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

I notice the Lowes and Home Depot stores have a line of new snow blower models for sale.  But who picks up, repairs or services and returns this 200-300 pound machine to you when it needs help ?  Home Depot and Lowe's don't have repair shops, sell parts, offer pick-up and return services etc.  So where should you buy that new MTD built Cub Cadet Top Consumer Rated Snowblower ?

That's the way it works around here too Trouts.

Same goes for just about all the big box stores that sell all types of stuff.  For instance, Future Shop have and arrangement with a couple local electronics repair shop.  The Brick, Leons etc. have arrangements with local appliance repair shops.  It's a better system for everyone.  Usually the local repair facilities have experienced people doing the work.  The box stores save on floor space, personnel and other associated costs by farming the work out. 

I do all of my own OPE repair works as, I'm sure you also do.  What I've found is that a little preventative maintenance goes a looooooong way toward equipment reliability and saving money on repairs.

MrNuke wrote:

They carry a 'Cub Cadet' machine, not all, and not the one I have been reading about in Consumer Reports with a 16" auger and 16" impeller (fan).

MTD makes them, so there should be a place that sells them and services.  I do the on line searches BEFORE I ask such a question here.   Farm & Fleet suggested would be a long commute for anyone like me, living in New York State.   Why anyone would buy such a producta from a Home Depot Box Store always makes me wonder. They have  no service, no parts, no repairs, nobody who knows anything about the machine, and God help you if they have the minimum wage inept store clerk assemble it for you.  It's like the worst of all worlds to buy a snowblower from.  Yet the people do buy from them, and what's even scarier, these people also can, 'Vote'.  Imagine they are as wise in choosing who to vote for; like I said, Scary!

My opinion, plug your zip code in here:

http://apache.ariens.com/cgibin/pnrg0140a

and buy a snowblower there..
Not only will get a quality machine that will last for several decades, you will also get it professionally assembled by people who know that they are doing,
and you will have a dealer for service and repairs..much better than a big-box store!

I wouldnt buy a Cub Cadet..MTD's have much worse repair and reliability records than other brands.
The "top three" names in snowblowers are Ariens, Toro and Honda..personally I wouldn't consider anything but those three.

and Consumer Reports is useless..because they only rate and compare the features of NEW machines..
they say nothing about long term reliability..
and comparing brand-new machines is pointless..
a brand new Kia looks about as good as a brand new Honda Civic..
10 years later, they are worlds apart..The Honda is not even half way through its life, while the Kia is dead..

Scot

sscotsman wrote:
Plugging in, as you say, my Zip Code sends me to Home Depot.  Sorry, not a credible dealer for snowblowers of any kind.

New_Yorker wrote:
Easy there... Just trying to help...  What you had posted made no indication of  searching local dealers hence multiple people telling you to check their website.  That said, I do agree with Scot's comments on quality and maybe the lack thereof with MTD/ the problems with consumer reports and AA335's list of some of the better brands like Ariens, Simplicity, Honda, and Toro.  As someone who just went through a similar process as you, I'd advice reconsidering on cub cadet.   Looking at Toro dealers about 50 miles east of NYC gives someone like this.  http://www.carlsequipment.com/

New_Yorker wrote:
*only* Home Depot?
wow..thats surprising..
my zip code, 14624, brings up three independant dealers, and NO Home depots..
even though we have 5 home depots in the immediate area that all carry Ariens snowblowers..
I just assumed that dealer search did not include Home Depot at all..sorry about that!

Im surprised there arent any closer Ariens dealers, especially being Long Island..
but I guess you guys dont get nearly the amount of snow we do, so dealers would be fewer and farther between..

If you change the distance, (25 miles, 50 miles, 100 miles etc)
How far is your closest Ariens dealer? not counting Home Depot?

(you could also try posting your zip code here! ;) would help people find dealers for you..not just Ariens..)

Scot

New_Yorker wrote: It is up yo you realy. You can get a good deal at lows and home depot. You get a more personal exspierence with a small shop, they are more likley to service it too. Personaly i went with Home depot. I got 20% off on a $1200 machine 15 years ago. Today you can do the same. Ariens list dealers close to you. Some will match a Home Depot price to get your business. What ever you do- Dont buy a machine already assembled from Lowes or Home Depot. They do not assemble them right. Do it yourself.

I believe it is best to buy your snowblower at a dealership where they have parts and service.   Sears does have parts and service , but their servicemen are not specialists in snowblowers  , they service everything that Sears sells .  We have a large Husqvarna , Ariens , Bobcat  and  MTD dealership here that sells tractors,lawn mowers , chainsaws, snowblowers and other equipment. They have a well stocked parts departmrnt and a year round service department with 4 full time technicians. It is a pleasure to go there.. They are also an authorized Briggs ans Stratton dealer.

Same here I bought my cub cadet 930 from a local farm equiptment dealership and there is another dealer not that far away from them that is a full line MTD distibutor of parts and has service I mostly do everything myself but sometimes if under warranty I dont touch it and I had a bad experience buying a blower from Lowes great price but nothing but problems and finaly returned and went with the cub simply for because the dealer for parts was alot closer than a deere dealer although if I had it do again I would either go simplicity pro or toro next time the cub has been a good machine so far time will tell I keep do alot of preventitive maint on my OPE to keep it or try and keep it in best possible running condition I can....

MrNuke wrote:

Carl's Equipment is an excellent place to buy such machines.  I own a Little Wonder 9 HP blower I purchased from Carls' almost a dozen years ago.  Unlike the Home Depot & Lowe's stores about 3/4 mile east of Carls' I can get parts, service and people who know something about the machines to talk to, but they don't sell the machine made by MTD and sold as a Cub Cadet.   Toro is not the machine for me, or Carl's would be a perfect place to buy from.