# Scag vs ever ride



## Georgiadawgs78 (Jul 9, 2010)

I'm in the market for a new commercial mower. I just blew up my exmark 52" and I'm looking at a scag turf tiger 61" with I believe a 27hp kohler. It's going to run me right around $10k. I rented an ever ride warrior 60" cut this week and the fella said I will sale you a brand new one for around $7k plus ur rental is free. Said it had a lifetime deck warranty and some other stuff. I haven't had good luck with exmark or Dixie chopper in the past bu I had a cub and turf tiger that never failed me. Thanks
got any advice and opinions. 

G-Dawg


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## rjcruiser (Jul 9, 2010)

How'd you blow it up?  What blew up on it?  Hydros?  Engine?

Just curious.

Personally, I'd never by a new mower.  There are way to many of them out there with low hours for more than half of what a new one costs.

I currently run a Hustler and have been pleased with it.  Another I'd check out would be Bad Boy....they seem to be well made and get good reviews.  

What size motor does the ever ride have on it?  What type of hydros?  How much do they cost to replace?


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## Wild Turkey (Jul 9, 2010)

Take a look at the Bad Boy lighning Z with KAW water cooled engine.. We run Kubota Exmark Scag and the Bad boy is tougher than all of them. Built like a tank and cuts great, even at 1" on bermuda sod. No rings or gouges.

Paid $7,000 at lashley tractor in Conyers.


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## scott odom (Jul 9, 2010)

*mower*

i run a dixie chopper its a 05 model and never touched it except blades , lube and oil,i truly think you can,t go wrong with any of the names at the top with the kawasaki engine its the cadillac when it comes to cutting grass.


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## Georgiadawgs78 (Jul 9, 2010)

Yeah I've heard nothing but greatness on the Kawasaki motors. The exmark had a kohler, not sure about hP. It looks to have slung a rod or something. I priced a new motor at $2000 or so. Not sure the hours on the exmark but it was pretty rough when I got it on some horse trading.


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## Georgiadawgs78 (Jul 9, 2010)

Yeah I've heard nothing but greatness on the Kawasaki motors. The exmark had a kohler, not sure about hP. It looks to have slung a rod or something. I priced a new motor at $2000 or so. Not sure the hours on the exmark but it was pretty rough when I got it on some horse trading.


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## brandon8280 (Jul 9, 2010)

I have a 61" Turf tiger. I like it. It cuts all types of grass great. it also does a good job stripeing grass too.Im just not a big kohler fan. i wish it had a kaw on it.


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## Washington95 (Jul 10, 2010)

Might check Vidalia Small Engine; they had a huge ZTR Hustler diesel they had a tag on that said MSRP of over $16M and they wanted $10 for it.  Not bad if you're in market for that kind/size mower.  PM me for phone number, etc.


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## Washington95 (Jul 10, 2010)

Forget the PM, just call me at 478-552-9267,  and that price might be "out the door".


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## Georgiadawgs78 (Jul 10, 2010)

I'm located in NE GA so the closest bad boy dealers was Buford and Dahlonega. I tried calling them today but neither answered. I checked online and it said the lightening z models start at $7600 or so. I'm looking for something in the 60" cut range and $10k or less. Like I said the only mowers I've dealt with were a scag turf tiger, two Dixie choppers, and the used exmark. The only one I really liked was the scag but I'm open to all suggestions.


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## dfhooked (Jul 10, 2010)

also look at a gravely, very good commercial cutters


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## Washington95 (Jul 11, 2010)

When looking at Gravely, look at Ariens to see if they have one that matches exactly.  Ariens bought Gravely and some equipment is exactly the same except color, etc., and what I found was that you can save several hundred dollars one way or the other.  Gravely, and now I suppose Ariens has very good reputation.

Ariens dealer told me candidly that the model I was looking at was exactly, part for part, the same as a Gravely unit.  He also sold Gravely, but for above reasons pushed the Ariens, at about $500 less.


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## Firescooby (Jul 12, 2010)

Georgiadawgs78 said:


> I'm located in NE GA so the closest bad boy dealers was Buford and Dahlonega. I tried calling them today but neither answered. I checked online and it said the lightening z models start at $7600 or so. I'm looking for something in the 60" cut range and $10k or less. Like I said the only mowers I've dealt with were a scag turf tiger, two Dixie choppers, and the used exmark. The only one I really liked was the scag but I'm open to all suggestions.



I really like my TT, just wish it had a Kawasaki on it.

I demoed a BadBoy fall before last. Can't comment on longevity, but the cut on Fescue was crap when cutting above 3, especially around 4". I even took the blades off and sharpened them.

My TT will cut Fescue up to 4.5" and looks like Carpet. Had a Hustler before and wasn't impressed with the cut on Fescue with that either. 

ANY mower can cut Bermuda and make it look good, Fescue is a different story.


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## 2011GADawg (Jul 12, 2010)

scag all the way especially since they are now using a drive shaft instead of a belt in the turf tiger kubota is also very good just be ready to fork over a little extra$


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## Jeremiah Glaze (Jul 13, 2010)

Im a commercial mower small engine mechanic, Exmark is probably the tuffest and longest lasting on the market...the scag is a good mower with a lot of bells whistles that are getting more costly to repair, scag also uses a kohler as well as a kawasaki...

Isee 5 times as many problems out of all of Kawasakis engines as I do Kohler...Kohler has proven to be old reliable, the only time I generally see a problem out of a Kohler is failure to maintenance...keep the oil changed, the air filter clean religously and the blades sharp (less strain on the mower) dont do any "bush hogging with it" and you should easily get 2500+ hrs out of it I have seen as much as 4K with no problems and good compression and no oil burn...

I personally would go with something you can easily find parts for that is reliable, you can pick up a 27 HP Kohler short block to replace your engine in the $800 to $1200 range, just do your valves n seats n re use your heads and plastic...I would be curious as to why your engine blew and how many hours were on it...I work on em everyday an have to say to me Kofler is old reliable an the exmarks just seem to hold up a lil better than others without a whole lot of extras to tear up...I personally use full synthetic oil as much as possible in em, keep em greased but air filter cleaning daily is necessary...those things pick up a lot of dirt that you dont want to be sucking in the engine

If you'll look on 98% of landscapes trucks there mowers are red Exmark/toro and theres a reason for that, its good stuff...Deere makes a good cutting machine but green is expensive!!!


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## rjcruiser (Jul 13, 2010)

Jeremiah Glaze said:


> I personally use full synthetic oil as much as possible in em, keep em greased but air filter cleaning daily is necessary...those things pick up a lot of dirt that you dont want to be sucking in the engine



I've heard that you can over maintain the air filter...ie everytime you take it off/out, dust is getting in the tube. 

After how many hours do you recommend taking it out and cleaning?  And when you clean it, what do you do?  Just shake it out/wipe it down?

Curious.


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## mattech (Jul 13, 2010)

When I worked for the water department, we used Grasshopper's, they were diesal power and water cooled. I remember climbing up this one hill with no problem when everyone said i was stupid for it (which i was) but the mower did great.


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## 2011GADawg (Jul 14, 2010)

Jeremiah Glaze said:


> Im a commercial mower small engine mechanic, Exmark is probably the tuffest and longest lasting on the market...the scag is a good mower with a lot of bells whistles that are getting more costly to repair, scag also uses a kohler as well as a kawasaki...
> 
> Isee 5 times as many problems out of all of Kawasakis engines as I do Kohler...Kohler has proven to be old reliable, the only time I generally see a problem out of a Kohler is failure to maintenance...keep the oil changed, the air filter clean religously and the blades sharp (less strain on the mower) dont do any "bush hogging with it" and you should easily get 2500+ hrs out of it I have seen as much as 4K with no problems and good compression and no oil burn...
> 
> ...


My dad has ran a landscape company for 14 years now and has gotten great use out of the exmark mowers but since he got a scag they seem to run better cut better and last longer the scags are definitely the favorites among the employees and he is getting ready to go all scag and phase the exmarks out of his inventory and you are very right about deere you pay for that green paint and the little deere emblem


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## Jeremiah Glaze (Jul 15, 2010)

rjcruiser said:


> I've heard that you can over maintain the air filter...ie everytime you take it off/out, dust is getting in the tube.
> 
> After how many hours do you recommend taking it out and cleaning?  And when you clean it, what do you do?  Just shake it out/wipe it down?
> 
> Curious.


I work full time for a large landscape company and I blow them out daily and always have...pull them out take em outside and get em with air hose...I would blow it out after every use...they suck up a good bit of dirt...the kohler have an pre filter element inside the outer actual air filter that actually pretty well stops anythign from getting on down the tube...


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## Georgiadawgs78 (Jul 15, 2010)

Well I found a fella to fix my old exmark. He said he could install a brand new kohler for $1300. Hopefully she will hold up for a little while. I'm just going to plan on adding a new mower in the spring to the arsenal.


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## JWarren (Aug 2, 2010)

Jeremiah Glaze said:


> Im a commercial mower small engine mechanic, Exmark is probably the tuffest and longest lasting on the market...the scag is a good mower with a lot of bells whistles that are getting more costly to repair, scag also uses a kohler as well as a kawasaki...
> 
> Isee 5 times as many problems out of all of Kawasakis engines as I do Kohler...Kohler has proven to be old reliable, the only time I generally see a problem out of a Kohler is failure to maintenance...keep the oil changed, the air filter clean religously and the blades sharp (less strain on the mower) dont do any "bush hogging with it" and you should easily get 2500+ hrs out of it I have seen as much as 4K with no problems and good compression and no oil burn...
> 
> ...



Probably the reason you see 5 times as many problems with Kawasaki's as Kohler's.....there are 5 times as many Kawasaki motors as there are Kohler. And, there is a reason for that and it is not because the Kohler is better.


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## bulletproof1510 (Aug 14, 2010)

Well said JWarren, well said...


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## ga nopro (Aug 14, 2010)

Georgiadawgs78 said:


> Well I found a fella to fix my old exmark. He said he could install a brand new kohler for $1300. Hopefully she will hold up for a little while. I'm just going to plan on adding a new mower in the spring to the arsenal.



With the number of landscrapers that have gone under, the used prices on commercial units are unbelievablely LOW not to mention the LOSS of 35% off the top for depreciation on a New One.


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## Jeremiah Glaze (Aug 15, 2010)

JWarren said:


> Probably the reason you see 5 times as many problems with Kawasaki's as Kohler's.....there are 5 times as many Kawasaki motors as there are Kohler. And, there is a reason for that and it is not because the Kohler is better.



actually they manufacture just as many mowers with kohlers as Kawasakis if not more...why is it you assume Kawasaki is better??? I have owned both and work on both daily I dont necessarily not like Kawasaki but parts are higher , carbs are prone to stick n flood n dump gas out of the air filter, and most dont have carb kits or parts available, you just buy a new carb(19.0 hp kawasaki) carb is $250+,  we have 6 toro 48 walk behinds, n 8 toro/exmark commercial push mowers with kawasakis all 2007's or newer n weve had problems out all carbs except 3 on the kawasakis!!! Some under warranty some not...We have 12 exmark lasers with 27ho kohlers all over 1500hrs some over $2500hrs and have never replaced a carb on a kohler?? Maybe weve just had bad luck with kawasakis and good luck wiht kohlers??? dont get me wrong the kawasaki is a strong running engine etc etc....


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## JWarren (Sep 5, 2010)

Jeremiah Glaze said:


> actually they manufacture just as many mowers with kohlers as Kawasakis if not more...why is it you assume Kawasaki is better??? I have owned both and work on both daily I dont necessarily not like Kawasaki but parts are higher , carbs are prone to stick n flood n dump gas out of the air filter, and most dont have carb kits or parts available, you just buy a new carb(19.0 hp kawasaki) carb is $250+,  we have 6 toro 48 walk behinds, n 8 toro/exmark commercial push mowers with kawasakis all 2007's or newer n weve had problems out all carbs except 3 on the kawasakis!!! Some under warranty some not...We have 12 exmark lasers with 27ho kohlers all over 1500hrs some over $2500hrs and have never replaced a carb on a kohler?? Maybe weve just had bad luck with kawasakis and good luck wiht kohlers??? dont get me wrong the kawasaki is a strong running engine etc etc....



Good deal.....you can have the Kohler and I can have the Kawasaki. My dealer has actually stopped ordering the Kohler engine on his ZTR mowers (the only type mower he sells now) because of problems and Kohler not honoring their warranty.


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