What is generally considered a high number of operating hours for an excavator?

[Mr. McTuggart]

I'd like to get some guidance from experienced operators or owners. At what point are the operating hours on an excavator generally considered high, and how does this affect reliability, maintenance, and overall value?

 

[SolidRockbreaker]

Rule of thumb: around 8,000to10,000 hours is considered high, but maintenance matters more than the number... well-serviced machines can run far beyond that.

 

[seanbanks013]

@SolidRockbreaker is spot on. In the industry, 8,000 to 10,000 hours is usually the threshold where a machine is considered "high hour." At that point, you're often looking at major expenses like a full undercarriage replacement or hydraulic pump rebuilds.
However, the "life" of the machine really depends on the application. 10,000 hours doing light utility work is a lot different than 10,000 hours in a rock quarry or using a hammer. If the service records are solid, these machines can easily double that ilfespan.