I have a 2011 JD 1600 WAM. I used a JD 997Z mower, but wanted something wider and my land is more of a field than yuppe lawn and i could not utilize the Zs ground speed because my but would come out of the seat and i hoped it found it on the way down. it was like bull riding. and i have a lot of wet spots and the z got stuck all the time. i was done. the WAM has 4 wheels and a longer wheel base which makes is a smoother ride and with AWD is does not get stuck - i replaced the standard tires with some more aggressive mud tires. i have 40 acres ( don't know how many i mow...don't want to know) but the WAM is a mowing machine AND im really impressed how it goes around flower beds and trees...very good at this. maintenance is easy but with the large engine, all the hydo, and 7 blades it takes some time. i purchased the canopy top which really keeps the sun off me. it will go through about 10 gallons of fuel every 6 hours. it will mow with all or only one or two decks down to get in narrow spots. i can't offer any comparison because i don't have any knowledge about the older models - so i don't know. oh, it has duel side brakes - like a tractor, this allows you to make tight turns. overall, it does what i ask and i'm still amazed how wide the path it makes (almost 11 feet). while i can't seem to part with my old JD 997Z, since getting the WAM i have not used it in years. if you want to compare with another brand, i know Toro makes a nice WAM too, but i've been happy with my JD WAM. if the one you're looking at is in good shape, i'd go for it. good luck! I'll add one more thing, if you can afford it and plan to keep it a long time, i'd get a new one. the used ones i've seen are mostly purchased and used in commercial applications and treated hard and long.
