Is ProDrive worth the extra auction cost?

I worked with friend and farmer Dustin in northern Iowa, whose S670 has been cultivated for years. You know your equipment better than anyone, and you are always wondering whether to keep repairing your combine, replace it, or buy a new one. With so many combine options available, many farmers experience “decision fatigue”.

One of its unknown features was the streaming options. “Is it worth the investment in a ProDrive drivetrain,” he asked? Google this question and you will be taken to countless forums with heated and conflicting opinions. We decided to test this issue analytically and determine the residual value that farmers saw in ProDrive.

Combine technical specs

A farmer may want to use ProDrive for many reasons: smoother gear changes, different control in hills and patios, higher speeds in open fields and on highways.

We analyzed the auction price of the S670 and the percentage of ProDrive premium models received at auction versus 3-speed models. Since split time (September) is one of the main factors in determining the cost of a combine when replacing, we took that into account and checked if the ProDrive Premium changes as the combine ages and the hours in September increase.