I just looked in to see what's up with the Shibaura news, my preference by a mile. I'm about to jump on a NH T1520, esp if I get decent trade-in on either or both my older NH & JD 1520s. Never sorted out the differences between the TC & Boomer lines, .. source, control layout, loader mostly .. and for some of us it's like boats and you're shopping for the next one before you get the new one wet. Now I'm looking for/at my last tractor.
I'm noting the post dates here and was surprised to recently see 'TractorData' saying the T series (Shibaura) had been back since '08, & I hadn't caught on. Dealer says they won't be around long, so future sourcing could be up in the air. Whatever wear & tear I might have put on my NH/Shibaura I sure can't tell after 12 yrs of doin' it all. A virtual twin (to 1520/1720) with another 10 hp oughta last as long as I do. I bought the JD to get a 5' tiller with it & have the power to use it (45hp gas). Getting down to one tractor ... and getting the colors right
.. means a lot to me, but it's much a Shibaura and HST thing, too. (I can re-paint my yellow attachments and the Terramite..)
Don't fully understand the CVT trend. Guess they're more like a planetary automatic trans with hydro shift & no torque converter. Gotta be some variations between brands, no? Is it that HST doesn't suit medium to large tractors? (50, 200, more hp?) Hydro seems simpler with pumps/torque-motors vs extra gears/parts. Mebbe it's an efficiency thing that us food-plotters wouldn't notice but real farmers can appreciate? ...