something on the cub breaks it will get fixed. i have a good spare engine if i cannot afford to rebuild it when the time comes. i think my tractor outlived its original owner and think about it, when im running it, its 33 years older then its owner. she's almost double my age but the old gal never complains when it has to mow 2 acres per week, never complains when it expected to plow over a foot of heavy wet snow. tough, extremely reliable, and simple old machine. people seem to like their zero turns and their sub compacts. they can have them, not only is a cool old vintage machine it will also have lower operating costs then something more modern. i will never have to replace it, it sips fuel and almost never breaks down. they knew how to make stuff back then.
i also have a 1961 IH cub cadet with a nice condition 38" timed deck. it also runs great and still very capable of mowing the lawn. that's my backup tractor. she's a little slower but mows and runs excellent