YOUR QUESTION IS A GOOD ONE. INClINED AUGERS ARE BRUTAl ON SEED QUAlITY IN MOST CROPS COMPARED TO THE HORIZONTAl. YES THERE IS AlSO lESS MAINTANANCE. MY FIRST TWO COMBINES WERE INClINES. MY lAST THREE WERE HORIZONTAlS. I PREFER IT SINCE I HARVEST lOTS OF GERM SENSITIVE SEED.