Combines red newhollandIJ

That is why I bought a lexion. Trips to the main lexion factory in Germany and the assembly plant in Omaha pushed me over the edge to finally buy a lexion. Claas designs and manufacturers the majority of its own parts and componentry (nearly 75% is all sourced in house) that goes into their products, and i'm talking made with quality too - really built to last! Everything is precision fabricated using robotics and then hand assembled onto the machines (combines),with each work station along the assembly line having its own quality control person inspecting every facet of construction and assembly rather than doing random checks like I know most US manufacturers do (no wonder our quality seems to slip from one model to the next). I was also amazed with how much Claas builds for other manufacturers like Deere, CIH, Ford, etc., as seen in one of their component production facilities

I disagree with you about the quality of current manufacturing ("quality seems to slip from one model to the next"). I remember when a car or truck was worn out at 60,000 to 80,000 miles now they go to over 200,000. My latest tractors and combines have been the best manufatured equipment I have ever owned.

30% sounds way too low. look over closely, there is very few different parts outside of the fan and upper rotor case and drive system. When you consider the total number of parts on a machine I would bet the comonality runs close to 80-90%. Most of the parts in these combines comes from what was 20+ years ago the Clayson combine factory in Belgium. There are very few mechanical parts not made there.

you must have never looked very close.

I WOUlD AGREE WHOlE HEARTEDlY. It seems as if All new machines last and work better maybe it's CAD design better componets who knows. I drive a lexus automobile with 207,000 miles on it, my last Ford product was junk when I got it. Our magnum and steiger tractors have very few problems as compared to the IH tractors of 25 years ago.

No I havn't looked that closely at the red ones. Sometime at the next farm show I'll have to give it a good walk around. Still think of it as though looking in a parts book. There has to be alot more than 30% the same.