mfduffy

aa335 wrote:

That is an excellent, excellent point.  Unless you have the ability and/or time and patience to do repairs yourself, repairs too often do not cost-benefit.  Even Consumer Reports flat-out tells people not to bother repairing lawn mowers -- just buy a new one, they say.  The situation creates a vicious cycle where everything becomes disposable.  At that point, unit cost, retail price, and volume trumps everything.  And under such circumstances -- where the consumer has an expectation of disposability and limited service life -- the big boxes serve the market better than any small dealer can.  It's sad, but true.

Good Luck -- let us know how it works out and what you end up with.  One thought on finding a Toro dealer...  I live in the metro-Milwaukee area and have noticed that several of the ACE Hardware stores are also Toro dealers.  Maybe the same is true up by you? 

You might check their websites.  Only the big, XL Snapper has hand grips, according to their online specs.  And it only comes in one, very wide, clearing width.  Simplicity's Signature Pro line has hand warmers on all clearing widths.  These 'Pro' machines also sport a beefier frame and some other bells and whistles.  Hand warmers are, of course, totally unnecessary, but they sure are nice!  (You might also look at the Toro machines and Ariens, IF you have good dealers near by.  For me, a few years back, it came down to Toro vs Simplicity and it was dealer support... followed by the Briggs OHV engine that broke the tie.)

Easy Turn is worth it, I wouldn't get any machine that is lacking some sort of remote wheel unlock feature.  And generally, I think you'll find good advice on this forum to buy as much power as you can afford.  You won't regret it when the first heavy snow hits.  That trumps any bell, whistle, or gizmo for that matter.

Hi Bob -- You've come to an excellent forum. There are some really knowledgeable people here and they love to help. Regarding your question -- ha! -- you've hit on a nerve here. And you're going to get tens of replies in both directions. Briggs and Stratton, by the way, is the parent of Simplicity and Snapper.

Here's my two-cents... I've had a Simplicity Signature Pro for a few years now and I've never had a single problem with the electric chute rotation control. The motor is a simple, but effective windshield wiper motor. The gearing is actually simpler than a manual control. As such, it's no more likely to freeze up than a worm-gear, rod, and several linkages. I make a habit of spraying WD-40 on a couple parts of the machine after each use to prevent any freeze issues -- I include the chute rotation switch in that list.

That said, stuff happens. So... generally speaking, if you simply do not want the motorized rotation or if you have machine-shop style tools and skills that make you prefer non-motorized controls and solutions, don't get it. If you are comfortable with and/or prefer switches, wires, and motors, do get it.

To me, it's quite extraordinary to think that one set up is more or less likely to fail than the other.

Borat, you are absolutely right on the general public's ability/willingness to repair their own machines. The minor stuff I've done was only with the help of this forum. Ironically, I predict it would be easier for me to swap out a switch or motor than fabricate something. Again, 'simple' is relative.