Sorry I've been slow getting back to the thread about my purchase decision. First, even though the Tiger Cat with the 61" deck was a good buy, deep down I knew I would be better off with a smaller deck. I didn't want to bring up different models until I was sure what I wanted. Well, today the dealer delivered my new Cheetah with the 52" deck and Kawasaki FX730. I have had such great service from my John Deere with the Kawasaki engine, I decided to get what I wanted. So, if anyone has any advice for the this SCAG newbie, please pass it along. Glad to be part of the family!