If you're going to be cutting wet grass the Velocity + deck on the Scags has no equal in my opinion. I've run exmarks, Toro and Ferris and they are all very poor in wet grass.

You mentioned hillside stability being very important to you. If that's indeed the case, I would avoid the Cheetah. They are notoriously poor at holding a slope. However, the Turf Tiger 2 is probably the best Z I've ever used on slopes. You cannot go wrong with a Turf Tiger 2. As far as the diesel option goes, its going to be heavy...REALLY HEAVY in a TT2. If you're in wet conditions a lot I can see that machine putting some heavy duty ruts in the lawn over time.

 

Duck mania

 

?

 

It's hard to compare the Diesel TT and the cheetah. One is all about power, the other speed.
If I was buying a Scag ZTR, it would most likely be a TT2 with the big vanguard. Plenty of power, very efficient for a big gas engine, and way lighter then a diesel.

For standers, I really like the Ferris machines. They seem very heavy duty, and comfy.
I'm quiet happy with the ferris cut in wet conditions.

 

In my opinion, the diesel is a waste of machine and money on anything but massive properties where you're mowing ALL DAY LONG. You will never make your money back otherwise. Honestly, all machines mentioned are decent. I own both the Ferris Z2 stander and the Ferris Is3200. Both are great machines. The suspension on the 3200 is amazing. Combine that with the full suspension seat and it seriously feels like you're cheating while mowing. All mahcines have advantages and disadvantages. Get something that has local support near you and demo every model to see what cuts best.

 

Diesel is overkill and overweight. I own one to use in parks with a 72" deck. Besides that all gas engines.

Leaves, do you eventually need a bagger? A rider can hold more than a stander.

No leaves? Then vride 61" deck. You will love it and your body will too. The bagger works, just about 60% less capacity.

The turf tiger I choose over the cheetah. The speed is unusable for cutting. So little advantage for that. Turf tiger with a 31 Kawi and a bagger would be a nice combo.

 

ok, i was wondering about the leaves, then a friend told me about john deere, he has a z930m, so he let me try it, the cut was amazing, and he said the bagging system is great, so that is what i might get. And also, isnt a 61" stander big? But its definitly more compact, so il look into it thanks

 

Ive also been looking at john deere, and i heard there 7 iron decks rival scags velocity plus in cut quality

 

The Kubota diesel would outlast any of the gas engines, but depending on your local conditions you might find yourself with a still-excellent engine on a worn out frame. And for the extra upfront expense of the diesel you should be able to pay the cost of a new gas engine if one is needed in a few years and if the condition of the frame and other components justifies it.

I am a Turf Tiger guy. I ran a 52" TT with Kohler engine and it served me well. This year I replaced it with a 72" TT2 with the 31 hp Kawasaki. That engine cost more than the Vanguard, but I am probably saving some money on fuel and it probably will last a bit longer than the air cooled engines. I was concerned that it might not have the power needed to drive the big deck in the local dense, damp vegetation (it can hardly be called grass), but it does fine.

Because I mow rough, rural terrain the rugged frame of the TT is important to me. I think I would have killed a Cheetah long ago.

My mowing includes some side slopes as well as up and down. The TT2 has a low center of gravity and wide wheelbase and I am comfortable with it on slopes I do not dare with other equipment.

 

TT2 with a vanguard here. I average about 1.4gph, it has all the power I need and I mow a lot of hills and it does very, very well. I would recommend swapping tires out to at101s or wt300s if you are going a lot of hills though. There is a thread about these tires on here.

If in your shoes and from what you have said.... my choices would be between the tt2 and a deere WITHOUT the MOD deck. If you really want some deere info, get a hold of @Ridin' Green

 

A 25 hp diesel will be sipping less than a gallon per hour. If you put a lot of hours on the machine the fuel savings can cover the additional upfront expense.

Downsides are several hundred pounds more in weight compared to a gas equivalent which could cause issues on soft turf, and initial purchase cost.

 

What's the diesel differential these days? 5-6k at purchase?

If for example you put 500 hrs on a season and the gas machine used double the fuel per hour (it doesn't), it would take roughly 3-4 years to break even. Now your machine has roughly 1500-2000 hours. Most LCOs don't hold machines much past that on average.

 

ok so, ive just got my demo machines, right now ive tried the wright stander intensity and zk, the vride, and ferris z2 and z3x and here are my findings:
wright:
for the wright intensity, ive found good power, the hill stability was very good, and the cut quality... is hard to determine because when i tested it in tall/wet grass, it still clumped, but, after double cutting, the lawn looked pretty decent. it discharged the clippings fairly far, and there were minimal stragglers, but they were all eliminated after double cutting.
in manicured/lush lawns, it worked beautifly, it left excellent stripes, and there were almost no stragglers.
in the lawns that had crazy grass and 2 ft tall weeds, it cut more equivalent to running it over with a vacuum, it did horribly, it left countless stragglers, and it lost suction many times, so i guess buying from wright really depends on the lawns you are cutting.
the wright zk was fairly similar to the intensity, except it had more power, the ride was i little more comfortable. but the cut quality was exactly the same.
scag:
the scag vride was a very good mower, but its hill stability id say is not as good as the wrights, but it could take light-medium slopes with minimal problems. the cut quality, as expected, was every bit as good as people say it is, however, it tends to clump more in wet/tall grass than the wright. the comfort level on this unit was fair, it was enough to be comfortable mowing for hours on end.
ferris:
and last but not least, on to the ferris z2 and z3x.
they are both like a compromise between the scag and wright, it has exceptional cut quality, great comfort and hill stability, and its drive system is way better than the scags. and they are also cheaper than both the wrights and scags

 

This thread has gone to the "oh boy" level

 

what does that mean?

 

ok so, ive just got my demo machines, right now ive tried the wright stander intensity and zk, the vride, and ferris z2 and z3x and here are my findings:
wright:
for the wright intensity, ive found good power, the hill stability was very good, and the cut quality... is hard to determine because when i tested it in tall/wet grass, it still clumped, but, after double cutting, the lawn looked pretty decent. it discharged the clippings fairly far, and there were minimal stragglers, but they were all eliminated after double cutting.
in manicured/lush lawns, it worked beautifly, it left excellent stripes, and there were almost no stragglers.
in the lawns that had crazy grass and 2 ft tall weeds, it cut more equivalent to running it over with a vacuum, it did horribly, it left countless stragglers, and it lost suction many times, so i guess buying from wright really depends on the lawns you are cutting.
the wright zk was fairly similar to the intensity, except it had more power, the ride was i little more comfortable. but the cut quality was exactly the same.
scag:
the scag vride was a very good mower, but its hill stability id say is not as good as the wrights, but it could take light-medium slopes with minimal problems. the cut quality, as expected, was every bit as good as people say it is, however, it tends to clump more in wet/tall grass than the wright. the comfort level on this unit was fair, it was enough to be comfortable mowing for hours on end.
ferris:
and last but not least, on to the ferris z2 and z3x.
they are both like a compromise between the scag and wright, it has exceptional cut quality, great comfort and hill stability, and its drive system is way better than the scags. and they are also cheaper than both the wrights and scags

This, and you'll be happy. Great clipping discharge, mows wet grass great, good ride, good hillside stability, excellent leaf collection systems.
https://www.grasshoppermower.com/mowers/midmount/329/

Or air cooled...
https://www.grasshoppermower.com/mowers/midmount/329b/

Or for the ultimate in comfortable ride, and attachments for almost everthything, even a heated cab available for winter snow removal...
https://www.grasshoppermower.com/mowers/frontmount/729t/

You can get all these in diesel, liquid cooled gas, or air cooled gas.

And if you want to go bigger....
https://www.grasshoppermower.com/mowers/midmount/400d/

Or...

https://www.grasshoppermower.com/mowers/frontmount/900d/

Wet grass anyone?

 

huh, i guess you are right, but in review videos, they talk about how lightweight it is, like in this one, were the 994r caught my eye:

I love my 994r. I have AT 101's on it and it doesn't rut any properties any more than my 925 gas model did. It cuts amazing and sips fuel.