The way it happened to me was also not planned. After a few years of trying to do things around the yard by hand, my back was hurting and it became clear that it's not the way to go. Started looking for a package that would include a tiller and snow blower, and maybe a mower deck. Had no idea about garden tractors, but for my budget of at most $2k a new tractor was clearly not an option. Was keeping an eye on the second hand market and saw an Allis Chalmers up for sale. Had a tiller and snow blower, 17hp, and was listed as working. Talked to the guy and I was set on buying it. But then, after a few days it disappeared off the market. Turns out the guy sold it to someone else. For some reason I was really upset, it lasted a few days. Then I resolved within myself that clearly it wasn't meant for me, so I should stop being upset. After some weeks the Case 220 with tiller, deck, and snowcaster was up for sale near Niagara Falls. That just opened the door for me getting at least 8 more Case tractors in the next few years. I'm so glad that guy sold the Allis Chalmers to someone else!!! Another great lesson for me, that God will give you what He knows better that it's good for you and you should not be too upset when you don't get something that you may have wanted.
OMG talk about sticker shock. 
So that's how it started for me. 
let's go, it's finally time to blow. 
The rest of my story about my Case hobby is as follows. I wanted a tiller for my 446 so I posted on CL in the wanted area. No bites for awhile but while on vacation in Oregon visiting family I received a call. I told him get in touch when I get home. I bought it for $200 and when I went to pick it up the seller said do you want to take the GT and mowing deck? It was setting behind the barn out in the weather, so we loaded it up and that’s how I acquired the 444. 
with the old one, that he left outside all winter and then it refused to start in the spring - 
- It left enough of an impression on me that when we needed to buy a mower for our house we got a 36V Black & Decker cordless one... (20+ yrs with no problems)
rebuilt the mower deck and made a few laps around our backyard in the city (The 446 really is too big for the patch of weeds we call a lawn) What I was really looking forward to was using it that winter to clear the driveway and 80' of sidewalk at the front of our house. Finally the first big snowfall came and we hooked up the blade, pushed it out of the tent garage, started it up, drove it 10' - when after a bit of stalling, stumbling and backfiring it died - 
it would be a good backup for the 446 as I could use most of the attachments with it. I also mentioned what I had really wanted was an older 195 ('cause they were cool and looked like an old miniature farm tractor), but said they were rare as hen's teeth around here and I wasn't ever likely to find one anytime soon... We went and looked at the 222, I drove it around his yard, cut some grass with and had a quick peek under the hood, everything looked ok. When I got home with Case/Ingersoll #2 I felt I got a pretty good deal. Drove it off the trailer, and parked it in the tent garage behind the dead 446. 
Oh, and a few days after bringing home tractor #3 I decided to cut the weeds in the backyard with the 222 - despite cutting grass with it at the owners house, now it wouldn't start... 
It also got pushed back into a tent garage that was slowly filling up with non-running Case garden tractors. 
