Steering on a 10 yr old Deere rider mower

[jbgood]

I think I'm set on a 2013 X738. Just waiting for them to come in at the dealer before I make my mind up. My Question is, After 10 years of operation how does the steerind hold up on a deere ? My Cub Cadet rider has about a 1/8 to a 1/4 turn of free play where the shaft from the steering wheel meets the gear that then goes to the steering linkage.

[Verticaltrx]

I've got a 265 deere which is probably about like the x500 series, it's around 1990 vintage with several hundred hours on the clock. Steering has very little play in it.