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?

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."