Combine harvester finance for farms and contractors
Combine harvester finance can spread eligible machinery costs for arable farms and agricultural contractors purchasing new or used equipment. Sorbus can discuss hire purchase, finance lease and whether seasonal payment requests suit a lender’s criteria. Neither harvest-linked repayments nor a balloon payment are automatically available.
Request a conversationPurchase price and total funding requirement
Obtain a dated quotation showing the combine, header, trolley and precision-farming equipment separately. Crop configuration, capacity, drive system, separator hours, condition and warranty affect value. John Deere’s early-order programme confirms that quotes and model-specific terms matter, but it does not establish a market cash-price range. We do not repeat unsupported new or used price bands from older copy. A trade-in with outstanding finance must be settled, not simply deducted at its gross value.
Indicative only. Deposits, terms and structures depend on the asset, the business and funder criteria.
Before you commit to a supplier
- Provide the machine specification, engine and separator hours, service history and header details.
- Explain the acreage or contracting workload and distinguish contracted income from an expected additional harvest.
- Show seasonality in cash flow, grain sales and existing commitments. Ask whether a proposed repayment pattern is available rather than assuming it.
- Document harvest timing, delivery, warranty response, insurance and arrangements if commissioning or repair delays the machine.
What lenders may ask about your business
Prepare filed and current management accounts, bank statements, cash-flow forecasts, existing commitments and the proposed deposit. Time trading, performance, credit history, asset valuation, supplier credentials and the commercial purpose all affect assessment. A recently established business may have fewer options. Criteria differ: neither approval, a particular term nor a rate is guaranteed. The amount financed can differ from the purchase price after VAT, trade-in settlement, deposits and costs the lender does not accept.
Financing a used combine harvester finance
Separator hours, wear parts, threshing system, cleaning system and service records deserve attention alongside age. Inspect the header and drives rather than valuing only the base combine. Lenders can differ on acceptable age at the end of a term, and no single hours limit guarantees or rules out an application. Independent assessment may be needed.
An illustrative example
Hypothetical example: an arable business replaces a combine and purchases a wider header. It prepares a whole-package quotation, trade-in settlement and a conservative cash-flow forecast that allows for a difficult harvest. It asks for a repayment profile matching available cash, while recognising that the lender may offer a different structure or require a larger contribution.
Hypothetical scenario for illustration, not a real client or a quote.
Common finance options
- Hire purchase
- You pay instalments and title normally passes to the business only once all contractual payments, and any option-to-purchase fee, have been paid.
- Finance lease
- The funder owns the asset and you rent it for the agreed term. There is no automatic transfer of ownership; end-of-term options depend on the agreement.
- Operating lease
- Only possible where a funder will take a residual value view on the asset. Return conditions, hours or usage limits usually apply.
- Refinance / sale and HP back
- Releasing capital from equipment you already own may be considered, subject to valuation and the funder's criteria.
For VAT and tax treatment, speak to your accountant.
Questions about combine harvester finance
Can I finance a used combine harvester?+
Potentially. Condition, separator hours, maintenance, support, resale value and business affordability are assessed. There is no universal acceptance rule based only on age.
Can combine repayments follow the harvest?+
A seasonal structure can be requested, but lender policy and the business cash flow determine whether it is offered. Agree the exact schedule before relying on it.
Can the header and trolley be included?+
They may form part of an identifiable package. Show each price and serial detail; a lender may assess the header separately or propose a different term.
What deposit is needed for combine finance?+
It depends on valuation, financial performance, trade-in equity, VAT and the agreement. A manufacturer promotion is not a universal Sorbus offer.
Does a balloon reduce the cost of the combine?+
No. It defers part of the capital to the end and can change the total finance cost. The final obligation remains payable; future resale or refinance is not guaranteed.
Can I arrange funding before bidding at a farm auction?+
Discuss the sale, inspection and settlement deadlines beforehand. A preliminary indication still depends on the specific machine and lender conditions, so do not treat it as permission to bid unconditionally.
Independent references
Research checked 21 October 2026. These are third-party references used for context; they do not review or endorse this page.
- John Deere UK: combine early-order financingManufacturer evidence of model-specific quotations and conditional offers. Temporary offers are not repeated as Sorbus terms.
If you know them, please include the estimated asset value, the supplier and your intended purchase date in the message field below. Leave them out if you are not sure yet.
Who you could speak to
Aiden Wootton
Construction & Engineering Specialist
Construction, engineering, manufacturing, plant and trades
- STEP 1
A conversation with a broker
You talk to a real Sorbus broker about the business, the purpose and what is affordable. No application at this stage.
- STEP 2
Credit placement
If you choose to go further, we prepare the case and decide which lenders on our panel of 150+ are worth approaching.
- STEP 3
Lender assessment
The lender, not Sorbus, underwrites and makes the credit decision. Approval is never guaranteed.
- STEP 4
Documentation
If a lender offers terms and you accept, we help coordinate agreements and payout paperwork with you.
Every step after the first is optional. You can stop after the conversation. Sorbus is a broker, not a lender.
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