Export thread

I'm looking to buy a new ztr but am not sure whether to go with an eXmark e or s series or one of the scag ztr. I have heard great things about both but wanted to know what you guys thought about them. Any info/ reasons to go with one or the other would be great. Thank you

Striper said:

I'm looking to buy a new ztr but am not sure whether to go with an eXmark e or s series or one of the scag ztr. I have heard great things about both but wanted to know what you guys thought about them. Any info/ reasons to go with one or the other would be great. Thank you

Click to expand...

I have never seen a mower that cuts stemmed grass with a Scag with the Velocity Deck. I have two Tiger Cats. I hear people say good things about exmart but I know Scag is a great mower.

It all depends of what kind of grass you are cutting and in what kind of climat you live in.

Exmoor very good, but expensive on parts. Scag very good also. All commercial ZTR have the good and the bad. You have to try them out and see which one you like.

jekjr said:

I have never seen a mower that cuts stemmed grass with a Scag with the Velocity Deck. I have two Tiger Cats. I hear people say good things about exmart but I know Scag is a great mower.

Click to expand...

How well does the Scag do in wet grass. I'm sure you're like me and cut nice well kept lawns to yards full of weeds. Just like to know how it does early in the morning. My Exmarks don't do terrible since I cut all my yards every week. But the way it has been this year it's just raining all the time plus my clients have irrigation systems.

LoCo86 said:

How well does the Scag do in wet grass. I'm sure you're like me and cut nice well kept lawns to yards full of weeds. Just like to know how it does early in the morning. My Exmarks don't do terrible since I cut all my yards every week. But the way it has been this year it's just raining all the time plus my clients have irrigation systems.

Click to expand...

I live in South Alabama. This has been one of the wettest summers I remember. Most yards here are cut bi-weekly. We cut wet Bahia grass that had not been cut in two weeks this morning in one pass. It looked like a hayfield but was cut clean. We ran Kubota mowers for two years, in fact I still have one that we run as a back up or when we need a third mower. We cut grass all of the time with the Scags that we would be double cutting with the Kubotas. I have not run Exmarts but I do not believe that they will cut with the Scag. If there was a better mower sold locally we would be running one. The dealer here we deal with sells Kubota and Scag. They used to sell Exmart but dropped them. Now sure exactly why.

Several years ago Exmark demanded a much larger spring cash order from dealers than usual and the dealers that didn't come up with the money and the order got dumped.
My local Scag dealer picked up Exmark when several other dealers were dumped by Exmark, but I see fewer Exmarks in their showroom and they have some units on sale.
I also heard the Exmark required dealers to purchase some unpopular models on their orders or get dumped. Could be why my local dealer has some units on sale.

I live in Pennsylvania and cut around 15 lawns every week. Rarely do the lawns get high enough where that I'd have to triple cut most of the time just single or double cut them. Right now I'm running with an exmark Viking but am looking to finally upgrade to a ztr. A dealer near me sells both exmark and scag and I've heard great things about both. I want to make sure I make a good decision when i choose the mower. Anybody have any reasoning for me to go w either? All the lawns businesses around me have exmark very rarely do i see someone with a scag.

Striper said:

I live in Pennsylvania and cut around 15 lawns every week. Rarely do the lawns get high enough where that I'd have to triple cut most of the time just single or double cut them. Right now I'm running with an exmark Viking but am looking to finally upgrade to a ztr. A dealer near me sells both exmark and scag and I've heard great things about both. I want to make sure I make a good decision when i choose the mower. Anybody have any reasoning for me to go w either? All the lawns businesses around me have exmark very rarely do i see someone with a scag.

Click to expand...

I know Exmark is suppose to be the number one chosen mowers by lawn care professionals but to me they are starting to price theirselves out of the market. To get into an X-series mower you're looking at 12K

LoCo86 said:

I know Exmark is suppose to be the number one chosen mowers by lawn care professionals but to me they are starting to price theirselves out of the market. To get into an X-series mower you're looking at 12K

Click to expand...

I agree loco but I was looking at either the lazer z s series or the e. With price not being a problem would you say the exmark has a better cut than the scag?

I'm not too worried about price I just want to get a mower that's going to cut and make the lawn look nice.

Machine makes have somewhat to do with quality of cut as some mow different types of grass better than others, but operator technique and machine maintenance also have a fair amount of affect on final lawn quality and appearance.

Mad Mackie said:

Machine makes have somewhat to do with quality of cut as some mow different types of grass better than others, but operator technique and machine maintenance also have a fair amount of affect on final lawn quality and appearance.

Click to expand...

If that is the case, which mower would u consider having the better make therefore better cut?

I'm a retired mech and I do 99% of my own maintenance, but I'm slowing down as I'm in my 70s.
If Exmarks are popular in your area, then most likely dealer support is strong for Exmark machines and this is important to many lawn care operators.
When I do a fast and nasty mowing job, it shows regardless of the machine I'm using.
I'm able to take some of the machines that I service out on mowing jobs, so I've been able to compare some machines. I find that the quality of cut depends primarily on operator skill and technique and not on a particular machine.
With my own Scag Tiger Cub, at a any mowing site, I'm able to quickly setup for regular side discharge, mulching with a side plate or collection as I carry the needed items and tools in my cargo trailer.
If there is a possibility of adding a collection system to your future mower, you need to check into machines that are suitable for and function well with a collection system that uses a blower that is powered from the machine. In spring and fall I use the collection system a lot and I also have a front mounted JRCO 46" de-thatcher that I use during cleanup. I have customers that I only do spring and fall cleanup for. With the machine setup this way, I can de-thatch, mow and collect usually in a single pass. I only use the collection system at customers places where I can dispose of the clippings on or near to their properties. Hauling away clippings is very time consuming and expensive for the machine operator and not easy to get paid for this type of service.
My area is strong with Scag operators, and Exmark is close behind. The rest are a mix of many makes all the way down to a $1,200 big box store machine with a 42" deck that barely fits on a 4 by 5 trailer.
My Hustler X-ONE is a 60" rear discharge machine and is used primarily in an old cemetery, this machine is a beast!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

Striper said:

I agree loco but I was looking at either the lazer z s series or the e. With price not being a problem would you say the exmark has a better cut than the scag?

Click to expand...

Yes Exmark has the better cut but your looking at fairly ideal conditions for that to happen. Around noon and on during a dry day you're going to get a great cut. But before that time of day. You're going to experience clumping and having to double cut. Exmarks along with Bob Cat's deck is tightly baffled where Scags is not. There are some companies out there that double cut the grass no matter what to achieve a better look.

I've looked under Exmarks and Scags, really not much difference if any in the baffle setup.
I don't start mowing until 11 AM when things are dry for the mostpart, it keeps me busy and gets me out of the house, you know what I mean!!!!!!! 48 years married!!!!!LOL!!!!
I mow for the fun of it and some pocket change, so don't compare me to guys that need to make money to support a family and a business. A few years back when companies were getting rid of older employees I got axed. I mowed six days a week in season, weather providing, so I know the drill and the machines that can handle it. Did snow removal too, but gave it up in 2010.

We live in Lower Alabama. Most yards here are Bahia or atleast have some in them. In two weeks with several rains a week and 90 degree temps it grows incredibly. We run Tiger Cat Scags 52" decks. 22hp Kawasaki motors. Normally we change blades daily. At times we change mid day. It is a very rare thing to have to double cut anything even early in the AM with dew on the ground. I would like to see it if the Exmark will touch them. I know that a ZD 326 Kubota won't and it is a $14K mower.

I've heard great things about both, I'm going to get either a 48/52" deck. The two things I'm worried about the mower is the clumping, which the scag sounds like it is pretty much clump-free no matter what, and the striping/ cut of the mower, which it sounds like the exmark is better in. If somebody could tell me the scag stripes just as good as the exmark, I think I'd go with the scag but I just haven't seen/ heard anything about the striping of the scag being anywhere close to the striping of the exmark.

If you have an Instagram account, look up scag and they have people submit pictures with the hashtag showusyourstripes. I think they stripe really well.

I wouldn't say scag won't clump. Here we have had the wettest summer I can ever remember. Usually by now I'm cutting every two weeks and the grass is brown and dried up. This year I still have yards on 5 day cycles going into August. And I'm still battling clumping and double cutting. I run a scag 61" velocity deck. Thick bladed grass I think cuts way better. Thin stringy grass always leaves stragglers. But in normal dry conditions I can't complain about the scag. As far as stripping goes, I do not have a stripe kit but it will lay some very nice stripes. I mow a yard next to a company that runs two exmark a with striking kits. The only difference that I can tell is his stripes are uniform and even where mine the tire tracks stand out more. But I would have to say they both look top notch. Not sure if the photo will load but the pic was taken with a drone and my stripes are clearly visible. The house on the top of the picture is cut with the two exmarks. Not nearly as visible from above. But definitely visible from the ground

I'm in florida and use to use a scag 48" SW walk behind. We have St. Augustine grass (thick stuff). It cuts flawlessly and never bogs, even on overgrown (those dang one time cut jobs) lawns. Solid mowers. Considering a cheetah next year. Getting a Toro oddly enough next week. Z Master 52"

I run all Scag mowers, nothing against exmark they're all expensive. Honestly just didn't like the exmark dealer, but his son has a lawn care business and the dealer knew my business. I've never had an issue with his sons business but I'll never let them easily win a bid over me either. Maybe that's why he was rude with me. The Scag dealer sent a rep to my shop with a mower for us to demo and has been good to us every sense. Before that I ran Dixie choppers good machines to but I can honestly say I think the Scags have fit well with my company. Plus they look good.