Someone recommend a snow blower.

[NetWareHead]

WTH? It's been in fuel for years. Sounds like an intentional "eff your equipment" by the manufacturers. I know of 1 place that supposedly sells ethanol free but who knows it it actually is? There's supposed to be state testing but....

No he is right. Cars dont have much problem with ethanol gas because they consume it at a much faster rate and they are fuel injected. Small engines tend to be stored with gasoline in their tanks and have carbs where the ethanol in the fuel is corrosive when stored.

I purchase pre-mixed 2 stroke for my trimmer, chainsaw etc... Bigger 4 stroke small engines like lawnmower, snowblower get treated with ethanol fuel treatment and I have a special off season storage procedure to make them last when idle. If I could find ethanol free gasoline, I'd probably buy it (depending on price).

 

[highland145]

I'm not saying he's wrong. I don't understand why the manufacturers haven't addressed it.

The supposed non ethanol here is ~.80 higher than the premium.

 

[NetWareHead]

I'm thinking summer is the best time to buy a snow blower. Am I right?

What should I be looking for in a snow blower?

I'm willing to pay good money for one.

I live in New England so I want a good one.

Any recommendations?


Thanks in advance.

If you are really willing to pay good money then look no furter than Honda. They are the creme de la creme. Best small engine on the market and built to last. I have one purchased in the 90s and still running strong. Really a great machine and built to a different standard. You will pay much more for one.

Next one to recommend if Honda is too rich for your blood is either Ariens or Husqvarna. Very decent machines also built well. I would stay away from the other brands. You want a 2 stage snowblower. Cub Cadet offers a three stage blower but I think its a gimmick.

Dont buy one at home depot or any big box store. They will try to sell you a warranty promising service but in reality every box store does 1 of 2 things. They ship the damaged machine out to a repair center so you could be a month or so without it. Or they contract with a local power equipment dealer for repairs, who are usually going to repair their direct customers first and the box store's customers second. I think its a better idea to go ahead and buy from the outdoor power equipment guys in the first place and cut out the box store. You will get better customer service and faster repairs. And I like supporting a local business.

Many times the models sold in home depot etc... are not the same as the models sold at the dealers. The bean counters at the home center approach a vendor like husqvarna and say we will sell your snowblower in our stores for $xxx amount and not a penny more. So you end up with a machine that has more shortcuts and compromises taken to meet the store's price point. I'm lucky enough to have a Stihl, Husqvarna and Honda equipment dealers near me, plus a few others. I go there before the box stores.

Plastic does not belong on a snowblower ever! Everything should be metal. Plastic discharge chutes are the worst idea I have ever seen.

Buying winter power equipment in the off season is generally a good idea.

 

[NetWareHead]

I'm not saying he's wrong. I don't understand why the manufacturers haven't addressed it.

The supposed non ethanol here is ~.80 higher than the premium.

I saw my first ever fuel injected snowblower for sale at home depot. Who knows if that will alleviate some of the ethanol issues. The lack of a carb, float bowl etc... is one thing but letting gas sit in the tank for 3 seasons between winters cant be engineered around unless you treat the fuel.

Anyway I would think the petroleum industry is way more responsive to the gasoline requirement of automobiles first and outdoor power equipment guys who use carbs are a few places after. You almost never hear of ethanol gasoline ruining cars.

 

[RLGL]

WTH? It's been in fuel for years. Sounds like an intentional "eff your equipment" by the manufacturers. I know of 1 place that supposedly sells ethanol free but who knows it it actually is? There's supposed to be state testing but....

One of the real problems with ethanol fuel and small engines is the fuel is exposed to air. The fuel systems in cars are not vented. The marine industry went to this about 2009. The next big issue is the quality of the fuel, it varies in different parts of the country. I MN and WI the fuel is better than in the OH and IN areas. This bit of info was picked up in conversations with marine engine manufacturers over the years.

 

[sdifox]

Americans know more about anything than anyone. I mean we had to tell the people who lived here that they were Indians. Just think how much longer they would have been wrong if we hadn't showed up

Cristoforo Colombo was Genoan...

 

[sdifox]

I saw my first ever fuel injected snowblower for sale at home depot. Who knows if that will alleviate some of the ethanol issues. The lack of a carb, float bowl etc... is one thing but letting gas sit in the tank for 3 seasons between winters cant be engineered around unless you treat the fuel.

Anyway I would think the petroleum industry is way more responsive to the gasoline requirement of automobiles first and outdoor power equipment guys who use carbs are a few places after. You almost never hear of ethanol gasoline ruining cars.

Just buy no ethanol gas, it doesn't really use that much anyway so paying a premium is not an issue.

 

[NetWareHead]

Just buy no ethanol gas, it doesn't really use that much anyway so paying a premium is not an issue.

Availability... Until I can find it around me, Im just going to have to dose the gas with ethanol treatment

 

[sdifox]

Availability... Until I can find it around me, Im just going to have to dose the gas with ethanol treatment

huh? nothing close to you listed on this website?
https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=ON

 

[NetWareHead]

huh? nothing close to you listed on this website?
https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=ON

Thanks, that website is great! Found a small airport near me that still sells 114 octane. I bet its probably leaded stuff for aviation. Found a fuel oil company that also sells at their premises no ethanol 92 octane.

 

[pontifex]

ariens

www.snowblowersdirect.com

 

[cavemanmoron]

I saw some Snowthrowers on display at Home Depot today. Aug 15, 2017. Ariens has a Fuel Injection one!!

Awesome.

 

[Reasonable Doubt]

I'm looking at this model http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ariens-D...ectric-Start-Gas-Snow-Blower-921049/207125779
but I read steering my be a little difficult. Anyone have any experience with this particular model? $ It's selling for $1699.


I'm also looking at this one for $1799 http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/snow-blowers/st-330p/961930094/ at Lowes.


Which one would you guys recommend?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah good idea to use Ethanol free premium as it's better for the carb/motor and will lead to less issues. I bought a 10 litre jerry can and it last's me most of the year. Maybe like 15-20 bucks to fill even with premium so not like I'm breaking the bank.

Oddly my city is not on that site though... but there is one gas station that is supposedly ethanol free. All the snowmobilers go to it too because of that.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'm looking at this model http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ariens-D...ectric-Start-Gas-Snow-Blower-921049/207125779
but I read steering my be a little difficult. Anyone have any experience with this particular model? $ It's selling for $1699.


I'm also looking at this one for $1799 http://www.husqvarna.com/us/products/snow-blowers/st-330p/961930094/ at Lowes.


Which one would you guys recommend?

I have a 24" and steering is a bit awkward when not in the snow, the tires are kinda locked in place (even when not activating the propulsion), there is a bit of play but they are not free. So I don't like forcing it as it's probably not good for the gearbox. So I usually lift it a bit to pivot on one wheel. That's just when not in the snow, in the snow it's fine as the tires just slide when you turn it. I tend to take it to the street, turn it, then do the entire driveway in one direction so don't really need to turn it around much. They make "auto turn" models, but not sure if I'd be a fan of that, it's just something else that can break.

 

[echo4747]

If you are really willing to pay good money then look no furter than Honda. They are the creme de la creme. Best small engine on the market and built to last. I have one purchased in the 90s and still running strong. Really a great machine and built to a different standard. You will pay much more for one.

Next one to recommend if Honda is too rich for your blood is either Ariens or Husqvarna. Very decent machines also built well. I would stay away from the other brands. You want a 2 stage snowblower. Cub Cadet offers a three stage blower but I think its a gimmick.

Dont buy one at home depot or any big box store. They will try to sell you a warranty promising service but in reality every box store does 1 of 2 things. They ship the damaged machine out to a repair center so you could be a month or so without it. Or they contract with a local power equipment dealer for repairs, who are usually going to repair their direct customers first and the box store's customers second. I think its a better idea to go ahead and buy from the outdoor power equipment guys in the first place and cut out the box store. You will get better customer service and faster repairs. And I like supporting a local business.

Many times the models sold in home depot etc... are not the same as the models sold at the dealers. The bean counters at the home center approach a vendor like husqvarna and say we will sell your snowblower in our stores for $xxx amount and not a penny more. So you end up with a machine that has more shortcuts and compromises taken to meet the store's price point. I'm lucky enough to have a Stihl, Husqvarna and Honda equipment dealers near me, plus a few others. I go there before the box stores.

Plastic does not belong on a snowblower ever! Everything should be metal. Plastic discharge chutes are the worst idea I have ever seen.

Buying winter power equipment in the off season is generally a good idea.

great post... I agree with everything mentioned above.. (I also happen to live in the " snow belt just south of Buffalo NY)

 

[paperfist]

What do you guys think of:
3 stage?
Heated grips?
Tank treads instead of tires?

 

[sdifox]

What do you guys think of:
3 stage?
Heated grips?
Tank treads instead of tires?

At that price point you may as well pay someone to clear your snow.

 

[paperfist]

M

At that price point you may as well pay someone to clear your snow.

Lol
I know I was thinking this is like buying a convertible that will just sit around for half a year.

I tried the paid snow removal route and like most things these days it comes with horrible service.

Whadda mean the sidewalk isn’t included? Whadda mean you only come when it snows more than 2.4” every other week on Thursdays? Whadda mean you’re backed up and can’t make it till tomorrow? How the F do I get out of my driveway? Whadda mean you couldn’t do the back cause my car was in the way?

 

[lxskllr]

Dunno about snowblowers, but heated grips are an extravagance. I wouldn't waste money on that. That's what gloves are for.

 

[IronWing]

Föhn winds work wonders on snow.

 

[sdifox]

Lol
I know I was thinking this is like buying a convertible that will just sit around for half a year.

I tried the paid snow removal route and like most things these days it comes with horrible service.

Whadda mean the sidewalk isn’t included? Whadda mean you only come when it snows more than 2.4” every other week on Thursdays? Whadda mean you’re backed up and can’t make it till tomorrow? How the F do I get out of my driveway? Whadda mean you couldn’t do the back cause my car was in the way?

I don't pull out the snowblower unless there is a lot of snow or it's the heavy stuff. Most of the time shovel is fine.

And I can park five cars on my driveway so not exactly puny.

Previous house had garage at the back so huge driveway.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would not get tank threads, as it makes it hard to move it when it's off. With wheels at least you can still move it around. There's also no sense to oversize a snowblower, with the way climate change is, we're only going to continue getting less snow, not more. I usually shovel the snow all to one side, or to the middle and then use snow blower to throw it in the yard. Unless we get a big snow fall where it's like a foot then I'll use snowblower to do whole thing. The nice thing with the snow blower is getting rid of the snow bank when plow passes overnight as it makes it much faster to get to work on time after a snow storm.

 

[kage69]

Ariens for me.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yep Ariens is what I went with too. Have a 24" 2 stage. No heated handles but it's an optional add-on. One of those things that's kind of nice to have I imagine, but not more than that. What I need to invest in is heated gloves. Any time I do anything outside it's my hands that get so cold. Rest of my body is fine but my hands get cold easily.