Thanks Chief - I promise, when the tractor is delivered Sat, that there will some grinning and picture taking! Joe - Everyone will have different ideas but I'll try to explain my decision. Orginally, I was shopping - with no real brand preference( I own a Mf 1130,Ford 1920) - for a platform ,upper 70's pto hp/loader/ utility tractor. I wanted a basic, strong tractor to serve my family for many years. Long term service ,not 5 yr resale. is most important to me. The latest computer controlled electro-hyd gizmo does not interest me! Living in rual W Tn., which is still very Ag based, gave me the chance to shop and compare several brands locally - MF(400 series),NH(TL 90 and TB series),JD (5025 and 6003 series ) Case (JX and JXU) and Kubota (M9000). While ther are several "garden sized" Kubota's around, I have never seen a kubota working in a field around here. If their quality is like my toyota trucks and the wife's Honda cars, maybe I should have bought it! The Kubota with Kubota loader was priced 2nd highest. Case JXU's are red NH TL's. The JX is an older design with fewer frills(ok with me!). I didn't find a dealer( the NH guys want to sell NH even with a red tractor on the lot)that I connected with. Two local JD dealers have never seen a "basic" tractor. After much research, they discovered that JD does make them. They had to ask a old guy what a platform tractor was. And when they priced them, they were 4-5K higher than my best deal. It came down to a MF 491 and a NH TL90. The Massey has 2 rear remotes standard - The NH has a 12x12 mech shuttle trans standard(MF 12x4 no shuttle). The NH has "new" design and ? better ergonomics. The Massey is heavy,solid metal(is plastic a good thing on a tractor?) older design. The bottom line - I could buy the two tractors as closely equipted as possible - the Mf was 2300$ cheaper. Then my Massy Dealer offered me a cab tractor for 4300$ more(only 2K more than the platform NH!). The 491 is coming!
One interesting note - MF,Kubota, and Jd pushed their own loaders. One NH/Case dealer pushed Bushhog's and the other Woods!? I got a 1070 with bale spear and bucket. I really got into the research - specs/weights/features etc on the tractors and loaders. I would be happy to try to help anyone else shopping for a tractor like this.
