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Macon, IL | >>What you save on initial purchase you will spend on repairs in the first season. <<
I think that would depend greatly on the maintence of previous owner. I would take a well maintanined 8820 over a neglected anything.
I would avoid consignment auctions for combines. I like to go to retirement auctions where I can see the rest of the equipment, see if it was well maintained, shed/shop, etc. When you are talking any older combine it is all about the TLC.
Nice to have the option for IH or Deere. Being color blind you can go to auctions and try to find a good combine of either color and have a lot more options.
If you go green there are a lot more 7720's out there than 8820s, and may have not seen as many acres in the same hours. I think you were talking about 100bu corn? 7720 will handle 8 row head in 100bu corn fine. Last year I saw a really really clean 9600 sell for $33,000. I have seen junk worn out ones sell for $40k+. At least around here 9500's seem to bring more than 9600's for a similar reason.
Find your box before you buy heads-goodheads for either are easier to find than a good older combine-and if you have to go to a dealer they won't be able to take you as much on markup as on the box.
Just try to find something that is going to let you avoid the major repairs early. i.e. don't buy something with a weak hydro or something like that.
If you go IH route definately go the cummins route-seems there are a lot of IH's in the graveyard that were good machines that went because of engine.
I like your start samm approach, rather than go full bore can you just get a combine and truck and try harvesting a couple hundred acres 1 year and have your custom guys do the rest. If it doesn't work out sell the stuff and walk away-probably won't lose much if anything. If it works out then add the cart, bagger, etc.
Edited by pbutler 7/27/2009 08:57
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8820 Titan II JD vs 1680 Case IH combine
