What a great selection of feedback, Thanks.
Will check out some options, luckily I have 4 good dealers close by, I've used 3 of the 4, and the 4th my FIL knows really well so would not be reserved working with them at all, some have no stock others have stock, so probably not really a buyers market right now for selection but I think the overall answer is yes it will save time.
Service wise the JD dealer is the closest only 5 min, they are the larger of the 4, the other 3 are mom and pop good folks. 2 of which carry Ferris, Toro, and some others.
The one ferris dealer is really close to work only 5 min and they really bailed me out during this winter, snapped a belt on this little Toro single stage snow thrower I just got from them same season, had +30" and together we dug out a path to their storage container and he found a box of belts and sold one to me. They were actually closed at the time but I talked my way into there. So might try them if they have stock.
I have an old what I think is a Case garden tractor, it's pretty complete and I had it running a bunch of years ago, has no deck, and lost the plow frame long ago, it's probably still in the fence row if I really had to go look for it at my buddies place. It has been indoors for about +20 years, but was outside for a long time, seat is shot paint is patina. No real rust. It's a big single cylinder Briggs.