cleblanc

I ended up getting the Toro 1028LXE after all from a different dealer.  He was able to match the price of $1399 and give the 1 year financing.  He also gave me free delivery since he is only 5 minutes away.  It is scheduled to arrive this Saturday.  I'm glad that decision is made.  It really was a very tough decision between all the snowblower choices.

Dsharp - Obviously I voted for the Toro over the Ariens 11528LE (which was a big contender with us too).  I think either machine will be fine as far as the engine goes and it came down to which will be easier to use.  Nothing was able to beat the joystick controls for me   My husband  preferred a plastic chute too and the Toro has a 5 year warranty on the chute so I am not worried.  We also preferred the lighter weight of the Toro.

Good luck with your choice.     

As it turns out I did not get the Toro yet.  My local dealer tried to pull a fast one on the order and charge me $50 for a documentation fee.  I said I wasn't paying it and resented him adding it on after the fact and not telling me about it when we made the deal.  They would not admit they did anything wrong so I cancelled the order and walked out.  I have another local dealer that I can get the Toro from but my husband is leaning toward the Cub Cadet at HD again for $400 less.  So far my local HD has not had them in stock so we have not purchased yet.  I still would really like the Toro and I even let their customer service department know about what the dealer did.

Has anyone else ever heard of a documentation fee?  Is this common when buying outdoor power equipment.  The dealer claims it was for applying for the 1 year Toro financing.  This makes no sense to me at all.  I have applied many times for 1 year no interest no payment financing and have never heard of a fee associated with it.  Why would anyone use it if it cost $50 to do so?  I think my dealer was just trying to make up for giving me the free delivery I asked for.   

We also looked at the Sears 88105.  I think it is $979 right now which is a great deal.  As you pointed out it is like the Husqvarna.  If you are a member of Costco, it is also like the Poulan Pro 1130ES that they sell for $999.  But that one is not an OHV engine, I don't think.

We ruled these out because we didn't want 30 inches.  28 was as high as we wanted to go since we want to store it in our garage during the winter.

Pricewise I would have preferred the Ariens 926LE or the Toro 826LE but neither had the power steering which I felt was a must.  

I can't believe what a tough decision this has been.  Good luck with your choice!

   

I think we've finally made a decision.  After spending the last month looking at the Sears models, Cub Cadets, Husqvarnas, Toros and Ariens - we finally decided on the Toro 1028LXE for $1399.

The Sears 88790 for $850 this week was very tempting and the Cub Cadet version for $999 at HD was my husband's favorite for biggest bang for the buck.  We also had a 10% off coupon for HD which would make it only $50 more than the 88790 which would be worth it since you get 10HP instead of 9, and stainless steel skid plates and shaver plate.

But when it came down to it, I wanted to buy from our local dealer and I also preferred either a Toro or an Ariens based on the excellent reputation of both.  So then I was looking at the Ariens 11528LE and the Toro 1028LXE both for $1399.  I chose the Toro for the ease of use of the joystick controls.  Also it has a 5 year warranty on the chute.  I felt if I bought the Sears or Cub Cadet I would have had to buy the 5 year at-home warranty which would have added another $150.  I don't think that's necessary with the Toro.   Plus the dealer will set up and deliver for free.  Sears wants $60 for delivery and HD wants $75 plus $15 for setup.

Another factor in the decision is that Toro is offering 1 year no interest no payment financing right now.        

I jubol wrote:

I think you're confused on the model.  The Cub Cadet that is $999 is the 528 SWE and is one of the smallest.  That is why my husband like it over the Ariens and Toros - easier to store.  He also likes the big wheels.  It is basically the same model as the Craftsman 88790, only it has larger tires, stainless steel skide plates and shaver plate and is 10HP instead of 9.  I personally would prefer to buy either a Toro 1028LXE or an Ariens 11528LE.  Both are $1399.  Can anyone help me convince my husband why it's worth $400 extra and that this is the better choice?