If your looking at a new machine, 2020 model year you'll get some nice updates that these don't have, better can suspension, and a new header, extra little auger in the corners of the header, new turtles, constant tension on the belts for the second cage.

@@tomdownsfarms would be nice but just not in a place to buy a new one, have to buy the ones that are a year old and have that 40k depreciation off the the first year to make it all work. Someday though lol

I understand, nothing wrong with first generation of the 9980's. Like pretty much any machine they add and tweak things as they go along.

They aren't loud at all, they just keep earplugs for when they have to blow them off. We haven't seen any difference in header wear compared to the 9870's or 9770's. Yet again were in very sandy conditions and rocky, so we will usually flip the turtles to wear on the other side halfway through the season and hope they make the whole season.

Ok, we have just noticed ours has a loud hydraulic whine noise when working hard. Agco had a tech come out to this area to try and figure out what the issue was. Unfortunately, everyone was in between cuttings at the time. Supposedly an update is in the works. I just noticed as far as hrs. wise, the wear parts didn't make it as long on the 9980 compare to our 9870/9635/9260/8550s. We are in similar terrain and all I can think is faster speeds cutting. Thanks for the reply

running on sandy ground increases wear a lot.

Just curious, spent all day at Hesston today.

Yes! Spent all day with the Hay team. Going to the Maize Baler school tomorrow. Run a 7444,2190 and 2270xd and R450 mowers

Was really impressed with the 9900 mowers!

Everything else is Deere. Tractors loaders Combines

I have heard deere finally has some decent mower conditioners, wasn't many years ago most anything on the market would cut hay faster than a deere and have fewer issues doing it