# Honda, Ariens, or Husqvarna?? Need help!!!



## reabilly44 (Oct 21, 2013)

I am new to the site and to snowblowers. 

I recently bought a house up in the hills of Connecticut. I have a 500' driveway and I'm looking for some advice on snowblowers. I don't have the funds for a decent truck w/ a plow, so a snowblower is going to be the way to go for me. From my research, I understand that Honda is the top of the top, Ariens is 2nd, and that Husqvarna is a very respectable brand. I've had my eye on the Ariens Pro 36 and recently looked at the Husq. 1650 EXL. Is there a big enough difference between those two to justify the $900 difference in prices? 

I also came across a used Honda 1132TA. I'm not sure of the year, but it's going for $2,300. Should this be in the consideration?

Is there another brand that I should consider?

I have to stay under $3,000, which is a lot of money to me, and I just want to make sure I get something with plenty of power, that runs consistently, and will last for a while. 

I appreciate any feedback, thank you!!


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Well, in the $2,000 to $3,000 range you are definitely in the "Cadillac end" of the scale..which means pricey, but very good quality and reliable machines, that should last you 40 years easily..

500 feet is a good length..An Ariens Pro model would serve you well. 



> I also came across a used Honda 1132TA. I'm not sure of the year, but it's going for $2,300. Should this be in the consideration?


I dont know enough about Hondas to know if that is a good price or not..
Can you determine the exact model year, from that we can get its age, see what a comparable *new* Honda would go for, and that would give us a better idea of the used machines true value..



> Is there another brand that I should consider?


No! 
In fact, I would drop Husqvarna from the list, and stick with $2,000 to $3,000 Hondas or "Pro" series Ariens only..either will serve you very well..then it comes down to just specific features you want, or dont want, and price.

Scot


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Try to avoid the husqvarna. Toro makes a 28" 11 hp you miight want to check. In the 2k price range. Good products.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

scratch the husy off the list! have you thought about a riding mower with a plow or snowblower attachment or both


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## reabilly44 (Oct 21, 2013)

detdrbuzzard said:


> scratch the husy off the list! have you thought about a riding mower with a plow or snowblower attachment or both


I don't know much about riders, but I have a pretty steep grade on my front lawn, steep enough to have to go up and down, not side to side. I looked at a Husqvarna R322T, a new model to the US. It looks like it'd be great for mowing, I'm just not sure how it would do with the snowblower attachment. 

I would prefer to have a rider with a snow blower attachment, but I think anything that would work well would be out of my price range. I'm open to suggestions.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

reabilly44 said:


> I don't know much about riders, but I have a pretty steep grade on my front lawn, steep enough to have to go up and down, not side to side. I looked at a Husqvarna R322T, a new model to the US. It looks like it'd be great for mowing, I'm just not sure how it would do with the snowblower attachment.
> 
> I would prefer to have a rider with a snow blower attachment, but I think anything that would work well would be out of my price range. I'm open to suggestions.


Have you considered looking for used? Not sure what your mechanical level is, but used is a good bet, especially if they need work. Do you have the storage space to keep a spare rider dedicated to snow blowing only?


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## sr71 (Mar 25, 2013)

....I've had an 1132 for almost 10 years now ..Honda has made a few improvements and now calls it the 1332. As noted you will be hard pressed to find a better unit. Don't know what a 1332 goes for now but offer them $1700....be prepared to settle at $2000.


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## pfn (Dec 24, 2010)

All-in all I'd say the Honda is the better unit because of the hydrostatic transmission. That said if that transmission breaks you are looking at BIG bucks. The Ariens trans... 1/10 the cost (at most) and it is a very simple fix. The axiom, KISS, comes to mind.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

reabilly44 said:


> I am new to the site and to snowblowers.
> 
> I recently bought a house up in the hills of Connecticut. I have a 500' driveway and I'm looking for some advice on snowblowers. I don't have the funds for a decent truck w/ a plow, so a snowblower is going to be the way to go for me. From my research, I understand that Honda is the top of the top, Ariens is 2nd, and that Husqvarna is a very respectable brand. I've had my eye on the Ariens Pro 36 and recently looked at the Husq. 1650 EXL. Is there a big enough difference between those two to justify the $900 difference in prices?
> 
> ...


I would agree with Scot in recommending Ariens brand. I would say a Platinum or Professional grade Ariens would be perfect for you. Since you have a 500 foot driveway you should be looking at minimum 32 inch or better. Plus Ariens has the Zero-Turn technology transmission so you can turn it around effortlessly in the machine's own foot print. Honda like wise is also a great machine but very expensive. Stay away from track models unless you have a real steep driveway or one with loose gravel in which you would need the extra traction. Replacement tracks can be very expensive after the warranty period runs out. *Post a picture and a description of which machine you end up getting.* As to Honda. Yes they are nice but I was looking at their website and their most expensive Commercial tracked blower is model HS1336iAS at $7999 . Wow that is some money. 

Mark


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## [email protected] (Nov 21, 2011)

sr71 said:


> ....I've had an 1132 for almost 10 years now ..Honda has made a few improvements and now calls it the 1332.


HS1132 was updated to the HS1332 two years ago. The "13" has slightly different engine, taller handlebars, extreme cold-weather/anti-icing kit now standard, and individual choke and throttle controls. MSRP for the "13" is $3,189 for the pull-start model, and $3,399 for the electric (120V AC) start.

Other specs are identical, including the 3-year warranty. 

If you'll share the serial number off the HS1132, I can tell you if any warranty is remaining, and when/where it was sold.


More at the Honda website: Honda Snowblowers and Snow Throwers


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## reabilly44 (Oct 21, 2013)

Shryp said:


> Have you considered looking for used? Not sure what your mechanical level is, but used is a good bet, especially if they need work. Do you have the storage space to keep a spare rider dedicated to snow blowing only?


I have the storage space, however, I don't have the know-how for something that requires engine work. So, even if it is used, it would have to be in close to new condition.


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## reabilly44 (Oct 21, 2013)

[email protected] said:


> If you'll share the serial number off the HS1132, I can tell you if any warranty is remaining, and when/where it was sold.


The current owner has only had it a few weeks; it sounds like he bought it at an estate sale and doesn't know the age. I will get the serial number for you. Thanks for the help.


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## [email protected] (Nov 21, 2011)

reabilly44 said:


> The current owner has only had it a few weeks; it sounds like he bought it at an estate sale and doesn't know the age. I will get the serial number for you. Thanks for the help.


Look on the lower rear frame; it's in the form of "SZBF-XXXXXXX"


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## reabilly44 (Oct 21, 2013)

Robert, the seller told me that it's a '98. I know Honda's are great machines, but $2,500 for a 15+ year old blower seems crazy. Even $2000 seems very steap. 

What are your thoughts?


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## [email protected] (Nov 21, 2011)

reabilly44 said:


> Robert, the seller told me that it's a '98. I know Honda's are great machines, but $2,500 for a 15+ year old blower seems crazy. Even $2000 seems very steap.
> 
> What are your thoughts?


A lot of snowblowers do not see nearly as much duty as other power equipment (like a mower), so I would be more picky about condition vs. age. Some rubber bit (tires or tracks) could have some age/dry rot, so inspect it carefully. 

You could use a Craigslist search tool like searchtemptest.com to scan hundreds of cities of classified ads and see prices of other Hondas for comparison. Might give you a better picture of at least the asking prices for an identical or very close matching machine. Tip: Try the shorthand "Honda Snow*" in the search TITLE field. The * will catch snowblower, snowblower, etc. 

More than anything else, buy a snowblower BEFORE the first snow hits for the best price and selection, both new and used.


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## reabilly44 (Oct 21, 2013)

Thanks, Robert, I'll give that a shot.


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## Garnetmica (Oct 27, 2013)

I just pulled the trigger on an Ariens Hydro Pro. Big power, solid chassis, easy to use and solid brand with good dealer network. I picked a dealer a few miles away from my home in the event I need factory parts.


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## Pythons37 (Nov 9, 2012)

Look around for a Sub Compact Utility Tractor with a blower on it, or at least a plow. Five hundred feet is lot of walkbehind in the cold and wind. A good Garden Tractor set up will probably do it, too. I doubt a Lawn Tractor with a blower would offer trouble free service. They really aren't tough enough for that kind of work. If you do try a lawn tractor, you will need chains and weights, at a minimum, to make it work.


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## seaox (Nov 1, 2013)

*Ariens Pro vs Honda vs Ariens Platinum*

Hello Everyone: I am also new member & this thread seems close to my situation. I have a 2500 sq ft paver driveway which I don't want the plow to scratch up & a couple of multi-family houses with 100 ft driveways, parking & sidewalks. A friend/tenant plows the multi-family driveways when he is done with other customers, I still need clear the walks & often followup after the plow because the plow breaks down & there is often considerable snow left due to the driveway configurations & the tenants never move their cars in time. Since I am on the coast north of Boston, the snow, though infrequent, is usually a heavy wet mix. I want a big blower just in case my friends equipment breaks down or we get a big storm which could delay him too long for the tenants.

Question: Are the Ariens Pro models sufficiently more heavy duty/rugged than the Ariens Platinum models to justify the extra $500-$700. I was planning to get a 30-32 in model with the 414cc engine because my ancient Honda 80 doesn't throw the wet heavy snow far enough. 

My thought was that if I have to pay the extra money for the Ariens Pro 414cc model, I might just as well get the Honda 1132 which has the powerful GX90 engine & the automatic transmission.

I also noted the Ariens Pro has a HD friction plate vs the Ariens Platinum specified as just "friction plate. A sales man also stated the Pro has a larger & heavier front auger. Apparently they both have the same New Easy Turn System.

Although I am not a Snow Professional, I have three driveways to take care of when it doesn't rain. Thank you for your input.


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## reabilly44 (Oct 21, 2013)

@ Pythons37 - I thought about the garden tractor, but it looks to be much more expensive, and I don't have the expertise to work on anything used, so I don't want to take the chance of something not working. 

@ seaox - because my driveway is so long, the only Ariens models I looked at were the Pro line. I do know that some of the other lines carry the LCT engine, not the B&S, so definitely look into that. I'm yet to find someone that has something bad to say about Ariens.


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