Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/268240
EquipmentWorld.com | March 2014 21 T ier 4 Interim excava- tors are rolling into the market with Tier 4 Final models close behind. They're more expensive than the Tier 3 machines they replace. Is a low-hour used Tier 3 machine a better choice? Why pay extra just for a Tier 4 engine? Legitimate questions, so we turned to product managers for the answers. To start, the option of buying a good-con- dition used Tier 3 machine is more complicated than it seems. Availability varies wide- ly and Tier 3 excavators can be scarce in some markets. Those that remain in the selling pool may fetch high prices; those that are lower-priced may have issues with their condition, incomplete service records, or histories marred by serious re- pair events. "On top of all this, used Tier 3 machines can go to markets that don't have ultra low sulfur diesel, so price and availability may not be as good as customers think," says Vin- cent Whelan, excavator prod- uct sales manager with JCB. Whelan is referring to Tier 4 machines' ULSD requirement. While many manufacturers have announced 'de-tiering" solutions that allow sales of Tier 4 machines into lower regulated countries that have higher amounts of sulfur in their fuel, it's a resale com- plication that Tier 3 machines don't have. Still, with prices ranging from $168,000 to $260,000, Tier 4 machines are priced signifi - cantly higher than their prede- cessors. What do you get from that price increase besides Tier 4 compliance? The answer is quite a bit. Most Tier 4 machines are com- plete redesigns of Tier 3 ma- chines and offer improvements in all areas of performance. Maturing of electronics en- abled these sweeping changes. Electronics were still in their infancy when Tier 3 machines were developed. "Now that de- sign and production standards are established for electronics, Tier 4 compliance has driven up the cost of 24- to 28- metric-ton excavators. What do you get for your money, and would a low-hour Tier 3 machine be a better choice? ARE TIER 4 EXCAVATORS WORTH THE COST?