cat 928G

Just wondering on a 1998 cat 928G with 14,000 hours 1 owner full cab decent tires what is it worth looks to be in ok condition have not seen it up close yet and what to look for with a machine with that kind of hours on it .

For values go to MachineryTrader.com and run a search on that model and year.

As for what to look for all the usual stuff, fluid levels and possible fluid conditions, tires, brake operation, gauges and joints. With those hours the center joint I would expect the center joint to be sloppy. Push the buck into the ground slightly and then pick it up looking for the front of the machine to move and make a bump that you can feel. You can also check the boom and bucket tilt linkages by pushing the bucket into the ground and moving the tilt slightly looking for play.

Good Luck!

Problem with Machinery Trader, like most on line sales lists, the prices to not reflect selling prices, only asking prices. Most seem to have a wish list price of 20 to 25% over selling price.

If all you looked at was the asking prices you are only getting half the story. You need to run the auction numbers as well. Pick a 2004 D8RII and run the search for the last year. Run either the asking or the auction numbers. When you get to the result page look in the middle top of the page and you will see a field that says "view high low average." Click on that field and you will come up with three sold at auction averaging $82,833 and one asking price of $102,000. That's about a twenty percent difference. You know all dealers are going to put a thirty percent markup on their costs to obtain and prep the machine. You also know the average auction number is going to have costs as well so maybe you figure the actual seller only got $74,550 or less. Now you have a range you can work with. Now you know a seller is going to want around $75,000 for a machine in the kind of condition you expect for its age and decent condition. If they have a great undercarriage or maybe a recent engine or drive train repair they will want more. The dealer asking $102,000 knows that only fools pay list. You know the dealer didn't pay any more than $70,000 because they have a markup of thirty percent. Now you know where you can negotiate. If you paid $102,000 for the iron you took a big risk by paying over market and you better hope whoever looked at the machine knew what they were doing. On the other hand if you see one of those machines being offered for $65,000 it might be a good deal but more than likely it has something major about to take a dump.

I think I'm going to write another book on this stuff next winter.

You did a much better job laying that out than I could have. I will add prices on machinery trader/tractor house are generally the highest you will find anywhere. I think part of it is everyone trying to recoup the listing costs.

this is a private sale it loaded loam and mulch all its life in a dirt yard no pavement and I was figuring machinery trader was high

Gentleman, asking prices are always high and very seldom represent what the seller will accept to make a deal. That's why you look at a whole market and not just one segment.