I've never owned a snowblower...I've always shoveled.
But we have a pretty huge driveway now.

The price range for snowblowers is pretty big.
Anyone know how much I need to spend for a durable, reliable machine?

I'd get at lease a 5.5 horse gas powered 2 stage. It cost us around
$550 more than 10 years ago. I am surprised the price for a similar
brand new model cost the same even today. If you have room and need
more get an 8 horse model. We bought it in the aftermath of the
historic snow strom which shut down the Garden State for almost three
days. After that we used it probably five times altogether. Still you
need it when the occasion arises.

In article .com,
says...
I'd get at lease a 5.5 horse gas powered 2 stage. It cost us around
$550 more than 10 years ago. I am surprised the price for a similar
brand new model cost the same even today. If you have room and need
more get an 8 horse model. We bought it in the aftermath of the
historic snow strom which shut down the Garden State for almost three
days. After that we used it probably five times altogether. Still you
need it when the occasion arises.

I bought a $5-600 5HP thrower twelve years ago when I moved up here
(Vermont). The wheel bearings wore out mid-season last year,
causing the auger belt to slip. I replaced it with an 8 horse
model ($650 mid-season at the BORG). The larger unit works *much*
better on wet snow. Even the slop the plow leaves hasn't managed
to plug it up, something that *always* happened on the 5HP unit.

--
Keith

wrote in message
...
I've never owned a snowblower...I've always shoveled.
But we have a pretty huge driveway now.

The price range for snowblowers is pretty big.
Anyone know how much I need to spend for a durable, reliable machine?

There are single stage and two stage also. I have a cheap single stage and
it does my 40' driveway satisfactorily. Most snowfalls are 4" to 6" here.
Anything larger or deeper snows, I'd definitely want a bigger two stage as
it will throw the snow further and faster. That would start at $550 or so
as a minimum.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news:Z9Kjf.694$2O1.286@trndny09...

wrote in message
...
I've never owned a snowblower...I've always shoveled.
But we have a pretty huge driveway now.

The price range for snowblowers is pretty big.
Anyone know how much I need to spend for a durable, reliable machine?

There are single stage and two stage also. I have a cheap single stage
and
it does my 40' driveway satisfactorily. Most snowfalls are 4" to 6" here.
Anything larger or deeper snows, I'd definitely want a bigger two stage as
it will throw the snow further and faster. That would start at $550 or so
as a minimum.

I'm in a similar situation to OP- first driveway, at least here is snow
country, of my own. Mebbe 22x60, so not very big, but the middle part is
sloped, and it is heavily coated asphalt. I figure a blower is cheaper than
a new tranny for the car, making multiple attempts to get up the hill. Are
the cheap generics (MTD label this year) that Sam's sells for ~$350, any
good? Or am I better off getting a plow guy on retainer? No idea how much
the going rate is for those.

aem sends...

"ameijers" wrote in message

I'm in a similar situation to OP- first driveway, at least here is snow
country, of my own. Mebbe 22x60, so not very big, but the middle part is
sloped, and it is heavily coated asphalt. I figure a blower is cheaper
than
a new tranny for the car, making multiple attempts to get up the hill. Are
the cheap generics (MTD label this year) that Sam's sells for ~$350, any
good? Or am I better off getting a plow guy on retainer? No idea how
much
the going rate is for those.

A lot depends on the layout. In my case, the garage is at the end of the
drive. Plow driver has to back in and push the snow out across the street
but now leaves about 20 feet of packed snow. I get better results using the
blower.

As for the cheap MTD, that is what I have. My MIL bought it for me and it is
not the model I would have bought for myself, OTOH, it works. Sure it
takes longer than the big two stage models, but it is vastly superior to a
shovel. If you have the money, buy a two stage and you won't regret it. If
all you can do is the cheap one, you will enjoy it every time you think
about what a shovel would have taken you. .

At the end of the drive where the plow has packed the snow, mine takes some
time, taking small bites, to get through. Mostly, my neighbor will come
over and do that for me. It is good to treat neighbors and their kids nice
just to reap those benefits.

wrote
I've never owned a snowblower...I've always shoveled.
But we have a pretty huge driveway now.

The price range for snowblowers is pretty big.
Anyone know how much I need to spend for a durable, reliable machine?

Heh, I've got one for sale simply because I find myself needing exercise in
the winter.

Around my parts in Northeast Ohio, I see large blowers for sale, for a
couple hundred under what they were bought for new. I think maybe people
overbuy for what they're trying to clear.

When I bought the one I'm just putting on the market, I wanted electric &
pull start, definitely a 2 stage. I got an older Toro 2 stage, 5 hp, 21"
width, 3 forward, 1 reverse, with the electric & pull start.

BTW, I'm wanting $280, and it's a nice machine. Don't know if you can use
the price for comparison for your neck of the woods or not. Mine won't hit
the want ads till this weekend, but I suppose I got it listed at a fair
price.

wrote in message
...
I've never owned a snowblower...I've always shoveled.
But we have a pretty huge driveway now.

The price range for snowblowers is pretty big.
Anyone know how much I need to spend for a durable, reliable machine?



You have some variables, How big is your huge driveway? How much snow do you
get? I have 100 feet of drive that is about 1/2 single lane, and 1/2 two
lane. I have problems with buildings in the way so I need to move the snow
twice sometimes! I also have a big problem with drifting snow that I have
not be able to reduce with snow fence, so I get 1-2 feet of snow regularly.
I have an older 8HP Bolens that has served me well, but I wanted more so I
bought a slightly used Toro 10 HP, 28 inch Power Shift last spring. These
machines listed for around $2000 the last year they were made, (2003?), but
I paid $1000 for it. It will move snow better than most any thing sold today
as far as a walk behind! It will blow snow fifty feet away! When I need to
move show I don't screw around, I have little patience for it! One year I
blew snow nearly every day, at least 3 times a week!

Your requirements and pocket book will perhaps be different from mine, but
"my" only other choice for a snow blower was a 9 HP Honda. Honda builds a
wheel or a track drive, but they are spendy machines. May people are
satisfied with lower priced machines. Lower price means lighter weight,
thinner sheet metal, bushings instead of bearings. Husquavarna, Toro and
Ariens are good machines, 8 HP will run over $1000 though.
MTD built units are only fair in my mind.

MTD - http://www.mtdproducts.com/home.jsp

Greg

wrote in message
...
I've never owned a snowblower...I've always shoveled.
But we have a pretty huge driveway now.

The price range for snowblowers is pretty big.
Anyone know how much I need to spend for a durable, reliable machine?

Unless you only get light , fluffy snow falls, I would suggest a two stage,
no less than 5HP. Add on an electric starter and tire chains--some days
it'll gets mean and stubborn and just don't want to start right away----
that's when you'll really appreciate the starter. I bought an Ariens in 1977
and with minimum maintenance it still is going strong. I would guess that a
new one would be somewhere in the $700-1000 range
MLD

On Thu, 01 Dec 2005 20:31:11 GMT,
" wrote:

I've never owned a snowblower...I've always shoveled.
But we have a pretty huge driveway now.

The price range for snowblowers is pretty big.
Anyone know how much I need to spend for a durable, reliable machine?

Location Location Location.... I may live n Florida and have a much
bigger driveway they you do...BUT I bet my snowblower needs are a
little different then yours....

I actually live in Western Maryland and my driveway is only about 200
foot long and I do not get very many snowfalls over 6 to 7
inches...and I do not have to get out of the driveway to go to work
etc,..I can let it melt if I want to...

But generally I would be recommend buying form a Farm Machinery
Dealer, ..
not a Home Depot or Lowes or Sears....

Buyt from a dealer who does his own service..John Deere/ Gravely/
Simplicity/Ford/ etc are examples of machines I looked at.... Can Not
remember what I paid for it YEARS ago... but I can tell you it has
been worth every penny...

Bob G

On Thu, 01 Dec 2005 20:31:11 GMT,
" wrote:

I've never owned a snowblower...I've always shoveled.
But we have a pretty huge driveway now.

The price range for snowblowers is pretty big.
Anyone know how much I need to spend for a durable, reliable machine?

===============
Really depends on Location location & location PLUS how big a drive
you will need to clear....

I have owned a Simplicitry 8Hp snow blower for over 10 years now...in
fact just woke it up this morning and brought it up to the house .
and it fired right up did not even turn over twice before it was
running...

It was not cheap...(slightly over $1,000) but it has been mostly
trouble free... and the few times I had problems the Farm Machenry
dealer had it "fixed" and working within a few hours... they will pick
up and deliver within 10 miles free...

I always recommend a dealer who has on site repair shops like Farm
Equiptment dealers etc... Home Depot, Sears and Lowes do not get any
of my business for lawn and garden equiptment...

I figure my cost is now about 100 bucks a year (and dropping) plus I
have not had another heart attack shoveling snow

Bob G.

Off topic of price, please be sure to research maintenance. I've seen at
lesat two snow blowers where the chain had not been oiled. Really set up,
and a lot of work to replace the drive chain. Worth researching how to oil
the various parts, every year.

Drive belts need to be replaced. I know... mine did. Not all drive belt
sellers are the same. One local place sold me a belt that was twisted into a
plastic bag. That promptly threw off the pulley and jammed. Another online
place was both cheaper, but also shipped me flat belt (which I've been using
since then).

--

Christopher A. Young
Do good work.
It's longer in the short run
but shorter in the long run.
..
..


wrote in message
...
I've never owned a snowblower...I've always shoveled.
But we have a pretty huge driveway now.

The price range for snowblowers is pretty big.
Anyone know how much I need to spend for a durable, reliable machine?

Get a two stage Arens - it will not fail you.