I've owned this Ferris for 4 years and it has exceeded my expectations.
I initially thought the 26 horsepower Kawasaki might be under powered, but it is actually a very good combination of torque and fuel mileage. The IS2000 is worth the extra money over the IS1500 because of the dual fuel tanks alone.
The only other ZTR I have used consistently was a Grasshopper and that was a very good product, but the suspension on the Ferris makes all the difference in the world. I am over 40 and that suspension is a back saver. It truly is remarkable and you have to do a back-to-back comparison to really appreciate it. Several of my neighbors said, "You don't need a mower with a suspension." Really? Motorcycles, ATV's, cars, etc., they all have full suspension components so why wouldn't you have it on a ZTR?
If I had the money I would have bought the 72-inch diesel, but this is a good value at half the cost of the big boy. Unlike my tractor, the ZTR is very stable on steep hills and I frequently mow steep grades. You just need to be prudent and know the limitations of the machine, but it is much more confidence inspiring on hills than my tractor. In a perfect world, I would prefer about 15% more torque because that Bahai grass can grow really high in Texas.
The only maintenance issue I've experienced is one broken deck belt at 90 hours. A piece of a Sweetgum tree got wedged between the belt and spindle.
I narrowed my purchase down between the diesel Hustler and gas Ferris. The dealer had an older Hustler diesel at a great price, but the suspension on the Ferris won me over. Another nice feature is that the engine is enclosed in a very robust housing so if you happen to back into a rock, etc. the housing does its job.
I don't care for the safety switch on the seat. It is very picky and if someone lighter is operating the mower it can temporarily kill the power when you hit a bump. I imagine I will get 10 more years out of this mower and would gladly purchase another Ferris product.