I bought an MT26EFI new and spent 15k in '06. Got the high dump option and lights. Prettry pricey. After 235 hours total on the mower as of this year '12, the blower unit got a hole worn in it. I replaced that last week to a tune of $698. Called the distirubtor and they said that was a real good price. I said, how can commercial lawn people afford to maintain these tractors if they have to put this kind of money into them after 235 hours. And the 235 hours included probably 50 hrs snowblowing. So the mower did not have that many hours on it. They claim I must mow in allot of sand. Well I do have some but not much. The new blower unit has a metal reenforcement plate welded on top where mine wore through. So to me, this was a mfg defect. I looked at all the different mowers before buying this one and Walker was the only one that was compact and had the high dump. I had a Gravely for 20 years prior to this and the only thing I needed to replace on it besides a belt and blades over the years was the impellar on the blower. Sorry for the venting.