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Benton County approves $369,811 purchase of Caterpillar motor grader with long warranty
Summary
The board voted to buy a Caterpillar 150 tandem‑drive motor grader with a 7‑year/7,000‑hour warranty at an estimated $369,811 after comparing John Deere and Caterpillar bids; delivery projected at 4–6 months.
County road staff presented three bids for a replacement motor grader and recommended a Caterpillar 150 tandem‑drive machine with a 7‑year/7,000‑hour warranty to reduce long‑term maintenance risk. Staff said the competing John Deere base bid was higher and that adding a comparable warranty to John Deere would increase its price. The engineer emphasized that newer diesel exhaust and emission systems create potential maintenance issues and recommended ensuring an extended warranty to cover those risks for the first 7,000 hours.
Board members compared the total package prices. The Caterpillar package with warranty was listed at approximately $369,811; the John Deere package was quoted at about $392,000 before warranty add‑ons. After discussion, Supervisor 3 moved to accept the Caterpillar bid and Supervisor 4 seconded. The board took a vote and the motion carried on recorded 'aye' votes.
Delivery was estimated at roughly four to six months. Staff said paperwork can be started immediately to secure the purchase order and that vendors can begin build scheduling once the PO is issued. The engineer also requested the board authorize adding the warranty to the procurement to limit future repair costs tied to evolving federal emissions equipment.
Action: Motion to accept the Caterpillar 150 tandem‑drive purchase with 7‑year/7,000‑hour warranty for approximately $369,811; motion seconded and approved by the board.
