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

Honda snowblowers are 50% more expensive than comparable model.
Honda doesn't have the toughest steel.
Honda doesn't have the biggest impeller fan.
Honda doesn't have the biggest engine.
Honda doesn't have the highest snow throughput.
Honda doesn't have power steering or differential.
Honda doesn't have electric chute and deflector. (not in the USA)

Why do people buy them?

1.. Motor 2.. they place high on all things u mentioned, maybe not the best in every category but score high in a lot of them..

Well, if they are built in Japan, then you are likely paying a pretty hefty import tax on them. 

OTOH, if built in Japan, they are probably getting the best build quality possible.  I know car buffs who are really into Honda cars, and they seek out models that are built in Japan, vs. built in the U.S.  They are more expensive due to import tariffs, but are of higher quality.  Many say that that is why "Japanese" brands of cars have suffered over the last two decades, because they are being built in the U.S. now.  Nothing personal against the U.S., Japan just has a different work ethic.

Hi Guys! With regard to snow equipment I could never get myself to pull the trigger. The engine is without question the best there is but for me that is where it ends.No zerks on the auger,light gage steel on the chassis, short control handles, no differential offered on the wheeled models and a rediculously high price has always put me off. They also terrorize their dealers so you can't get a decent discount. To answer the question posed at the beginning of the thread they are so expensive because folks have been willing to pay for them.The better question is why hasn't Yamaha gone after them in the American market? Marc

mml4 wrote:
I would not call that 'terrorizing" dealers.  It is a uniform price policy, which a lot of high end manufacturers enforce to prevent brand erosion.  Honda has done this for years through Home Depot and independent dealers.  Toro does as well for the homeowner line, not sure about commercial products though. I think reseller's margins are quite low, and I think this where resellers are not happy.

I would like to see Yamaha compete against Honda in the snowblower market as well.  However, it will be a uphill battle for a long time.  Honda just have a strong market penetration and distribution network at the moment.  I've looked at Yamaha generators, definitely look superior, smarter design, and higher  spec'ed to Honda equivalent.  However, Honda outsells Yamaha by a large margin.  It comes down to sales, distribution, and service.  Yamaha left a lot of owners out in the cold by withdrawing from the US market many years ago.  Anyways, I would still like to see Yamaha snowblowers sold again in the US, they are just awesome and so far superior to the Honda models currently offered.  I like Honda snowblower but I feel like they just keep their heads in the sand and don't offer anything other than bumping up engine displacement.  Ariens has much higher snow throughput capacity and quality build, Toro has friendly user interface and decent performance.  Honda just has Honda quality and name, and throwing distance. 

mml4 wrote:

Not singling nml4 out in particular, but generally to those (myself included) who question Honda's high price vs. value. First,

1. I am not a total Honda fan-boy (I hate the term, but it's slung out there a lot). I do like (and in some cases love) a lot of Honda products and that goes way back to the late 60s/early 70s.

2. I do not like the high price of their snowblowers - mainly because I'm making just a little more money now as I did in 1991 when I bought a new HS828 track blower, and I don't know how long I can keep it going as my main machine - hopefully a lot longer. If I had to (or really wanted to) buy a new machine, I couldn't afford a Honda right now. When I bought mine in 1991 for $1,397.00, I made 7, $200 monthly payments from spring until fall. I was going to have to pay $50 a push for plowing and I clear snow at least once a week, sometimes up to 5 times a week, so that would add up in a hurry. but to address nml4's comments...

3. "No zerks on the auger". While I would like to have zerks, it's not that hard to take out the augers and grease/anti-seize them. I've done it and it's pretty darn easy. The first time I did was after 22 years of steady, heavy use, and they weren’t seized up. My blower is garage stored (non-heated) so that may help.

4. "Light gage steel on the chassis". After 24 years of using an HS828 every year in heavy, wet snow country, I can't comprehend where the steel gauge is not heavy enough. I'm open to hear about the failures there, but I don't see it - not even a little bit, and I've hit my share of trees and other things in my yard (when clearing paths for firewood, or lp tank access.

5. "Short control handles". If you mean lower height for the average American, then I agree. I'm 6' 1" (I do have long arms, but my knuckles don't drag on the ground...yet). I do have to bend down some on the down stroke of the chute control, but really, no big deal. If you mean the actual handles are short, then that's another story. I don't see it. They are 9.5" long.

6. "No differential offered on the wheeled model" - Is there one on the tracked version? Compared to a neighbors 1 year old Husqvarna (I do love their Swedish made chain saws), my 24 year old 8 horse tracked blower is a dream to control. My Honda handles one helluva lot of snow - and well - especially at the EOD.

7. My only comment on the dealer statement is my local dealer - and they are really good folks - is I don't like how they assume you don't know anything mechanical, and they will charge you for items/services you don't ask for. They have never serviced my blower, but I had some warranty work done on my Honda lawnmower and a Stihl trimmer and both times, they added things I didn't ask for. Other than that, I don't expect too much of a discount (if any) on Honda products. I do like that they had a layaway plan.

8. Yamaha is a non-issue for me - unless/untill they re-enter the US market...with product and more importantly, parts because_everything_needs parts eventually.

Can anyone tell me how to insert paragraph breaks? It's not via the return on my keyboard and I can't find anything reading through "my account". Html code?

Got it.