That’s what I saw on a Dec. 12, 2019, online dealer auction in central Minnesota, where a 2018 John Deere S790 on tracks with 224.5 separator hours sold for $396,000. The prior record (on a combine sold without heads) was $360,000. That happened on Aug. 15, 2018, at a farm auction in Wayland, Mich., where a 2017 John Deere S680 with only 4 separator hours sold for $360,000.
So, what was the reaction when I blogged about the new record combine auction price of $396,000? For many it was: “Wow, what a steal! That’s way off price of new one.”
Sure, it is, but nearly $400,000? That’s super strong from the lens I’m looking through, yet not surprising as it falls squarely in one of the two hot spots in the current used combine and tractor markets:
- 1- to 3-year-old and under warranty
- 8- to 10-year-old (pre-DEF, pre-Tier IV) in good condition with low hours
Check out what a few very nice condition, low hour combines in the 8-to-10-year-old range sold for at auction in early December 2019:
- 2011 John Deere 9770 STS, 981 engine hours, $175,000, Dec. 7, 2019 farm auction, west-central Indiana. That was the highest price this year on a 9770 – by $31,000!
- Case IH 2588, 1,154 engine hours, $112,000, Dec. 10, 2019 farm auction in west-central Ohio. That was the second highest price on a 2588 in four years.
- 2011 John Deere 9870 STS, 1,724 engine hours, $130,000, Dec. 12, 2019 farm auction in southwest Indiana. That was the second highest auction in 2019.
- 2003 Case IH 2388, 634 engine hours, bit of rough appearance, $67,000, Dec. 14, 2019, farm auction in west-central Indiana. That was the second highest price in 2019 on a 2388.
Greg Peterson is the most trusted name in farm equipment. Visit MachineryPete.com, for his latest analysis as well as equipment listings from dealers and equipment for sale at upcoming auctions.
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