I've had my 425 since 93, with minimal problems. I've got 850 hrs on the meter now. One thing to look at on this era of the 400 series is the seals on the hydrostatic transaxle. The problem areas seem to be where the connections to the forward/reverse pedals enter the trans axle. These seals will wear/harden and start to seep, then leak. This repair is a bit more expensive, or one could just do a re-build over the winter. They are great tractors, and I've always wished I'd gone for the 455 instead of the 425.