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

While looking at web sites on the internet I discovered that Cub Cadet manufactures snowblowers. Has anyone had experience with these products?

Yup, either home depot or sears sells them. I forget which one....

Shryp wrote:

So Cub Cadet doesn't actually manufacture the snowblowers, they just have their name applied to them. Too bad.

Summerwinds wrote:
Only Ariens, Honda, and Toro makes their own snowblower and not for anyone else.

Summerwinds wrote:

This is yet another example of a once well respected name in the OPE industry being disguised to sell products to an under informed public. They know the Cub name and associate it with a quality product but do not realize that they're buying an MTD product.

They're made by MTD. Yes, but look at the difference in the construction between their 700 series and the 900 series. The 900s are built on a much heavier chassis. the 930 weighs ~380 lbs with a 16 in impeller. NOT ALL MTDs are cheap tin toys.
I bought the 930 because it wasn't worth the jump to the 933 for $400 and everything else is the same. I used it all last year and it went through several 12"+ snow falls and EOD piles with no problems. Starts easy, tons of power, and a 16" impeller throws snow where ever I want to put it. IF you've got $2800 to drop on a 32" Honda, go for it. I only had $1600. Oh and if the "cheap" chinese motor on it dies in 10 years vs 15 or 20, I just buy another and still pay less than a 390 Honda. At that time I would probably just go for the 420cc motor just for laughs.

It is confusing regarding all the various brand names, so far as who owns whom, or who makes a product for whom.  Take John Deere.  I know their snow blowers are made by Briggs, but what about all their other machines for consumers and agriculture?  Is John Deere wholly owned by Briggs, or does Briggs just make their blowers?  How about Simplicity?   Blowers made by Briggs, but are they just a division of Briggs, or what?  I understand that Husqvarna is its own company, so everything under that brand name is made by them.  Correct or not?  I could certainly use some enlightenment about lots of other companies and brand names so far as who makes all the various OPE products.  

I looked at a Cub Cadet snow blower five years ago when I was in the market for a new machine to replace my well used Craftsman.  The Cub dealer was asking several hundred more for their equivalent product vs. the Simplicity 9-28 that I ultimately purchased.  Believe me, the Cub was not in the same class as the Simplicity back then.  It's an insult to consumers to lessen the quality of a product, hang a well respected name on it and try to sell it for a price that does not reflect the value. 

This is not just an issue with Cub Cadet.  Virtually all modern manufacturers have slid in quality.  Even names like Ariens, Simplicity and Toro have gone that route.  Virtually every domestic manufacturer has dropped in quality compared to machines built ten or less years ago.  It's now the new age of inferior products for the same price, designed to fail withing a prescribed time limit so that consumers have to go out and do it all over again.  The days of  Ariens, Toros and Simplicy's lasting 25 to 30 years is a thing of of the past.  If you have an older machine, take good care of it because you won't be seeing that kind of quality from the domestics in the present nor the future.  Anyone who wants a lifetime machine nowadays, will have to shell out the big bucks for a Honda or a Yamaha.   You have to respect the Japanese for their steadfast adherence to continued uncompromised quality.    
 

The Japanese think long term, even when they think of profit.

The rest are trying to squeeze as much profit out of as little effort as they can.

I bet these newer machines made in China with famous brand-name plates are not going to be around for long.They will change the label once it is dirtied/consumed (once people get to know how inferior they are built) and continue making and selling the same garbage as before under new names.

Maybe at some point these manufacturers will have to produce a quality product again just so they will have a good brand name to use for the junk they'll want to manufacture down the road... My head hurts now!

blumonster wrote:
Of course they do think of profit.  It's hard to find anything Japanese branded that is actually made in Japan.  Mostly in Thailand and China.

I remembered a quote from the "Fast and Furious" movie, "I live my life, a quarter mile at a time..."  Hardly inspirational for anyone above 20 years old.
 
Some companies also adopt this philosophy.  "ask not what you can do for this company, ask what you can do for our shareholders this quarterly."