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?

starwarrior wrote:

I already upgraded because I kept my MTD spotless and perfectly maintained, but stuff was starting to break all the time. Nothing major, but enough to have me in the garage repairing things after 3 hours of use. I already upgraded to a Honda, and I can see that it is not as maneuverable as the MTD (we'll see if that was a mistake). But looking at the Honda, in terms of materials and construction its clearly a step above the MTD (although that was a fine machine). Incidentally, I sold the MTD for 2/3's of what I paid for it after 14 winters. It sold in 3 hours on craigslist on the 4th of July! I put it up the day before, the guy called me an hour later, he came over early 4th of july, tried it and drove away with it before lunch,

tkrotchko wrote:

Wow Throtchko, your story sounds almost exactly the same as mine. (with the exception ot the 66% return)

You did great. I could have held out for more but settled for 30%. (woulda shoulda coulda ???) But man the bucket and drive parts on mine were in serious need of renuvation. 

The biggest problem with mine since the cog wheels that are made of plastic was the drive wheels started to get stress cracks right around the hub and one disintegrated without warning.

Lucky me did not have much more to do and finished up with a shovel. I was able to find a drive wheel last year and this year I noticed the same stress cracks on the other one. I should have bought both drive wheels when I had the chance but not figuring on the other going bad I went the cheap route. Actually I thought a rock had gotten caught between the tread and the cog and the wheel just broke. Well as luck will have it the same part that I found so easily last year was discontinued by the OEM this year. Man the only way I was going to get a replacement was to order the part from a different machine that had a different part number and hope it was the same. I even went so far as to call MTD and when they found out the age of the machine simply responded with the perverbial "Oh Well".

Well I had to make a decision and since a different part number usually means there is going to be something different about the part and really not wanting to end up in the middle of my driveway with a yard ornament, I sold it.

Sometimes it is not worth pulling your hair out trying to salvage a clunker. Well it was out with the old and in with the New so not unlike yourself, I am now charting new territory.

The other dilema since this is a seasonal issue (thank goodness) was last year when I ended up grounded in the middle of February started to scope out the newbees, I would have had to settle for what was left in stock rather than what I wanted, which was either the top priced models or the dogs.

Starwarrior 

Tkrotchko and starwarrior,

    It would be interesting for you guys to later post how you judge your current machines to your old MTD tracks after a number of outings.  Handling and bite will surely be different but just how much and worth the price, advantages, disadvantages & etc.  You’ll both have new engines with full compression and remembering old tired motors. 

Never forget if you have the Cash nothing is overpriced. I would never buy a new snowblower waste of money. Look in Craigs or Kijijij and you can buy 2 or 3 year old units for a 1/3 of the price of New and they will blow like a new bride.

"Never forget if you have the Cash nothing is overpriced."


I couldn't disagree more.

Have you ever heard the term "A fool and his money are easily parted?"   That term would pretty much apply to the above philosophy. 

Most people with money do not prescribe to that concept.  That's why they have money. 

I have not had much luck finding 3 year old snowblowers for sale.

Most from the days of old and some quite worn out but newer units are generally handed down or sold to neighbors rather than sold online. A rare and lucky find if you act fast.

I do disagree also, If price were not an issue, snow removal efforts would be contracted to a dedicated service rather than a cold weather exercise routine for the cousin Eddie's of the world.

I am as motivated and enthusiastic as anyone just to get out there and enjoy the briskness of a snowfall but after the first storm or so, unless there is an absence of brain activity the fun part of a snow storm is dedicated to snowball fights, ski enthusiasts, sleighs, igloos, and snow angels, not shoveling snow.

In respect to worn out engines Trouts2,  a 10 year old unit amounts to nothing in terms of operating hours for the average homeowner regardless of where they live.

These engines can handle thousands of operating hours, if they are maintained properly.

Starwarrior

p.s.      Ask our midwestern friends how much fun they are having this year.

starwarrior wrote:

My experience is the engines are the most reliable parts of the snowblower.

What I had to replace:

1) Cables

2) Springs

3) The bolts that held the handle to the body (sheared off after 13 years of muscling the thing around. Great fun getting them out mid-snowstorm

4) Plastic drive wheels

5) Friction wheels overheating after 5-6 hours of continuous use (we could argue if I exceeded the design characteristics of the the drivetrain and I'll accept your judgement either way).

What I did not have a problem with was belts. The MTD had dual auger belts and although I replaced them ever few years, they were still good. The mechanism inside was built to last longer than me. The core of the MTD was rock solid, but the little doo-dads that attached and made the thing functional were a problem.

trouts2 wrote:

Hey Trouts2,

I am surely looking forward to making a comparison. Not only the difference in how much better (or worse) the new one will eat and spit out the the snow but also how it handles.

I really was extremely satisfied with the MTD Track manuverability and quite honestly after 14 years of service, the machine doesn't owe me a dime.

A unit that was built 14 years ago offshore would genrally not stand up to the domestic heavyweights but let me tell you, this MTD really did hold it's own.

I will surely keep you all posted. All we need now is snow here in New Jersey so I can report a real assesment.

Starwarrior

P.S.

Merry Christmas  ~~~ >)))'> ~~~  >)))'> ~~~  >)))'> 

starwarrior wrote:

I think Hondas are made overseas ;)

That said, after I get some snow here in MD, I will post a full report comparing and contrasting.

My only reference point is my son who looked it over and said "Whoa, dad, this thing is built like a tank compared to the last one".

tkrotchko wrote:

Yea and they burn rice. Honda was no doubt the exception to the rule.

They wrote the book on precision machines way back and raised the bar on the entire yard equipment industry.

Yamaha has some pretty impressive machines on the market also.

Ok so you have a manual automatic model too. That one is better than all the snowblowers in existance.  LOL

We do need a reference, They have forcasted the possibility Sunday night into Monday. So far in Central Jersey we have had a total of 1" which wasn't worthy of even firing it up.

It will happen and when it does we are without a doubt both locked and loaded.

Have a nice Holiday

Starwarrior