Summer 2025 Combine & Header Market Analysis

As we work through the back half of summer, the numbers coming out of the combine and header market give us a clear read on where opportunities are – as well as what risks are lurking. The patterns this season aren’t uniform across combine classes or even headers, which means dealers can’t afford to treat them equally.

These are the realities dealers are facing on their lots right now. Let’s discuss how they can use this information to make better decisions before harvest trades start hitting.

Class 8 used inventory is down about 10% from last year, but that’s only part of the story. Class 8s still account for 57% of the used combines on our lots and roughly 75% of total combine value. That concentration means most of our inventory risk is still tied up in one subcategory.

One-third of the Class 8s that moved this summer had been sitting for over a year, and more are about to age into that category. Once a machine tips into aged status, options narrow – and usually get more expensive and harder to move. These combines are getting interest, but buyer hesitancy continues to lower turn rates compared to the last couple of years.

Dealer takeaway: Clear exit plans are needed for every Class 8 taken in. That means coding in aging thresholds that are actually followed, knowing in advance which channels will be used to move them, and avoiding trades without a defined buyer profile.

Meanwhile, Class 7s are telling a different story. Auction values so far in 2025 are running ahead of last year, and nearly 25% of the Class 7s we’ve seen sell in Tractor Zoom’s data this summer moved in 30 days or fewer. Compare that to Class 8s, where fewer than 10% sold that quickly.

These machines are finding buyers faster, and in many cases at stronger prices than last year. This means they deserve a pricing and marketing strategy that is separate from that applied to Class 8s.

Dealer takeaway: Let’s not lump 7s and 8s together. With the right buyer targeting (and with a dealer CRM built to do exactly that) dealers can move Class 7s before they age.

Pairing a combine with the right header can often be the move that gets it sold. Matching size, condition, compatibility, and features like chopping capability can make a machine much more attractive to the right buyer.

That said, 30% of row crop headers sold this summer were over a year old – the same aging pattern we see in Class 8s. The difference is that headers give us more flexibility. A header swap or package deal can change the value proposition of a slow-moving combine overnight.

Dealer takeaway: Audit header inventory for bundle potential. If the right match isn’t on the lot, sourcing it from wholesale or a partner dealer might make sense if it unlocks a larger sale.

In 2024, a lot of dealers cut bait on headers at the 150 – 180 day mark. This year, that trigger has stretched out to 360+ days. Longer hold times might be necessary in some cases, but they also bring more depreciation, higher floorplan costs, and less flexibility to pivot.

We’re also seeing more aged headers show up on the auction market, which increases competition and puts downward pressure on prices.

Dealer takeaway: If we extend hold times, we need to factor in the real costs and market competition before committing.

Class 7 prices appear to have found a floor. Class 8s are more mixed, and the recent drop in corn prices could put pressure on both segments.

With only a handful of dealer inventory-reduction auctions left before harvest, dealers have a narrow window to move aged units before the next wave of trades comes in.

Dealer takeaway: Use auction comps from the last 90 days to reset stale listings now. Waiting until after harvest could mean competing in a more crowded, more price-pressured market.

One of the biggest reasons machines stack up is when the first buyer’s profile doesn’t match the second or third buyer’s needs. Are your first buyers open to the same machines our second and third buyers will later take?

Dealer takeaway: Build stocking plans around the second and third buyer first, then work backward to OEM ordering programs. It’s more work upfront, but it’s how dealers avoid mismatched trades that sit.

This market isn’t giving us one playbook for every class or attachment. Class 8s remain a high-value, high-risk category that demands disciplined aging strategies. Class 7s are holding value and turning faster — especially when we target the right buyers early. Headers can be a lever to move bigger deals, but aging patterns mean timing matters. And above all, aligning our stocking to actual buyer demand across first, second, and third buyers will keep us from tying up capital in machines that sit.

Understanding demand and aligning it with inventory takes accurate and up-to-date market intelligence. Dealers using Tractor Zoom Pro can track both auction and retail values to price equipment confidently, move inventory faster, and keep aging risk in check. When you manage inventory strategically, you ensure you’re ready for the next wave of trades before it hits.