My favorites, and I have owned most series other than whats called a Quiet Line model, are the x82 series and the mentioned 149. The 149 was about the best of the models before they started putting side panels and quieter exhausts on them. It had lights, hyd lift and hydrostatic transmission as standard equipment. It can have the rear implment lift for rear blades, moldboard plows, rototillers ect. The Quiet Lines, ie 1250/11450/1650 ect had side panels and the motor was mounted on rubber ISO mounts to help with vibration, commonly these mounts are shot and need replaced, if not replaced the excessive vibration tears up the drive shaft joints ect. When IH went to the x82 series, the frame was modified to handle the opposed twin cylinder engines and they were ridged mounted on the frame, no iso mounts. The 482 and 582 special have a peerless transmission and belt drive, not a true cub cadet to many, the 582 was a gear drive, IH cub 3spd rear end, the 682 was hydrostat drive but manual lift, 782 is a 149 on roids, Kohler KT17 twin, hyd lift and hydrostatic trans, The 982 was the first super garden tractor, longer frame, bigger tires and a Onan 19.9hp twin. During the years of the red cubs, IH sold cub to CCC or Cub Cadet Corp, which was a division of MTD. The last 2 years of the red models, the Diesel powered 782d and yellow/white version 882 came about. They are the best of the x82 series with a very fuel effectient Kubota 3 cylinder liquid cooled diesel engine, hydrostatic transmission, duel hyd lift ablites with front ports for the power angle snow blade and a rear catagory 0 3pt hitch option. This is what I have. The red cubs ended, but the basic x82 design stayed around for many years but with 4 digit numbers like 1811, 1512 diesel ect. Definaltly check out the ihregistry.com website, many cubs for sale on there as well. Cheers Mike