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

Guys, I'm starting to think there might be a "blue" snow thrower in my driveway shortly.

I dunno,,,, that Yamaha YS928J sure is starting to look VERY attractive to me. I really liked how quiet this machine was. It has 12vdc start (battery), the engine shroud which keeps noise levels down, serrated scraper-bar, teflon-lined chute and impeller housing, fuel gauge(need to verify), drift-cutter, auto-choke, and electronic chute control.

http://www.yamaha-motor.ca/products/products.php?model=3537&section=td&group=G#contentTop

drifter wrote:

Supposed to be a great machine but expensive. If you do buy one take pics of it. :)

Will do Steve,

I have to go back and take a closer look at both,,, the Honda and the Yamaha. They're both the same price when you choose the electric-start models.

I want to actually operate the bucket-lift mechanisms, and I want to move both machines around. Small detail; I'm not certain the Yammy has hand-warmers.

drifter wrote:

drifter: That is one impressive machine! Looks very up to any snow clearing task you could possibly throiw at it - at 373 lbs. it's a real beast. Please keep us posted and don't forget pictures when (not if) you buy it and get it home.

FrankMA wrote:
Hehehehehe , I dunno there FrankMA. It's a tough call. The Hondas are lighter, but noisier. Yamaha has a 1 year commercial warranty, vs 3 months for the Honda, which doesn't really affect me, but may speak to the ruggedness of the Yamaha. Both have the same 2 year residential warranty.

The Yamaha definitely has the advantage as far as noise levels are concerned. If I come home late at night, and the snow-plow has buried the end of my driveway, I can fire it up without disturbing the neighbor.

I'm still uncertain as to the electronic chute controls on both machines. Strikes me as a possible failure-point. I wonder how reliable those things are, and what your options are in the event of failure.

I also want to find out about back-up start, in case the battery dies on the electric-start models. The Honda has a manual back-up starter on the TCS models.

Last but not least,,,, justifying spending that kind of money on a snow-thrower at my age. Mind you, the re-sale values are so good, that it probably wouldn't cost much in the long run, and I'd be working with a top-flight machine. The flip-side of that argument is, will I still want to be doing my own snow-removal after I completely retire (2 1/2 years at most).

That is a lot of $$$. I bought both of my Hondas as used machines and saved a bunch a dough (I kind of stumbled upon both). The only suggestion I could make is to scour CL or other similar sites every day, many times/day and be prepared to jump on a new posting immediately. You could also try "searchtempest.com" which is a tool that allows you to search CL and E-Bay outside of your typical geographic area. I found my Garden Tractor employing this technique and it works - you just have to be very diligent. Have your $$$ ready and get as much info from the seller as possible or you might end up wasting a bunch of your time. Some people's idea of "excellent condition" or "like new" can vary widely.

I'm going to keep looking FrankMA. The snow is at least a month away in my area, perhaps longer. Hopefully , I'll get my hands on that nearly-new 1132 my dealer told me about. I should know by tomorrow, or in the next few days.

Either way, I'm convinced tracks are the way to go for me. This guys' reaction says it all when it comes down to this class of machine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHNLbAW6j7k&feature=related

Hmmmm, I hadn't searched for used Yamahas, but I just found a bunch of them, ranging from $999. for a freshly tuned-up 624, to $1995 for a similar-condition 828. Both are from the same dealer, so I presume they're trade-ins for the new models.

Edit; Same dealer is selling the new YS928J for $200. under MSRP. Things are looking up.

Finding a bunch of Hondas today as well.  $2100. for an HS828TCD in what appears to be mint condition.

drifter wrote:
Drifter, maybe you should confirm that price. Where I am I think the price for a contract is closer to $1000 if not more for a regular 12' x 30' drive. Throws a whole new light on the make vs buy calculation!

Cheers

Yes, you're right. It's been quite a while since I checked. Ten years ago, when I bought my present home, it was costing me $160./season. When fuel prices surged a few years back, it went to $400. Gas is cheaper now, so I'm not sure there's been an increase, but I will check it out in the morning. Last time I talked to the guy, he told me he'd come to do my driveway for $25. for a single storm.

BTW, I've also got a line on a couple of Honda HS1132TCD's, a 2004, and a 2007 at $2300, and $2700 respectively.

One thing I'm curious about is; how "small" of a machine I should consider? Example; a dealer reconditioned Yamaha YS624 for only $999. I'm thinking that this machine may be totally fine for me as a temporary solution. Why would I want a "temporary solution"? Well, my gut instinct tells me that Yamaha has fired a shot across Hondas' bow, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see at least one new model in Honda's line-up in the near future, to up the ante. Mind you, these things don't happen overnight. I'm thinking that the competition will be very beneficial for consumers.

RE, a used 624 or 724, I wouldn't lose much on a resale, and could wait to pounce on the right deal for a newer, bigger machine.

From my perspective, it's a toss-up. Yamaha or Honda, and I'll be a very happy drift-buster.