Abby’s Guide > Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) > Discussions > "Ariens really cheapend their product to get it into Home Depo" Any truth to this?
Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions |
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cleanmaxx_brian
"At least I am enjoying the ride"
Location: Wantagh, Long Island, NY
Joined: Mar 12, 2005
Points: 231
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"Ariens really cheapend their product to get it into Home Depo" Any truth to this?
Original Message Dec 13, 2005 5:53 pm |
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Hi all, Went upstate this past weekend to Cortland County (near Syracuse) to visit my mother. While I was there I swung by an old Ariens dealer to see if he had any of those snow cabs for my Ariens 8526LE. When i walked in I was greated with lots of nice machines....Simplicitys all over and a bunch of Toros. But no Ariens...so I just wondered around and was really digging Toro's new quick aim snow shoot! Pretty cool! But lots of plastic.... The Simplicitys look rugged and well built. Then the salesman/owner came out to ask if he could help. He didn't have any of the cabs but they were due in a week or so....then I asked him "where are the Ariens machines?" His reply.... "Ariens really cheapend their product to get it into Home Depo" Is there any truth to this? He went on to say that warranty work was killing him...his shop was full of repairs...and mainly all with the same problems. He said that the tranys were a major problem....plastic bushings causing problems and some other things that I can't remember. He said that after the last 2 years, he gave up. Clarks garden power supply They carry Simplicity, Ferris, Echo, and Toro...and no longer Ariens:(
Brian ChangAriens 8526LE, Bradley 32" 12.5HP walk behind mower, Echo BP200 blower, Troy Built 4.5HP Pressure Washer, Craftsman 4.5HP Yard Vac, Homelite line trimmer, Scotts 21" high wheel mower, MTD 3.5HP Edger.
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AZinOH
Those who accept self-deception will perish by it. Shakespeare said "to thine own self be true".
Joined: Nov 25, 2004
Points: 189
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Re: "Ariens really cheapend their product to get it into Home Depo" Any truth to this?
Reply #4 Dec 13, 2005 8:14 pm |
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"His reply.... "Ariens really cheapened their product to get it into Home Depot" I also wonder if the allegation is true. But if you're HD, what do you do? You want to offer a quality snowblower to your customers. Maybe you're tired of having to deal with customer dissatisfaction over the MTD/Yard Machine/Poulan/AYP-type product. So you go looking for a manufacturer to supply you. There's really only three viable choices (Ariens-Toro-Simplicity). I didn't count Honda because of their likely price point. Of the three, only Ariens has the high marquee name recognition as a maker of snowblowers. Toro and Simplicity are good products, but those names are more associated with lawn equipment. So you court Ariens. I probably wouldn't buy a snowblower from HD but many people do, and if Ariens can get more of their machines into customers hands than the competition by selling through HD that's probably okay with Ariens...as long as some of the dealers stick around to service them. AZ
Snowblower...Toro Power Max 726te 2004 Lawn tractor...AYP w/ 14.5 Briggs-42in 2000
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jcco
Joined: Dec 3, 2005
Points: 5
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Re: "Ariens really cheapend their product to get it into Home Depo" Any truth to this?
Reply #7 Dec 14, 2005 1:02 pm |
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Don't know if they are cheapened because my 1128LE is the first and LAST ARIENS I will own. I bought from HD. They do not know how to set up anything. Had to re-work drive right away & still has one reverse speed only. Machine is in repair shop now. Went in Nov. 16th & is now Dec. 14th. Auger worm gear stripped on first storm 14" A month to fix? Might be an OK machine until it breaks, then good luck with repair & warranty. Ariens doesn't care, HD doesn't care, nobody cares. Now my driveway is so screwed up I'm sure 1128LE will break again trying to regain my now full snow storage. Hand shoveling 11' of snow in the last month has taken It's toll on me. When it breaks I will fix it myself which will cause "cancellation of warranty" But, what good is it? I not only have a worthless snowblower but a worthless warranty as well. If I had to do it again I would buy 2 machines @ half the price so at least I would have a machine if one breaks down. I am surviving using one of those little Toro electric power shovels. It is a joke but has hung in there better than ARIENS. Heck, go buy 10 power shovels & save yourself the trouble. From Colorado, Summit County, which by the way has record/great skiing I hear. I am too busy hand shoveling to find ski time. Thank you ARIENS.
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PCPC
Honda 1132 snow thrower, Simplicity 1060 snow thrower, RedMax EBZ8000 leaf blower, older Snapper self propelled mower, Echo weed wacker, 20 + year old 16" McCulloch Chain Saw, wheel barrel with a flat tire, and a rusty shovel!
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Points: 26
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Re: "Ariens really cheapend their product to get it into Home Depo" Any truth to this?
Reply #11 Dec 14, 2005 6:50 pm |
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The problem with Home Depot is, if you notice, when a new one opens, they are great. The store has a great inventory, they staff it with top notch people, who really know what they are doing. Once they steal all the customers from the local small businesses, forcing them to go out of business, they then move that "cracker jack" staff somewhere else, and replace them with useless imbeciles, and the customer service goes down the drain. Now you can't go back to your local guy, that you've trusted for years, because he's gone...
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jcco
Joined: Dec 3, 2005
Points: 5
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Re: "Ariens really cheapend their product to get it into Home Depo" Any truth to this?
Reply #13 Dec 20, 2005 4:38 pm |
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Hi Folks Today 12/20/05 & still no Ariens fixed. Had to finally borrow neighbor's Yard Machine 8/26 [Wal Mart]. Ariens service is quite casual about my concerns. They don't care. I had asked to upgrade shipping to Fedex overnight and I would pay the difference. They did not do it. UPS ground. My machine is in a small town shop. Not my town. I bought @ HD 2003. We have been in drought last 2 years and 1128le sat virtually unused. So much for 30 day return. I will simply fix it myself from now on. Forget their warranty, it does nothing. BTW, the WalMart 8/26 actually did a darn good job, plenty of power & easy to handle. Half the price -- Hmmm. All you skiers - We are drowning in Colorado Mtn. snow. Central & North. Good luck wAriens
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