# Hs928 vs hss928



## bjarnold1

I am looking for a new snow blower and have seen the HS928 tracked model and the new HSS928 also with tracks for sale in my area. Both are basically new and the prices are within $300-$600 of each other. Which one is a better machine?


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## YSHSfan

bjarnold1 said:


> I am looking for a new snow blower and have seen the HS928 tracked model and the new HSS928 also with tracks for sale in my area. Both are basically new and the prices are within $300-$600 of each other. Which one is a better machine?


HSS928 would be my choice....
:blowerhug:


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## FLSTN

The best products Honda makes are made in Japan ! When they make things any where else, they are substandard and you are just buying the name and not getting high quality/longevity.
The new USA made blowers are not as good as the proven Japan made. Honda added unnecessary features to lure buyers, and are selling you a cheaply designed/made blower. In the long run you will see more problems with these new ones. Some people who have bought the new HSS928 USA made blowers have sold them and bought the same older HS Japan made versions they had before.

Buy the HS928, it's a proven work horse of a machine!


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## orangputeh

FLSTN said:


> The best products Honda makes are made in Japan ! When they make things any where else, they are substandard and you are just buying the name and not getting high quality/longevity.
> The new USA made blowers are not as good as the proven Japan made. Honda added unnecessary features to lure buyers, and are selling you a cheaply designed/made blower. In the long run you will see more problems with these new ones. Some people who have bought the new HSS928 USA made blowers have sold them and bought the same older HS Japan made versions they had before.
> 
> Buy the HS928, it's a proven work horse of a machine!


these new Honda's have only been on the market for going on 2 seasons , I believe. What problems are you speaking of? I spoke to the Honda dealer about this very topic about a week ago and they have had no problems or warranty issues other than one broken cable and this dealer has sold hundreds of the new HSS series blowers.

I do agree with you about the older Honda's being sturdier. Have seen many HS50's and 80's still "on the road" performing their duties. They do seem better built 30 years ago compared to today.

also , the more "bells and whistles" involved , the more issues you can have ( and expensive fixes ) in the future.

time will tell.

If it were me, I would go with the older HS928. I picked up one recently for under a grand in almost perfect condition. should easily get 30 years out of it. I'll be a couple years shy of 100 years old . Then I'll give it to my son or grandson or great grandson.


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## Freezn

I don't own the newer style HSS928, so I can't really comment on the Pro's and Con's. What I can tell you is that the HS928 is a pure "pitbull" when it comes to snow clearing. Doesn't matter if your dealing with heavy wet hard-packed snow or dry light powdery snow.... the HS928 with chew it up and throw it 50ft in any direction.


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## jrom

FWIW, the current US assembled HSS snow blower GX engines are made in Thailand...same as a lot, if not most of the Japanese assembled HS snow blowers with GX engines...going back to 1982 (as far as I can see in one database).

I'll try to search where Robert might have mentioned that most are Thai built engines.


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## Marlow

I'd go with the hss because it has power steering. Which is also a great feature if you need to move the snowblower around your garage and don't want to start the machine up to do so, just pull on the triggers and you can push it around effortlessly. Also for the joystick chute. 

If those features don't matter to you, then just get whatever is cheaper or has more warranty remaining. They're both outstanding snowblowers.


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## bjarnold1

I found a "new" HS928 with tracks and electric start. It was used once this year and that was it. It's still under warranty and was sold as new old stock. Is $1600 reasonable for one?


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## jrom

bjarnold1 said:


> ...It's still under warranty and was sold as new old stock. Is $1600 reasonable for one?


My 2¢:

Is it under full warranty, or pro-rated for time used? I'd check. If treated as full warranty new, then $1,600 is a good, if not great price.

While the features on the new HSS are really nice, I'd have a hard time passing up a great price on a Japanese made HS.

My local dealer sells the 2018 HSS928ATD tracked with 12v start for $2,909.00.


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## YSHSfan

bjarnold1 said:


> I found a "new" HS928 with tracks and electric start. It was used once this year and that was it. It's still under warranty and was sold as new old stock. Is $1600 reasonable for one?


Seems like a really good price.....!
Do you know why it ended up back at the Dealer...?


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## bjarnold1

It's for sale by private party. They bought it to use at their cabin and only ended up using it one time then decided they didn't like the snow. It's in perfect shape not even a scratch on it. It was bought in 3/2016 so it still has some warranty left. They have the sales receipt and owners manual


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## Freezn

Grab it before someone else beats you to the punch. $1,600 is a good fair price for a low hour mint condition HS928. Does it have electric start and headlight options? If so, $1,600 is a sweet deal.


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## bjarnold1

It has the headlight and electric start options


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## YSHSfan

bjarnold1 said:


> It has the headlight and electric start options


I'd get it before someone else does and you regret it...:blowerhug:


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## Reliaboo

Ive had the hss928 three winters now. The electric chute is a god send. I dont even have to stop... just use the joystick while spinning around to go the other way. The machine eats a 4 ft plow hill easily. 
My only complaint is the tracks dont give you as much traction as i was expecting. The new ones seem to have smaller tracks?? Its fine on driveways but in a cottage application where the driveway is not paved and is irregular with mild slopes here and there - you will be manhandling the machine to get it unstuck. I am looking at ways to increase the track size or lug depth. The new front light could have been placed higher because the area immediately in front of the blower is obscured by the shadow that is cast by the front housing of the machine. Kinda idiotic they didnt think of that. 
Power steering is great but in deep snow you will need to add some manhandling power to it since the poor traction isnt enough to turn the machine on its own. 
As for build quality, i cant compare hs to hss since i didnt own the older hs model. But overall it feels like a solid tank and if you look at the cheap alternatives at home depot theres no comparison. 
20 years ago, the cheap options were way better than whats offered now so i still think the hondas are the way to go. and the electric chute is the feature that is most compelling and most useful. Also it shoots snow 50 ft over easily


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## vmax29

That seems like a good deal on the hs!


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## RedOctobyr

Reliaboo said:


> My only complaint is the tracks dont give you as much traction as i was expecting. The new ones seem to have smaller tracks?? ... I am looking at ways to increase the track size or lug depth.



Thanks for the review, it sounds like a great machine! 



It would be expensive to try, if things went wrong. But perhaps you could add studs to the tracks? It would be something of a hassle, and somewhat expensive. 



You can get studs for snowmobile tracks. Two examples: 

https://www.woodystraction.com/category/11609/trail-studs






There is a risk of damaging the tracks while installing them, though, or interfering with the drive system for the tracks. I don't know what new tracks cost, but they must be expensive. 



You can also get smaller ones, for screwing into boots:


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## sturgissteele

RedOctobyr said:


> There is a risk of damaging the tracks while installing them, though, or interfering with the drive system for the tracks. I don't know what new tracks cost, but they must be EXPENSIVE.


Huh, they refer to the track as a crawler. Learn something new everyday!

For the HSS928ATD

CRAWLER (58.5X21) $71.52 (@ Boats)
Part #: 42755-V45-A01









Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk


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## RedOctobyr

That's actually cheaper than I feared. Not *cheap*, but not $400 for a new set if something goes wrong, at least.


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## tabora

And even slightly cheaper here: https://www.partspak.com/productcar...G_POjZoBLAYdgqDsOyOBUVauLyVobiqAaAhtyEALw_wcB


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## sturgissteele

*good catch*



tabora said:


> And even slightly cheaper here: https://www.partspak.com/productcar...G_POjZoBLAYdgqDsOyOBUVauLyVobiqAaAhtyEALw_wcB


Yep, even with shipping, they have them beat.


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## TVRPAUL

FLSTN said:


> The best products Honda makes are made in Japan ! When they make things any where else, they are substandard and you are just buying the name and not getting high quality/longevity.
> The new USA made blowers are not as good as the proven Japan made. Honda added unnecessary features to lure buyers, and are selling you a cheaply designed/made blower. In the long run you will see more problems with these new ones. Some people who have bought the new HSS928 USA made blowers have sold them and bought the same older HS Japan made versions they had before.
> 
> Buy the HS928, it's a proven work horse of a machine!


work horse, you said it, mine has to be at least 15 years old if not older, all I know when I have a foot of snow or more and my neighbors blowers are stalling because of all that snow mine just hunker down and takes care of it


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