Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I was looking at the Simplicity pro models, and really love how solid they feel with their massive handlebars.  Surprised they don't seem to have any kind of differential though...  For what they charge (same or higher than Ariens) why would you pick a Simplicity over an Ariens?  I'm leaning towards Ariens because they have more dealers in my area, and Simplicity seems to only have one -- and it's their first year carrying them.  I love the solid feel of the simplicity, but don't like how it seems like it'd be tough to turn, and the price is pretty high.

Opinions?

I bought the Simplicity 10.5 HP last year I think its the 10560E. After reading all the reviews here and other sites I also decided on either a Ariens or the Simplicity.
After trying out the Ariens controls and features then the Simplicity's it was the Simplicity for me but it could have been how the Ariens was setup ?
The chute control was not very good on the Ariens in my opinion on how it operated. It seemed like this was the weak link for that Snowblower.
The Simplicity's chute had no problems and was constructed a lot better than the other ones that I had tested.
Take a look at how well the Simplicity is made I think it will last for years to come.

The bigger simplicity machines are listed as having the "Easy Turn" system which is simply a trigger actuated unlocking of the left wheel. Its not a true differential but I don't know if there is any significant difference in performance. I find that the only time I don't want both wheels locked to the axle is when I'm turning. For straight blowing I like having the wheels turning together. The high end, non-pro Ariens machines use the same type of setup so you might try comparing the Simplicity to those so that its more of an apples to apples comparison.

My experience is that  with reasonable care the body doesn't wear out. The main wear is the drive train, and the engine. The chute control can be a problem if its not robust and you do alot of aim changing. The other wear point for me is the holes in the axle that the locking pins go into. Mine are getting to be pear shaped.