We use exmark when I mowed commercially we went from john deer to exmark when john deere went away from the 700 series and started to phase in the 800 series mowers and the 800 was a pile of garbage. We went to exmark lazer "x" and "e" series and bought one john deere 925 or 930 new because it was cheap but it used oil since it had 18hrs on it john deere wouldn't put a new motor on it for me under warranty since it was technically still running fine. All my mowers have Kawasaki engines even the John deere. I hated the john deere it rode like a squared tire wagon and the cut wasnt as nice or efficient as the exmarks. My dad bought it from me still running it adding oil to it every other week I think it's got around 300hrs on it now. I've been debating selling my x series 60 lazer z and buying a 54" since I'm just mowing my yards now and it's only around 3 acres