snow blower

[Phantom]

Little known fact (perhaps) --

If you buy a "Name Brand" machine at a Big Box store remember that it is not going to be of the same quality you would get from a dealership or dedicated retail store. This is true of not only for snow blowers but also major appliances.

The models that the Big Box stores carry are typically a negotiated priced/ features piece of equipment (or appliance) that is mass produced exclusively for that chain.

I am not saying that this is either good nor bad to most .... but I got burnt when parts weren't available for an Ariens I had purchased many years back ---- I have since moved over to a dedicated Retail store.


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[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by Phantom

If you buy a "Name Brand" machine at a Big Box store remember that it is not going to be of the same quality you would get from a dealership or dedicated retail store. This is true of not only for snow blowers but also major appliances.
.

This is not a universal truth my any means. Yes, large retailers sometimes negotiate to have a model made specifically for them. Many times this is for "price matching" guarantees. If Home Depot is the only one selling the Home Depot model of an Ariens snow blower then of course they can guarantee they have the lowest price because nobody else has that model.

In some cases cheaper/alternative parts may be used. A dishwasher might have a plastic tub instead of stainless steel. A snowblower might not have heated handgrips or might not come with an accessories kit (shovel to clear clogged auger, spare shear bolts, etc.).

As others have said in this thread, a snowblower is one of those things that if you try to get the absolute cheapest model or version, you'll likely pay for it in the long run. Major brands also don't want to risk their brand image on selling garbage products, so it's not like every product at Lowe's or HD is going to be cheapified unit that can't be repaired.

I bought my latest snowblower, an Ariens, at Home Depot about 8 years ago. I've purchased replacement parts (belts mostly) at the local outdoor equipment place that also sells Ariens without a problem. I've also repaired an MTD unit I had in the past, as well as done some repairs and tune-ups for friends and neighbors on snow blowers. They all have pretty much the same auger drive components, same mechanisms and setups for the transmission and so forth. I took apart a 25 year old Ariens that was pretty much the same basic guts as a modern Craftsman or MTD.

If I were buying a new unit today, I'd look for power to width ratio (eg: biggest engine for a given clearing width) and the engine itself. I've had very good luck with Tecumseh cold-weather engines, so that's my personal preference.

[Lakeboater]

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

This is not a universal truth my any means. Yes, large retailers sometimes negotiate to have a model made specifically for them. Many times this is for "price matching" guarantees. If Home Depot is the only one selling the Home Depot model of an Ariens snow blower then of course they can guarantee they have the lowest price because nobody else has that model.

In some cases cheaper/alternative parts may be used. A dishwasher might have a plastic tub instead of stainless steel. A snowblower might not have heated handgrips or might not come with an accessories kit (shovel to clear clogged auger, spare shear bolts, etc.).

As others have said in this thread, a snowblower is one of those things that if you try to get the absolute cheapest model or version, you'll likely pay for it in the long run. Major brands also don't want to risk their brand image on selling garbage products, so it's not like every product at Lowe's or HD is going to be cheapified unit that can't be repaired.

I bought my latest snowblower, an Ariens, at Home Depot about 8 years ago. I've purchased replacement parts (belts mostly) at the local outdoor equipment place that also sells Ariens without a problem. I've also repaired an MTD unit I had in the past, as well as done some repairs and tune-ups for friends and neighbors on snow blowers. They all have pretty much the same auger drive components, same mechanisms and setups for the transmission and so forth. I took apart a 25 year old Ariens that was pretty much the same basic guts as a modern Craftsman or MTD.

If I were buying a new unit today, I'd look for power to width ratio (eg: biggest engine for a given clearing width) and the engine itself. I've had very good luck with Tecumseh cold-weather engines, so that's my personal preference.

Pretty sure that Tecumseh is no more....they are out of business unfortunately.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Lakeboater

Pretty sure that Tecumseh is no more....they are out of business unfortunately.

This is accurate--most machines I've seen use Briggs, Honda, Kohler, or a Chinese engine (which, according to my non-big-box mom-and-pop high-end repair shop, are "gosh darn good values.").

Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

[Airedale1]

About 7 years ago we bought a Poulan Pro dual stage that has 11 h.p. a 30" cut and electric start. We have never used the electric start as it always starts on the first pull. We have been very happy with it. It's a beast!

[tbonies]

Ask yourself how long you need the blower. The reality is that an MTD big box blower, if you take care of it (change oil, etc.), will typically last 12-15 years with an average driveway. If you want it to last 30 years, go with one that is 3x the cost. As stated earlier, the resale value will be low so consider it a disposable asset.

[Slickcraft]

To answer the original questing as stated, my wife recently got a very basic Troy-Bilt Storm 2410 to do the walks and our large wrap around low deck.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_189194-270-3...d=3255746&pl=1

It is a 24" two stage with elect start and that is about it. Small enough so that she can handle it and it appears that it will do the job. Probably could handle a small short drive way. Will have to wait and see how the Troy-Bilt Chinese engine holds up. She did really like it in the 1st small storm.

OK this is just a BTW talking about snow blowers. Towards the other extreme I do the 600' steep driveway and have used a plow truck for many years. Not a typical homeowners situation. As I already have a JD 3320 tractor, I picked up a 64" Frontier PTO snowblower this fall. Waiting for a real storm to see if it can replace the plow truck.

[ishoot308]

Now THAT'S a snowblower Slick!!

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Little known fact (perhaps) --

If you buy a "Name Brand" machine at a Big Box store remember that it is not going to be of the same quality you would get from a dealership or dedicated retail store. This is true of not only for snow blowers but also major appliances.

The models that the Big Box stores carry are typically a negotiated priced/ features piece of equipment (or appliance) that is mass produced exclusively for that chain.

I am not saying that this is either good nor bad to most .... but I got burnt when parts weren't available for an Ariens I had purchased many years back ---- I have since moved over to a dedicated Retail store.

This is spot on and we've debated this many times over the years. The BB stores have name brand manufacturers make power equipment and appliances specifically for them. They are not of the same quality. As it relates to the subject of snowblowers, less expensive components are used allowing the BB stores to sell for less. Buyer beware and shop around from your local power equipment vendor. You'll be better off in the long run.

BT

[ursa minor]

My first snow blower was a 1971 Ariens 24" with a 7 hp Tecumseh engine. I bought it in the early 90's when it was already 20 years old. Other than a throttle cable, some tire chains, belts and spark plugs, it always answered the bell. It was built like a tank. I retired it 2 years ago after 40 + years of service. It still ran but everything from the engine, bushings, etc was worn out. I replaced it with a another Ariens, this time a "Deluxe 28" from a power equipment dealer.

After two biblical winters, I give the new machine two thumbs up. It throws snow twice as far as the old machine did on its best day and while it has electric start, I haven't needed it as it will start on the first pull easily. The "auto steer" feature took some getting used to, replacing the stock skids on the bucket with after market "Armor Skids" made a huge difference in how it performs. (I'm pretty sure the tractor blower that Slickcraft has has them, look very similar to mine)

Ariens still makes the machines in Wisconsin, however there are no more USA engines, all Ariens engines are by LCT made in China. So far so good after two seasons. I'm a freak about maintaining my equipment so I'm hoping it will be with me for at least 20 years. Good luck!