# What's the best time of year to sell a snowblower.



## 404 (Feb 1, 2015)

Hi All,
No I am not joking. Was looking at some ebay sold history prices and seems prices were higher in November?

Not sure If I should bother to fix up my extra now or wait till next year.

All opinions welcome.

Regards,
404


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

My opinion, from best to worst:

November & December - early winter, best time to sell.

January, February, March - still winter, but later winter - 2nd best.

September, October - "winter is coming" - middle ground.

April, May, June, July, August - no one cares about winter, the worst time to sell.

Scot


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## Geno (Nov 29, 2011)

I would say Oct-Nov you can get better price. or..just before a large snow storm is in forecast. I actually tried to sell one once though before a storm and no responses- after the storm maybe day later got several! I imagine the shoveling got old fast. I've sold both ways, before a storm and after- but fall is best bet. I'd sit on it if have the room. Run it periodically during summer with sea-foam or sta-bil in it. try to get no ethonal gas in it if storing too. I use premium in mine as all I can find without ethonal.


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## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

They seem to be selling well now in areas that are getting a lot of snow. If you are planning to sell by listing on CL, you could post it now. If you don't get your price, no big loss (outside of a little time). If you don't get your price, then you can put it back up in the fall.


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

Scot has it and as mentioned big storms and sore backs are your friend. As you get later in the season folks decide they can tough it out, want the money for summer toys or don't want to buy a machine and not get to test it soon after the buy. 

Manufacturers have gone away from building building inexhaustible inventories so the guy with a used machine has a little extra leverage lat in the season if new units are scarce.

Pete


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## PixMan (Feb 14, 2015)

Where I am....right NOW.

The retailers are barren, all sold out of new ones. This is clearly a "perfect storm" in that we've had 3 weeks of back-to-back-to-back snowstorms, all measured in multiple inches and most in the double digits.

Yesterday I paid the "sell price" of a machine sold new on 9/27/13 (less sales tax and delivery) for the Ariens Platinum 30 SHO. More interesting was that I posted my Husqvarna SBE10530 on Craigslist and within 20 seconds had a call. Within 20 minutes I had 5 more calls, 2 e-mails and 2 text messages. The first caller said he was jumping in his SUV to come get it. I told the second and third callers that " the one before you doesn't take it, I'll call you." 

I didn't have to call anyone back. Full asking price given after a quick test and review of it's "quirks", off it went.

So yes, in the middle of a stormy season, let it go for good money. That's not to say the 1 year old Ariens Deluxe 28 with the smallest available motor would be worth the $3000 asking price of one seller here, but you can still do pretty good.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

I always advertise early... Oct. Nov and *always* get everything sold. Usually get my price too. I don't try to gouge or wait for snow. I see all kinds of blowers pop up when there's a major snow threat and usually these are second rate blowers in running condition but they ask insane prices. It's not right. Lots of ads still running on C'list and have been on there for a few months. No pictures not much description.. Not selling either. I always take lots of close up, detailed pics and give an honest description, stating the good and the bad. Seems to work.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I'm with Micah and Scot ... fall or early winter.

But there is always someone who thinks they have gold. He must think someone on the east cost is going to buy it. 

8 hp snowblower

What is he thinking  And we've had almost no snow up here and blowers are just thick and cheap on craighslist !!


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

And .... That detailed description is no joke. I just scored a 13hp 32" Toro PowerShift in very good condition because the owner didn't say anywhere in the ad it was a Toro or a Power shift or Electric start or 13hp. The title was " 32" snowblower ". I live close to PowerShift93 and I thought for sure he'd get it before me. The owner offered it to me for $300 if I'd come that day and get it. Up until then he hadn't had a nibble on it.

By all means good photos and a really good description is how you get the best dollar out of any sale.


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## 404 (Feb 1, 2015)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> I'm with Micah and Scot ... fall or early winter.
> 
> But there is always someone who thinks they have gold. He must think someone on the east cost is going to buy it.
> 
> ...


That is a gilson unitrol.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

404 said:


> That is a gilson unitrol.


Wow. I bought one of these about 5 years ago and that thing was *cherry*. Had obviously not been used much either. The PO's daughter sold it to me and showed me the only driveway he'd used it on. .... About 50' single car and paved. Got it for $25. Ran it a couple years and sold it when we moved up here to Pa. $250. Was in almost new condition. Oh yeh. Sold it *early* into the season. Maybe Oct.
That guy is smokin' something.


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## SweetD (Dec 6, 2013)

Basically the best time to sell (and buy) a snowblower is the exact opposite of the best time to sell (and buy) a boat!

(Around here we talk a lot of 'boat')...

Dave


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

SweetD said:


> Basically the best time to sell (and buy) a snowblower is the exact opposite of the best time to sell (and buy) a boat!
> 
> (Around here we talk a lot of 'boat')...
> 
> Dave


I've always heard it said the 2 happiest moments in the life of a boat owner is the day he first brings it home and the day he sells it. May or may not be true never having had a boat myself.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

It's beginning to be spring here no matter that it's now about 6°. I have about 4 or 5 Mantis® tillers all ready to set out front for sale. They'll all go to. Great little machines. They'll be out there in a couple weeks.


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> 8 hp snowblower
> 
> What is he thinking. And we've had almost no snow up here and blowers are just thick and cheap on Craigslist !!


Maybe he's part of my cult and drank the KoolAid. 

That does seem to be in very nice shape and it's a fully supported machine for parts.

My local Craigslist snow blower search is down considerably suggesting that even the used supply is getting thin. Any halfway reasonable seller has had plenty of help motivating buyers around here.

Pete


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Spectrum said:


> Maybe he's part of my cult and drank the KoolAid.
> 
> That does seem to be in very nice shape and it's a fully supported machine for parts.
> 
> ...


Here's my $25 snowblower. You may remember this one, Pete. All I did before taking pics was to wash it off. There were a very few *very minor* scratches/abrasions on it but essentially this was its condition. Added oil change extension, swapped tires/wheels from a junk craftsman/murray, and put a $10 electric starter on it. Great snowblower. Paint was still on the like new scraper bar, tires not worn much (solid rubber ag tread) , impeller excellent condition.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

I sold 6 snowblowers this month 

Not only did I get full asking price on 5 out of 6 of them, I only had to deal with 6 buyers(everyone that came to look at a snowblower left with a snowblower). Honestly, if I had 15 snowblowers, I think could have sold 15 during the same span.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

db130 said:


> I sold 6 snowblowers this month
> 
> Not only did I get full asking price on 5 out of 6 of them, I only had to deal with 6 buyers(everyone that came to look at a snowblower left with a snowblower). Honestly, if I had 15 snowblowers, I think could have sold 15 during the same span.


You're in prime selling area. We've had a total of about 8" of snow and that's combining three snows including the 2" we got last night. That's one of the main reasons I list early. The only snowblowers left around here for sale are the ones that have been for sale for crazy prices and poorly advertised. I'll re-stock this summer at yard sales and such. Funny, I almost always get my asking price early. Never had to sit on any. Only had one show up and not buy. Sold it to the next guy though. I'm happy.


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

db130 said:


> I sold 6 snowblowers this month
> 
> Not only did I get full asking price on 5 out of 6 of them, I only had to deal with 6 buyers(everyone that came to look at a snowblower left with a snowblower). Honestly, if I had 15 snowblowers, I think could have sold 15 during the same span.


 Good for you!

Supply and demand. ...... Around these parts Home Depot and Lowes don't have much inventory, if any.

Did you see the thread about snow throwers being stolen in Methuen, MA?


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## guilateen02 (Nov 23, 2014)

Db130 Im in the same page as you. Sold 8 including my Ariens 11/28 with heated grips man that thing was loaded. I had one walk away after he haggled me to low because of a minor surface crack on a Trac Drive craftsmanship. That will be the last Trac machine I revive. But I didn't sell a single machine until January 20 amd sold my last one yesterday afternoon within minutes of posting. Just as the the first snow flake hit the ground we had it loaded. I have a single stage Craftsman 5 hp but I have some plans for that engine. Hehehehe


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