I just read about the differences between the 185 and the 285 - the newer type linkage was supposed to be an improvement since the 185 was almost exactly the same as the 99, except for the "cool" new paint color! I worked on a 99k recently and sure enough, it's the same machine.
Have you looked at Goodwill Online? You can sometimes get a decent machine there, but check out the shipping cost before you bid!