# How good of a deal did I get?



## 94NDTA (Mar 23, 2015)

I saw a CL add for an Ariens,and naturally I clicked it because I have been wanting to upgrade mine. I wasn't too familiar with the model, but my dad got an Ariens compact 24 a couple years ago and really likes it. I have been using his (actually, was my grandfathers) tracked craftsman 5/24 but it just wasn't cutting it.

Anyways,ms tarted talking to the seller. He needed it gone that day, and was asking $400. It was hard to tell from the pics what size it was, but I offered $360 to see if he would take the bait. He agreed, as long as I picked it up that day. I figured it was stolen, or a scam. Went to the house (which was massive) he had a 4 stall garage and a large driveway. He informed me hardly used it because he paid for snow removal. It turned out to be an Ariens classic 8526, that looked like it was hardly used. Had owners manual, a bunch of sheer pins, original receipt ($1400), and the receipt for $185 for maintained from 2013 (belt, plug, oil, etc)

He was having a hard time selling it (we got hardly any snow this year in Fargo, and the temps have been nice) and he was moving that day and didn't want to take it with him. Everything works, it looks really nice, and I feel like I got a steal, what do you think?









"Rust" on the wheels wiped right off.
Old vs new.










Also, what do you think my old craftsman is worth?


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Wow, I think thats an excellent deal!  That could easily go for $500..
it's probably around 10 years old..

the Craftsman? about $100, not much more than that, especially this time of year.
maybe $150 in November.

Scot


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Well, from the pics it's a little hard to say. It hasn't been beat it's a good deal. Looks like the skids have been flipped so it must have seen _some_ use. Scraper bar ok? Everything operates normally? Speed selector operates as it should? Impellers not bent? Seems like you got a pretty good deal but you need to check everything.
I looked at a huge Ariens a few weeks back. It was a a big 30" model. Listed for $250. It _looked_ good in the pics but when I got to see it up close there were *way* too many problems with it. It had been beat badly. It'd be a good idea to watch this vid before making a purchase. From the pics it looks like you did well.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Doing a double take on the pics it looks like maybe only one skid was flipped. The right hand side but I could only be seeing things. It's a good looking machine,


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

... And welcome to the forum, from the Keystone State. Just saw it's your first post. Might want to go to new member introductions and tell us a little about yourself.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to the forum 94NDTA 

Please add your location to your profile so it pops up when you post.

Sure looks like you scored a really nice unit for the $$.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

hello NDTA, welcome to *SBF* and congrats


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## Blue Hill (Mar 31, 2013)

Welcome to the forum nd94ta! I'm North and West of you in Saskatchewan and we didn't get a lot of snow either. It looks like you got a nice machine for a great price. If you are like us, you might get a chance to try it out in the next couple of days. They are calling for us to get 6 inches tomorrow.


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## clamdigger (Feb 12, 2015)

94NDTA welcome to the forum. I spent 10 years just north of you, Winnipeg, Man. Those are winters I definitely DO NOT miss! Brrrr.
Blue Hill what part of Sask are you? Spent many long weekends driving from Cold Lake, Ab. to Wpg and back.


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## RAYAR (Mar 7, 2015)

Welcome 94NDTA ... I'd say you stole that one, nice buy!


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Welcome! Congrats, looks like a great machine, for a great price! Change the oil, etc, but apart from the single (?) flipped skid, it looks in great shape from the pics!


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## 94NDTA (Mar 23, 2015)

Thanks for the kind words, I will of course look through the machine a little closer, but everything worked as best as I could test it. The skids were flipped as part of service on 2013. The machine was purchased in 2007.

The craftsman has been great as far as reliability, and I love the tracks, but it just doesn't have enough power to throw the snow, and isn't high enough. Where I live, it drifts reall bad compared to my neighbors (opening straight west of my driveway).

I'm debating keeping it for nostalgic reasons, but am also running out of room.

The machine I purchased is fairly stout, right? Motor is a Tecumseh, which I have had great success with on other machines, and Ariens is a premium brand. I would love for this thing to last me for a long time.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

94NDTA said:


> I figured it was stolen,


I was.


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## guilateen02 (Nov 23, 2014)

Part out the craftsman if you have the means. Those parts especially, the trac drive bring in some good change. And I'm betting thats a dual shaft engine on there.


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## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

Welcome to SBF 94! 

Nice deal ya got there!

Keep a close eye on those oil levels...check EVERY time before starting.

Also keep the RPMs below 3600 and that Tec should last you a long time!

Hardline makes a really nice hourmeter/tach that simply wraps around the plug wire...mount it to your dash...cheap insurance right there!


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## 94NDTA (Mar 23, 2015)

classiccat said:


> Welcome to SBF 94!
> 
> Nice deal ya got there!
> 
> ...


Now we're talking! What mods can I do to this baby? Hi lift cam? Ported head? Bigger valve?! Maybe air brush some flames on it!



I always ran my old one full throttle, I never even thought of putting on/needing a tach.


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## HillnGullyRider (Feb 9, 2014)

That looks like a 926 series 8526LE


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## 94NDTA (Mar 23, 2015)

HillnGullyRider said:


> That looks like a 926 series 8526LE


It says Ariens Classic 8526, is that the same?


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Welcome to SBF. Looks like you got yourself a great deal on that Ariens.

You say you're wondering what to do with the old Craftsman, and Scrappy started a thread about his mini bike from back in the day, got me to thinking...hmmm...maybe something like this.


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## 94NDTA (Mar 23, 2015)

bwdbrn1 said:


> Welcome to SBF. Looks like you got yourself a great deal on that Ariens.
> 
> You say you're wondering what to do with the old Craftsman, and Scrappy started a thread about his mini bike from back in the day, got me to thinking...hmmm...maybe something like this.
> https://youtu.be/dw42C0kIptE


Lol, Cool but seems like a lot of work to go 5 mph.

I finally got some times to take a closer look at it. It looks pretty good, minus some rust on the Inside of the impeller housing.

What's a good way of stopping the rust from developing further or a paint to help it stop.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

ALOHA from the paradise city.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

94NDTA said:


> Thanks for the kind words, I will of course look through the machine a little closer, but everything worked as best as I could test it. The skids were flipped as part of service on 2013. The machine was purchased in 2007.
> 
> The craftsman has been great as far as reliability, and I love the tracks, but it just doesn't have enough power to throw the snow, and isn't high enough. Where I live, it drifts reall bad compared to my neighbors (opening straight west of my driveway).
> 
> ...


 if you can keep the craftsman as a back up to the ariens


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## 94NDTA (Mar 23, 2015)

Maybe, my wife is not the happiest right now, seeing as we have 2 snowblowers and I didn't even use my old one this year 

I have a friend buying a house soon, and I may gift this to him. Seems to be the trend with that craftsman.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

94NDTA said:


> Maybe, my wife is not the happiest right now, seeing as we have 2 snowblowers and I didn't even use my old one this year
> 
> I have a friend buying a house soon, and I may gift this to him. Seems to be the trend with that craftsman.


 it would make for a nice gift, i had a toro ccr 2000E that i gifted to my niece after she purchased her first house a few years ago


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## rfsdave (Mar 9, 2015)

94NDTA, nice find. If that machine is as in good a condition as the pictures suggest, you got yourself a deal !!!


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

make sure to do the double belt upgrade if your machine doesnt have it done already


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## 94NDTA (Mar 23, 2015)

43128 said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-PQISVTk_I
> 
> make sure to do the double belt upgrade if your machine doesnt have it done already


Thanks, it doesn't. I just checked the belt that was changed In 2013, and it was a single. I will keep this in mind for the future.


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

if you call them they might just give you the kit, it really should be a recall item


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## 94NDTA (Mar 23, 2015)

43128 said:


> if you call them they might just give you the kit, it really should be a recall item


Maybe I will to see what they say. Is there an Ariens rep on this forum?


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