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jyanno

Joined: Nov 27, 2010
Points: 5

Advice on snowblower purchase?
Original Message Nov 27, 2010 3:37 pm

I am looking at purchasing my first snow blower. My local shop carries Toro's and Ariens. I live in northern NJ (morris county) and we had a lot of wet heavy/icy snow last year, so the wife has finally given in to the purchase.

Our driveway is about 125' long and most of it is a about a single car lane, but it opens up to about 3 wide at the bottom. Also my neighbor's drive way is adjacent to it and its about two cars lanes wide in front of their house and one car wide between the two houses. So I'd have to throw the snow straight ahead when I am in the section between the two houses.

I'm currenty thinking of purchasing the Arien's 920013 (Compact 22). Do you think a 6 HP engine will cut it, or should I be looking at a 7 HP?

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coasteray

El Toro! 1028 LXE
Tecumseh 358cc
10hp

Location: NE Washington State
Joined: Mar 3, 2008
Points: 142

Re: Advice on snowblower purchase?
Reply #37 Jan 31, 2011 4:24 am

borat wrote:

Yeah, I could be buying Honda machines but if I did, I'd feel that I was capitulating to the gougers. Particularly the local dealers who smile while they're sticking it to you. If I were ever to replace the Simplicity, I'd probably order a Yamaha. Not locally either! Yamaha appear to make an awesome snow thrower even though the h.p. ratings appear a bit low for the performance they promise. Something like this would do just fine:

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

Yeah, those Hondas are really nice, but they do indeed gouge a guy.

About the Yamaha: Wow! What a machine! Even more pricey than Honda

. I think I'd put it in a museum just to admire it. Where does a person buy such a blower? Or service it? Not in my neck of the woods.

This message was modified Jan 31, 2011 by coasteray

El Toro! 1028 LXE - Tecumseh 358cc 10hp Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

MN_Runner

Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Joined: Dec 5, 2010
Points: 622

Re: Advice on snowblower purchase?
Reply #38 Jan 31, 2011 6:28 am

If you live near NE Washington then you can across the boarder (near HWY 97) and buy a Yamaha (maybe next year) near Kelowna BC. Kelowna is a nice ski resort town (Big White).

Steve_Cebu

Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 888

Re: Advice on snowblower purchase?
Reply #39 Jan 31, 2011 9:28 am

coasteray wrote:

Yeah, those Hondas are really nice, but they do indeed gouge a guy.

About the Yamaha: Wow! What a machine! Even more pricey than Honda

. I think I'd put it in a museum just to admire it. Where does a person buy such a blower? Or service it? Not in my neck of the woods.

You can only buy the $4,000 Yamaha in Canada, although I might be able to buy them through the Company I work for. I haven't tried. I've bought damn near everything, it would be a good challenge. sadly we will never need one here.

Although probably not as satisfying as the time I had to get a specific Mil-Spec (remember mil-spec) Paint that was custom made 20 or so years prior and the only guy who could make it was retired. I did get it made and he came out of retirement just to make it. Those were good times!

"If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in New England." "If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in New England."

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