I bought a new base model Ford F-150 in 1977 for $4700 +/- and in 1979 bought a new Deere 316 for $2850 plus around $400 for the dual hydraulic 54" front blade. I felt I got my money's worth on both deals and was very happy with the capabilities of both. If todays equally equiped Ford F-150 is worth $21,000 (I just priced it online), then keeping the ratio of truck vs. tractor the same, I would be buying a tractor for $12,700. It's would be a real nice machine, no matter what color it is. But it seems that folks still only want to pay around $3000 and still expect to get the machine I got in 1979. I hate to tell them, but they are not even getting one close to what I got back then in strength , durability or capability. The blade I bought back then for $400 is worth that today used. I didn't loose a dollar. The tractor is probably worth $1100, after 24 years and 9 months of use, 6 of those years commercially. I'm not just saying that the Deeres were the only great tractor. When I was looking back then, I had dealers offering me a Cub, Case, Snapper, Deere and Simplicity and all had the Kohler "K" series 16 hp motor. All had cat "0" capability. All had approx. 48" mowers and could run a big snowblower, hydraulic front blade, 40" or larger rear tiller. And except for the Simplicity they were within $70 of each other. The Simplicity was about $200 cheaper than the Deere. I remember the Cub Cadet being the most expensive. I bought the Deere over the others based on operator comfort. But the other tractors in that class were just as well built, same motor, same capabilities, and I have every confidence that had I bought one of the others, it would be parked where my green one is now.
Yes Ingersoll owners DO have the best of both worlds! Except that they don't use the old "K" series Kohlers any more. What an engine they were!
Are today's machines a good value? Yes, I think so. Using my truck vs. tractor ratio as a rough guide, a $3000 tractor today represents 1/4 of the money my 316 cost back in 1979, and you are getting a decent mower that will plow or blow snow. It can't run a front loader, or back hoe, and has a thinner frame, more plastic and is lighter construction overall, but will as you said hold up to homeowner use with care for 15 or more years. Today's machines are far superior to what 1/4 of my Deere's purchase price would buy back in 1979.