# Yamaha dealer support question. Interested in a YT624EJA



## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

The dealer who sold my next to new Ariens, also deals Yamaha's but doesn't stock their snowblowers. I asked the dealer if I could use him for warranty work on a Yamaha blower if I needed something done, and he replied that he doesn't know because he doesn't stock them. The nearest dealer that has actually been stocking Yamaha blowers (most just list the brochure online), is a 6-8 hour drive away depending on road conditions. 

I haven't got a clear answer yet if I could actually utilize the Yamaha dealer who is only 15 minutes away for warranty work, but I am quite interested in the YT624EJA. There is a dealer just outside of Vancouver who has the YT624 in stock and I'm considering making the drive and having some fun while I'm there. 

I definitely still want a tracked unit and the only slight concern I have about the YT is the lack of steering but it seems quite manoeuvrable on the videos I have watched, and one hell of a work horse for how small it is. I was also wondering about the skid system as other tracked units have skid options on the sides of the auger housing but I haven't seen this on the YT624 yet. Likely unnecessary with the design but just wondering. 

Thanks for any insight.


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## Nickdatech (Feb 9, 2020)

Darkwoods said:


> The dealer who sold my next to new Ariens, also deals Yamaha's but doesn't stock their snowblowers. I asked the dealer if I could use him for warranty work on a Yamaha blower if I needed something done, and he replied that he doesn't know because he doesn't stock them. The nearest dealer that has actually been stocking Yamaha blowers (most just list the brochure online), is a 6-8 hour drive away depending on road conditions.
> 
> I haven't got a clear answer yet if I could actually utilize the Yamaha dealer who is only 15 minutes away for warranty work, but I am quite interested in the YT624EJA. There is a dealer just outside of Vancouver who has the YT624 in stock and I'm considering making the drive and having some fun while I'm there.
> 
> ...


Well I would actually wait for a clear answer from the closest dealer. As previously mentioned I had a new 2019 Ariens Platinum 24 SHO which i loved but decided to give it to my pops because his old cub cadet 36inch was giving him alot of issue plus the weight of the machine was getting more and more hard times.

That being said I bought a Yamaha yt614 and going from a 10hp to 6hp is noticable, meaning u have to be careful of your speed not to make the engine bog down too much but it throws snow like a champ. Throwing distance between the 2 is very similar.

Pros
Hydrostatic transmission is a gem to use, going forward and back at will saves alot time.

Electric shout is definitely a plus with the double jointed shout gives alot more control on where to throw the snow 

Tracks has alot more traction and digs down perfectly on compacted snow. 

Skid shoes are on the back of the housing so it doesn't restrict forward motion like side sids can

Cons
The track on dry pavement is not easy to use but i got use to it rather quickly.

The biggest draw back vs. Wheeled machine is not being able to move the snowblower while the engine isn't running. No unlocking of the axle like the hondas. 

The 10" impeller spins incredibly fast and throws snow very far but the drawback is it easily gets overloaded if u dont maintained a slow speed at the eod and can bog down quit low. 

Ps, a rpm meter is a must on this machine as i notice that the throttle can be move it the fast position and the rpm will read 3600 and you migh think your at full power if you dont have one. Give the throttle a nodge and it will go to 3900 rpm. Thats the real full power.

Ok i guess ill stop rambling... Lol


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## Nickdatech (Feb 9, 2020)

Darkwoods said:


> The dealer who sold my next to new Ariens, also deals Yamaha's but doesn't stock their snowblowers. I asked the dealer if I could use him for warranty work on a Yamaha blower if I needed something done, and he replied that he doesn't know because he doesn't stock them. The nearest dealer that has actually been stocking Yamaha blowers (most just list the brochure online), is a 6-8 hour drive away depending on road conditions.
> 
> I haven't got a clear answer yet if I could actually utilize the Yamaha dealer who is only 15 minutes away for warranty work, but I am quite interested in the YT624EJA. There is a dealer just outside of Vancouver who has the YT624 in stock and I'm considering making the drive and having some fun while I'm there.
> 
> ...


Here a video i just shot for the hell of it with my cellphone.


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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

Thanks for the information and that video is one of several now, that shows how effective the YT624 is. It seems to punch well above its weight class. Many larger machines don’t deal with the wet snow nearly as well. It’s really impressive imo.

I will speak to the Yamaha dealer this week about the possibility of having warranty work done there, and i will be having a convo with the yammy dealer near Vancouver tomorrow.

I had a chance to run a brand new 2021 tracked hss 724 last week with all the bells and whistles, and it was nice. The track steering worked very well on pavement imo, and the auger height adjust is really easy to use too. This 724 had the new chute with the lower, modified collar, to help with the wet snow clogging issue. The Yamaha is priced at $3199.00 and the Honda is $3799.00 on sale.

The Honda dealer said he wouldn't add on the set up/pdi/freight to the price if I bought it, because he initially quoted me a lower price for a 724 that doesn't have electric start. Still quite a price difference between the two, with the advantage of the Honda being sold locally and the steering assist. I do have more faith in the Yamaha for dealing with wet snow and slush, even with the new snow chute on the Honda being improved.

I have also come across a very well used Honda hs928 a few hours away for 1800 asking, and a 2021 hss928 that is slightly used for around 1000.00 below retail, so approximately 4 thousand Canadian.

My girlfriend used our Ariens deluxe 28 SHO yesterday and thought it was fairly easy to use. It only snowed a few inches but the Ariens deals with the wet stuff very well. I have a cabin i rent, with a narrow, sloped, dirt road that is a few hundred feet long, that I clear snow at when the plow is late, or doesn't show. My girlfriends house has a long, sloped uneven driveway with parking in the gravel alley for the renters, and after a big dump of snow, I clear about a hundred feet of alley way so they can park and not get stuck. I like the idea of having a tracked machine I can load in my truck and use at both places.


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## ShedLife (Jan 7, 2020)

Nickdatech said:


> Well I would actually wait for a clear answer from the closest dealer. As previously mentioned I had a new 2019 Ariens Platinum 24 SHO which i loved but decided to give it to my pops because his old cub cadet 36inch was giving him alot of issue plus the weight of the machine was getting more and more hard times.
> 
> That being said I bought a Yamaha yt614 and going from a 10hp to 6hp is noticable, meaning u have to be careful of your speed not to make the engine bog down too much but it throws snow like a champ. Throwing distance between the 2 is very similar.
> 
> ...


You can remove the pins in the tracks and roll that sucker around no problem! Getting them back in is a bit of a pain in the ass.

One fella here built a little dolly for his so he didn't have to pull the pins to easily move the machine.

I have absolutely zero issues manoeuvring/turning the machine at all. With the hydrostatic transmission plus the ability to lower and lift the auger housing, it's a fantastic little machine once you get used to it! It's quite little, and I came from a massive 32" 10hp Mastercraft from 40 years ago so find it way way easier to turn the Yamaha.

Only issue I would look into before purchasing is the crooked Auger Housing that seems to be prevalent on these units. I would also check the sticker to see if it was manufactured in Japan or China. Dunno if there's a real difference in quality but I would be apt to get the Japanese branded machine.

Reading your latest post, it sounds like you deal with some serious snow. Do you think the 724 may be a bit small? We get really wet gross snow here and the little yammie eats it like candy.

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## Nickdatech (Feb 9, 2020)

ShedLife said:


> You can remove the pins in the tracks and roll that sucker around no problem! Getting them back in is a bit of a pain in the ass.
> 
> One fella here built a little dolly for his so he didn't have to pull the pins to easily move the machine.
> 
> ...


Lol I think you replied to the wrong post, as u know i already owned one and I'm very please and we get alot of snow north of Montreal Canada too and the 624 is not too small, for now anyways! 

Yes i forgot to mention the lock pins for the tracks and yes they are a pain to put back thats why i just leave them on until storage and just to be clear i didnt say it was hard to manoeuver the yammy around. In snow its very easy, on dry pavement its a bit harder if u have to make tight turn to avoid hitting stuff and u have to go very slow. But its still manoeuverable none the less. Especially if u know the trick of lifting the auger all the way up and locking it and then bringing it back down so the back tracks are lifted and not making full track contact on the ground.


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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

I don’t live in a major snow-belt in BC but have a decent sized area to blow when it dumps. Its been wet, heavy snow when it does snow this year.

I spoke to the Yamaha dealer in the area today and they won’t do warranty work, which is baffling. The next city closest to me, Kelowna, has a Yamaha dealer who also don’t stock blowers but their service department will do warranty work on Yamaha blowers. Go figure. Only catch is its around a four hour drive in the winter. The service guy did say that Yamahas rarely break down and he spoke highly of the YT624.


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## ShedLife (Jan 7, 2020)

Darkwoods said:


> I don’t live in a major snow-belt in BC but have a decent sized area to blow when it dumps. Its been wet, heavy snow when it does snow this year.
> 
> I spoke to the Yamaha dealer in the area today and they won’t do warranty work, which is baffling. The next city closest to me, Kelowna, has a Yamaha dealer who also don’t stock blowers but their service department will do warranty work on Yamaha blowers. Go figure. Only catch is its around a four hour drive in the winter. The service guy did say that Yamahas rarely break down and he spoke highly of the YT624.


It's a big decision. Strange as I live in NS where we really don't get a tonne of snow and I can be at a dealer with units on the floor in 10 minutes, 1 hr, 1.5 hrs, 2 hrs etc. All the Yamaha dealers stock them here.

The only issue for warranty I've heard is the auger height adjustment shock crapping the bed and needing replacement. They may have fixed the issue with newer units.

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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

ShedLife said:


> It's a big decision. Strange as I live in NS where we really don't get a tonne of snow and I can be at a dealer with units on the floor in 10 minutes, 1 hr, 1.5 hrs, 2 hrs etc. All the Yamaha dealers stock them here.
> 
> The only issue for warranty I've heard is the auger height adjustment shock crapping the bed and needing replacement. They may have fixed the issue with newer units.
> 
> Sent from my VOG-L04 using Tapatalk


Yeah, Yamaha blowers have a significantly larger presence in eastern Canada. For the Western provinces, its still slim pickings, but I do see that changing in the future. The dealer in Coquitlam only started stocking Yamaha blowers about 5 years ago, and he said the demand is definitely there now, and they have had quite a few buyers, particularly from Whistler and area. Right now, they have two YT624s left and that’s it.

In years like this in southern BC, with less accumulated snowfall so far and more wet snow when it actually does snow, the YT624 seems to be a good choice.

For those in British Columbia wondering where to buy a Yammy in a store, here is a short list.

GA Check Point in Coquitlam 

Prince George motorsports is the primary dealer for BC

Kelowna Yamaha & Marine dont stock snowblowers yet but seem easy to deal with and will service, and do warranty work on blowers. I assume shipping a model here could be worked out without too much hassle.

For Alberta, Redline Powersports is the primary dealer, actually stocking different models.


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## Lunta (Dec 14, 2017)

ShedLife said:


> The only issue for warranty I've heard is the auger height adjustment shock crapping the bed and needing replacement. They may have fixed the issue with newer units.


mine is a 2017 model. Dealer checked and said no recalls on my machine. I think the problem was on machines before mine.


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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

So, I noticed a used YT624 for sale online in Ontario and had a chat withe owner. Its inly been used a few times, looks to be in mint shape from the pics, and he is willing to sell at a good price.

For interest sake, I did a bit of research on shipping and I would actually save around a grand compared to new even with shipping costs being nearly $600.00.

Good to know its somewhat viable for shipping. The owner just needs to be willing to strap it down to a pallet for pick up.


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## Nickdatech (Feb 9, 2020)

Darkwoods said:


> So, I noticed a used YT624 for sale online in Ontario and had a chat withe owner. Its inly been used a few times, looks to be in mint shape from the pics, and he is willing to sell at a good price.
> 
> For interest sake, I did a bit of research on shipping and I would actually save around a grand compared to new even with shipping costs being nearly $600.00.
> 
> ...


Im curious how u figured you'd save 1000$ when paying 600$ for shipping. Regular price is 3100$+taxe depending on where u are located. 

In my opinion buying something that expensive without seeing it in person and checking crucial components is a big gamble only to save a few hundred dollars.


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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

Nickdatech said:


> Im curious how u figured you'd save 1000$ when paying 600$ for shipping. Regular price is 3100$+taxe depending on where u are located.
> 
> In my opinion buying something that expensive without seeing it in person and checking crucial components is a big gamble only to save a few hundred dollars.


The base price here, with no wiggle room, is 3199.00+set up+taxes. It comes to around $3750.00 to buy this new at the dealership. Add in a 6-8 hour drive one way, pick up and expenses, it works out to around 1000.00 difference. 

i was just getting shipping quotes and will likely not end up doing it, but after talking to the owner and seeing pics, and the fact it is a 2020 model, it seems to be a very good deal. The owner offered me less than his asking price.


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## Nickdatech (Feb 9, 2020)

Darkwoods said:


> The base price here, with no wiggle room, is 3199.00+set up+taxes. It comes to around $3750.00 to buy this new at the dealership. Add in a 6-8 hour drive one way, pick up and expenses, it works out to around 1000.00 difference.
> 
> i was just getting shipping quotes and will likely not end up doing it, but after talking to the owner and seeing pics, and the fact it is a 2020 model, it seems to be a very good deal. The owner offered me less than his asking price.


Yeah then i guess its a good deal. Did u ask him why is he selling it?


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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

The seller has two blowers, one is a honda 1132 I believe that he likes, and he doesn't need two, but he said the yamaha is right there with the honda. There is interest in his Honda too, although its not listed, so he needs to have one machine. At least knowing how shipping works now is helpful.


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## ShedLife (Jan 7, 2020)

Darkwoods said:


> The seller has two blowers, one is a honda 1132 I believe that he likes, and he doesn't need two, but he said the yamaha is right there with the honda. There is interest in his Honda too, although its not listed, so he needs to have one machine. At least knowing how shipping works now is helpful.


I tried to find that ad but maybe it's taken down? The tracks look dirty in the pick but I'd love to seem more detailed pics of the machine.

I find it odd someone would have a 2020 Yamaha plus a Honda at the same time. Something seems a little fishy?

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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

The ad is still up on kijiji.

I talked to him a couple times now and he seems legit. Older guy who likes his toys and he wanted to talk all things snowblowers and he definitely wasn't/isn’t in a hurry to sell the Yamaha.

Its definitely not hard to end up with a couple machines like a yammy and honda. Especially in Eastern Canada where Yamahas have the highest sales in the country by a massive margin. Given that Ontario has a considerably larger population than the rest of the country, with many regions that get a lot of snow, it would make sense that Honda holds the market share in Canada for Ontario as well. When I look at ads online, there are many used-high end Honda blowers for sale throughout Ontario. I was surprised but not really, to see several relatively new model, Yamaha blowers for sale in the Ontario. A few 1028s last week and a 624 or three.

I came very close to getting a totally mint, brand new looking Honda hss928, priced to sell, with electric everything but someone else made the same offer before me, and I missed out. If I would have had my offer in an hour earlier, I would be the owner of a shiny tracked Honda and a 2020 deluxe Ariens SHO that I bought used, that looked new. Peoples situations change as the previous owner of my Ariens got a quad with a plow that he prefers using, and some just like having nice blowers, wheeling and dealing.


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## ShedLife (Jan 7, 2020)

Darkwoods said:


> The ad is still up on kijiji.
> 
> I talked to him a couple times now and he seems legit. Older guy who likes his toys and he wanted to talk all things snowblowers and he definitely wasn't/isn’t in a hurry to sell the Yamaha.
> 
> ...


Ah, cool. If you get someone that is knowledgeable and talks shop then chances are it's no scam. I just haven't had much luck with Kijiji and distrust people in general.

I still can't find the ad. I dunno what the hell I'm doing apparently.



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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

I googled yamaha yt624 for sale in Ontario or Scarborough, then chose images and scrolled down until I saw the unit, then visited the site. Came up fast for me.


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## ShedLife (Jan 7, 2020)

Darkwoods said:


> I googled yamaha yt624 for sale in Ontario or Scarborough, then chose images and scrolled down until I saw the unit, then visited the site. Came up fast for me.


I found it by searching for the ad number from your picture.

Looks good.

Pondering here thinking what I would do in your shoes. I think I'd get a Honda knowing service is available so much more easily. That said, I've never used a Honda and love my little Yamaha. 

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## Darkwoods (Dec 25, 2020)

I dont think the owner was too interested in getting a pallet, and strapping the blower down. A lot easier to sell it outright than take several extra steps and he said he is keeping it if his Honda sells.

i did find an old HS 828 that has a strong engine, and the tracks are in very good condition, but the electric chute needs work and the impeller and auger are a bit rough. Still throws snow and could be a good project machine to refurbish. The Yamaha just seems like such a good machine.


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## ShedLife (Jan 7, 2020)

Darkwoods said:


> I dont think the owner was too interested in getting a pallet, and strapping the blower down. A lot easier to sell it outright than take several extra steps and he said he is keeping it if his Honda sells.
> 
> i did find an old HS 828 that has a strong engine, and the tracks are in very good condition, but the electric chute needs work and the impeller and auger are a bit rough. Still throws snow and could be a good project machine to refurbish. The Yamaha just seems like such a good machine.


To hell with that. If I'm buying a machine I want it new or like new. 

I love this Yamaha. It's perfect for my area, is small enough to store easily, and is of high quality.

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