Since you had the YM1610, the PowerShift is hard to beat as the YM1900 is manual gear.
On another forum, the YM1900 has better attributes over a Ford 8N.
Yes, I would take a smaller Powershift over a manual any day. In fact I have: the little YM186D will do nearly anything that I used the YM240 for. The larger YM240 is good only for carrying the backhoe, and for when - rarely - I need its larger loader lift ability. The Powershift's ability to shift without making a full stop makes the little guy far more practical in day to day use.
That said, YM1900 or YM2000(YM240) are excellent choices where low initial cost and simple ongoing upkeep are valued.
Comparison to Ford 8N? I studied YM240 vs 8N and concluded they are so different that a choice would depend on the application. YM240 will push more hp out the PTO if that is important. And the Ford won't go slow enough to rototill well. Yanmar has a much lower low gear, useful not only for tilling but for backing a trailer uphill etc where precision is helpful. Rated HP is similar (24 vs 27 engine hp) but I think the diesel Yanmar has more torque at lower rpm so the application determines which serves better. Ford has a huge advantage of weight. Pulling a plow is a natural for the Ford, that's what it was built for, where the Yanmar will spin tires, probably even with a lesser plow.
And not really a theoretical comparison but I think the Ford anyone finds locally may be cheaper but will not be in as good condition as a Yanmar. Bad, oil-damaged brakes on a Ford are common, and a lot of work to repair, while rare for Yanmar. Fuel cost for a gas tractor is much higher. Carb and ignition maintenance are routine parts of owning a Ford, while the Yanmar will run for years, decades, with next to nothing needed beyond the lubricants that both tractors need equally.
The Fords I found locally seemed like one would need endless tinkering for as long as I owned it, same as buying a 1949 model car. Yanmars simply run for years. YMMV!
