To get a snow blower... or not a snow blower...

[DRob]

Tough it out this year and buy a snow blower when they go on sale this spring. Save 25-40%.

 

[drillsgt]

If you have like you said 500-800 to spend you can get a real nice blower. You don't have to spend that much though. I got a middle of the road one from Home Depot a few years ago for i'm sure under 400.00. It's worked well and always started. I don't think I even used it last year though but that happens. It's one of my best investments that I hardly use but the time savings in doing the driveway and sidewalks are worth it alone.

 

[tgmorris99]

I'm not super concerned with having it for/during this upcoming snowpocalypse - but more for in the future as I'm just getting tired of clearing snow - especially the stuff at the end of the drive that they plow up into my drive since I'm on a cul-de-sac.

Trying to stick with one available on Amazon Prime - will save me a ton on shipping. Freight for one of these things without it is $100~150 from what I've seen but $0 for Amazon Prime.

When I got mine from Home Depot they had free shipping so that was a good deal. Now that Amazon is charging sales tax in Indiana the price winds up being a straight comparison once shipping is considered.

You might also consider a simple snow pusher if you don't have a huge driveway. I've got one as a backup and it works quite well for smaller amounts and definitely beats shoveling.

 

[BGDave]

Snow blowers are awesome. It's like being a super hero who can shoot snow at things. Then you can do your neighbors sidewalks, driveways call kinds of fun things.

With a two-stage you can also put snow on the neighbors porch. Depending on your current state of mind. (Make that purple)

 

[bobbittle]

Tough it out this year and buy a snow blower when they go on sale this spring. Save 25-40%.

Don't make that assumption. We didn't put ours on sale last spring, they got re-crated and stuck in storage until this winter.

 

[mrjarrell]

I got one of these at Tractor Supply a few years ago and it's done a great job for us over the years. Works well on small snow or big. Only issue I've had with it is that the damned tires were put on too tight and had a bolt head strip off when I needed to put on new tires this year. Had to take a blow torch to it and use vise grips to get it off. Other than that it's performed flawlessly and was a great investment at around $550.

Huskee® 24 in. Two-Stage Snow Thrower, CARB Compliant - Tractor Supply Co.

 

[melensdad]

Nuff said. . .

 

[87iroc]

Are you set on a new machine?

I bought a late 1970's model Arien's about 5 or 6 years ago off eBay for $100. It's old...but it still runs good and it will throw the hell out of snow. 5 forward speeds and reverse. Pneumatic tires and chains. I was kicking around the idea of buying a new machine...until I used it yesterday and thought to myself...why? There is absolutely nothing wrong with the one I have. Other than it isn't electric start. And I can add that on for $50-$75.

There was a good Snapper listed on here close to you but it sold already.

I got a Toro 421 off of this board for 50 bucks(put another 50 or so into it in parts...skids and such). Have used it twice so far its awesome! Was hoping to really give it a workout today but we're just getting rain.

As I live so far south I didn't want to buy a expensive new one that would only get used once or twice a year...plus I love Vintage American iron as opposed to a Chinese stuff...

 

[87iroc]

With a two-stage you can also put snow on the neighbors porch. Depending on your current state of mind. (Make that purple)

I tried to turn my daughter into Frosty with mine this week.

 

[hornadylnl]

Know how to convert a dishwasher into a snowblower?

















Hand her a shovel.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Beware the current non-briggs engine units. At least the Troy bilt ones are VERY sensitive to old gas.

My first year it wouldnt start in Jan. called for in home service under warranty and they said bad gas, even though it was only purchased for my lawnmower in Oct. He drained it and put a cup in and she fired on the second pull.

Even putting sta-bil in didnt help. So now every spring I run the tank dry, and every winter, the first time they call for more than a couple inches I run and buy fresh gas.

 

[Landon]

I bought an Ariens about 5 years ago, some of the best money I ever spent!

 

[aaron580]

Mike come down to my shop and I will hook you up. We only have a few left and all in your price range. Simplicity blowers with briggs engines.

 

[femurphy77]

Snow blowers are well worth the "investment", we use ours every 2-3 years and every single time it's worth the money we paid for it on that single use!!!

 

[Landon]

Snow blowers are well worth the "investment", we use ours every 2-3 years and every single time it's worth the money we paid for it on that single use!!!

Wow. I use mine that much every winter. I pretty much use it each snowfall, whether its an inch or 12. My drive is asphalt and as long as I get the majority of the snow off the first decent day the rest melts off.

 

[MikeDVB]

We purchased this Ariens last month and have used it twice during the last snow fall. Even if we only get 3"-6", it is the drifts we get living in an open area that makes this snow blower pay for itself. I am sure it will get a work out today if the snow fall predictions are accurate.

I would *love* to have something like that as I know I'd have it long enough that when I got my property out in the sticks I would still have it - and being quality - it would still be operational.

That said - probably a bit more than I could get by the wife...

I had a Craftsman 9hp 2 stage that was OK but got stolen out of my garage so I went and bought a Toro Power Max 828 OXE and couldn't be happier. It kicks butt. Smooth and powerful and easy to use. My drive is about 100 feet long and I often have to change the angle of where the snow goes and it has a hand control that points both the direction and the height. Yeah, I paid a lot for it but it was worth it.

Looks nice - about what did you pay for it?

No way I could justify this to the wife - it would be easier to justify a new pickup truck with 4wd and a plow haha.

Regular MTD 2 stage/5HP here. Owned it for 9 years. We live in the end of a cul-de-sac and the town always manages to leave a 2ft pile at the end of the driveway. It does a good job on ours and several neighbors driveways each winter.

That's exactly what they do to me - and it's always pretty packed and a pain to dislodge.

If you have like you said 500-800 to spend you can get a real nice blower. You don't have to spend that much though. I got a middle of the road one from Home Depot a few years ago for i'm sure under 400.00. It's worked well and always started. I don't think I even used it last year though but that happens. It's one of my best investments that I hardly use but the time savings in doing the driveway and sidewalks are worth it alone.

Yeah - if I can find one that I know will last [i.e. 5+years, preferrably 10+ with proper maintenance] I'm ready to buy.

That said - I just did take a 1.5 hour time lapse of me clearing my driveway with a shovel... Compiling it now will post it ... soon.

 

[Caleb]

Looks nice - about what did you pay for it?

No way I could justify this to the wife - it would be easier to justify a new pickup truck with 4wd and a plow haha.

That's exactly what they do to me - and it's always pretty packed and a pain to dislodge.

Yeah - if I can find one that I know will last [i.e. 5+years, preferrably 10+ with proper maintenance] I'm ready to buy.

That said - I just did take a 1.5 hour time lapse of me clearing my driveway with a shovel... Compiling it now will post it ... soon.

I also want to know how much was paid for it...

 

[MikeDVB]

Here is the video [time-lapse] of me clearing my drive. No music [boring, I know] I will add some later.

[video=youtube;TvPLqB8Zk_g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvPLqB8Zk_g&feature=youtu.be[/video]

So what do you think - should I pick up a snow blower?

 

[Caleb]

Here is the video [time-lapse] of me clearing my drive. No music [boring, I know] I will add some later.

[video=youtube;TvPLqB8Zk_g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvPLqB8Zk_g&feature=youtu.be[/video]

So what do you think - should I pick up a snow blower?

uh yea...that snow has you whipped!

 

[MikeDVB]

Yup... That's why I'm thinking I'm gonna pick up a snow blower........