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

I see an MTD single stage, 5 h.p. 21" width, with a two cycle Tecumseh engine in it for sale locally for $200.00.  Looks to be in good shape. 

Does anyone have any experience with this model and if it's a good/reliable performer and buy or not?  

The 4-6 years old eliminates it being a CCR2000 so I don't understand where the 38181 comes in.  It may be she has some old user manual she thinks belongs with a much newer model. 

The models ran CCR2000, 3000, ? I think 2450, 3450 then three or four up to 2010 so lots of years between the 2000 and 6 years ago.  It just seems fishey.  If it's really a 6 year old machine then any > 4-5 hp would be very new and $300 a good price for up there.  They sell for that and more here, depending on the model much more. 

Whatever.  As long as the case is nice you can fix anything so not a big deal.  A good running CCR2000E all the way up through the >5hp newer models are nice machines.  You'll probably love it, sell the oil gulping Simplicity and throw in with the single stage redneck aa35 who is selling off his Hondas to by more Toro SS's. 

I'm flattered that you call me a redneck, perhaps a Freudian slip, but I'm not the one running vagabond snowblowers through cemetery. By the way, the only Honda going up for sale is the two stage, only to make room for a smaller Yamaha.

AA335,

When are you going to Canada to pick the BLUE machine?

I'm not an impulsive buyer, so no plans for the immediate. We'll see if Yamaha decides to bring them to the US. I'm not familiar with the logistics of bringing one from Canada. Also, I don't know how Honda will respond to Yamaha competition. Perhaps a HS928TCD with dual electric motors for the tracks, plus the usual Teflon lined chute. Honda in the US have been unchallenged for 15 years so we get the watered down models which leaves it open for criticism why such a high priced machine isn't aptly advanced and equipped.

Sorry for going off topic.

aa335 wrote:

There is a lot of truth to the unchallenged Honda mentality. Again, off topic, but last year, when I was looking for a generator, well, if you want one that is quite, and can run 12 hours a day, for days on end, you get a Yamaha, or a Honda (there may be others in the U.S.). So for the same price, same output, the Honda, doesn't have the extra features, no Boost, and get this, NO WHEELS, you have to buy a Wheel Kit. How crazy is that, 150lb generator, and no flipping wheels. Needless to say, I got the Yamaha, so that is twice now Honda has lost out to Yamaha with me.

Yes Honda does need a little competition, get them back to adding some features. And for the record, I am not a Honda basher, love their vehicles, owned two of them, just think they need a little more competition in the OPE area, make them beef up the features for the price they are charging!!!

trouts2 wrote:
The woman was getting the model/serial no. data from a manual(s) she has.  Might be for the wrong machine considering where the unit was purchased.   She's supposed to e-mail me a few pics today.  Maybe that will help identify what it is.  

Personally, I'd like an older unit in great shape with a Suzuki engine in it.   Not sure what the record is for the R-Tek engine.  I know that I can massage a Suzuki two cycle engine to make more power with no ill effects.  Not sure if I can do that with an R-Tek.  

Not a chance of selling the oil guzzling Simplicity.  I'll re-power it first.   Up here, a single stage will manage most snowfalls we have.  However, two or three times a year, it would be sorely over-matched.  

rubinew wrote:

I love Honda Generators. I owned one for 8 years, a 6500ES which I used for emergency power at my house, probably ran it no more than 100 hours, the thing was a work of art. I put it on craigslist 2 years ago when I got a whole-house generator, I sold it within 2 hours for every penny I paid for it. So I got one of their 2000 watt quiet generators which is another jewel. I use it primarily when I need some power far away from the house for power tools; my family uses it for camping. I purchased it because those things are like currency for boat owners. In 10 years, I'll be able to sell it for what I paid for it yet again. The Yamahas are good too, no doubt. But the market is such that people love the Honda generators and they'll pay a premium for them.

tkrotchko wrote:

Oh I agree, Honda generators are excellent. Up here, in non electric camping, you either see Red or Blue, that is the choice of camping. Every so often, someone new will pick up a champion for Canadian Tire, or Costco. It only takes a few hours before they realize they can't hear themselves think!  Of course some will get real long extension cords, stick them in the bushes, but they won't last the summer, so away they go.

What irritated me about Honda, was the extra charges for wheels. I expect if I am going to pay that much for a quality product, I should not have to spend some more, to put wheels on it, that is the only reason I started looking at Yamaha.

I have friends that have either, and both are same db, same power (2800 watts), reliability, etc, and price. I do hope that Yamaha contiues to push in the Canada market, and makes a push into the U.S. market, it will only help us as consumers.

rubinew wrote:

Agreed.  Let's hope Yamaha doesn't water down their models.  I already have a watered down red bucket, no need for a blue one too. 

How effective are single stage machines on grades?  Do they need assistance to get up hill or will they pull themselves up?

Any comments on the Tecumseh two cycle engine?  The Toro deal went south.  The woman was flip flopping on price, whether she wanted to sell it or not etc. etc......  So I gave her an ultimatum which she refused so I'm now onto a Craftsman single state with electric start, in very good shape for $150.00.