# Dealer or Home Depot



## Elliots

Have been waiting for my local dealer to get a HSS 928 w/tracks for quite a while now. Now that we are getting into Nov. I'm starting to get nervous about not having the snowblower. That said have read numerous threads stating there is a difference between machines from dealers and Home Depot. Can anybody please what the differences are?
Thanks


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## Paulie139

It's how they're put together, or "setup". From what I know,(my uncle was a Toro dealer, years ago) dealer's typically go through more extensive training provided by the company (Honda, Ariens, Toro, etc.) on the setup, maintenance and repair of the product line. HD, Lowe's and other big box stores may very well have ANYONE put the machine together and the quality of the work can suffer. You may get lucky with one of them - you may not. Your odds are probably better with a dealer.


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## Freezn

As long as the model # is the same, the machine's should be identical. You just have to ask yourself "Do I really want to purchase a $2K piece of power equipment from the big box store knowing there's a good chance the seventeen year old kid stacking bags of wood pellets is probably the same guy assembling your high end snow blower".


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## paulm12

+1 on the dealer

I'm cheap and have picked up used lawnmowers and snowblowers for free or little over the years, but for something new and that expensive I would go to my dealer (whom I have used for years on small parts). I trust them to assemble it properly and help me maintain it properly. And if I didn't already have a relationship with a dealer, I would want to start one.


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## Gotsnow

Plus, if you have warranty issues, your dealer would treat you better if you bought the snowblower there then bringing in a box store unit.


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## nwcove

i didnt think you could get a new honda from any other place than a dealer ? or are you considering other brands ?


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## Zavie

nwcove said:


> i didnt think you could get a new honda from any other place than a dealer ? or are you considering other brands ?


Home Depot here in the States carries Honda. At my Home Depot they have just the single stage on the sales floor but you can order 2 stage machines and pick up at the store.


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## orangputeh

elliots wanted to buy from the dealer but the blowers are being delayed. there is a waiting list here as well.

if you did decide to buy from HD I would have a mechanic or small ening guy check it out for you unless you can do it. 

make sure it has oil in it. nuts and bolts may be loose and cables , scraper plate and skid shoes will have to be adjusted probably. you will probably need a service done on a brand new machine to have peace of mind.

i'd wait for the dealer if possible or you can get a pretty good used hs928 for half the price.


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## nwcove

Zavie said:


> Home Depot here in the States carries Honda. At my Home Depot they have just the single stage on the sales floor but you can order 2 stage machines and pick up at the store.


thats something ive never seen up here.....hondas and yamahas always seem to be dealer only blowers.


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## Elliots

Thanks for all the comments. I went to the dealer first and would prefer to buy from them and will wait a bit longer before I start looking elsewhere. Don't want to get stuck without one. Supposed to have another big snow year here.


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## Doylee4693

My 824oe toro was 900 without tax, home depot had it for 100 cheaper and they accept 10-20% off coupons from competitors. I saved about 300.. for that price Id take it apart and put it back together.. toros at least are mostly assembled.. even my toro dealer agreed that setup isnt difficult. Toro has walk thru videos on it on there website, maybe honda does too.. im gonna get flamed for this but id buy at the depot if youre going to save 300 or more.. and id bring it to the honda dealer for repair.


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## Paulie139

Doylee4693 said:


> My 824oe toro was 900 without tax, home depot had it for 100 cheaper and they accept 10% off coupons from competitors. I saved about 300.. for that price Id take it apart and put it back together.. toros at least are mostly assembled.. even my toro dealer agreed that setup isnt difficult. Toro has walk thru videos on it on there website, maybe honda does too.. im gonna get flamed for this but id buy at the depot if youre going to save 300 or more.. and id bring it to the honda dealer for repair.


If you're a halfway competent mechanic/DIYer, that's a great idea. You get the best of both worlds.


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## uberT

In my area, it seems HD and the local dealers are very close price-wise. Like the others, I'd be apprehensive to buy from HD, Elliot. The dealer will stand behind you. HD doesn't really operate like that.


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## Marlow

Get it wherever it's cheaper. There is very little assembly required for a snowblower. And whether you get it at a dealer or home depot, it's still going to be assembled by some minimum wage kid who doesn't give a crap about his job. Best thing would be to tell them to keep it in the box and you do the rest yourself.


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## 10953

Marlow said:


> Get it wherever it's cheaper. There is very little assembly required for a snowblower. And whether you get it at a dealer or home depot, it's still going to be assembled by some minimum wage kid who doesn't give a crap about his job. Best thing would be to tell them to keep it in the box and you do the rest yourself.


have you seen how bad lowes is on assembling machines? self threading bolts 1/2 turn in,missing clips or pins. only box like store near me that assembles right and runs them before placing them for sale is tractor supply, the one near me even has a retired small engine tech do the work to be sure,


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## Zavie

nwcove said:


> thats something ive never seen up here.....hondas and yamahas always seem to be dealer only blowers.


The OP is lucky if they are close to a dealer. Where I am the Honda dealer that carried the powersports line changed owners several years ago. They only carry Honda generators now, whereas they carried the full Honda lineup before. I'd have to drive about an hour to find a full line Honda dealer. IMHO if Yamaha ever wanted to sell in the states again they would have to sell using one of the big box stores. When I asked the sales people at the new dealer why no snowblowers they said not enough volume. Where I live Toro has a massive influence. All the quality dealers, (the ones who cater to professionals) carry Toro. They may have one or two Ariens on the floor or maybe a couple Cub Cadets but they carry a full line of Toro. A large True Value hardware store also carries Toro full line.


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## Snowbelt_subie

idk how much better it would be from a dealer. i worked in my uncles shop that he has owned for 30+ years when i was 17-18 years old and guess what. i was the guy sharpening blades, cleaning mowers, and putting together new machines. didn't really have any idea about the machines or went through special training.

more than likely the person assembling the machine is going to be the low man on the pole with out any special knowledge.

but from what i can remember it wasn't very hard most machines mowers/ blowers ect came assembled except usually the handles/ controls and cables needed put on and adjusted. that was it.


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## [email protected]

A few Home Depot vs. Honda Dealer Facts:

• From Honda's office, Home Depot is treated like any other dealer. They pay the same wholesale prices, have access to the same models. etc.

• Snow blowers, mowers, tillers, parts, etc. for sale at Home Depot and Independent Servicing Dealers (ISDs) are exactly the same. There is no such things as a 'Home Depot-only' model. 

• As of 10/27/2017, Home Depot has elected to only carry a few Honda models. For snow blowers, they currently sell the HS720 single stage (3 versions), and the HSS724 (one version), the HSS928 (two versions), and one version of the HSS1332. 

• Regardless of where you buy a new Honda snow blower, any Honda dealer (including Home Depot) is contractually obligated to provide warranty service. In the 'real world' this can sometimes mean customer who bought a Honda at Home Depot and then take it to a Honda dealer for service are often pushed to the back of the line, and the dealer will give customers who did buy from them a bit more TLC than those who did not.

• That said, there are some progressive Honda dealers who relish the chance to provide service to ALL customers regardless of where purchased. They recognize any chance to bring a customer to their shop is a chance to earn new business, be it warranty, maintenance, or repairs. And who knows...with a positive service experience, the customer might wander into the show room and start looking a new generator, mower, or other Honda equipment. 

• You can, of course, bring your Honda equipment back to Home Depot for service, but the process can vary; larger stores do 75% of repairs/service on-site, while smaller locations load and transport all outdoor power equipment to a regional repair/service facility


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## Marlow

87 powershift said:


> have you seen how bad lowes is on assembling machines?


This is about Home Depot. And if you're that worried, tell them to leave it in the box and you'll assemble it yourself. It's very basic, and you can be sure it's done correctly.


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## orangputeh

having a good relationship with the dealer is worth it. it's just human nature that the dealer would treat you better if you bought your blower there.

however, Robert is right when he says that really professional business owners look at the "BIG picture" on treating every customer right. It is good for business.

even if you eventually buy from the dealer , I would look over the machine with a fine tooth comb and test all operations thoroughly before the first big storm. any problems , minor or otherwise, will show up and you can take it back to the dealer quickly for them to remedy.


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## Marlow

My dealer is so busy that even being at the front of the line MIGHT get you your machine back in 3 weeks. That's why if I ever bring it in, it will be in the off season. Unless something catastrophic happens and I don't have a choice.. but come on, it's a Honda!


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## Elliots

Thanks Robert
This is the reply I was after and direct from a Honda rep. being a reliable response helps a lot.


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## orangputeh

Marlow said:


> My dealer is so busy that even being at the front of the line MIGHT get you your machine back in 3 weeks. That's why if I ever bring it in, it will be in the off season. Unless something catastrophic happens and I don't have a choice.. but come on, it's a Honda!


you buy a Honda and I'll fly in and check it out. or i'll drive if you are within 100 miles.


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## jtclays

Marlow said:


> My dealer is so busy that even being at the front of the line MIGHT get you your machine back in 3 weeks. That's why if I ever bring it in, it will be in the off season. Unless something catastrophic happens and I don't have a choice.. but come on, it's a Honda!


I use


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## Joebklyn

*I worked at home depot in the garden section...*

When HD aka the 900 pound gorilla knocks on a companies door and says we want 10,000 units and we want them at this price. The company will bend over backwards to accommodate HD. They'll use cheaper parts to get the item at the target price point. Would I buy from HD? No, an independant dealer is better. Their price might be a little steeper but you really do get what you paid for.


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## Sid

Yeah, I have experienced the small fish deal. I needed a discharge chute / tube for a leaf truck loader. The parts guy wasn't very interested in trying to find one for me, so I started looking on line. I was willing to pay up to $200. for one. After quite a while of looking, I found a co. in Texas. I finally found them by typing in "tubing shapes", after discusing what I needed, the guy gave me a price of about $60. plus shipping. It was just what I needed. I even showed it to the local dealer, just to tweak him. I still go there for he usual stuff.
Sid


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## Doylee4693

Joebklyn said:


> When HD aka the 900 pound gorilla knocks on a companies door and says we want 10,000 units and we want them at this price. The company will bend over backwards to accommodate HD. They'll use cheaper parts to get the item at the target price point. Would I buy from HD? No, an independant dealer is better. Their price might be a little steeper but you really do get what you paid for.


DO you have facts that cheaper parts are used for home depot toro vs dealer toro?the only thing hd does that I dont like is use mtd mowers and paint them cub cadet, and john deere green and fool people into thinking there getting a better product for less when its really just a cheap ass mtd. Also does home depot buy 10,000 units or do they offer floor space to cerain vendors? Last part was an actual question


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## sscotsman

87 powershift said:


> have you seen how bad lowes is on assembling machines?





Marlow said:


> This is about Home Depot.


there's no difference..

Scot


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## Marlow

sscotsman said:


> there's no difference..
> 
> Scot


Yeah, there is. And there is even a difference between one Lowe's and another Lowe's.. different management personnel and different staff. Some will have much more skill than others. Some dealership staff will have more skill than others too. 

I don't doubt people have had crappy experiences at big box stores, but there is also no doubt people have had crappy "stealership" experiences all well. I can tell you at my local dealership there is literally high school students that are "technicians" LOL!

As with anything, if you want it done right do it yourself!


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## buffettck

Joebklyn said:


> When HD aka the 900 pound gorilla knocks on a companies door and says we want 10,000 units and we want them at this price. The company will bend over backwards to accommodate HD. They'll use cheaper parts to get the item at the target price point. Would I buy from HD? No, an independant dealer is better. Their price might be a little steeper but you really do get what you paid for.


Oh, BS. I'll take Mr. Honda Robert's word any day that they are the exact SAME units. Think about it. Why would Honda, or any other manufacturer, sell the SAME model number units at a lower quality level to the likes of Home Depot? It would absolutely cheapen the Honda brand overall and give them a bad reputation. People aren't going to care that they got a bad Honda from Home Depot. They're just going to care (and report) that they got a bad HONDA thereby tainting the reputation of the "good" units that went to dealers. It would serve them no good selling inferior units to high volume vendors. 

This is the same type of BS perpetuated in the world of guns with "inferior guns" going to Wal-Mart with the same model numbers as the ones going to gun stores. If they did that and someone had an inferior Remington (or whatever) Wallyworld gun blow up on them, then ALL Remingtons regardless of the point of sale would suck and the bashing on the forums would be non-stop. Again, it does NO company any good to sell the same things at lower quality to different vendors simply because of the volume of potential sales. :icon-rolleyes:


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## rfw1953

I can't help you wrt whether or not units are different between the big national stores vs. dealer units, but comments made by others seem to make sense to me. Why would anyone want to risk getting a bad review on a cheaply made model that may not perform well just to sell on price alone??? Snow blower reviews are critical in this industry. 

That said, I live hours from any dealer. The dealer I purchased my Honda from went to great lengths to locate the specific unit I wanted after the Honda plant had shut down making SB's to begin making mowers for the Spring, and the model I wanted was hard to locate in mid Dec. Even the online distributors couldn't locate what I wanted. The dealer was 3 hours away, but they found a unit for me and for another customer. They drove to Denver to pick up and have ready for delivery at their shop in Grand Junction, CO. Just another example of a dealer providing excellent customer service when it was needed. I would go with a dealer to have a relationship when service is required.


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## drmerdp

I buy from a dealer. Can only come in handy when warranty claims come into play. 

I’ve build relationships with a few dealers That sell various brands of power equipment. It’s worked very much in my favor.


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## sscotsman

Its a well-known confirmed FACT that the same model number machines are identical whether sold at a Big Box or a dealer..I confirmed it years ago:

https://scotlawrence.github.io/ariens/Page2.html

And Robert has confirmed it here..
Some dealers might choose to only sell the "higher end" models, and not stock the lower end of the manufacturers line..but thats just a choice. (and I doubt most dealers even do that, it would be bad for business..details in the link above.)

But its an absolute myth that one specific model will be more cheaply made, with cheaper components, for the Big Box market compared to the dealer market..that has never happened.

Scot


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## 10953

buffettck said:


> Oh, BS. I'll take Mr. Honda Robert's word any day that they are the exact SAME units. Think about it. Why would Honda, or any other manufacturer, sell the SAME model number units at a lower quality level to the likes of Home Depot? It would absolutely cheapen the Honda brand overall and give them a bad reputation. People aren't going to care that they got a bad Honda from Home Depot. They're just going to care (and report) that they got a bad HONDA thereby tainting the reputation of the "good" units that went to dealers. It would serve them no good selling inferior units to high volume vendors.
> 
> This is the same type of BS perpetuated in the world of guns with "inferior guns" going to Wal-Mart with the same model numbers as the ones going to gun stores. If they did that and someone had an inferior Remington (or whatever) Wallyworld gun blow up on them, then ALL Remingtons regardless of the point of sale would suck and the bashing on the forums would be non-stop. Again, it does NO company any good to sell the same things at lower quality to different vendors simply because of the volume of potential sales. :icon-rolleyes:


winchesters and henry's here. gun shop is 3 blocks away at the start of my street so screw walley world. 18 mile drive .same with the lawn shop 12 miles and service above and beyond


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## Landngroove

Be sure to check the model numbers. A Deluxe 28, for example at a dealer will have a different model number, than a HD Deluxe 28, and so on up the model line. Usually 1 digit off, just to confuse.


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## DriverRider

Landngroove said:


> Be sure to check the model numbers. A Deluxe 28, for example at a dealer will have a different model number, than a HD Deluxe 28, and so on up the model line. Usually 1 digit off, just to confuse.


Just like refrigerators, the HD one which is identical to the Lowe's will have a different model number buried in the fine print so they don't have to price match. Same appliance though.


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## sscotsman

Landngroove said:


> Be sure to check the model numbers. A Deluxe 28, for example at a dealer will have a different model number, than a HD Deluxe 28, and so on up the model line. Usually 1 digit off, just to confuse.


That is complete fiction.
Its been confirmed many times over that there are no "different" or "special" model numbers, or different models, for the Big Boxes versus Dealers..it has never happened, ever.

I have ALL the model numbers here:

https://scotlawrence.github.io/ariens/Page9.html

There are no other "special" Home Depot model numbers..they dont exist, and have never existed.


Scot


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## sscotsman

Home Depot Deluxe 28, model 921046:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ariens-...ower-with-Auto-Turn-Steering-921046/207118306

Dealer Deluxe 28, model 921046:
https://www.brodner.com/2018-ariens-deluxe-28-921046-inventory.htm?id=2091054&in-stock=1


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## sscotsman

Home Depot, Compact 24, model 920027
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ariens-...ectric-Start-Gas-Snow-Blower-920027/301797901

Lowes, Compact 24, model 920027
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Ariens-Com...ric-Start-Gas-Snow-with-Headlights/1000228261

A *different* dealer, Compact 24, model 920027
https://www.bradyspower.com/showcas...2385&referrer=https%3a%2f%2fwww.google.com%2f


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## buffettck

rfw1953 said:


> I can't help you wrt whether or not units are different between the big national stores vs. dealer units, but comments made by others seem to make sense to me. Why would anyone want to risk getting a bad review on a cheaply made model that may not perform well just to sell on price alone??? Snow blower reviews are critical in this industry.
> 
> That said, I live hours from any dealer. The dealer I purchased my Honda from went to great lengths to locate the specific unit I wanted after the Honda plant had shut down making SB's to begin making mowers for the Spring, and the model I wanted was hard to locate in mid Dec. Even the online distributors couldn't locate what I wanted. The dealer was 3 hours away, but they found a unit for me and for another customer. They drove to Denver to pick up and have ready for delivery at their shop in Grand Junction, CO. Just another example of a dealer providing excellent customer service when it was needed. I would go with a dealer to have a relationship when service is required.


Nice! I'm next door in northern Utah and ordered my Honda on-line from Home Depot. Amazingly, they had one right at the beginning of January. Zero issues with it.


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## buffettck

87 powershift said:


> winchesters and henry's here. gun shop is 3 blocks away at the start of my street so screw walley world. 18 mile drive .same with the lawn shop 12 miles and service above and beyond


That's not the point. Ease/speed of getting to the point of sale was never the issue. It was about the quality of the exact same units sold by high volume vendors versus low volume ones.


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## gibbs296

Dragging an old thread out of the dust. Here is why you don't buy at Home Depot...https://splinternews.com/home-depot-employees-are-broke-sick-and-disappointed-1826069697


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## 1132le

i woudnt trust anybody to set it up right
so i would go through it myself might take 20 min
stealership is usless other then warranty work imo
buy used for 40% less 1 or 2 yrs old


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## bigtim1985

There is absolutely nothing to assemble on the new Honda snowblowers anyway. Open the crate, roll the machine off the pallet, add oil, and start.


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## 1132le

gibbs296 said:


> Dragging an old thread out of the dust. Here is why you don't buy at Home Depot...https://splinternews.com/home-depot-employees-are-broke-sick-and-disappointed-1826069697


imo thats a bs article
nobody at 54 should just have started working there and expect to take care of a family
store manager mäybe
hd lowes are moonlight 2nd jobs extra income jobs at best


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## gibbs296

1132le said:


> imo thats a bs article
> nobody at 54 should just have started working there and expect to take care of a family
> store manager mäybe
> hd lowes are moonlight 2nd jobs extra income jobs at best


Life doesn't always go the way you want it to. Be thankful you aren't in their position. It sounds like there is good money at the top, but not much falls to the lower levels that are most responsible for assembly of any item. What the heck, the chute's just going to clog regardless of who assembles it...


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## TomHodge

For me, big box stores are similar to Amazon. A last resort if I can't get it locally.


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## Cutter

*Dealer!*

In my opinion, anything expensive and valued, should be purchased at a dealer, who will look after you with service, and warranty. Home Depot is great for some stuff, but keep in mind that if you need warranty service, it will be fixed at the dealer that you should have gone to, but didn't.....so their level of concern will be "whatever!'.....and other machines purchased there will be fixed long before yours will. I realize that this is simply service outlet politics, but whether we admit it or not, it's everywhere, everyday. At least where I live anyway.:wink2:


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## foggysail

OK, I believe there are benefits purchasing from dealer but not many. For those who have little desire to contend with the tiniest mechanical issues, a dealer is the way to go. But do not think a dealer is going to fall all over you just because you made a purchase from him.

I purchased a new 28 Ariens pro on Ebay. Advertised as a floor sample but if it was a floor sample, nobody took efforts to unwrap the factory wrappings. The best part of all this is a local dealer wanted $2199 for this machine and of course there are additional sales taxes. I asked him to give me his best cash price, late March and he would not budge. So instead my Ebay purchase was dropped off in less than 5 days next to my garage for a total cost of $1950 still wearing the factory's wrapping.

If the dealer would have lowered his price by a meager $100 I would have purchased it from him along with the sales tax. I would not purchase a blower from either Home Depot or Lowes. Check out the puny engines on their Ariens 28.


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## Dauntae

foggysail said:


> OK, I believe there are benefits purchasing from dealer but not many. For those who have little desire to contend with the tiniest mechanical issues, a dealer is the way to go. But do not think a dealer is going to fall all over you just because you made a purchase from him.
> 
> I purchased a new 28 Ariens pro on Ebay. Advertised as a floor sample but if it was a floor sample, nobody took efforts to unwrap the factory wrappings. The best part of all this is a local dealer wanted $2199 for this machine and of course there are additional sales taxes. I asked him to give me his best cash price, late March and he would not budge. So instead my Ebay purchase was dropped off in less than 5 days next to my garage for a total cost of $1950 still wearing the factory's wrapping.
> 
> If the dealer would have lowered his price by a meager $100 I would have purchased it from him along with the sales tax. I would not purchase a blower from either Home Depot or Lowes. Check out the puny engines on their Ariens 28.


You got a good deal, As for home depot and lowes, They sell the same as the dealers, If you buy a deluxe from Home depot it's the same deluxe as the dealer, However HD may NOT carry all the models the dealer does but as to what place it is purchased the models are the same, I have a 2017 24" Deluxe I got for a steal and yea it has the same engine as the 28" so I wouldn't recommend the 28" if it still has the same 254cc (it's about a 8hp) but on the 24" it's good.


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## foggysail

Yes, the 254cc should be just fine on your 24 and OK in light snow with a 28. I wanted a machine that would just walk its way though stuff upwards to at least 18". A Pro with a 420cc will provide a better chance than a similar machine with a smaller engine.


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