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

I go to an Ariens dealer who also has husqvarna and toro and says Ariens is the best ,Toro is o.k. and husqvarna is not that good.Then I go to a store where the sales people have Toro shirts on but also sell Simplicity.They tell me Toro is just as good as Simplicity and the Toro gear case although aluminum is just as strong as Simplicities cast iron gear case.How can that be??All I read here is that cast iron auger gearcase is the best and more durable than aluminum.Then I go to an Ariens dealer who tells me the small ariens will throw snow as far as the 11hp deluxe because the impellers both spin at the same r.p.m.s. Then I read on this site that Craftsman snowblowers are junk.Meanwhile I have had a 5hp 22" width snowblower from Sears for 4yrs and have not put 1 dime into it as far as repairs go.So who is telling the truth??A lot of people on this forum are always talking about problems with their Ariens hmmmm so which brand is truly reliable??For $1500 or more I expect to spend no money on repairs on those top snowblowers for 15 plus yrs.Otherwise it's cheaper to buy a craftsman every 7yrs and not have to spend anything on maintenance or repairs.And yes they will last 7yrs trouble free.....

mikiewest wrote:

The machine that makes the most profit for the dealer is usually "the best" they have.  That's why it pays to do your homework.   I prefer Ariens to Toro for the simple reason that Toro is way over priced for what you get.  I prefer Simplicity to both Ariens and Toro.  Simplicity build as good, if not better machines than Ariens and Toro.  Their cost is similar to or less than an Ariens of same class and quite a bit less than a Toro. 

Regarding the aluminum vs. cast iron gear case debate.  The question to be answered is:  If the aluminum gear case is as good as the cast iron unit, why do Ariens use cast iron in their Pro models?

Regarding Craftsman machines.  Not all Craftsman machines are created equal.  Their AYP manufactured units are better built than their MTD units.   I used Craftsman (AYPs) for almost twenty years.  I went through two machines.  They were noisy, crude and rattled a lot.  I went through one auger belt, several sets of skids and one scraper bar on each.  Never had an issue with the old Tecumseh L head other than noise and vibration.  I live in northwestern Ontario and this area gets on average ten feet of snow per season.   These machines saw a lot of work and held up well for the money.  

I did a lot of comparisons when I shopped for my new snow thrower last October.  For the $1500.00 I paid for it, I feel the Simplicity is an exceptionally good value.  It was a couple hundred less than an equivalent Ariens,  several hundred less than a Toro and only a couple hundred more than an equivalent AYP Craftsman.    Take a good look at the Simplicity or Snapper.  It will be the last snow thrower you'll probably every need to buy.  You can pay a lot more for a snow thrower but you will be hard pressed to find a better value.       

I'd also take a hard look at the company providing service.  If one is lucky enough to get a Sears machine that is trouble-free, it would be the luck of the draw.  Beware of Sears field service operations and their technicians.  I'm currently going through some unbelievable problems with them as I've described on another thread.

Remember this is a seasonal machine used on demand and Sears will not prioritize according to your seasonal needs.  Sears will only give priority to refrigeration that contains medicine.  I'm touched.  There are many appliance dealers who will respond immediately to broken refridgerators, etc.

It's snowing hard, your machine won't work, you  call Sears and they will make an appointment anywhere between ten days and two weeks!  When the tech arrives and, if your lucky, he'll discover the problem but needs a part.  He'll order the part, you'll receive it in ten days or so, and he'll eventually visit to install depending on his busy schedule.  After the fix, you hope it works.  If not, the lengthy cycle begins and behold, it's Springtime after many snowstorms.

I explained to the Sears helpdesk that many senior citizens have bought snowblowers for obvious reasons.  Too many tragedies over the years with people over 50 & 60 dropping dead of heart attacks from snow shoveling. 

Once out of warranty, I plan to deal with a local shop who I trust will be responsive.