Paul Said, " a good hydro is great, however a weak hydro is not. They can leak, groan, lose power when warm..". The same can be said about a geared tractor in that if the clutch is weak, the gears stripped, or the bearings rotted, it takes rebuilding the whole drive line to get it in order. These tractors are for the most part close to half a century old and whether maintenance has been done or not, getting back to original takes time and money if the tractor is to survive. Again, I really don't see an issue of reliability or durability in geared over hydro, but as others have stated, it is a personal preference. I would really like to see a tractor with a synchronous transmission, like the newer shift on the fly mowers, but more of an automotive quality. Maybe some one could do a custom build hint, hint Nigel, etal