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

I'm considering buying a used (Honda HS1132 or HS928) snowblower--track version.  Need to blow deep, wet "Sierra cement" snow and have a steep driveway and a few hundred feet of private road to clear.

There are several relatively new-looking used units advertised locally.  They're not cheap, but a lot cheaper than new.  Before plunking down big bucks, I'm wondering if there are any key indicators of the condition of a snowblower  that I can easily check.

Beyond obvious things like starting the snowblower, checking how smoothly the engine runs, and engaging the tracks and auger, what other items can and should one check if its not possible to have an expert check it out for me?    How much wear is acceptable on the auger, impeller, housing, and tracks?  Do the engines smoke upon start-up? 

Thanks for any hints from the gurus.