In Q2 2023, I had to make a call that still gets laughs on the jobsite: do we buy a Terex 100-ton crane or a Terex telehandler?
I'm the procurement manager for a mid-size industrial construction outfit. I've managed our equipment budget for seven years, tracked every invoice in our cost system, and negotiated with too many dealers to trust a handshake. So when the two quotes landed, I did what I always do: built a comparison spreadsheet.
This isn't a dealer pitch. It's a cost controller's look at these two machines—what they cost, what they earn, and where the hidden expenses live.
The comparison I actually used
If you're on the fence between these two, ignore the brochure specs and compare five things: out-the-door acquisition cost, annual carrying cost, required utilization to break even, operator and jobsite limitations, and resale value. Everything else is noise.
Acquisition cost: the price tag is only the start
Based on asking prices I tracked on Machinery Trader and BigIron from late 2024, a used Terex 100-ton crane ranged from about $450,000 to $650,000, depending on year and hours. A Terex telehandler with moderate hours listed closer to $85,000 to $120,000. If you stop there, the telehandler is the obvious choice.
Then I added delivery and setup. The crane needed a lowboy, overweight permits, and an escort. I paid $4,800 to move one crane 320 miles in 2023. The telehandler moved on a normal step deck for $1,700. But there are also costs that don't show up on the first quote: crane counterweight, hook block, anti-two-block system, rigging hardware. On one quote, those extras added about 6%. The telehandler needed a fork carriage and a couple of attachments—small by comparison.
I've learned to ask "what's NOT included" before "what's the price."
Bottom line on acquisition: the crane is still more expensive. But the total gap is larger than the brochure price—and it should be treated that way.
Annual carrying cost: the part that gets missed
This dimension surprised me. A 100-ton crane sounds like it should cost five times more to keep running than a telehandler. In my spreadsheet, it didn't.
In 2023, our telehandler worked about 1,400 hours and cost $6,400 in maintenance, tires, and minor repairs. The crane worked 380 hours and cost $7,700. But $3,900 of that was annual inspection and insurance allocation. The crane's hourly repair cost was higher, but the telehandler's hours added up fast. Their total ownership costs, excluding depreciation, were closer than I expected.
That's the counterintuitive part: the machine with the lower price tag doesn't automatically have the lower annual bill. Fixed costs—insurance, inspections, storage, permits—hit the crane harder. But the telehandler's variable costs accumulate with every work hour.
Utilization and revenue: the real test
This is where the crane earned its keep.
Using our numbers, the crane's all-in monthly cost was about $8,400. At a $4,800 weekly rental rate, it needed about 1.8 booked weeks a month to break even before taxes. The telehandler's monthly cost was about $2,400. At $1,200 a week, it needed just over two booked weeks. That means the crane didn't need to be four times as busy to make sense—because it charged four times the rate.
Of course, finding two weeks of crane work is harder than finding two weeks of telehandler work. The telehandler is a general-purpose machine; it can handle framing, loading, moving concrete, or reaching a roof. The crane sits until something is too heavy or too high for a telehandler. In a market with steady industrial projects, the crane is a no-brainer. In a residential market, you might not get 30 booked weeks a year.
That's the honest trade-off: the crane makes more money per booked week, but it's harder to book. If you can't keep it busy, the telehandler wins on required utilization.
Operator and jobsite reality
Another hidden cost: the person operating the machine.
A telehandler can be run by a trained operator. In many states, that's a red flag if the training isn't documented. A 100-ton crane requires a certified operator, often with a specific specialty certification. If you don't already have one, add $2,000 to $6,000 for training, testing, and certification. Or pay overtime to a certified operator while you're on a crane job.
Jobsite access matters too. The telehandler fits in tighter spaces, drives through standard gates, and travels between sites without a convoy. The crane needs room to set up, outriggers, good ground conditions, and overhead clearance. If your typical jobsite can't handle a 100-ton crane footprint, the financial comparison is meaningless.
Put another way: the telehandler is the flexible tool, but the crane is the only tool for certain jobs. If those 'certain jobs' recur, the crane creates revenue that a telehandler can't replace.
Resale and exit value
I watched auction results for two years before we bought. Telehandlers are everywhere; they sell quickly, but prices are soft because supply is high. A well-maintained Terex crane in the 100-ton class has a thinner, more global market. Based on what I tracked, a five- to seven-year-old telehandler sold between 45% and 55% of its original list price. A same-age 100-ton crane sold between 55% and 65%, depending on hours and inspection history.
That doesn't mean the crane is a better investment. It means its exit value is stronger in percentage terms—but you have to pay a lot more to enter.
So which one should you choose?
If you're the type of buyer who wants a single answer, you'll be disappointed. I'm not going to say 'the crane wins' or 'the telehandler wins' because the right answer depends on your work mix.
Choose the Terex telehandler if:
- Most of your lifts are under 10,000 pounds.
- You need a machine that can work five days a week, all year.
- You don't have an NCCCO-certified crane operator on staff.
- Your jobsites are tight, muddy, or remote.
- You need to preserve cash.
Choose the Terex 100-ton crane if:
- You regularly set steel, HVAC units, or precast concrete.
- You can book crane work 25 to 30 weeks a year.
- You already have a certified operator, or you hire one regularly.
- You have a serious infrastructure or energy customer base.
- You want the larger exit value and can handle the higher carrying cost.
And if you're still on the fence, don't buy either yet. Rent both on real projects for six months. Track every hour, every fuel bill, every invoice. Then build the spreadsheet. The numbers will tell you.
The last thing I learned
When I first started managing equipment procurement, I assumed the lower quote was always the right call. I was wrong. I almost signed a telehandler package because it cost $400,000 less than the crane, and in 2025 dollars, that's not a small difference. But after counting annual inspections, insurance, required utilization, and resale, the crane made more sense for our industrial service arm. It made us about $54,000 in net margin in its first full year—after all costs.
I still second-guessed the decision for two months. What if the telehandler had done enough? What if a crane project disappeared? I didn't relax until the Q2 2024 review showed the crane breaking even ahead of schedule. There's something satisfying about that kind of closure.
Bottom line: don't let the price tag make the decision for you. Ask what's not included. Run the TCO. And choose the machine that fits your actual workload—not the one that looks safer on paper.