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

Did I make the right call?

I've been looking at used and new snowblowers for a while now, and researched a bit on this site.  Narrowed it down to either Simplicity, Ariens, or new Toro.  Also John Deere, since they were made by Ariens.

I've been partial to Simplicity, because my 1969 Simplicity Sno-Away S7 still runs.  It's just showing it's age. 

So I found a used mid-90's Simplicity 860 with electric start on Craigslist for $400, and another used mid-90's 860 without electric start at my local Simplicity dealer for $500.  The one from the dealer comes with a complete tuneup and adjustment, and he offers a 30 day warranty from the first time I use it (first snowfall).  Both are 8 hp with a 24" cut.

I'm planning to buy the one from the dealer, mainly because of the warranty.  I figure if I buy the private party one I would pay around $75 for a tuneup anyway, so they are both the same price. 

Although if I want to do some overkill I think I can get a 10 hp with a 32" cut for around the same price.  I just don't think I need something that large.  

I'm in Minnesota, so we get a fair amount of snow.  My driveway is 2 cars wide, and about 2 cars long.  Plus I blow a path around my house for the mailman.  So it's not like I have to clear a parking lot or anything.  

Opinions?  Ideas?  Did I do the right thing, or should I have just bitten the bullet and bought a new one? 

I went and looked at the one at the dealer on Saturday.  It's a little older than I thought.  The serial number is in the 5,000's so I'm thinking it's a 93-94 model or so.  It has a white engine, instead of a black one.  Does anyone know when Simplicity changed the color of their motors from white to black? 

To further confuse me I went to another Simplicity dealer, who has a newer 860 on the showroom floor for $850.  I thought it was a new machine, but they said it was used, it's just that the original owner hardly ever used it.  It's in really nice shape.  But I don't know if it's worth it to spend $350 more for what is basically the same machine.   

Although this dealer also had a new commercial grade 10 horse on his showroom floor.  Easy turn steering, electric chute control, remote chute deflector adjustment, electric start, headlight, etc.  Really nice machine.  If I had the spare cash laying around I'd probably just buy the new one and forget about it for the next 30 years.

I didn't think buying a snowblower would be this much work.

RickJ,

How much newer is the one for $850.00????

If you do decide to buy any blower, offer about $100.00 less and have the Cash on you, "IN HAND" , so the seller can see the

money !!!

Might save you a few bucks.

                                                            Fred

The $850 one looks to be a lot newer, like it is maybe 3-5 years old.  The tread on the tires still had little bits of rubber on it, which made them look like new tires.  Plus everything else on there looked like new.  But I don't know the exact age of the machine. I was told that Simplicity stopped making the 860 in 1999, although I suppose the other one could be an 860e or something.  I didn't look at it too closely because I wasn't sure I wanted to spend that much.  But when I think about it, I'm wondering if it's worth the extra money to get one that's practically new.  (The dealer with the $850 one offers a 90 day warranty). 

I had already told my local dealer that I wanted the $500 one before I saw the $850 one, but I haven't paid anything for it, and he hasn't started doing the service work on it yet.  So I'm sure I could back out of that deal if I needed to.  But he's only a mile away from me, so I don't want to upset him since I will bring my stuff to him for service. 

If I go for the $850 one I'm planning to offer $750 and see what they say.  If they won't take it, then maybe I'll save money and buy the older one.  I'm sure I can always resell it in a year or two if I want a newer machine.  

RickJ,

Go to the dealer and see what the correct model and serial numbers are to include does it hae electric start or not!!??

Electric start  is worth at least $100.00 more than a non electric start machine!!

Do not use the engine numbers!!!

Than go to Simplicity web site, click on manuals, put in the serial number and you can download the manual.

Call simplicity with the model and serial numbers and they can tell you the year of manufacture.

The date put into use could be 1 to 2years later!!!

If it is really fairley new, offer him $600.00 or what ever you think it is worth and see what he says!!!

                                                              Fred

RickJ,

Just for your info a new Simp    L8526E   MSRP is $999.00 as listed on their web site!!!

                                                            Fred 

Thanks Jobul.

I have looked at the new ones, my local dealer has an 8526 in stock.   That's one of my problems, I keep thinking that for a few hundred dollars more, I can have a new machine.  If I'm not careful I'll talk myself into a $2,000 blower.  The money isn't a major issue, I can always make more, it's just that I'm cheap and am having a hard time justifying $1,000 - $1,500 for a new snowblower.  But it may be the smarter option, since I would know exactly how the blower has been used.  Plus it would have that new snowblower smell! 

The old 860's were made with what Simplicity now calls their commercial grade frame, which is built like a tank.  I think Simplicity now calls them the Signature Pro series.  

The new Simplicity Large Frame snowblowers look like any other blower, and I read on here that they are made by Snapper (which is owned by Simplicity) so I don't know if that is good or bad.  I like the rigidity of the commercial grade frame that's on the old blowers, while the newer ones with the tubular steel handlebars seem weaker.   Does anyone have any experience with the large frame models (L8526E or L9528E).  I'd probably get the L9528E if I buy a large frame, just for the easy turn feature.   Are they good or bad?  How do they compare to Ariens or Toro?  I'm partial to Simplicity because my current one has lasted so long, but I know that it's an entirely different company since then.  Are they still holding up as well as they used to?  Or has quality gone down since Briggs & Stratton purchased them?

I've got to stop thinking so much.

Oops.,  I spelled Jubol's name wrong.  Sorry.

Rick,

Just for you info.

A  Simp pro heavy duty  9 26 with 25 hours on it, 5 years old went  for $610.00 .

                                                                                 Fred

i have an older simplicity 860se and it is better than anything i can find to buy today

I spoke with my local dealer today, and he's going to hold the $500 blower for me through the weekend. I told him that I was considering his and the $850 one at the other dealership. His recommendation was to buy the $850 one if I could afford it. Got to love an honest dealer. So I'm going to the other dealer tomorrow to talk with him. I don't think I can go wrong with either machine. I just like the one that looks newer.

So by next week I should have a "new to me" blower in my garage.