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

I was at a local Honda dealer yesterday and I was stunned by the prices on their snowblowers. In Canadian dollars, they were: 928 wheels: $3000 928 track: $3400 724 track: $3400 1132 track: $3500 I know they have tracks, hydro tranny, honda engines, etc. but they're at least $1000-1500 more than equivalent toro and ariens models. Is it gold, they re making?

borat wrote:
If you can't beat them, join them.  :)

Besides the differences in paint, they do have common design philosophy.  I'm not talking about reasonable prices, tough cast iron gearboxes, and C channel handlebars.  :)

Please do get one.  I wouldn't mind Honda getting some competition so they can get back on the ball.  It's lonely at the top. 

aa335 wrote:

If you can't beat them? 

By the looks of the Yamaha, I would doubt that there would be too much of an issue "beating" a Honda.    The Yamaha appears to out-class the Honda in every aspect. 

Problem is that the Simplicity is such a joy to own and use, it would be difficult to give it up and I doubt it will be crapping out within then next twenty years or so. 

In addition to that, I'd have to relax my fiscal discipline to indulge in such frivolous spending.  However, that would be easier to do than waiting for the Simplicity to expire.  

In the meantime, I'll keep my vanity in check and go with what I have. 

aa335 wrote:
Pretty funny... One thing about this site with mixing of all of the brands, it's very easy to do a little pot stirring. 

This thread was started a year ago.  Lots of lively heated debate to keep us warm while we wait for the snow to arrive.

Notice how the pot cools down over the summer and then on Dec 17, 2010, someone picks up a log and a gallon of gasoline and throws in the fire to get it to boil again.   :)

Ah the great thing about Toro is they have a plastic chute already and yes you can hear gravel being spat out of it every so often. Really nice having a plastic chute, stock.

Steve,

After watching your great video clips, I am a convert.  Toro snowblowers are really great machines at a reasonable price and Honda does not appear any better.  My tummy is aching really bad from paying too much for a Honda and am too broke to buy some anti-acid medication.  I only wish I have gotten a Toro and save some serious money.  My poor experience with a Toro lawnmower 15 years ago steered me away from a great Toro snowblower (Minnesota Made).   Thanks and keep up the good work. 

Steve_Cebu wrote:
The nice thing about Honda is the chute is all metal.  One can chose to line it with plastic if one desires.  Oh, and when the gravel hits, it makes a nice metallic sound.

Try lining the Toro stock plastic chute with metal and it just doesn't work so well.    And how the heck do you wax plastic? 

Nice videos by the way.  Well sort of.  I was hoping to see a 83 lb gymnast wrestling a snowblower, instead, I just see some big dude blowing snow downwind.  What's with that?    Let's make some good use of that HD camera.  Hehehe.

MN_Runner wrote:

You're welcome  Honda makes a great machine, I had one. Yeah the cost is a bit steep and No joystick, did you see how fast I could whip the chute around in the video? It was this video around 20 seconds in. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u66VEMXQtPA  Just flick and go. One bad experience with a brand doesn't make them all bad. Don't sell Honda short tho it's a class act and you already own it. Take some videos of it and you'll be more impressed. Have your GF/Wife/SO take some videos of you doing the driveway. Then post them on YouTube and put the links on here.

aa335 wrote:

Yeah I love the sound of rocks denting metal LOL!  You do have a point you can't wax plastic it's already as slick as a no-stick teflon pan.

Thanks my wife actually wanted to be in the videos but the wind picked up and she was having trouble with just using the camera. seroiusly the wind at times would blow most of the full stream of snow right back at me in several spots. I promise you will see an 83 lb. bodybuilder manhandling the Toro next storm that doesn't have 35 mph winds. Got some good distance shots and measurements tho. I won't get the camera until Feb that's when I'll get it. I really would love to get a GoPro HD Hero and mount it on my snowblower.

http://www.goprocamera.com/video

Now imagine that mounted onto the dash of my Toro! Widescreen Hi-Def 720p60p awesome! and waterproof! $300! can't have that and the other one tho.

Steve,

I was doing fine until when you cleverly showed that slick video then I was having a major stomach pain.  My driveway is a joke compared to yours.  I have a pond behind my house so I have been plowing to make an ice rink for the kids. My city has a much nicer skating rink and it is free.   In reality, I have been plowing there to justify my expansive purchase and convince myself that I did the right thing.