</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Thanks again to Andy for the seat time on his New Holland. Nice machine, good ergonomics, good fit and finish.... I think I discovered another choice that just may make my final decision even more difficult...the standard transmission!!! )</font>
When I was looking to buy a tractor, I test drove a hydrostat model, and it just plain felt uncomfortable and unnatural for my foot and ankle to work the pedal. I settled for the gear model, but our property is very flat. I set it in the gear and range I need it in and I go about my work. The only time I need to switch to another gear or range is when I've stopped and I'm about to start working on something different. I simply felt that the gear model was better for my needs, although for some reason it sets everyone off every time I mention how much I love my gear model over a hydro model. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
John has driven both now, and he will have to make the same decision based on his needs.
I wanted to get the lightest tractor I could and still get a 60 inch mower. Our property is wet and the 3000 pound Ford 8N tore things up pretty bad last summer, so I settled on the TC18, which was a shade over 1400 pounds. John has 5 acres, flat and wide open, without any trees. I'm thinking he needs something a little larger, big enough to support a 72 inch mower. I think the TC30 is an excellent value (priced about the same as a TC24). He's also checked out Kubota and Kioti.
P.S. I'm jealous of the pictures of his new pole building! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Hopefully I'll be able to build one later this summer.