# Advice for snowblower purchase in Ottawa



## Rathfus (Dec 11, 2013)

Hello everyone,

I was hoping to get some advice regarding the purchase of a new snowblower for Ottawa weather.

We tend to have occasional heavy snowfalls with wet snow but the main reason my wife and I need the snowblower is to help with the end of the driveway when the city plows leave a mountain of snow behind.

I have purchased an Ariens Deluxe 24 for 1099 which will be delivered next week but am wondering if I made the right choice.

The model I purchased was last years model because it came with the Briggs as opposed to the AX engine. I am able to get this years model for the exact same price, but the salesman convinced me that the Briggs engines were more reliable.
My first question is, for the same price should I get the Deluxe 24 from this year instead with the AX engine?

Secondly, the Toro 726OE snowblower was also the exact same price as the Ariens Deluxe 24 and I have heard some people debating that the Toro is more reliable overall.
My second question is should I, instead of the Ariens get the Toro 726OE instead for again the same price.

Your advice is greatly appreciated.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

For Toro you are not going to be getting any kind of steering. I think you need a model with an X in the name for that. That means the Toro is going to take some effort to pull around in a circle.

Now for the 2 Ariens. Read through some of the Ariens threads as this years Ariens use something called Auto Turn and last years Ariens use something called Automatic Traction Control. The new Auto Turn is suppose to work better and be easier to use.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

The new Auto Turn technology isnt available on the Deluxe 24..only on the Deluxe 28 and Deluxe 30. (and Platnum and Pro models).

And last years Deluxe 24 didnt have Automatic Traction Control either.
Both say "pin lock"..neither have the steering features.

With that, I would go with either of the Ariens..the engines are pretty much identical, probably equal quality, both engines made in China. IMO there is little difference between a Briggs made in China, and one of the newer Ariens engines made in China..

Ariens snowblowers are still made in the USA..only the engines are made in China.

New Toros, the whole snowblower, are made in Mexico..(with probably Chinese engines as well)
that crosses them off the list for me.

Scot


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

Welcome to SBF Rathfus! I have an Ariens Platinum 24 and I couldn't be happier with it. Just my humble opinion, but I don't think I would have settled for last year's model for only a $32.00 discount.
Larry


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## Rathfus (Dec 11, 2013)

Blue Hill said:


> Welcome to SBF Rathfus! I have an Ariens Platinum 24 and I couldn't be happier with it. Just my humble opinion, but I don't think I would have settled for last year's model for only a $32.00 discount.
> Larry


There actually wasn't any discount. The only reason I went with last years model is that I thought maybe the Briggs engine was better than the new one made by Ariens themselves. The new model has the advantage of slightly bigger wheels but otherwise the main difference is the difference in the engines.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Does Ariens actually make the engine on their new machines


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> Does Ariens actually make the engine on their new machines


Nope. Made in China by LCT, who have actually been around for quite a while. Liquid Combustion Technology. The Briggs engines are also made in China. Honda is the only one that builds their engines in the USA.


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## Rathfus (Dec 11, 2013)

Blue Hill said:


> Nope. Made in China by LCT, who have actually been around for quite a while. Liquid Combustion Technology. The Briggs engines are also made in China. Honda is the only one that builds their engines in the USA.


With that in mind, do you feel you would prefer one of these newer engines or one of the previous reliable (albeit from China) Briggs engines if they were the same price?


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

I gotta tell ya, I think I would go for the current model. I don't know a lot about the Briggs engines that are made in China, but I doubt if they are any better than the LCT's. If you go for last years model, your brand spanking new machine is already a year old and you don't have it home yet. If the dealer was giving you a huge discount for taking his old stock off his hands, it might be different, but he's got the nerve to offer it to you at full price, while he's telling you he's doing you a big favour by letting you have a Briggs.
OK I'm on a rant again. Sorry Rathfus, it's your money and your decision, this was just my humble opinion.


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## GreatCanadian (Feb 20, 2013)

Blue Hill said:


> Nope. Made in China by LCT, who have actually been around for quite a while. Liquid Combustion Technology. The Briggs engines are also made in China. Honda is the only one that builds their engines in the USA.


Are you certain Honda builds snowblower engines in the USA?

Do you know the price of the Platinum 30 up your way? Just wondering how prices compare in NL and SK.


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

GreatCanadian said:


> Are you certain Honda builds snowblower engines in the USA?
> 
> Do you know the price of the Platinum 30 up your way? Just wondering how prices compare in NL and SK.


The Honda engine thing came from [email protected] who works for Honda, so yup, I'm pretty sure.
As for Ariens prices across the country, Ariens suggested retail is exactly the same across the country, or at least from BC to Ont. I'm pretty sure for the rest as well. You can check that using the dealer finder on the Ariens website. Just type in a city. The difference is that some of the dealers will charge $100 or so for assembly and some of them won't.


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## GreatCanadian (Feb 20, 2013)

I believe Honda snowblower engines are made in Japan now, and they make some single-stage engines in the USA as well as general purpose engines, but the 2-stage are made in Japah. But I could be wrong on that!

I checked the dealer prices for a dealer in Saskatchewan and a dealer in Newfoundland, and there is a difference of $25 dollars. Not a big deal. Are your dealers flexible with price? Mine wasn't.


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

The actual dealers that are connected to the Ariens website were firm in price, but did not charge extra for assembly. Those guys are both a six hour round trip for me. The independents charged for assembly, however a friend and myself each bought a P24 at the same time, so he knocked $50 off of each one. Not a lot, but it weakened my desire to drive up to the other guy.


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## GreatCanadian (Feb 20, 2013)

Yeah I paid full price, but no charge for assembly. At least you got 50 bucks off!! Better in your pocket than theirs!


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## JSteinhoff (Oct 6, 2013)

Rathfus/

I did the same, Arien's 28 deluxe plus is for sale. One of the last US made 305cc Briggs motors, and it has a profound miss in the motor. Sold and set up by a dealer,
not Home Depot. Not impressed, but you get what you pay for. Briggs lawn mower motors I used in my past were always crap, what was I thinking.

Now using a nice used Honda HS 928 TAS, which is where I should have started. A three year old could start my Honda, and they only make one motor for these, commercial grade assembled in Japan. 

I hope you Arien's works well for you, if not, do yourself a favor and find a well maintained Honda with Hydrostatic drive. Awesome machines.

Cheers


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