I'm sometimes accused of over-thinking things, but what I did before purchasing the YT359C was to make a spreadsheet with the pros and cons of each tractor I was interested in or looked at. There are a lot of good tractors out there. Each has its pros and cons and more importantly, each pro or con means something different and is given different weight based on how you will use the tractor and your personal preferences. I think spending the time to put this together is worthwhile because the more tractors you bring into the picture the more you get confused and forget specific pros/cons; this is a substantial purchase. It also forces you to give weights to your preferences! As part of that list, give good weight to the dealer reputation and how far away that dealer is.
Here are some of the thoughts that were going through my mind during the decision making, and some of the things that I really liked about the YT359C.
1) I've had a positive experience with all Yanmar equipment that I've been exposed to so far, especially the engines.
2) Yanmar is an integrated manufacturer like Kubota and makes all key components on the tractor and those components are designed specifically for this tractor.
3) I'm a John Deere fan and Yanmar has made a ton of the smaller JD compact tractor models for many many years, up until fairly recently. JD still purchases Yanmar engines for some tractors, including the comparable 4052R and 4066R models.
4) The cab is really thought out well and co-designed with the tractor. It looks integrated into the design and more aesthetically pleasing than others I looked at. The cab roof is painted metal, like a car roof instead of others which are plastic and more likely to fade and possibly crack. All the controls are in good locations, easy to access. However, I prefer the dual petal setup seen on most other Hydro tractors, which this tractor does not have. It took a little while, but I have gotten used to the reverser knob. The JD 4066R cab had a bit better visibility due to the wrap around window, but I do like having the small side windows that you can open up.
5) I like the simple cruise control setup..... and also the less simple but versatile A/B system that allows you individual control of the engine RPM and tractor speed, and the ability to switch between modes easily from a button on the joystick.
6) I like the IHMT. It is a smart design, with the transmission being essentially fluid-locked (no slippage) when you are at your working range. My previous tractor had a standard hydro, which I loved the control of, but it would heat up dramatically when doing heavy pulling. This tractor has no such problem, because at working speed the hydro is not pumping and heating up the fluid.
7) I like the gas filler location. Later, I found out that the tractor beeps when full....handy.
