many years ago i had a 1961 bolens ride-a-matic. it was a very early garden tractor. literally NO parts were available for it at all. the only thing that was availiable was was hardware store available items like nuts and bolts. several times my stepfather and i would have to make things. i also spent allot of time going to a bearing store. it was a real pain in the ***. if parts become unavailable for my john deere 112 and my cub cadet 147, it will make them unusuable. this would really suck. i enjoy my machines and the strenght and durability they offer, even 40 years later they are still durable peices of equipment. there is very little offered today that could replace the niche that these machines occupy. in my price range the only thing i could afford is that box store crap offered at places like home depot and lowes, and we all know how bad that crap sucks. to buy a machine that is in the same category as my 112 i would have to spend $4000 and up for a jd x500 series, which is mostly made of plastic. i also dont think that these newer machines have the same durability offered as older models, the engine are alumium. cast iron or go home i say.
i think it would take even more money to equal a cub cadet 147. a modern shaft drive, hydro garden tractor is NOT CHEAP.
i also would never buy a tractor that does NOT have ground engaging abilites. i want to run a tiller.
i hope we dont have to let our machines go.... ever. i dont really care too much about orginal parts, i just want to continue to keep them functional
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