# Ariens vs Troybilt



## Chad (Jan 30, 2016)

Great forum, I feel like I am learning a lot.

My 30+ year old Ariens finally died. Gears making a grinding noise and auger not working. The Ariens shop look ally told me that it would be $400 to fix

So I started to look for a replacement. I bought a Troybilt Storm 3090 XP for approx. $1050 after tax and discounts that is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. The machine is loaded, but I am starting to have some regrats and wondering if I should get another brand.

I went to a couple of stores and played with the Toros (love how nimble they are, but very expensive) and Ariens (they are built like tanks, but they seem heavy and unwieldy). I do like that my older Ariens lasted over 3 decades.

I found 2 Ariens on Craigslist that could be options and wanted to get some feedback from the group on these options:
1. Keep the Troybilt Storm 3090 XP for about $1050
2. A 2013 model used Ariens 28 Deluxe Sho for $700
3. A used, but still wrapped in plastics (I assume never opened) Ariens Deluxe 28 for $800
4. I could buy a new Ariens 28 deluxe from Home Depot for about $1070 after discounts and taxes.


Please let me know your thoughts. Kinda leaning towards the ariens, but not sure about new vs used. 

What should I be concerned about when buying a used unit?


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

:white^_^arial^_^0^_

MTD snowblowers don't get much love around here. I had a model 640F from the mid nineties that gave me nearly 20 years of service and was still running well when I sold it, though rust had set in. From what I understand their quality has likely gone down over the years like many other companies. They do offer a lot of features but the build quality is lacking and you may be looking at more stuff you will have to fix. Personally I would go with higher build quality and less features.

Ariens builds a very good quality machine at a fair price and offers excellent customer support which you will not get from Troy Built or Cub Cadet. I am partial to Ariens but the reviews and customer experiences you will find out there do speak for themselves. Ariens tech support is accessible and really tries to help it is a domestic family owned company out of WI that takes pride in their work.

I would avoid the standard Deluxe 28 I owned one and it was underpowered on the plow pile with the 254cc motor (ended up selling it, great resale value by the way did sell it before an upcoming storm, never hurts) you will have better results with the Deluxe 24 and the 254cc engine. The 28 inch machine would require the 306cc engine to perform well on the plow pile so you would have to upgrade to the dealer only Deluxe 28 SHO for better performance.

Best of luck with whichever machine you choose.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

:welcome: to the forum Chad


Besides being 400 to fix did they actually tell you what went wrong ??

I'm guessing it's a hundred dollars in parts and 300 in labor. Any chance you might consider repairing it yourself ??

I'd rather have the old Ariens.
I have a Troy and it's pretty much just MTD in red paint.

IMHO if I was buying new I'd go with the Ariens or Toro. Even if it means spending a bit more to get the features you want. The newer machines with differentials handle very well out in the snow even if they might seem a bit bulky on the showroom floor.


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## Chad (Jan 30, 2016)

Thanks for the response. Their is a SHO on Craigslist for $700. Although the seller is a not very responsive. Might need to take a look at it tonight or tomorrow. It is from 2013.

What should I be looking for when buying a used snowblower? I am not very mechanical

Also found a used 1028 OXE Toro for $700 near me


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## Chad (Jan 30, 2016)

*Ariens*



Kiss4aFrog said:


> :welcome: to the forum Chad
> 
> 
> Besides being 400 to fix did they actually tell you what went wrong ??
> ...


They told me the gears where stripped? $40 for the diagnostic work. Thye offered to keep the unit for parts and not,charge me for the diag if I wanted.

I am not mechanically inclined at all.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

hello chad, welcome to *SBF!!*
I was just looking at this one on CL this morning

Ariens Deluxe Snow Blower - 24" - 254cc (921024)


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

Chad said:


> They told me the gears where stripped? $40 for the diagnostic work. Thye offered to keep the unit for parts and not,charge me for the diag if I wanted.
> 
> I am not mechanically inclined at all.


Take your machine home. You can probably sell it the parts for a lot more than $40.00. Or, find a friend who is mechanically inclined, buy the parts and fix it. He supplies the mechanical know how, and when he's done, you supply the beer!

Go on Youtube and look for Donyboy73 videos. He has one about what to look for when buying a used snowblower.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

Chad said:


> They told me the gears where stripped? $40 for the diagnostic work. Thye offered to keep the unit for parts and not,charge me for the diag if I wanted.
> 
> I am not mechanically inclined at all.


Take your machine home. You can probably sell it for parts for a lot more than $40.00. Or, find a friend who is mechanically inclined, buy the parts and fix it. He supplies the mechanical know how, and when he's done, you supply the beer!


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

Chad said:


> They told me the gears where stripped? $40 for the diagnostic work. Thye offered to keep the unit for parts and not,charge me for the diag if I wanted.
> 
> I am not mechanically inclined at all.


good gawd ! $40 ! the engine alone is worth a good $$. pay them the $40, put the machine up for sale as diagnosed for $225, take $200 . jmo


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## Chad (Jan 30, 2016)

Thanks for the feedback. I guess I will pick up the older Ariens and see if someone wants it on Craigslist. 

I saw a couple of Toros on Craigslist nearby - both 1 year old. A 928 for $1000, and 1028 for $1300. 

Let me modify the options:
1. New Ariens 28 deluxe - $1070
2. Used Ariens deluxe sho 28 - $700
3. Used Ariens 28 deluxe - $800
4. Used toro 928 -$1000
5. Used toro 1028 - $1300

What do you guys think?


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## 69ariens (Jan 29, 2011)

Ya send that troy-built back . ariens toro simplicity honda are all great brands


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

the toro 928 sounds good to me


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