I looked seriously at the Scag, Exmark, Deere, Kubota, DC, and others. I bought a Scag. Not that it's the "best", nor do you have to buy one because I bought one. Just wanted you to know that I shopped a great deal before spending big $$$. You should decide what's most important to you and then decided based upon your priorities.
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ONE thing that turned me away from the Kubota is that the rear drivetrain, at least on the diesel models, is a singular unit. In other words, the drive system is a whole transaxle type system, and it's made of aluminum. The engine is seperate, but the trans and axles are all of cast aluminum.
See here:
http://www.kubota.com/f/products/ZD321transmission.cfm
I don't like the Kubota zero turns because I was afraid of the rough yard (former pasture) I have would end up cracking the transaxle somehow, somewhere, and I'd end up with one heck-acious bill for repair. The tranxaxle simply bolts up to the frame at the inner part of the (what I'll call) wings. I cant' even tell if it's a chain drive or gear drive. Look it over and you'll see what I mean. I admit this IS a fairly beefy casting, but still, it's alumimum and it's used as a stressed member at several points. All it would take is one mis-adventure and the cost of repair would be staggering!
For a ZTR, I prefer the seperate belt driven hydraulic motors, providing pressue down to seperate cast iron hydrualic pumps. Very robust, and even if you broke something, the units are all seperate, making removal/replacement easier, and probably less costly. If I recall, the Bad Boy, as well as about all the others in the market, use this type set-up. Other than a blown hose, there isn't much to break on this type system. They tend to be very robust, as long as you but up in the commercial range. (Those cheap Husqvarna, Troybuilt, Cubs and such at Lowes and TSC are low dollar stuff, and won't last).
Of all Kubota's products, the diesel ZTR is one I just can't get behind. Now, if you have a golf-course type super-smooth lawn, the Kubota would be fine. But not, in my opinion, for rough ground. Go look under one and you'll see what I mean.
All that being said, I'd look at all the brands if I were you. For the kind of money you're getting into, make a good decision. You're talking around $10K or a bit less; for that, you owe it to yourself to shop, shop, shop.
How much land are you mowing? How big a mower can you get, without it getting too big to manuver or store? What other tasks might you use it for? Do you have to mow many slopes? How close is the dealer for support? How long has he been in business?
Pick a good brand that will be around a long time. Scag, Exmark, Deere, Grasshopper, Dixie Chopper and such all have good records. Bad Boy is new to the market; they were not an option when I looked around a few years ago. I'm not saying Bad Boy is bad, but I'm always skeptical of newcomers until they have a few years of proof on them.
I know you don't want gas, but there are many good options for power in that regard. Don't discount the gas engines; especially the liquid cooled and injected ones. Even with these features, they're less than a diesel. Presuming you're not mowing commercially, you'd never wear out a gas engine anyway. You can get a commercial quality mower with gas power that would last you indefinitely.
BTW - it's not that I don't like Kubota's; I have one of their excellent utility tractors. I just don't like the design of the ZTR Kubota diesels. I bought a Scag 48" ZTR with 19hp Kawasaki. I use my big tractor to mow 6 acres of lawn, and I use the small ZTR for mowing around the home, fences, trees and such. Perhaps this dual approach would work for you as well.
If you only have a couple acres, this isn't cost effective. But I needed a tractor for loader work and such, so the ZTR compliments the tractor, and is small enough for tight tasks and easy storage.
