# Ariens Surprise!



## Eafoxjr (Feb 24, 2016)

Included in today's newspaper was the weekly Lowes ad that had Ariens snow blowers. Looks like the same lineup as Home Depot. Very interesting.
I would still only purchase from a local dealer though.


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## toroused (Mar 1, 2015)

Agree - exact same line-up. I was in Home Depot yesterday and also saw the Lowe's circular this morning. Price appeared the exact same in both big box stores as well. Surprising, as Lowe's was always a Troy/Club Cadet/Husky seller. Maybe the bottom line to all of this is that this puts a lot of future repair volume in the dealer network, thus making the dealers happy. And thus putting a different subset of future customers in their physical stores....


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## scrappy (Dec 7, 2014)

toroused said:


> And thus putting a different subset of future customers in their physical stores....


UHH, a what subset..? 

Duuude, you lost me there


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## stromr (Jul 20, 2016)

A subset is a part of a group, or in this case the consumers who buy their snowblower at Lowes/Home Depot are a subset of all the consumers who bought a snowblower.

It brings to mind the argument of do you get better service if you buy from a dealer as opposed to the big box store. In this case Ariens may have cut some sort of deal with their dealers to service all snowblowers equally regardless of where they were bought.

If the dealer doesn't see you as a subset of owners and just sees you as a potential customer for service he could cut his floorplan inventory and make money doing more service while stocking less machines. The old win win!


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

Interesting point stromr. I have to think that Home Depot is not happy about this. Ariens as a business is always looking for ways to increase its market share and now offering their quality machines through an additional big box will most certainly achieve that goal. The consumer also wins because they now have greater access to an excellent product.

As you said the dealers will likely benefit from an increase in service dollars through "white glove deliveries" for the big boxes, maintenance, repairs and warranty work. The dealers at this point still have exclusive access to the Platinum series machines and I believe some or most of the Pro series.


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

At least around here the Lowes web page shows Ariens. When you drill down, they are not available at the local stores or for direct ship to home. Effectively there, but not there.

Bob


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## Eafoxjr (Feb 24, 2016)

*New models*

Probably the new Pantham models.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Pantham?


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## Eafoxjr (Feb 24, 2016)

*Yep*

Like Uncle Bob said. They are there but not there.


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## Clutch Cargo (Dec 27, 2015)

Was at HD yesterday picking up some calking and checked out a few Ariens machines. Nice, but hate to say it, snowblowers in general are getting less sturdy by the year. Thinner metal, less and smaller fasteners, etc. I might still buy one at some point though, just for the more modern engine.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Clutch Cargo said:


> I might still buy one at some point though, just for the more modern engine.


Are you thinking EFI engine....??? :blush::blush::blush:


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## Clutch Cargo (Dec 27, 2015)

OHV - I'm living with an HMSK 80 (2 shaft) on my machine.


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Clutch Cargo said:


> OHV - I'm living with an HMSK 80 (2 shaft) on my machine.


If it was just for the engine, you can always repower your old heavy duty unit with an OHV engine (not as simple as a single shaft, but its doable) and have "both worlds"...... :blush::blush::blush: 
Or get an older heavy duty machine with a single shaft engine and repower it with an OHV engine. :blush::blush::blush:


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## uncle_bob (Aug 27, 2016)

Hi

HD is interesting. They put some of the worst assembled stuff out on the floor I have ever seen. The stuff I have bought from them is way better than what is on the floor. It is in no way snowblower specific. The toolbox on the floor is assembled wrong and has the top caved in. The one you get in the box is fine. 

Strange way to run a business. If they put it together I'm not buying it....

Bob


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

Granted it is only early September, however no Ariens snowblowers in sight at one of the 2 local Lowes stores in my county. Only the usual suspects.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Clutch Cargo said:


> Was at HD yesterday picking up some calking and checked out a few Ariens machines. Nice, but hate to say it, snowblowers in general are getting less sturdy by the year. Thinner metal, less and smaller fasteners, etc. I might still buy one at some point though, just for the more modern engine.


Or get an older quality machine with a blown engine for cheap and drop a new engine on it. Best of both worlds. :hope:


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> Or get an older quality machine with a blown engine for cheap and drop a new engine on it. Best of both worlds. :hope:


That was sort of my suggestion too...... :blush::blush:


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

Clutch Cargo said:


> Was at HD yesterday picking up some calking and checked out a few Ariens machines. Nice, but hate to say it, snowblowers in general are getting less sturdy by the year. Thinner metal, less and smaller fasteners, etc. I might still buy one at some point though, just for the more modern engine.


I hear ya, kinda the new world order pay more and get less as the years go on. 

IMHO as far as snow blower brands available in the U.S. Are concerned, Ariens machines are still built heavy duty relative to what the current offerings from other manufacturers with the exception of Honda. However for a Honda 2 stage you will need a hefty budget.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

hsblowersfan said:


> That was sort of my suggestion too...... :blush::blush:



For me I wouldn't go through the trouble of converting a two shaft over unless I just couldn't part with it.

That said I found out my earthquake tiller has a 5hp OHV two shaft on it so maybe a newer OHV might not be that hard to find and retrofit to an older machine.

I always think of the original flathead dual shafts and they are getting scarce.


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## wdb (Dec 15, 2013)

Eafoxjr said:


> Probably the new Pantham models.





sscotsman said:


> Pantham?


I'm guessing the new model is a *Phantom*. Either that or they're making them in India now.


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## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

My local Lowes says they have 5 in stock of the deluxe 24's


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## YSHSfan (Jun 25, 2014)

I was at my local Lowe's store today and they had 3 Ariens on display: Deluxe 30, Deluxe 28 and Compact 24.


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

Yup. Just like the 3 Home Depot usually have lined up.


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## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

Its interesting that they wont carry the deluxe 24's. A have local store named Runnings that has Deluxe 24's in stock. The different thing with them though is they do the service for them unlike home depot which sends you to a local dealer.


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## tdipaul (Jul 11, 2015)

There's a nice lineup of Deluxe models at my local Lowes in Hillsborough, NJ




If I hadn't purchased my Snowmaster last year I'd be all over the Deluxe 24 it's one a heck of a machine for $999!





Some classy new touches for this year:


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## Grogey (Aug 18, 2016)

Yeah all I saw at my local lowes was all of the standard line up expect the deluxe 24, weird.

Love seeing the made in USA stickers, to bad the engines weren't though.


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## SnoThro (Feb 20, 2016)

Cardo111 said:


> I hear ya, kinda the new world order pay more and get less as the years go on.
> 
> IMHO as far as snow blower brands available in the U.S. Are concerned, Ariens machines are still built heavy duty relative to what the current offerings from other manufacturers with the exception of Honda. However for a Honda 2 stage you will need a hefty budget.


Except you aren't paying more, you're paying less. Bear in mind manufacturers are always fighting inflation. Raw materials cost more, manufacturing costs more, labor costs more. 40 years ago a member of the working middle class would be buying a $800 Ariens on a 22k income, today that same persons income is 56k yet the blower price is roughly the same.


Fact is Ariens has held their price bracket in pretty much the same area for decades despite manufacturing costs increasing, obviously there will be a trade off. Honda's are built better because they've chosen a significantly higher price bracket so they can afford to build better but nothing is immune to the effects of inflation.




Grogey said:


> Yeah all I saw at my local lowes was all of the standard line up expect the deluxe 24, weird.
> 
> Love seeing the made in USA stickers, to bad the engines weren't though.


Actually says "with global materials" in smaller print under it.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Our local blue big box store has a whole pile of Ariens blowers sitting out front, along with the Troy Bilt stuff. I don't bother looking at any of them since I will never be buying anything new. I don't know what models they had but I'll let you know next time I visit the store.
*Just got back from Lowes and they have Deluxe 24", 28", and 30" Ariens in stock. Also stocking and displaying Husqvarna blowers as well as Troy Bilt blowers.*


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

SnoThro said:


> Except you aren't paying more, you're paying less. Bear in mind manufacturers are always fighting inflation. Raw materials cost more, manufacturing costs more, labor costs more. 40 years ago a member of the working middle class would be buying a $800 Ariens on a 22k income, today that same persons income is 56k yet the blower price is roughly the same.
> 
> 
> Fact is Ariens has held their price bracket in pretty much the same area for decades despite manufacturing costs increasing, obviously there will be a trade off. Honda's are built better because they've chosen a significantly higher price bracket so they can afford to build better but nothing is immune to the effects of inflation."
> ...


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