Have the same year, same machine with same number of hours.. Love it. Don't forget if and when you add engine oil or change it, to follow the instructions in the service bulletin and add it SLOWLY.
I'm sorry I didn't buy the 6' finish mower because the 5' is great, but you can't use it in high range except on a downhill or dead level, and there is plenty of power left over in low range to drive the 6'. The ground here is uneven enough so that I couldn't go much faster anyway..
I love the tractor, but I would have thought I'd put 300 hours per year on it, but the weather just won't cooperate, especially this year, the year of the Monsoon summer here. I've been considering adding a 3pt snowthrower for the winter, but still not committed to it. If we get the amount of precipitation this winter we got in spring and fall, I'm going to wish I had it if I don't.
If you have a loader on it, be extremely careful when refueling that you either wear very old shirts or stand on the operator's platform because I have a bunch of formerly decent t-shirts with strange bullseye marks on the chest from the grease fitting on the loader.. took a while to even figure out where they were coming from. since I was paying attention to the fuel and not my shirt at the times they were imprinted.. If you operate in cold weather be sure to pop an extra fuel filter in the toolbox - in fact for all weather, because the tiny filter gets clogged very easily and it's easier to swap out and clean later than stand in the sun and roast or freeze.. Also be sure to add stuff in the winter to keep the fuel from gelling in the filter and also clean the filter out much more often than the owner's manual dictates. If you don't have a Mr. Funnel, it might be a good time to get one, to keep as much junk as possible out of the tank - maybe even drain the tank into a container and pour the contents back thru a Mr. Funnel.
Not a bad idea to keep some diesel 911 around just in case that filter clogs up with gelled fuel or ice crystals in the winter too, though if you do the above you should be ok..
Again, if you have the loader take the precaution of checking the hydraulic hoses while moving the loader from bottom to top and back and be sure they are secured with enough cable ties or whatever to keep them from being pinched. Had that happen to me and it cost in time and money. The clearances with those hoses are very tight on the 12A.
I think you're going to like the machine, but I have read bits by people who went from smaller tractors with gear trannies to this one with hydro and said they felt they weren't getting more power than from their old ones. I can't comment on the accuracy because this is the only CUT I've ever owned.
Don't forget to block the clutch if you leave the tractor unused for long periods. If the gray plastic on the sides under the levers still looks good, I'd try to put something on it to protect them. Mine lost some of their color in the sun. I put some no-wax floor stuff on 'em and they haven't gotten worse but they didn't get much better either. It's a cosmetic thing and probably no big deal if you keep the tractor indoors.
Can't think of much more.. Good luck, and enjoy the toy!
