# Need advice where to purchase new HSS1332AT near Norwalk, CT 06851



## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

I have decided on HSS1332AT and would prefer to buy it locally and below sticker price. Any recommendations for a place near Norwalk, CT 06851? Thanks.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Pretty sure Honda controls prices at the dealer level so they should all be the same unless they allow them to deal on NOS. Have any John Deere dealers near you? They sell homeowner Honda products now. Deere has dropped all their homeowner level walk behind stuff.


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## Drift-King (Jul 29, 2015)

Honda units are price fixed I believe. So I would select a local dealer that provides service and perhaps you can negotiate an extra item or some service perk. Good luck with your new machine!


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

You can use the dealer locator feature on Honda's power equipment web site to find dealers near you. As was said, john Deere dealers may also be carrying the Honda OPE line as well.

http://m.powerequipment.honda.com/dealer-locator

I just put the zip code you mentioned into their search, and 14 dealer's names within 25 miles came up. You should be able to find a good one.

Be sure to let us know about your buying experience and what you think of your new Honda when you get it and use it.


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## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

Thank you everyone for helpful info and advise. I will keep you posted on the progress?


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to the forum CountryBoy :welcome:

Nice machine to shop for. What do you have now ??


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## Biketrax (Jan 28, 2015)

*Welcome to the forum!!*

I would try Bethel Power Very knowledgeable folks there! 
Its a nice easy drive up north for you.....As far as price shopping Good luck! Especially for the unit you have decided on! Like others have mentioned Honda seems to fix their prices. I would bargain for perks.
Very curious as what you own( like Kiss4 asked) and have experienced in the past.
Why don't you tell us a bit more about the amount of property and terrain conditions and any other information that persuaded you in your decision process. I would assume you have a steep hill or some other factor for switching/ or upgrading and getting tracks.
Good Luck!


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## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

Biketrax and Kiss4aFrog,

I was fortunate to have a 3-car garage with almost flat gravel (later paved with asphalt) driveway (small 10 deg down slop to the road) back in Canada near Horseshoe Valley ski resort (Barrie, ON) where I used Husqvarna 31" with 11.5HP. This blower was sold cheap at garage sale when I sold the property and moved to NYC in 2012. I did not own a property in the States until I purchased a house this spring. Now it's time to get ready for my first season in CT. I am sure it won't be as bad as by the Horseshoe Valley ski resort where I lived in Canada - getting 4 ft of snow several times a season was a common thing there  However, I'd prefer a solid machine with consistent performance. Thus I turned into Honda.

Now I have a 2-car oversized garage and quite steep asphalt paved driveway up to the road. It's 13 ft wide at the road and gets wider up to 40 ft by 45 ft flat area in front of the garage. The driveway is 90 ft long, paved with asphalt. The slop is somewhat close to 30 degrees before the wide opening and this is why I opted for a tracked model. I remember that even on a flat surface in Canada with packed wet snow and ice (usually the hardest part was the strip left from street plows) Husqvarna would spin the wheels making the job challenging to take small bites and push the blower real hard to get it moving uphill (only 10 degrees incline).

Let me know what you think would be a good fit for my current driveway.

Thanks.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

IMHO, I think a tracked HSS928 would be good enough for that.

:blowerhug::blowerhug::blowerhug:


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

I'm a "Tim Taylor" kind of guy. As evidenced by multiple riders and walk behinds. I always favor something bigger and with more power.
I have almost 400' of gravel to do and it's pretty flat. Been doing it with a 38" blower on a rider but had to manage with a 24" walk behind when the rider died mid-winter. The 24" gets it done just more passes. I love the 32"s. Gets the job done much faster so you're out of the cold sooner and I love the rooster tail they throw.
With your incline I'd likely also lean toward track but you don't need a 32" to get it done. I wouldn't go any smaller than a 24" but you have lots of options depending on your physical strength and pocketbook. My Craftsman 3 stage is close to 400lbs and has no differential or turning assist. It's usually not that difficult to turn but there are times it seems to fight me. I've had a 32" Craftsman 3 stage since the 90's so I do remember how easy I threw it around back then. This is my second, first one was stolen.
If you have the room and the cash, the 32"s are fun. That's the difference between "need" and "want".


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## tinter (Apr 20, 2014)

Bigger is always better, I love my 928 but I would trade it all day long for a 1332. &#55357;&#56842;


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## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

I have no disabilities so extra 20lb isn't a problem, paying extra $400 for what I want vs. what I need is ok by me.

I will visit the dealer in Bethlehem soon. Meanwhile, what is the forum opinion on buying online from SnowBlowersDirect?

They sell 1332ATD for $3200 with free shipping and $50 surcharge for lift gate, no tax. Are they authorized Honda power equipment dealer so that Honda would honor their warranty?


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

If you are familiar with small engines and/or you are planing on doing maintenance yoursef you'll be ok. As far as I know, any dealer should cover the warranty when is needed regardless of where you baught it (as long as it was purchased thru an autorized dealer). 
If you are going to take it in for service then you are better off buying it from your nearby dealer, it would be much better.

:blowerhug::blowerhug::blowerhug:


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## Biketrax (Jan 28, 2015)

CountryBoy said:


> I will visit the dealer in Bethlehem soon.


Bethel Power Equipment Power Equipment Bethel, CT 
I hope you meant Bethel-power in BETHEL Ct!!!hmy: 
Anyway Go up Rt 7. Make a right in Georgetown on to Route 107
At the next light make a right and Have lunch at the Wire Mill Saloon!!
Wire Mill Saloon & Barbecue | BBQ Restaurant Serving Smoked Meats, Pulled Pork, Homemade Smoked Sausage | Georgetown Redding, CT
Its right along the way. OR on the way back!
Best smoke house I the area for ribs and pulled pork! Cornbread and a side of Baked Beans!!! MMM:tongue4::icon-cheers::icon-cheers:
After the big downhill on rt 107 keep straight on to 53 for about 6 miles or so. They are located In Francis J. Clarke Circle on the left.!! Good Luck!
Have a beer for me! :icon-cheers::icon-cheers:


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## Biketrax (Jan 28, 2015)

*Dont discount Arien!!*

I have about the same area as you do without an incline. I used a small Ariens 824 that served me well for almost 15 years. I once used my neighbors bigger husky a few times in rough conditions with snow over 2 feet and it just didn't seem liked it moved quite as stable as my Ariens 8 hp 24 inch! He never liked his own machine.
I personally would give a good look at an Ariens dealer and check out some of their 28 and 30 inch models! Ariens 926053 Hydro Pro 28" 420cc Two-Stage Snow Blower
You could save a little money with an Ariens or Honda wheeled unit. I just picked up a 28 inch Ariens for less than half the price of Honda HS1332AT. Ariens is currently offering 5 year warranty till Dec 1st. I am not sure what Honda is offering? 

The folks here talk very highly of both Honda and Ariens.
The bottom line ....I think you may get away with a smaller width wheeled unit with a good strong engine and Higher torque!!
Many here have mentioned that they feel they can move more snow (faster) and prefer a smaller width with higher power versus a wider unit
That has to move a bit slower!
Overall easier maneuverability!!
Just my .02 cent's
Good Luck!!
Keep us posted with progress!


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

hsblowersfan said:


> As far as I know, any dealer should cover the warranty when is needed regardless of where you baught it (as long as it was purchased thru an autorized dealer).
> If you are going to take it in for service then you are better off buying it from your nearby dealer, it would be much better.



It's that word "should" that you want to be careful with. We have had some posts by members who purchased at box stores and when they went to their local dealer for service were charged a registration fee ($50 ??) and were steaming mad. I don't blame them. There is also the real chance since you didn't buy from them you're machine goes to the end of the line for service and repair and might stay there longer then someone who did buy from them.
Not saying it's right or that it's going to happen but it's something to be aware of. If it's just price you might want to take your online or box store price to a local dealer and see if they'll match it or come close. 
Having "good will" with the dealer goes a long way.

You just want to take a look at the whole picture and work a deal that's in your best interest.


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## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

+1 That's for sure. Like I always say, "reality does happen".


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> It's that word "should" that you want to be careful with. We have had some posts by members who purchased at box stores and when they went to their local dealer for service were charged a registration fee ($50 ??) and were steaming mad. I don't blame them. There is also the real chance since you didn't buy from them you're machine goes to the end of the line for service and repair and might stay there longer then someone who did buy from them.
> Not saying it's right or that it's going to happen but it's something to be aware of. If it's just price you might want to take your online or box store price to a local dealer and see if they'll match it or come close.
> Having "good will" with the dealer goes a long way.
> 
> You just want to take a look at the whole picture and work a deal that's in your best interest.


I had my own experience with a husqvarna 1830, the dealer wanted arround 1650 for it, I got it thru amazon for 1000 with 12 months 0% iterest, I had an issue with the auger housing, took it to the dealer, they did not have an issue taking care of it, what they told me was. "We have to fix it, and we will get paid for it".
But I agree, not all dealers are the same.


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## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

alright, here is the latest news ;-) I talked to Bob at Bethel Power Equipment Power Equipment (pardon for mistype in the previous post, auto-corrections are the issue and are the major cause of confusion, ha-ha). They won't have the current 2016 models until December 2015, yet they ordered them back in May and were promised September delivery. They have in stock 2014's 928 track model units for $2450.

Should I wait for 2016 models (928AATD for $2778 or 1332ATD for $3199) or go for older 2014 model? Other than auto-turning which is new for 2016, what else do I loose with older 2014 unit?

Thanks.

P.S. Special thanks to Biketrax for hints. I have already promised my wife to bring home the delicious pulled pork ;-)


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

CountryBoy -

I would wait for the new models.
Aside from auto turning, led headlight, joystick control, disengage Hydro is supposedly easier to move.

I still PREFER the old control panel - I actually hoped the US models would be lookswise like the 970N


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

I'll share another thing the Honda folks told me when they were showing off their new line of machines out in California. One of them said too many people pick machines that are just too big for what they need. So you have to make a couple of more passes with a slightly smaller snowblower. In the end, you get the job done and you haven't spent more for a machine you didn't really need for the job.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

My view is a little skewed because I'm a mechanic so I don't have to worry about most repairs so a dealer isn't important to me. It's also the reason I like bigger and I do have a barn so getting it to fit in the garage with the cars or make it through a doorway doesn't come into play.

I agree with Bruce that some people buy too big as you do see the ads where someone has a near new machine they are selling and the reason is "too much machine for me".
I tend to advise someone to get the bigger of their choices but each person has to evaluate their own physical condition on handling a machine, storage in the off season and where it's going to be when using it. Those questions and their answers can easily be as important as trying to get a good price.


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## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

Yesterday I went to Bethel Power Equipment and West End JD dealer. Looked at older models. I do want 2016 model. I also think that extra power on 1332 would be a great benefit for wet snow. In addition, 1332 has auger shear pin guard to protect these bolts. Money talk: 1332 comes at $3500 ($3290 + free delivery + 6.35% CT tax) from Bethel Power Equipment. Online from SnowBlowersDirect it comes at $3250 ($3200 + $50 for the lift gate service). I sense I may be having hard time servicing it if I'd be getting it online. I can do most of mechanical work myself as long as it won't void the warranty.

Today I contacted A to Z Rentals and Sales in Bridgeport. They have a "no phone quotes policy"... and said they won't do warranty service on online purchases. They also would charge the delivery fee to Norwalk. They could not say how much this delivery would be. I'd assume they would be close to Bethel Power Equipment with pricing.

Since lots of folks recommended Bethel Power Equipment I think I'd go with that place.

*** wire mill bbq in georgetown was a great suggestion, I liked it ***


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Glad your going with the newest model. 
Some parts for the HS will be discontinued at some point I would think, while it should not happen with the HSS models (as Robert said a lot of it's parts are from domestic suppliers, so likely parts will not need to come from Japan like a lot of the HS models parts.


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## mobiledynamics (Nov 21, 2014)

I'm a OCD freak....will replace trim pieces if my eyes see a single marring ;-)
I've had no issues getting every part I wanted even on older SB like the 621


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## SnowG (Dec 5, 2014)

I bought my HS928 from Stamford Motor Sports last year at a competitive price compared with what I could find on the web. They delivered it in perfect running condition to my driveway. Even had gas in it. 

Very easy transaction, and they have a full service department. Just off exit 7 I-95.


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## SnowG (Dec 5, 2014)

CountryBoy said:


> Biketrax and Kiss4aFrog,
> 
> I was fortunate to have a 3-car garage with almost flat gravel (later paved with asphalt) driveway (small 10 deg down slop to the road) back in Canada near Horseshoe Valley ski resort (Barrie, ON) where I used Husqvarna 31" with 11.5HP. This blower was sold cheap at garage sale when I sold the property and moved to NYC in 2012. I did not own a property in the States until I purchased a house this spring. Now it's time to get ready for my first season in CT. I am sure it won't be as bad as by the Horseshoe Valley ski resort where I lived in Canada - getting 4 ft of snow several times a season was a common thing there  However, I'd prefer a solid machine with consistent performance. Thus I turned into Honda.
> 
> ...


My driveway is 300 feet long. 200 feet is sloped about 20-degrees about 10 feet wide and the remaining 100 feet is level about 20-30 feet wide. My HS928K1TAS was great last year, and we had lots of snow after a late start. I love the tracks especially at EOD. It just eats snow. 

I had considered the 1332 but the difference is only 4 inches per pass, at about $5-600 more. So I make one or two extra passes it's no big deal. We had a few really heavy snows (18"+ wet snow) and I never felt like the HS928k1TAS lacked power to do the job. It was actually a joy to use. 

PS - I bought the electric model but it's so easy to pull start I never plugged it in other than to test it. You can save a few hundred $ by going pull start.


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## cprstn54 (Feb 19, 2014)

bwdbrn1 said:


> I'll share another thing the Honda folks told me when they were showing off their new line of machines out in California. One of them said too many people pick machines that are just too big for what they need. So you have to make a couple of more passes with a slightly smaller snowblower. In the end, you get the job done and you haven't spent more for a machine you didn't really need for the job.


It's not just the extra width (28 vs. 32); it's almost 50% more HP (9 vs. 13). Ten inches of wet snow will stop my 928 unless I slow way down to approx. 1/3 full speed. I would expect the 1332 to handle it at close to 2/3 speed -- cutting the job in half.

Ken C


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## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

It's been few months since I placed the order with bethel power equipment. Now I am anxiously waiting for delivery which is still unset. Thank you all for helping me with the purchase.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

CountryBoy, a few fotos of your new machine will always be appreciated and enjoyed by the community here!

Good luck with it!


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## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

The dealer just told me that Honda shipped their units yesterday, November 17. I guess thanksgiving would be the day of my delivery?


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## malba2366 (Jan 2, 2014)

@Countryboy did you get the autostart or manual start model?


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## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

I got electric start as the dealer offered me a good deal on that particular unit - they had only one on order :wavetowel2:



malba2366 said:


> @Countryboy did you get the autostart or manual start model?


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## obthedog (Oct 16, 2015)

It would be a bit of a haul (2.5hrs) but I would at least give Robinsons in Framingham MA a call. The are outstanding when it comes to service and shooting straight. The also sell a lot of Hondas and have inventory last time I checked. You can deal with the owner Jeff or John they guy that orders and runs service.

Contact Us - Robinsons Hardware & Rental


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## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

A bit late to cancel the order I will give them a call for accessories and future needs. Thx


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## CountryBoy (Sep 4, 2015)

finally... after long wait i got a call this afternoon about tomorrow's delivery. I am excited to meet my new HSS1332ATD ;-)


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