Tiger Cat Vs Turf Tiger 61"

I am in the market to buy either a Turf Tiger or Tiger Cat, 61", Kohler motor, with suspension seat. I am leaning toward the Turf Tiger mainly due to resale value. I have 2 yards that will be mowed weekly, one is 1.25 acres and the other is 3 acres. The smaller lot usually gets cut twice per week in the mild months as its fed with a sprinkler system. The couple thousand difference between the two units is not really a deciding factor, looking for the best long term/resale value. The only thing that has stuck in my mind is the weight of the 2 units. I do like the fact the tiger cat is a couple hundred # lighter.

I do aerate with a tow behind plug style unit at least once a year.

The Turf Tiger has been in production for a long time and there are many around. Several of my fulltime commercial mower friends have three or more and they snicker at me with my one 48" Tiger Cub. However there are some considerations and the weight is one, the larger size is another as I can get around with my Tiger Cub easier in close and tight places even with a collection system installed. The Tiger Cat is an upgraded Tiger Cub with some welcome upgrades. The Tiger Cats have a vertical shaft engine whereas the Turf Tiger has a horizontal shaft engine which has some advantages but additional machinery to get the power to the mower deck which make the machine heavier, longer and more expensive to buy and maintain. I have had to do urgent maintenance to the deck drive systems on several Turf Tigers for fellow commercial mower friends as they had neglected to learn how and perform the necessary added maintenance that comes with Turf Tigers. Because of the horizontal shaft engine, there are additional V belts, tensioning, a horizontal deck drive shaft and a 90 degree gear box to drive the deck and lubrication of this drive system is necessary.
All this having been said, it really comes to your decision as to which machine you feel more comfortable with. I suggest that you demo each machine before making your decision. I also have a Hustler X-ONE with a 60" rear discharge deck which is used primarily for cemetery mowing. It takes 2 long days to mow the cemetery and another operator does most of the mowing. I think that Scag now offers a rear discharge deck on some of their machines and you should consider the advantages of a rear discharge deck, however they are not designed for mulching if this has been one of your considerations.
With trees, rocks, roots and hills here in New England, a smaller deck with a collection system works fine for me, I am envious of those who have smooth, rockfree and treeless places to mow!!
Still snowing here!!:thumbdown:
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

I had to repower my Tiger Cub last March and I replaced the original B&S 26 HP ELS with a B&S 30 HP Professional Turf Series engine, but my point is that I like the additional horsepower that the new engine has provided. The recent trend to more horsepower is very evident in the engine options on new machines which I think is a good thing.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

Points noted. The local dealer says that the Tiger Cat is the right unit, weight is his selling point. 200#(1350vs1150) lighter curb weight will be easier on the grass in turning, not sure if that would matter with an experienced rider. They both have the same deck, I am not sure if the smaller CC hydros = less torque, and I think they both still do 10mph. It seems like on resale the turf tiger wins.

In my area there is a fair amount of Turf Tigers for sale, some have been for sale for many months. All of them have been commercially operated with high time on the clock which is a negative to most perspective buyers.
There are also Scag V Riders, Tiger Cubs/Cats, Wildcats, and older models for sale as Craigslist has many listings. Not many moving though of course with lots of snow on the ground, mower sales slow down drastically.
As with anything that has a fairly high depreciation rate, buying it right initially is key to a reasonable and acceptable resale price, and condition always being a major factor to any preowned machine.
The Turf Tiger initially was a solid machine and continues to be and didn't really need many improvements as time has passed, go for it before the Scag fall/winter sale expires!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

This will be my 3rd mowing season with the Turf Tiger. It was a rather steep learning curve for me (maintenance) but thanks to this forum and especially Mackie I have managed to learn enough to keep mine in good shape. I would be just as happy with the tiger cat but my son-in-law said that the resale of the turf tiger would be better (he mows professionally). So I went with the turf tiger. Now, I live in the south where the yards can be quite large. Mackie offers some good advice in that there are other things to consider. Buying a scag will be a good choice whether it be the tiger cat or turf tiger. I do like the velocity deck.

-bobby