Municipal use. Road ROW, ballparks, city property around buildings, abandoned/unmaintained residential lots, etc. We cut grass on average 6 to 7 months out of the year. Depending on the weather we may have to start mowing in April and usually are still cutting some areas in October. Hot, dry years we may get a break in August/September due to drought conditions/lack of regular rainfall.
We had a Cub Cadet. Started replacing drive motors at about 3 seasons of use. It was finally given away and replaced with a Scag. Presently have an Exmark. It's a 2016 model with 1140 hrs on it now. Mainly used to cut ball fields. It needs drive motors now. Both are leaking. It cuts decently but is SLOW compared to a Scag. Control handles are worn out at every joint. The track width and wheelbase are short compared to the Scag mowers we have. This makes it squirrely on hills. 60 inch cut but SLOW. Did I mention that already?
Scag Turf Tiger 2 2020 or 2021 model. 37hp Briggs Vanguard EFI , 60 inch cut. 935 hrs on it now. Other than the normal tires, belts, blades, and spindles about the only other problem was an issue with the Emissions System that required taking it back to the dealership.
Scag Turf Tiger 2 2016 model with 2093 hrs. 35 hp Briggs. Engine rebuilt once about 4 years ago. Intake manifold bolt fell out and allowed dirt into engine. Deck has had cracks repaired several times but that is due to the rough conditions where it is used. Cutting roadsides is not like cutting a smooth, level yard that doesn't have something new to hit every day. Sliding into ditches, jumping curbs, etc is hard on mowers too. Just something we have to deal with.
Scag Turf Tiger 2005 model. 3000 hrs. 27 hp Kohler.Engine rebuilt once due to lost oil fill cap. Deck repaired numerous times for cracks and has been straightened out from being badly bent from sliding down a hill into a ditch. It get used and abused cutting anything, anywhere just like the above mower.
Scag Turf Tiger 2 2024 model. 22hp Kawasaki engine 48 inch deck. This our Sunday go to meeting mower. It doesn't get abused as much as the others. Presently has 75 hrs on it with no problems. This thing will ABSOLUTELY FLY. It will run circles around the Exmark and cut more grass faster even with a narrower deck. It doesn't lose much ground even compared to the other, larger Scag mowers we have.
We are 100% committed to only buy Scag mowers if at all possible. Local dealer usually has any part we need in stock. Blades, blade spindles, front wheel yokes, tires, and belts are the most common parts.
Disclaimer...Don't Do This.....Once you get used to it the larger Scags will handle in excess of 30 degree side slopes. Just remember you have no front steering and no brakes. When it loses traction the front will turn downhill and you will go to the bottom quickly. If the drive belt for the travel motors hydraulic pump breaks you'll do the same thing. There was a fatality within the last couple of years at a city a little ways south of me where a worker slid or ran off into a drainage way and the mower flipped and landed on top of him.
Buy once and cry once. They aren't cheap but with regular maintenance and what would be considered normal use I personally think that 15 plus years of use wouldn't be hard to get.
