Bandit

     The new Snapper snowblowers are basically rebadged Simplicity models. Different chutes , handlebars, and some controls. No power boost option. Heavy duty well built machines. Priced a little less than Simps. I have a pre-Briggs ownership Snapper 926 that has run flawlessly for five years now. Are you considering new or used?

You are looking at two first class machines. What are the prices you have found for these ? I  like the Simplicity  commercial series. The Ariens is a great machine with its differential and cast gearbox.  The Simplicity 10560 is overlooked in my opinion.  It has the heavy duty handlebars, powerboost, trigger activated steering control, chute deflecter control, and the best news of all - the B&S motor is actually 12HP. This has been discussed at length on other forums - they use the same engines and in this model it has been   "labled down"  to 10.5 HP and you receive the benefit of more HP on the smaller model. It is the machine I would purchase if I were in the market.

Even if you don't use salt on your driveway, EOD piles pushed up from town roads can have salt in them from what they use on the roads (along with chunks of pavement, ice, rocks,roadkill, etc.). I give my housing a good rinse with a hose in the spring. But this would seem to be a negligible amount to cause  blistering and peeling on a year old machine. Where and how was it stored? Indoors nice and dry, or outdoors on the ground with a tarp (tarps can trap moisture). Just a thought. Maybe it was just a lousy factory paint job and could be brought to your  dealer's attention as a warranty issue.

The original sales brochure for my Snapper 926 showed these speeds:

     First :  .81 Second : 1.14  Third: 1.44 Fourth: 1.74 Fifth: 2.00 Sixth2.25 Rev. .96 .  So the speed of your machine is not that far off of what could be considered "normal". These speeds are slower than pro ariens models but could be considered average for consumer models.

     Does it have a drum auger or the newer version Toro now uses? As far as I know this is the first year they have gone without the drum design. Does it have the quick  adjust shute ?