and the broadest buyer pool. Key models:
- D3K2, D4K2 — compact range; 8–10 tonnes; used on landscaping and smaller sites
- D5K2, D6K2 — mid-compact; 12–15 tonnes; popular on utility and civil projects
- D6N, D6T — the most commonly traded mid-size CAT dozers in the UK; 19–22 tonnes; versatile and widely specified
- D7E, D8T — larger range; 28–38 tonnes; used on major civil and quarrying projects
- D9T, D10T, D11T — heavy and very heavy range; increasingly rare in the UK but valuable when they appear
Komatsu (Japan) — the second most active dozer brand in the UK market. Key models:
- D31PX, D37EX, D37PX — compact range; 8–11 tonnes
- D51EX, D51PX — mid range; 14–16 tonnes
- D61EX, D61PX — the most commonly traded mid-size Komatsu dozer in the UK; 18–20 tonnes; the D61EXi intelligent machine control variant is particularly valued
- D65EX, D65PX — larger range; 22–25 tonnes
- D85EX, D155AX — heavy range; less common in the UK
John Deere (USA) — strong North American brand with UK presence. Key models:
- 550K, 650K — compact/mid; 11–14 tonnes
- 700K, 750K — mid range; 15–19 tonnes; the 750K is the most commonly traded JD dozer in UK
- 850K, 1050K — larger range; 22–32 tonnes
Liebherr (Germany) — premium European dozer brand. Key models: PR 716, PR 726, PR 736, PR 746, PR 756 — less common than CAT and Komatsu in the UK but well regarded for quality.
Dressta (formerly International Harvester / Case) — niche presence in the UK; older machines are still traded.
What Affects Dozer Value?
Undercarriage condition is the most critical value factor on any crawler machine. Tracks, rollers, idlers, and sprockets are expensive to replace — a full undercarriage rebuild on a mid-size dozer can cost £15,000–£35,000. Buyers assess undercarriage wear carefully, typically by measuring track shoe height and roller diameter. Undercarriage at 50% wear is standard; at 20–30% remaining it's discounted aggressively.
Blade type and condition. Straight blade (S-blade), semi-universal blade (SU-blade), and universal blade (U-blade) are the common configurations. Blade condition (straightness, cutting edge thickness) is checked.
Rippers. A single or multi-shank rear ripper adds meaningful value by expanding the machine's capability to hard ground and rock breaking. State whether fitted.
GPS / grade control. Topcon, Trimble, and Leica 3D grade control systems add significant value on newer machines and are increasingly expected on machines used for precision earthmoving.
Motor Graders
A motor grader is an earthmoving machine with a long blade (mouldboard) mounted between the front and rear axles that can be angled, tilted, and extended to grade and level surfaces. Motor graders are used for road construction and maintenance, fine grading of sub-base, and snow clearing.
As far as the UK market is concerned, Caterpillar is the king of motor graders — more CAT graders are available in the UK used market than from any other manufacturer. Key CAT grader models:
- CAT 120, CAT 140, CAT 150, CAT 160 — the 140 series is the most widely specified and most actively traded grader in the UK; the Next Generation 140 and 150 are the current production models
- CAT 12, CAT 16 — older models still traded; less common but present in the market
Komatsu graders: GD555-3, GD555-5, GD655-5, GD655-6, GD675-3 — the GD655 series is the most commonly traded Komatsu grader in the UK used market.
John Deere graders: 670G, 670GP, 672G — growing UK presence; the 670G is the most common JD grader seen in UK.
Volvo CE graders: G930, G940, G946 — present in the UK market particularly for road maintenance work.
What Affects Grader Value?
Circle, blade, and mouldboard condition. The circle (the rotating structure that allows the blade to angle) and mouldboard wear directly affect grading precision. Buyers check for cracks, wear, and loose movement in the circle.
Tyres. Grader tyres are large and expensive — £1,500–£2,500 each. A full set of good tyres significantly supports value; worn tyres are discounted.
GPS grade control. As with dozers, Topcon, Trimble, and Leica GPS grade control systems add meaningful value.
Indicative Values (2026)
| Machine | Year | Hours | Approx. Value (ex VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAT D6N / D6T | 2015–2018 | 5,000–9,000 | £55,000–£95,000 |
| CAT D8T | 2015–2018 | 5,000–9,000 | £120,000–£200,000 |
| Komatsu D61EX / D65EX | 2015–2018 | 5,000–9,000 | £48,000–£85,000 |
| John Deere 750K | 2015–2018 | 5,000–9,000 | £45,000–£80,000 |
| CAT 140M / 140K grader | 2013–2017 | 5,000–10,000 | £55,000–£95,000 |
| CAT 160M grader | 2013–2017 | 5,000–10,000 | £70,000–£115,000 |
| Komatsu GD655-5 / GD655-6 grader | 2013–2017 | 5,000–10,000 | £48,000–£85,000 |
Related Guides
- How to Sell a Volvo Excavator — Complete UK Guide
- How to Sell JCB Machinery — Complete UK Guide
- How to Transport Plant Machinery Safely in the UK
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