On Oct 25, 2:15*pm, wrote:
On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:07:39 -0400, aemeijers
wrote:



Van Chocstraw wrote:
hibb wrote:
Howdy again folks.

Looks like I am going to purchase a snow blower pretty soon. I am
thinking of doing it now because I am afraid that prices will go up
when the snow starts. It's likely I won't even need it here in
Southern Michigan until late December or even in January.

The two manufacturers I have notices so far are the Poulands they sell
at the Farm, Home and Family store and the Troy-Bilt at Lowes. The
prices on both seem pretty close and I will make sure to double check
but they all seemed to be similarly powered and sturdy build.

The ones I am looking at are the 24" to 28" that would cost between
about $600 to $900.

My driveway is about 50' long and we really only get a few serious
snow storms a year. I can't even remember when I last ditched my
tennis shoes for a pair of boots unless I was going out into the woods
in the winter. But when we do get a good snow storm it is too much for
me to try to shovel.

Anyway, if any of you have anything good or bad to say about those two
manufacturers, or recommend others, please do so.

Thanks, David

I would buy a used one in the spring if I were you.
Probably get one for $100 or $200 at that time. *If you are gonna use it
3 time a year and new one is a bad investment. It will be used next year
anyway.
I'm also in southern MI, however I have a sloped driveway, so driving
over even small snows is not an option for me. (AMHIKT- it was a very
expensive lesson involving a fried transmission.)

Anyway, I bought mine off CraigsList in January, winter before last,
after using hand shovel, leaf blower, and abusing the transmission the
first 2.5 winters here. My back is much happier, and so is my
transmission. The one I bought is the same Troy-Bilt Lowes sells, in 24"
It had been used like twice by a little fellow that was scared of it.
Even still had the tags hanging on it. I would have paid the $600 Lowes
wanted at that point, but all of them in the area were sold out. So when
I found this one 40 miles away for 100 bucks cheaper, I was quite happy.
No problems at all so far. It clearly isn't pro-grade, so it probably
would not hold up doing driveways for money, but for one house I expect
to get 10-15 years out of it easy.

A couple of closing thoughts- although last winter was a somewhat normal
winter, after the recent mild winters we have been spoiled by here, the
stores got scared and cut back the amount of blowers they stocked so
they would not have to deep-discount them in spring. And second, around
here at least, a lot of the big-box entry level models are made by MTD,
no matter what brand name is on them. (like at Tractor Supply and Sears
and Lowes). So pay attention to the stamped metal parts when you are out
shopping- you may find one brand can be had cheaper, for the same machine.

Whatch what engine you get.

Tecunseh is no more - so now you have Honda, Subaru/Robin, Briggs,
Coleman (powermate) and all the chinese crap (snowFoforce etc). In
about that order of desireability.

I'm used to Briggs and Kohler engines. In the past, I usually
considered Briggs easier to work on but most of the stuff I have now,
lawn tractor and generator, have Kohler.