ENVY23:

In the summer of 2011 I tested (on my property - which I would strongly reccomend to you) the 48" version of the Deere mower that you are looking at (which is made by Gravely) along with 3 48" Exmarks (Metro, Viking, Turf Tracer) so I will share my thoughts with you. I am a homeowner and not a commercial user.

I tested the Deere first. The dealer had a demo machine that they left with me for a day. This was my first choice because I had just sold a Deere belt drive commercial walkbehind and I wanted a floating-deck machine for ease of changing the cutting height. I also liked the dealer from past experience.

I found the controls awkward to use and the opposite of a pistol-grip machine. The dealer said this was by design and they were modeled after zero-turn riders where you push the left arm foward to turn right and vice-versa.Having used a pistol grip for a few years (squeeze the right lever to turn right), I just didn't like it and didn't want to have to re-learn everything.

As for Exmark, I decided on the Viking (fixed deck hydro), because it was a few hundred $ less than the Turf Tracer and also because I thought that it had less vibration to the handles when the blades were engaged. I have had zero problems with the machine, and I really like the ECS controls. I would never go back to a traditional pistol grip after using ECS controls. The cut quality is excellent as well.

I opted for the optional deflector for the discharge chute, something that Deere does not have available. That really comes in handy when mowing around mulch beds or close to the house.

Last, I can tell you that I had multiple phone conversations with the local Exmark rep (not the dealer) prior to purchase who spent probably 2 hours over 2 calls on the phone with me answering my questions and explaining the details of the engineering and the subtle differences between the machines (such as the vibration that I felt in the Turf Tracer versus the Viking). I also had follow-up calls to the head accessories person at Exmark who also went above-and-beyond in helping me with a few things pertaining to the discharge chute deflector. He even had a custom piece sent to me to alleviate an issue I had with removing the belt cover after the dealer installed the deflector.

In summary, both are quality machines, and unless you did a side-byside test, you probably wouldn't notice the difference in the cut. I think it comes down to testing them on your property (which I consider mandatory given the $$$ involved) and going with what you like.

Let me know if you have other questions that I can help you with.

Fcarp