If you're looking at Leeboy graders for sale, you're probably trying to answer one question: new or used? I've been handling equipment purchases for a grading and paving contractor for eight years. In that time, I've personally made and documented 14 significant buying mistakes, totaling roughly $67,000 in wasted budget. Now I maintain our team's pre-purchase checklist, and I've got a vested interest in helping you avoid my errors.
Before we go any further: I'm not against used machines. Some of the best equipment I've bought was used. But the decision isn't 'new is better' or 'used is smarter.' It depends on how the machine will be used, how long you plan to keep it, and how much risk your operation can absorb.
How I'm Comparing New vs. Used LeeBoy Graders
I'll look at four dimensions: total cost, parts and dealer support, model fit, and risk management. These won't be the usual pros-and-cons list. I'm not going to tell you used is cheaper if it costs you a month of production. Each dimension ends with a practical takeaway, and I'll go out on a limb in each one.
Dimension 1: Total Cost of Ownership
Used graders win on sticker price. That's not a surprise. But total cost is a different story.
In 2021, we bought a used small LeeBoy grader for $38,500. It had around 2,900 hours, which sounded reasonable. In the first year, it needed:
- $6,800 in hydraulic cylinder repairs
- $4,200 for a transmission sensor and wiring harness
- $2,100 in wear parts--blades, pins, and linkage bushings
Total first-year cost: $51,600. A new machine at the time was around $92,000. So we still saved about $40,000, but we also lost 9 days to downtime. On a paving crew, 9 days in the season is more than lost profit. It's lost credibility with general contractors who remember who showed up and who didn't.
I want to say that machine had 2,900 hours, but don't quote me. It might have been 3,100. The point is: hours don't tell the whole story. People think low hours cause low risk. Actually, low risk is the result of good maintenance history. Low hours are just one symptom of that history. A machine with 4,000 documented hours and a maintenance binder is often a safer buy than a 2,000-hour machine with no records.
The same logic applies to smaller equipment. If you're also shopping for a Leeboy plate compactor for patch jobs, don't automatically buy a used one because it's cheap. A used plate compactor with an engine that's sat for a year can cost more in carburetor repairs than a short rental. But if you'll use it every week, owning makes sense. The question is always the same: what are the total cost and downtime over a year, not just the asking price?
Rule of thumb I use now: new machines are a liability you can budget. Used machines are a liability you can guess.
Dimension 2: Parts, Dealer Support, and Your Own Wrenching
This is where a dealer network matters. LeeBoy graders have a respectable parts and dealer network, and for a specialty brand, that's worth a lot.
Here's something vendors won't tell you: the first quote is almost never the final price for ongoing relationships. There's usually room for negotiation once you've proven you're a reliable customer. But that doesn't help you if you're stranded in the field waiting on a hard part.
What most people don't realize is that 'dealer support' isn't only about warranty. It's about having a Leeboy parts manual, a service rep who answers the phone, and a stock of drivetrain parts that actually matter. With a used machine, you're often on your own. That's fine if you have a mechanic on staff. It's painful if you don't.
I should also mention the paperwork side. Per FTC guidelines (ftc.gov), advertising claims have to be truthful and not misleading. But a dealer saying 'good condition' is not the same as a written warranty. If it's not in writing, it's a hope. I've learned to treat every verbal assurance as a reminder to do my own inspection.
Oh, and about the swag: I grabbed one of those Leeboy bucket hats at a dealer open house a few years ago. It's a decent hat. But a hat doesn't have a part number, and wearing it doesn't make a used machine less risky. I mention it because dealers hand out bucket hats and other freebies, and none of that should influence your decision. (I now have a small collection, and it's still not influencing anything.)
Before you buy any used grader, call the local dealer and ask two questions. First, can you get the service manual and parts information for that exact model? Second, what consumables are backordered right now? If oil filters are three weeks out, that tells you exactly what support you'll get in the middle of a job.
Dimension 3: Choosing the Right Model for the Work
LeeBoy's grader lineup includes small models for maintenance grading, then the 635, 685, 785, and 8500 as you move into heavier work. I've watched too many contractors buy the biggest machine they could finance, then find out it's too heavy or too wide for their jobs.
This is also where the 'industry is changing' part kicks in. The fundamentals haven't changed: you need the right blade force, moldboard geometry, and visibility. But the execution has changed a lot in the last five years. More graders are built around GPS and laser-leveling options. If you're planning to add those systems, the machine's age matters more than its paint.
People think expensive machines are better because they're expensive. Actually, the right-size machine is better. The price is a result of features and demand, not a guarantee of value. A small LeeBoy grader can handle a parking lot and a subdivision road. But if you're doing main highway shoulders day after day, you want the weight and power of an 8500. Buying a smaller grader to save money, then using it beyond its design, is the fastest way to wear out a machine and a budget.
At least, that's been my experience with contractors who subgrade and pave on tight schedules. If you're doing light maintenance and you have plenty of time, the calculus changes. Match the machine to the work, not to the mood at an auction.
Dimension 4: Risk and the Concrete Drill Bit Principle
I learned how to drill into concrete the hard way. Early in my career, I tried to mount a sign bracket on a concrete wall with a regular wood bit. The bit smoked, the concrete didn't budge, and I ended up spending $14 on a concrete drill bit with a carbide tip. The second attempt took 20 seconds.
Buying a used grader is the same story. You need the right tool for the material you're actually working with. The 'concrete' is all the stuff you can't see: frame cracks, worn pin bores, contaminated hydraulic fluid, oil-soaked wiring. The right tool is a detailed inspection checklist, and sometimes a mechanic who isn't in a hurry.
If you're unfamiliar with a hammer drill, the technique is simple: use a good concrete drill bit, let the hammer do the work, don't lean on it, and pull the dust back out occasionally. Same with a used machine: go slow, gather data, and don't force a decision before the evidence is there.
But we've all made decisions under pressure. I once had three days to decide on a used LeeBoy 635 before another buyer was scheduled to see it. Normally I'd have my mechanic fly in. That wasn't going to happen in three days. I did the best I could with available information: started it, drove it, checked for leaks, and wiped the hydraulic dipstick on a paper towel. It seemed good.
Even after we signed, I kept second-guessing. What if the rear tandem bearings were dry? The first 30 hours were stressful. Then the right rear tandem bearing started whining. We caught it before it locked up, but the repair cost $3,400 and the machine was down for a week.
In hindsight, I should have told the dealer we'd wait for my mechanic or pass. People think rush decisions are necessary because machines sell fast. Actually, good machines sell fast because good buyers do their homework quickly. A dealer who won't wait for an inspection is telling you something about how confident they are in the machine.
So Which One Should You Buy?
Let's cut through the noise.
Buy new if:
- You need a machine for a specific season and downtime isn't an option.
- You can justify the higher payment with a contract or steady work.
- You want the dealer warranty and support for at least the first 2,000 hours.
Buy used if:
- You have a mechanic who knows compact graders and can do a full inspection.
- You're comfortable doing some repairs yourself.
- You match the specific model to your job, not just the price tag.
And before you finalize any deal, ask yourself what a new machine's price includes that used doesn't: certainty. Certainty is worth something. The question is what it's worth to you.
I still have that collection of bucket hats from dealer events, but the only thing I trust is the checklist I now maintain. It's caught 47 potential errors in the last 18 months, and it's saved a lot more than the $67,000 I lost before I started paying attention.
Good luck out there. And when you get ready to drill into concrete, use the right bit.
