CAT 320C vs CAT 320D: Both $15,000, 10 Years Apart

2003 320C · 12,111 h · Grade C · 2013 320D · 10,690 h · Grade B

This CAT 320C vs CAT 320D comparison starts with one number: both machines are listed at $15,000 FOB. The 320C is a 2003 unit with 12,111 hours and Grade C. The 320D is a 2013 unit with 10,690 hours and Grade B. Ten years and a better grade for the same money looks like an easy decision. It is not that simple.

CAT 320C vs CAT 320D: the two listings

Why the 320C still holds $15,000

The 320C has a reputation for simple mechanics and easy service. In some markets, a clean 320C is still a working machine that a local mechanic can keep alive without dealer electronics. That supports the used CAT 320C price even at 12,111 hours and Grade C.

It is also a known platform. Parts and experience exist in many countries, and the machine is easy to understand. For a buyer who values simplicity, that has value.

Why the 320D is the safer starting point

The used CAT 320D is ten years newer, has 1,421 fewer hours and a higher grade. If the grade is accurate, it should need less immediate work and have a longer remaining life. That usually makes it the better buy for a buyer who needs the machine to work, not to be a project.

But the price is the same, which means the 320D may have a hidden issue or the 320C may be priced high for its condition. Inspect both.

Grade C is not a verdict

In a 20-ton CAT comparison, Grade C tells you the machine is in a lower condition band. It does not tell you which components are weak. Ask what was checked: undercarriage, hydraulics, engine, structure, cabin and electronics. A Grade C machine with a fresh undercarriage can be a better buy than a Grade B machine with a worn one.

Inspection focus

• Cold start and smoke on both.
• Full hydraulic cycle, including travel and swing.
• Undercarriage measurements.
• Pins, bushes and boom welds.
• Hour meter and service records.
• For the 320C, check parts availability for its older systems.

Cost per hour, not cost per machine

Same FOB, different ownership cost. Add freight, duty and a first-repair estimate to each machine, then divide by the hours you will run in three years. With placeholder numbers: $4,000 of freight and duty, $2,500 of first-year work on the 320C against $900 on the 320D, over 3,000 hours. That is near $7.17 per hour for the 320C and $6.63 for the 320D. The gap is about $1,600 in total, less than one undercarriage job. Utilization moves it more than price does: at 800 hours a year instead of 1,500, the same machine carries nearly double the fixed cost per hour. Verify your freight, duty rate and repair estimate before comparing.

Parts, resale and buyer fit

The 320D is easier to resell: newer, better recognised. The 320C keeps value where older CATs still work and independent mechanics know the platform. Neither advantage is universal, so check local asking prices and parts lead times for both before treating either as a tiebreaker. Then match the machine to the buyer:

• Daily hire: the 320D, if the inspection shows less deferred work.
• Own work, small budget: the 320C, with repairs staged over a season.
• Resale exit in three years: the 320D, for the deeper buyer pool.

Inspection: same checklist, different emphasis

On the 320C, calendar age matters. 12,111 hours over more than two decades averages just over 500 a year, so hoses, seals and harness connectors have aged even if the meter is honest. Check pump condition and boom and stick welds, and confirm which engine and control type this serial number carries. On the 320D the extra questions are electronic: stored fault codes, active monitor warnings, engine variant, and your country's import rules on year and emission standard. Service records outweigh the grade; a Grade B unit with a documented undercarriage replacement is a different purchase from one without.

Three walk-away triggers

1. Hours that fight the wear. Pins, pedals and undercarriage should match the meter.
2. Structural repairs with no record. Fresh paint is a question; an evasive answer is the problem.
3. No cold start, no inspection access. Without that video, the rest of the evidence is weak.

None of these is about price. At the same $15,000, the decision is evidence, not sticker.

Which one fits?

Choose the 320D if you want the newer machine and a higher condition band, and the inspection supports it. Choose the 320C if you want a simpler platform, your local workshop knows it, and the inspection shows the major components have life left.

Buyer questions

Is the 320C too old?

Age alone does not decide. Condition, parts and the work you need it for matter more.

Are both available?

They are listed as in stock in China. Confirm availability before you commit.

Can you quote CIF?

Yes. Send the destination port and we will quote both units.