A used CNC machine typically loses about 15 to 20 percent of its value in the first year, then 8 to 12 percent per year through years two to seven, with the decline slowing after that and values stabilizing around year ten. That is the curve. But the number your accountant wrote down on the books is not the number the used market will pay for the same machine, and the gap between them is usually thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.
This page explains how CNC machines depreciate, what drives how fast a specific machine loses value, the difference between accounting depreciation and real market value, and what all of that means for what you can sell your machine for today. The single most useful thing to know up front: a machine that has been fully written off on your books can still be worth real money on the secondary market.
If you want to skip the research and find out what your machine is actually worth, call 800-822-9524 or get a free quote. MTE returns a free, market-based number within 24 to 48 hours.
How CNC Machines Depreciate Over Time
CNC machines depreciate on a predictable, front-loaded curve: roughly 15 to 20 percent in the first year, then about 8 to 12 percent per year through years two to seven, slowing after that and stabilizing around year ten, where a well-maintained premium machine can hold a meaningful share of its original value for years.
The biggest single-year drop happens in year one. Part of that is a drive-off effect, the same hit a new vehicle takes the moment it leaves the lot. A machine that was new equipment with a manufacturer warranty becomes used equipment the day it ships, and the secondary market prices it accordingly. After that first-year hit, the decline decelerates. Years two through seven shed value at a steadier 8 to 12 percent a year, and each year takes off less than the last.
After about year ten the curve flattens out. A machine that has survived a decade of production and still cuts accurate parts has proven itself, and the used market rewards that. Well-maintained machines from premium brands can hold roughly 20 to 40 percent of their original value well past the ten-year mark. The curve looks like this on the secondary market:
- Year 1: about 15 to 20 percent loss from new, the largest single-year drop.
- Years 2 to 7: about 8 to 12 percent per year, decelerating each year.
- After about year 10: values stabilize, and well-maintained premium machines can hold roughly 20 to 40 percent of original value for years.
Every one of those percentages is typical secondary-market behavior, not a quote and not a guarantee from MTE. Where your specific machine lands on the curve depends on the details, and that is what a real valuation looks at. For the full picture on how used machines are priced, see our CNC machine values guide, or call 800-822-9524 for a number on your exact machine.
Accounting Depreciation vs Market Value
Accounting depreciation and market value are two different numbers, and a machine fully depreciated to zero on your books can still sell for real money on the used market.
This is the part most owners get wrong, and it is the part that costs them the most. Accounting depreciation is a tax tool, not a price. When you bought the machine, your accountant put it on a schedule to spread the cost across its useful life and reduce your taxable income. Section 179 lets a business expense qualifying equipment in the year of purchase, bonus depreciation is a separate first-year allowance, and CNC machine tools are classified as seven-year property under the MACRS schedule the IRS uses for industrial equipment. Every one of those mechanisms is designed to drive book value down fast, and on paper a four-year-old machine can already look nearly worthless.
The used market does not follow that schedule. Book value falls quickly and reaches zero by design. Market value falls slower and rarely reaches zero for a machine that still runs. A machine your books call worthless can still be holding 50 to 60 percent of what you paid, because a buyer is not pricing your tax position. A buyer is pricing the brand, the model, the year, the spindle hours, the control, the condition, and current demand. Those figures are market context, not an MTE quote, but the point stands: the books and the market are measuring two completely different things.
So treat them as two separate conversations. Talk to your accountant for the tax side. Talk to us for the market number. And never assume a fully depreciated or written-off machine is worthless without checking, because the write-off lives on your tax return, not on the shop floor. The clean move is simple: before you scrap or trade anything, find out what your machine is worth or call 800-822-9524.
What Drives How Fast Your Machine Depreciates
Where a specific CNC machine lands on the depreciation curve depends on a handful of drivers an owner can mostly read straight off the machine and its records.
Two machines of the same age can be worth very different numbers, because the calendar is only one input. These are the drivers that move where your machine sits on the curve:
- Brand and model. Premium brands resist depreciation; volume brands fall faster. The make sets the baseline before anything else is counted.
- Age and model year. The starting point on the curve, but never the whole story.
- Spindle hours. This is the CNC equivalent of mileage. Low hours dramatically slow depreciation, and a low-hour machine can be worth far more than a high-hour machine of the same year.
- Control generation and technology shifts. When a builder releases a new control or a new spindle generation, the prior generation loses value faster, because that is what buyers want for current programming and connectivity.
- Condition and documented maintenance. A machine with clean preventive-maintenance records and proof it cuts accurate parts holds value that an undocumented machine does not.
- Included tooling, work-holding, and accessories. A complete package, with the tooling, fixturing, and accessories that came with the machine, is worth more than a bare unit.
- Market demand. Reshoring and long lead times on new machines keep used demand firm, which holds prices up across the board.
Each of those pushes your machine up or down the curve. MTE knows this curve because we buy on it every week, which is buyer experience, not a formula pulled from a chart. If you want to work through your own machine driver by driver, our guide on how to value your used CNC machine walks through each one.
Which CNC Machines Hold Their Value (and Which Depreciate Faster)
Premium brands such as Makino and DMG Mori depreciate the slowest and hold the highest share of their original value, while volume brands such as Haas depreciate faster but stay the most liquid and sell the fastest.
No dealer owns this in plain prose, so here it is in plain prose. Brands sit in tiers on the depreciation curve:
- Premium tier, slowest depreciation. Makino, DMG Mori and Mori Seiki, and Hermle. Strong demand from aerospace, medical, and die and mold work keeps these high, and they hold the largest share of original value over time.
- Mid-premium tier, strong hold. Mazak, which is also the most widely installed CNC brand and therefore one of the most liquid, and Okuma, whose proprietary OSP control holds a loyal buyer base. If you have either, you can sell your Mazak or sell your Okuma to us directly.
- Volume tier, faster depreciation but highest liquidity. Haas is the most common CNC brand in the United States, sells the fastest, and trades at lower price points, so it depreciates faster but almost always finds a buyer quickly. Owners regularly sell your Haas machines to us for exactly that reason. Doosan sits in a similar practical position, and we buy Doosan machines as readily.
By type, five-axis machining centers and mill-turn machines hold value better than three-axis equipment, because shops are upgrading into those capabilities and the buyer pool keeps growing. Low spindle hours and complete packages hold and sell better across every brand.
It also helps to remember how long these machines actually last. A well-maintained CNC machine runs 15 to 20 years or more, and 30-plus with real maintenance, so a machine that is old on the books is rarely done on the floor. These are typical secondary-market patterns and useful-life figures, not fixed retention guarantees, and premium status does not turn a worn machine into a new one. The DMG Mori side of the premium tier is a good example of why brand matters; if you have one, you can sell your DMG Mori into firm demand.
What Depreciation Means When You Sell
A CNC machine depreciates every month it sits idle, so a machine that is no longer earning is quietly losing value while you decide what to do with it.
Once you understand the curve, the decision gets simpler. Value does not pause because a machine stopped running. It keeps sliding, and an idle machine is doing nothing but costing you floor space, insurance, and the value it sheds while it waits. Selling near the flatter part of the curve, or at least before the next idle year takes another bite, captures more of what is left.
This is also where the scrap question comes up, and it is worth being blunt about. Scrap value on a CNC machine is usually a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, sold by the pound. Resale value, even for a machine that is not currently running, is typically many times higher, because a buyer is paying for a machine, not for metal. Never scrap a machine without getting a resale quote first. That one check is the difference between a few hundred dollars and a real number.
The current market gives sellers a tailwind. Reshoring of US manufacturing and long lead times on new machines keep demand for used equipment firm, which supports selling now rather than waiting. If you want to understand the mechanics before you commit, here is how to sell your used CNC machine, step by step. When you are ready for a number, call 800-822-9524 or tell us what you have.
Why Get Your Number From MTE
You should get the real number from MTE rather than a self-serve calculator or a broker because MTE is the direct buyer who writes the check, not a marketplace, an auction, or a faceless estimate with no buyer behind it.
A calculator gives you an average. A broker gives you a listing and a wait. MTE gives you a market-based offer from the company that will actually buy the machine. We purchase outright, pay at pickup, and arrange and pay for rigging, crating, and freight, with no consignment, no listing, and no commission. The quote you accept is the amount you receive.
The offer is market-based and transparent, built from current secondary-market data and the specifics of your machine, not a lowball formula and not a generic estimate. Valuations at MTE are led by owner Jason Puuri, who handles acquisition and final pricing, so the number comes from the person who sets the price and writes the check. MTE is an affiliate of Superior Machine Tools, based in Lansing, Michigan, founded in 2012, and we buy nationwide.
If you are weighing your options, the fastest way to compare them is to get the real number first. Start at our sell your machine hub, or call 800-822-9524 to get your number.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do CNC machines depreciate?
A used CNC machine typically loses about 15 to 20 percent of its value in the first year, then 8 to 12 percent per year through years two to seven, with depreciation slowing after that and values stabilizing around year ten. Well-maintained machines from premium brands can hold a meaningful share of their original value for many years. These are typical secondary-market patterns, not a quote. The only way to know what your specific machine is worth today is to get it valued. Call 800-822-9524 or submit your machine details for a free, market-based number.
Is a fully depreciated CNC machine worth anything?
Yes. Accounting depreciation and market value are two different numbers. Section 179, bonus depreciation, and the MACRS schedule can write a machine down to zero on your books while that same machine still sells for real money on the used market. A fully depreciated machine is not a worthless machine. Before you scrap or write off any CNC machine, get a resale quote, because resale value is almost always many times higher than scrap value.
What is the difference between accounting depreciation and market value?
Accounting depreciation is a tax tool. It spreads the cost of the machine across its useful life on your books, and methods like Section 179 and MACRS are designed to reduce that book value quickly. Market value is what a buyer will actually pay today, based on the model, year, spindle hours, control, condition, and demand. Book value usually falls faster and reaches zero by design, while market value falls slower and rarely hits zero for a working machine. Talk to your accountant for the tax side and to MTE for the market number.
Which CNC machines hold their value best?
Premium brands such as Makino and DMG Mori depreciate the slowest and hold the highest share of their original value, with mid-premium brands like Mazak and Okuma close behind. Volume brands such as Haas depreciate faster but stay the most liquid and sell fastest. Across all brands, low spindle hours, a documented maintenance history, included tooling, and five-axis or mill-turn capability all slow depreciation and lift resale value.
How does MTE decide what my machine is worth?
MTE values your machine on current secondary-market data along with the brand, model, year, spindle hours, control generation, condition, and included tooling. Valuations are led by owner Jason Puuri, who handles acquisition and final pricing, so you get a transparent, market-based offer with no lowball formulas and no obligation. MTE is a direct buyer that purchases outright, handles rigging and freight, and pays at pickup. Call 800-822-9524 or submit your machine details to get a number.
Find Out What Your Machine Is Really Worth
The fastest way to find out what your CNC machine is worth is to tell us what you have.
Call: 800-822-9524 (toll-free) Or: Submit your machine details online for a free, no-obligation, market-based number within 24 to 48 hours. Address: Machine Tool Exchange, Lansing, MI. We buy nationwide.
Machine Tool Exchange, an affiliate of Superior Machine Tools, is a direct buyer of used CNC machines from shops and manufacturers across the United States. For more on how used machines are priced, see our CNC machine values guide.
Book value already told you what the IRS thinks your machine is worth. The market has a different number, and it is almost always higher. Get it from the buyer who writes the check.