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Hello All,

I'm new here and as the title says, I'm buying a SCAG mower this week. I'm 61 and I want to buy a mower that will last till my lawn mowing days are over. I'm fed up with how slow my JD mower is and the fact that it's 4 years old and I'm on my second carburetor and third fuel pump. I want to buy a quality mower to last.

I have 2 acres of land and I'm looking at the Tiger Cat II with a Kawasaki engine and a 61" deck. My local dealer will sell it for $9,400 + tax.

I looked at the Patriot and with the same engine and 61" deck, the price is $7,499.

Aside from the nicer floating seat in the Tiger Cat II, what is the difference between the two?

Thanks,
Texasvet

I have the Tiger Cat II, it's a great mower, always starts and runs great.
The deck they put on them does a esculent job of cutting and spreading the clippings out.

The seat on mine is adjustable and very comfortable.

Also on the Tiger Cat II you get cast iron mower spindles, and wheel motors, and better pumps with cooling fans..

I have the Kaw engine and it runs great, I think you'll be very happy with this mower.

In answer to your question, the Tiger Cat is a step up from the Patriot, and the Cat has a lot better deck.

Use non ethanol gas or you will have the same problems.

BlazNT said:

Use non ethanol gas or you will have the same problems.

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I agree.

I always use non ethanol gas in all my equipment, they do run better and fuel problems are a thing of the past.

It cost a little more, but it's pay me know, or pay my later with repairs, your choice.

texasvet said:

Hello All,

the fact that it's 4 years old and I'm on my second carburetor and third fuel pump. I want to buy a quality mower to last.

?

Thanks,
Texasvet

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These aren't wear problems, but fuel problems. It doesn't matter what you buy as said earlier you are still going to have these troubles. I just don't know about the replacement fuel pumps because I have been having a run on them in my shop???

To expand on John Rs comments,
I have a 2008 Scag Tiger Cub 48" deck with a blower driven Scag collection system. This machine has 850 hours most of which have been with the collection system.
If you have any inclination of needing a collection system, the Tiger Cat II is what I recommend.
The Tiger Cub was upgraded to a Tiger Cat and the Tiger Cat was upgraded to the Tiger Cat II. I am very impressed with the upgrades on the Tiger Cat II.
With the exception of the 48" deck Tiger Cat II all the rest have a suspension seat as standard equipment. I have replaced the standard seat on my Tiger Cub with a mid range suspension seat. As most ZTRs have ridged suspensions, larger and wider tires along with a suspension seat make the ride tolerable on rough areas.
My suspension seat was $400 and minor modifications were needed to install it.
Having looked over the Scag Patriot, I am impressed with it. The Patriot has the same Kawasaki FX engine as the Tiger Cat II has. The FX engine has the two stage Donaldson air filtration system which I feel is necessary for engine life as ZTRs are dusty machines by their nature of design.
Some of the drawbacks to a Patriot are aluminum spindles with sealed bearings, non suspension seat, basic mower deck and a mower airflow collection system.
But I wouldn't rule out the Patriot as it is an upgraded Freedom Z Pro with the top of the line Kawasaki FX engine which is not available on mid range machines from other manufacturers.
If a blower driven collection system is not important to you, then the Patriot may be of consideration to you.
As for the suspension seat, I wouldn't be without it as I am in rocky, rooty, hilly, leafy, pine needly New England.
I also have a Hustler X-ONE which has the fan cooled pumps which the Tiger Cat II has and I feel that the fans are an important cooling factor particularly during long term mowing. The Hustler runs sometimes for 10 hours as it is used in a cemetery and has a Kawasaki FX730V engine, sweet running and easy to maintain.
Just some thoughts from Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

As for non ethanol gasoline, it is not available at any gas station here in CT. It is available at power equipment dealers at $80 for a five gallon container of 93 octane. At $16 a gallon, I'm not interested!!!
I use Star Tron fuel additive when refilling my gas containers and periodically use Sea Foam fuel additive when my machines have been sitting for a while.
For long term storage I drain the fuel and run the carbs out of gas.
A caution with any new machine, as fuel evaporative systems have been added, overfilling the tank(s) is bad thing to do.

If you want speed, the Scag Cheetah is faster than anyone wants to mow. 11 mph in low range, 16 in high. My Cheetah is 2 years old and has less than 100 hrs with the Kawasaki FX 850 motor. I liked the adjustable suspension seat and figured the longer frame may help with the ride and control. New, it cost 10,800 with tax. I'm nearly 66 years old so I figure it is my last mower. I mow 3 acres at 2.25 inches and it usually takes me about 1.5 hours with my 61" cut. My wife has also learned to operate the Scag. We have had no problems with it. My dealer charges about $160 for my annual service, including new blades. My only regret with the Scag is I wished I had bought one many years ago.

mcdonell said:

If you want speed, the Scag Cheetah is faster than anyone wants to mow. 11 mph in low range, 16 in high. My Cheetah is 2 years old and has less than 100 hrs with the Kawasaki FX 850 motor. I liked the adjustable suspension seat and figured the longer frame may help with the ride and control. New, it cost 10,800 with tax. I'm nearly 66 years old so I figure it is my last mower. I mow 3 acres at 2.25 inches and it usually takes me about 1.5 hours with my 61" cut. My wife has also learned to operate the Scag. We have had no problems with it. My dealer charges about $160 for my annual service, including new blades. My only regret with the Scag is I wished I had bought one many years ago.

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Thanks for all of the replies.

I went down to my local dealer today and I think that I've decided to spend a little bit more and get the Cheetah with a 27HP Kawasaki engine. It's a little more than I wanted to spend at $10,200, but since I'm 61 and I have a lower back disc bulge, I figure that it's the best thing for my back and I'll spend a whole lot less time cutting the grass.

Also, I just found out that my local Walmart has non-ethanol fuel at every pump. It's 2.25/gallon which is .50/gal more than the 10% ethanol, but it's worth it in IMHO.

Texasvet

I am soon to be 73 and have a herniated disc in my lower back along with bulging discs above and below the herniated disc an a bulging disc in my neck. These along with other problems are the 'benefits' of having been a mechanic all my life!
Operating a ZTR was causing severe lower back discomfort and I decided to do something about it 3-4 years ago. The aftermarket suspension seat that I bought has up and down adjustable suspension, adjustable recline, adjustable arm rests, but most important to me is the adjustable lumbar.
The Cheetah has a platform suspension that includes the seat and the foot rest area, the seat only has adjustable recline.
The Tiger Cat II has up and down adjustable suspension and adjustable recline, I'm not sure about other adjustable areas.
All seats have forward and back adjustments.
As mowing conditions vary around the country, some machines are more suitable than others to the type of mowing conditions encountered.
Cheetahs are not very popular here in New England but Turf Tigers and Tiger Cats are as a high speed machine in our conditions is a disadvantage.
The aftermarket seat that I installed on my Tiger Cub is a Milsco 5300 and as it has adjustable lumbar, it has improved my comfort during machine operation.
I was fortunate to find a seat with similar tan color as the Scag seats are. Milsco also makes an air suspension seat with the same adjustments, but it is a $1,200 seat, so I opted for the 5300 at $400.
I do feel that the Tiger Cat II with the cooling fans on the pumps is a good thing as my Hustler X-ONE has them also which provide additional needed cooling during extended periods of mowing. It takes 3 10 hour days to mow our cemetery with the Hustler. I have mowed the cemetery with my Tiger Cub several times and had to let the machine cool down several times during each day of mowing.
Just a few thoughts from Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

Congrats Texas Vet. I think you will be happy with the Cheetah. I think maybe one of the downsides for the Cheetah is the length which can occupy too much of the mower trailer for folks in the business. However, I see plenty of them on trailers and they seem pretty popular down here in the Lone Star State. I am also a Texas Vet. 101st 3/506 Infantry Viet Nam Jungle experienced.

The Cheetah was my first ZTR. I was surprised by how much less effort it takes to turn and mow over the traditional garden tractor mower. I also find my self slowing to a crawl over rough patches then making up time by pushing both levers forward and racing towards the next turn. The 27hp Kawasaki is plenty powerful and the Cheetah is not afraid of tall grass. The Cheetah is heavy. Anything you hit is destroyed. The Cheetah can take the abuse, fence posts ect, not so much. I did hook a small link chain to the grass chute so I can raise it as needed. I like to mow in one direction and then use my 50" sweeper to clean up the clippings. Although I park it in my shop, I still feel more comfortable knowing I have hidden power switch on the mower. One final thing, my wife complained about the deck pedal pushing back on the bottom of her foot. I made an electrical box into a pedal. I have to admit that I like it too. There is a photo on this forum somewhere.

I check this forum fairly regular, although I am just a homeowner. There are folks on this forum, like Mad Mackie, that are in the business and really know these machines and can help a bunch. Best of luck to ya. BTW, beware of the neighbors that think you bought the Cheetah to mow their yards too. Like you, I hate mowing. The Cheetah on the other hand, loves it.

mcdonell said:

Congrats Texas Vet. I think you will be happy with the Cheetah. I think maybe one of the downsides for the Cheetah is the length which can occupy too much of the mower trailer for folks in the business. However, I see plenty of them on trailers and they seem pretty popular down here in the Lone Star State. I am also a Texas Vet. 101st 3/506 Infantry Viet Nam Jungle experienced.

The Cheetah was my first ZTR. I was surprised by how much less effort it takes to turn and mow over the traditional garden tractor mower. I also find my self slowing to a crawl over rough patches then making up time by pushing both levers forward and racing towards the next turn. The 27hp Kawasaki is plenty powerful and the Cheetah is not afraid of tall grass. The Cheetah is heavy. Anything you hit is destroyed. The Cheetah can take the abuse, fence posts ect, not so much. I did hook a small link chain to the grass chute so I can raise it as needed. I like to mow in one direction and then use my 50" sweeper to clean up the clippings. Although I park it in my shop, I still feel more comfortable knowing I have hidden power switch on the mower. One final thing, my wife complained about the deck pedal pushing back on the bottom of her foot. I made an electrical box into a pedal. I have to admit that I like it too. There is a photo on this forum somewhere.

I check this forum fairly regular, although I am just a homeowner. There are folks on this forum, like Mad Mackie, that are in the business and really know these machines and can help a bunch. Best of luck to ya. BTW, beware of the neighbors that think you bought the Cheetah to mow their yards too. Like you, I hate mowing. The Cheetah on the other hand, loves it.

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Thanks for the info McDonnel,

I'm a Vietnam Era Vet, 73-77. I was in electronics and was stationed stateside.

I ordered the Cheetah today and they should have it in a week. My daughter-in-law, that mows 5 acres with a Gravely, told me that I should have taken the 10K and had someone mow the yard instead of buying an expensive mower. When I said that she can borrow it when her Gravely is in the shop, she sang a different song.

I'll post again after I get the Cheetah, but I'm already sure that I'll love it.

One more thing; they told me that they would fill it up with gas and check it out when it arrives in a week or so. I told them to put as little gas as possible in it because I'm going to only use ethanol-free gas.

Texasvet

Add me to the list of folks who think you made a good decision. The Cheetah will probably last as long as you do. It will handle all of your grass cutting needs, unless you really get into some high stuff and it will take less time to do your yard. Congrats on your new Scag.

We own three Tiger Cat mowers with the Kawasaki motor and 52" decks. One has 1200 hours on it. One has less than 1000 and the other has 0ver 200.

The Tiger cat is an awesome machine. In my personal opinion a Turf Tiger and a Cheeta are both overkill. Why pay the extra money? We cut 18 1/2 acres yesterday. We have cut over 20 acres in a day with ours.

If you buy Scag do NOT buy less than the Tiger Cat. Any model below it does not have the Velocity deck. That is what makes Scag the game changer when it comes to cutting grass.

I personally have never run or watched a mower run that will cut grass with a Scag with the Velocity Deck.

Many companies make reliable mowers. I have not personally seen anything that will cut grass with the Scag. It is an awesome machine.

I am 59 years old and have a crew that cuts commercially. If you are buying it for just your own property you will never need another mower. I know of a Tiger Cub that is over 20 years old that runs just as good as my Tiger Cats.

I see all of these people talking about gas. I run pump gas in all of my mowers and other equipment and I have not had any fuel problems. We use 5 gallons of mixed gas a week and many times run 7 gallons of gas a day through the Tiger Cats.

Interesting read jekjr. Your probably right and I yield to your vast experience. You are definitely cutting some serious amount of grass.

I know the Cheetah is probably overkill for me. My dealer said as much. My issue is I hate mowing my 3 acres but I like the golf course look. I don't want to wait on a crew to decide when they want to come mow it. During peak season, I mow about every 4 days.

The 61" v deck knocks it out fast and I stay comfortable in the seat. I like Kawasaki motors. I hope it is my last mower. I am in year 3 and it only has 100 hours. I only mow other yards when folks are laid up and truly in need. I hate mowing. Oh, I already said that.

Well, I've had my Cheetah for a month or so now and I really like it. It is way better than my old JD.

One question for you guys: One of the two acres that I have is pretty rough and I have to slow down quite a bit. Would replacing the solid front tires with inflated tires smooth out the ride any?

Thanks,

I have a couple of spots that I slow down quite a bit to keep my belly from bouncing off my chin. In all seriousness, I have thought about hauling in some sandy loam to spread with my 6ft box blade to smooth out some areas. However in the mean time, I have dumped my grass sweeper in the area to fill in the rough spots.

I have too many goat head burrs to consider getting rid of my solid front tires. I doubt air tires on the small front wheels would help enough to be worth the expense. I talked with a guy with a Hustler that added a front suspension option. He said it wasn't worth the added expense. I would think the suspension would also effect the quality of the grass cut.

I will watch this thread to maybe pick up some tips. But I am not optimistic. My advice is to play with your seat adjustments to find the best result. I usually slow down in the rough spots, let the deck bounce, and lean forward slightly on the seat.

Please post any info you may find worthy.

Goat heads!!!! I haven't heard of them in years. The grounds of our elementary school were covered in them. Anytime you came out of your shoes you regretted it. I'd be looking for solid rear tires too.

One more thing about my Cheetah.

Where in the WWWOS is my cup holder? Two tanks are great, but couldn't there be a cup holder molded into the top of one of them?

Texasvet

A cup holder is an option from Scag for a Cheetah, but a cup holder on a 12 to 16 MPH machine???? My Tiger Cub is an 8 MPH machine with a molded in the fuel tank cup holder and no cup, can or bottle will stay put without holding it in place and I seldom mow over 6 MPH. I would much rather have a fuel gauge than a cup holder.:laughing::biggrin::smile: