"Jim" wrote in message
...
Looking to purchase a consumer grade lawn tractor. My 18 year old Sears
(Murry) riding mower has manually selected gears. Many of the new
machines boast hydrostatic transmissions. Are these really any better?
Are they as durable as regular gears?

Check out the Craftsman "Pro" model they've got on sale right now. Has the
bigger size of the garden tractor (but won't handle ground engaging
attachments) so it's a more comfortable fit to climb into and drive.
Hydrostatic, with cruise control. I bought one last night at their "plus
10% off" sale. It's on sale for $1799.99 less $50 for Craftsman Club
savings. With my retiree discount I got it for $1420 more or less.
Beautiful Black with yellow deck and bumper and accent graphics. Wife
thinks it looks like a bumblebee but I said "but it fits so good". My old
Craftsman is 6 speed but with my "old age" arthritis, it's just getting too
hard to climb up over the seat to get on. And the new ones with the 6 speed
shifter on the fender make it hard to slide into the seat. Get hung up on
the shifter on one side or the cut adjustment lever on the other side. No
problem with the Hydrostatic. I keep an old second tractor at my Mother's
with the hydrostatic and have never had a problem with that.

Tom G.