<font color=blue>BTW, how do you like that TC33D? I read lots of good things about them. Any major shortcomings you have discovered?</font color=blue>
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. We have a new son (6 months old) and a new house that is just getting finished, so I've been pretty preoccupied.
I'm very happy with my TC33D. It fits my needs almost perfectly (which is probably one of the main reasons I've been so happy with it). I needed somethin powerful enough to do some brush hogging of pastures and dense saplings, and small enough to create and maintain trails through our woods. Along the way, it's also maintained 1300 ft of gravel road/driveway. We'll see how it does with snow this winter.
The only problems I've had have been minor (sticking steering column adjustment, for example). These were taken care of promptly under warranty. I did manage to knock the hydaulic filter and mounting off from up on the frame inside the right rear tire (backed up just the wrong way and flipped a large flat rock up to knock it off). Called the dealer after hours and left a message with an urgent request for repair. He was out before noon the next day with a filter and bracket to get me going mounting flange stripped from a TC33 he had on the lot). A good example of why I decided to go local!
John Mc