Time Machine questions

[DP]

I'm needing a new external HD for backup and I was thinking of using my TM external. I would wipe the drive and use it as a new B/U. I'm not seeing the big advantage to Time Machine.
My reasoning is that I can use Chronosync (e.g.) to back up my info or I just drag and drop the files I want to the b/u. I can copy back to my iMac HD if it craps out using Migration Assistant from my one bootable HD b/u. The TM HD is already filled up and I wonder if I really need it if I back up everything anyway. As stated, I have one bootable 750GB and two other b/u's-a 250 which is almost filled and a newish 500. I'd replace the 250.
I know HD's are cheap but I'm also looking at Christmas expenses.
Opinions? Is there a big advantage I'm missing to using Time Machine?

[jdc]

Only if you need hourly backups and versions of versions of versions.

I dont use/need TM either -- a 2x daily backup using Superduper is fine.

[deckeda]

TM doesn't require any configuration to setup. For someone already comfortable in setting up schedules and pointing software to source and target volumes, and making choices about incremental or not backups ... TM's advantages won't mean much, especially if they don't need the versioning.

[silvarios]

If you want something more powerful than Time Machine, but retain the option for saving changed/deleted files, check out Carbon Copy Cloner.