# Sales Time Frame?



## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

Being I am on the hunt for a good deal on a new Ariens I was wondering if anyone has seen a general time frame that Ariens have gone on sale. I dont hold much hope for a sale on them but from what I understand, now is the best time frame to buy but so far all I have seen from any stores is a Troy-Built on sale. Also, how willing do dealers seem to be on negotiating a deal?

I know everyone is different but just getting a feel to what the landscape is on the dealers and peoples observations.


----------



## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

It seems to me the only "sales" Ariens has are offered during very low snow years and they usually do it in finance offerings. Local dealers have been known to offer older models for a reduced price, but some just re-loop them and hope the customer doesn't notice:icon-hgtg: It's kind of like how you can't find a winter jacket in January at the local mall, but you can find any bathing suit you ever imagined:facepalm_zpsdj194qh
Watch your local CL for folks moving south or being transferred to non snow areas. Honda dealers may still have some older models on actual sale as they had a major model change recently.


----------



## Strato (Aug 6, 2016)

The best deal I've seen on new Ariens machines, is my local dealer absorbing sales tax on last years' models.

It's not a bad deal - can save about $100.

But, if you're considering a new Ariens (which I am too - already ordered), it may be worth reviewing threads on this forum discussing differences between 2016 and 2017 models.

The biggest change appears to be reconfiguration of the chassis, so that the axel sits closer to the bucket. According my dealer, this was done to eliminate concerns about Auto-Turn "wandering" on a straight path.

For many folks, Auto-Turn has not been an issue, and others have remedied problems with the poly skid shoes. Yet, a few remain frustrated (see the long sticky thread regarding Auto-Turn adjustments).

Presuming the new design performs as advertised, a 2017 model may avoid those issues entirely.


----------



## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

jtclays said:


> It seems to me the only "sales" Ariens has are offered during very low snow years and they usually do it in finance offerings. Local dealers have been known to offer older models for a reduced price, but some just re-loop them and hope the customer doesn't notice:icon-hgtg: It's kind of like how you can't find a winter jacket in January at the local mall, but you can find any bathing suit you ever imagined:facepalm_zpsdj194qh
> Watch your local CL for folks moving south or being transferred to non snow areas. Honda dealers may still have some older models on actual sale as they had a major model change recently.


Yeah its tricky with a reputation brand, they dont have to do sales in order to get sales. To be honest the fiance offerings arnt all they are cracked up to be. If I want to buy a $1000 snow and pay it off over 2 years there is a $150 fee. Kind a big deterrent. If I was spending big bucks on a really big one then yeah its a drop in the bucket.



Strato said:


> The best deal I've seen on new Ariens machines, is my local dealer absorbing sales tax on last years' models.
> 
> It's not a bad deal - can save about $100.
> 
> ...


Yeah im looking at a Deluxe 24 and without having had a chance to hit any local dealers, the best I have found is through home depot. Depending on what happens, if I have the choice, I will go with the retooled 2017's unless someone offers me a 2016 at a jaw drop price.


----------



## stromr (Jul 20, 2016)

*Please don't...*



Grogey said:


> Yeah its tricky with a reputation brand, they dont have to do sales in order to get sales. To be honest the fiance offerings arnt all they are cracked up to be. If I want to buy a $1000 snow and pay it off over 2 years there is a $150 fee. Kind a big deterrent. If I was spending big bucks on a really big one then yeah its a drop in the bucket.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah im looking at a Deluxe 24 and without having had a chance to hit any local dealers, the best I have found is through home depot. Depending on what happens, if I have the choice, I will go with the retooled 2017's unless someone offers me a 2016 at a jaw drop price.


Please don't buy from Home Depot! If you can't buy from a local dealer, buy online from Amazon, Snowblowers Direct or ???, then put it together yourself. H*ll, you're in my area, I'll even come over and help you.


----------



## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

stromr said:


> Please don't buy from Home Depot! If you can't buy from a local dealer, buy online from Amazon, Snowblowers Direct or ???, then put it together yourself. H*ll, you're in my area, I'll even come over and help you.


Haha, yeah I still need to hit the local dealers but sometimes I have to go where the wallet takes me. I even looked at amazon and that is an even worse deal.... Yeah I dont mind putting it together and if I do finally go through them I will see if they can just drop off a none assembled one. I bet the local HD doesn't even have it in local stock so they would need to ship it in anyways so its probably still boxed up.

Hmm, maybe ill make a call and see if they even can.


----------



## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Home Depot gets them in a box just like snowblowers direct or any other Ariens dealer. If you can change your own oil, you can "assemble" a snow blower. Hardest part, IMO, is getting rid of the box:wavetowel2:
It's no more than tilting the handlebars and setting the chute on. I've done quite a few for friends and family. They smell wonderful, (the blowers, not the neighbors:icon-hgtg If you look at the price tag only, consider it being around for at least 15 years, $100 a year approx. (money well spent if you need to move down your driveway in January in NY), 40-50yrs in some cases with minimal attention. If you want to compare residential blowers, just google Craftsman/Cub or Husq, they are all basically the same price. Ariens has parts/dealer support and a history of throwing snow and are built better IMO. Husq has some newer hydro ones that are very price competitive, but they're dealer support is not up to speed with Ariens or Sears. Toro's 724 Home Depot version usually gets limited talk around the internet, but it's a very nice machine, IMO. Usually $200 cheaper than a similar ANY brand machine around me. I would much rather have the Toro than a Troy (MTD) at the same price. Like I said before, watch your local CL for a bit first. There's not much to go wrong with these machines of any brand:wavetowel2:
If you have $700-1000 cash in hand, place a "want to buy" ad on CL for a Honda, you might be surprised what you find. My neighbors got one by doing that for their property in the U.P. of Michigan. I went with them to look at it and it was basically new, people moving south that took on the initial cost of new for them. Now's the time to look and ask. Worst time to buy a snowblower is when you need it.


----------



## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

Grogey said:


> Being I am on the hunt for a good deal on a new Ariens I was wondering if anyone has seen a general time frame that Ariens have gone on sale. I dont hold much hope for a sale on them but from what I understand, now is the best time frame to buy but so far all I have seen from any stores is a Troy-Built on sale. Also, how willing do dealers seem to be on negotiating a deal?
> 
> I know everyone is different but just getting a feel to what the landscape is on the dealers and peoples observations.


Typically the best deals will run from August through November, depending on the manufacturer August may be too early and November might be too late (if you get an early snow season it may be hard to get a machine in late November).

I bought my Ariens last August and they were running a 2 year warranty extension on the machine, not the engine along with good financing promos (one promo was from Synchrony: 4 years .33 % APR for a $50. doc fee). I see now that the current financing promos are still good and Synchrony is offering the same promo they gave last year and they are now offering a free cover but currently not the more valuable warranty extension promo from Ariens. The financing promos I saw were on y dealer's website. Maybe changing the axle location increased production cost a bit.

Regarding coming down on price, never hurts to ask. With Ariens if your dealer participates in "online pricing" like mine does they will be less likely to negotiate, because they are already taking about 15% or so off list pricing. You can always ask them to match Home Depot pricing if it is a machine that they sell. My local dealer is selling the new Deluxe 24 for $999.

Good luck!


----------



## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

Cardo111 said:


> Typically the best deals will run from August through November, depending on the manufacturer August may be too early and November might be too late (if you get an early snow season it may be hard to get a machine in late November).
> 
> I bought my Ariens last August and they were running a 2 year warranty extension on the machine, not the engine along with good financing promos (one promo was from Synchrony 4 years .33 % APR for a $50. Loan fee). I see now there are not as good financing promos as last year and a free cover but currently not the more valuable warranty extension promo from Ariens.
> 
> ...


Yeah thats what HD has the Deluxe 24 priced at currently so hopefully one of the locals will match. I will have to wait and see what happens. Being that prices dont change to much on the Ariens I think buying one before the cover deal ends will be my time frame.


----------



## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

jtclays said:


> Home Depot gets them in a box just like snowblowers direct or any other Ariens dealer. If you can change your own oil, you can "assemble" a snow blower. Hardest part, IMO, is getting rid of the box:wavetowel2:
> It's no more than tilting the handlebars and setting the chute on. I've done quite a few for friends and family. They smell wonderful, (the blowers, not the neighbors:icon-hgtg If you look at the price tag only, consider it being around for at least 15 years, $100 a year approx. (money well spent if you need to move down your driveway in January in NY), 40-50yrs in some cases with minimal attention. If you want to compare residential blowers, just google Craftsman/Cub or Husq, they are all basically the same price. Ariens has parts/dealer support and a history of throwing snow and are built better IMO. Husq has some newer hydro ones that are very price competitive, but they're dealer support is not up to speed with Ariens or Sears. Toro's 724 Home Depot version usually gets limited talk around the internet, but it's a very nice machine, IMO. Usually $200 cheaper than a similar ANY brand machine around me. I would much rather have the Toro than a Troy (MTD) at the same price. Like I said before, watch your local CL for a bit first. There's not much to go wrong with these machines of any brand:wavetowel2:
> If you have $700-1000 cash in hand, place a "want to buy" ad on CL for a Honda, you might be surprised what you find. My neighbors got one by doing that for their property in the U.P. of Michigan. I went with them to look at it and it was basically new, people moving south that took on the initial cost of new for them. Now's the time to look and ask. Worst time to buy a snowblower is when you need it.


Yeah I looked across several of the brands. The thing that kept bringing me to look at Ariens was the simplicity. When its -10 out and I have to get to work with a foot on the snow I want it to just work. Adding on little features here and there is just asking for trouble in the long run.

My father has a craftsman so I considered that but when I started looking allot of reports that they dont use standard belts put me off. The other issue with them is I have no local sears stores anymore. The closet ones are 40+ min away. Another thing I didn't like about their models in my price range was they all had plastic chutes, and that stupid looking joystick for controlling the chute. I have played with them at the stores and to me they are just a gimmick, give me a standard screw drive any day. Something about the Ariens price point and the design just keeps me coming back to them.


----------



## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

I have played with them at the stores and to me they are just a gimmick, give me a standard screw drive any day. Something about the Ariens price point and the design just keeps me coming back to them.[/QUOTE]

I hear ya. I like the ease of using the Quick-Turn chute on my Ariens, however there is something reassuring about the simpler crank design over the long-haul.


----------



## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Same here. I like my hand crank chute control. I can't stand plastic parts like the chute control joy sticks, yet others like them.


----------



## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

GoBlowSnow said:


> Same here. I like my hand crank chute control. I can't stand plastic parts like the chute control joy sticks, yet others like them.


That's the thing people will buy them because they like them so the manufactures keep selling them. I like the Ariens design, the turn is a screw type but the height is cable controlled. If the cable freizies I can easily manually change the angle of the shoot but if I cant swing it left or right and keep it there im sort of dead in the water. 

Those joysticks equal to many chances for the cables to seize up.


----------



## Strato (Aug 6, 2016)

GoBlowSnow said:


> Same here. I like my hand crank chute control. I can't stand plastic parts like the chute control joy sticks, yet others like them.


I also agree. Those plastic chute controls look like trouble waiting to happen. They're too flimsy, and the twisting motion feels unnatural (to me, at least).

The exception, IMHO, is Toro. I love their chute system - the best I've seen. The handle moves in all directions with ease. The Toro chute is amazingly maneuverable - like a magic wand. Also, sturdy and ergonomic.

This year, I'm buying Ariens' Platinum 24. That model also has a remote chute control. But, instead of a twisting knob, the handle slides along a track. It's not as slick at Toro's, but it doesn't feel flimsy.

I can see the attraction of Ariens' "coffee grinder". It too isn't slick. But, it'll still be working, long after the others have quit.


----------



## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

The one thing I don't like about the Ariens crank chute is you have to reach over the dash to turn it. To me personally it seems a little unnatural.


----------



## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

It's better than my JD 1032, I have to lean down and over to the left side to reach the crank that is almost at knee level


----------

