Billy, your answer, like many things, is not a simple yes/no. The TC29 is part of New Holland's Boomer line of compact tractors. As far as size goes, it's in the middle. It was manufactured by Shibaura in Japan specifically for New Holland and was assembled in the New Holland Boomer Assembly Plant in Dublin, Ga where it was completed, tuned, and tested before being shipped out to dealers as completed units. I used past tense in that last sentence because NH closed the Boomer Assembly Plant in Ga a few years ago and severed that new tractor relationship with Shibaura. They still must rely on Shibaura for spare parts. The history since the discontinuation of those Boomer lines is that parts have become expensive. Shibaura must continue to make a profit on far less units, so of course the prices per unit will rise. I've seen some parts over tripple in price since the change.
So, yes, the TC29 has always been an import the same as John Deere bought their compacts from Yanmar for many years. To us in america, it was a tractor assembled here with parts from Japan. Some of the profits of that arrangement stayed here in the USA. To you in Scotland, it is a double-edged sword now. The TC29 was imported from the USA, but made of Japanese parts. Now, those parts are sourced in Japan, but I'm not sure of the path they would follow before getting to you. I don't know if they come through the USA or directly to you from Japan.
I think you can be confident that parts will be available for a long time, but cost is a big issue. The TC29 is a good little tractor that should give lots of hours of trouble-free service. However, if you lose a clutch or a part for the front 4wd axle, how much will those parts cost? I think it's proper to ask those questions and certainly adjust your top price you are willing to pay based on that recent history.
