# Thoughts on this used Ariens 524?



## Jgorhan (Dec 14, 2018)

Hi all,
New to the forums, I hope this is the right section to post in. I’m thinking about making an offer on a used Ariens 524 snowblower. It’s listed as 195cc 24 inch and It claims its 6hp, but everything I searched online says that’s a 5hp engine. Does anyone have any suggestions on a fair price? It’s listed at $350. I have a couple hundred feet of sidewalk and a fairly large driveway to take care of. Is this a decent snowblower for my needs? It seems to be in great condition in the pictures and claims to be garage kept and in 100% working condition. Thanks for any advice.


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## SimplicitySolid22 (Nov 18, 2018)

Do you have model Number and serial number available??? Sounds like it might be a little small for what you have to do. How big is your drive way???


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

I would guess you can get a lot more machine for $350. You can in Upstate NY, anyways.


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

The model name 524 means 5hp 24” so if it’s the original engine it’s a 5hp, Ariens are good machines but most st524’s I know are a bit overpriced at $350, In all honesty I would get a Sno-Tek 24” before a older 524 but until we know what vintage it’s hard to say, post up pics from the ad if nothing else.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Hello J,
welcome to the forum!
based on what we know so far, I would say:
1. its probably not going to be big enough for you.
2. Its probably overpriced.

but! we need to know a lot more in order to say for sure! 


Ariens made 524's from 1961 to 2005, thats quite a range!  and very different models.
The only thing they all have in common is a 5hp engine and a 24" scoop.

Ideally we would like to have the Ariens model number, which is located on a tag at the rear of the machine, between the wheels.
Failing that, a photo would help.

We also need to know where you are..city and state is fine.
That will impact both the kind and size of snowblower you want, based on your climate,
and it will also impact price.

thanks,
Scot


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

sscotsman said:


> We also need to know where you are..city and state is fine.
> That will impact both the kind and size of snowblower you want, based on your climate,
> and it will also impact price.


 Definitely. And welcome to the forum! 



Knowing what kind of storms you get, and how often, is part of the question. The person getting 2" of light fluffy snow twice a year needs a different machine than the person getting 12" of heavy stuff every week. 

How big is a "fairly large" driveway? 

To me, $350 for a 524 sounds high. Around here, that would be more of a fair price for an 824, which would be a significantly more capable machine. If you can post pictures, or a link to the ad, that would help. But based on my area (around Boston), it sounds overpriced. 

And depending on how much you need to clear, combined with what kind of snow you get, it could mean you'd be spending a bunch of extra time, clearing somewhat slowly, due to the limited power. But again, I'm biased by our snowfalls. If you get smaller, fluffy storms, 5hp might be fine. It still seems rather expensive for the power, based on prices around here.


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## Jgorhan (Dec 14, 2018)

Thank you for the replies. Having never owned a snowblower before, this is exactly the type of info I was looking for, so thank you. 

To answer some of your questions, I'm located at the Jersey shore, so we get some very heavy snow at times. I live on a corner lot, so I have about 200 feet worth of sidewalks that must get cleaned because the school bus stops at my corner. Also, the driveway is about 60-70 feet, but I typically only clear enough space for our 2 cars. 

I could reach out for the serial and model numbers as they aren't provided on the post, but it seems like it may not be worth the price. The post is on the LetGo app, so I can't share the link directly, but I've linked the two photos they provided. 

https://imgur.com/BkfcRMk
https://imgur.com/cL6iMz4

Thanks for your help.


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## Jgorhan (Dec 14, 2018)

Maybe one of these is a better option?

https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/tls/d/mtdyard-master-snowblower/6736700636.html
https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/grd/d/snowblower/6752179433.html

This is tempting, but it's a bit more than I was looking to spend:

https://cnj.craigslist.org/grd/d/husqvarna-snowblower-24in-9h/6768679852.html

Any opinions would be appreciated.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

overpriced by about $150 and probably underpowered for your needs, look for another.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Based on similarities to my machine, I'm going to guess the 524 is from maybe 2000-2002, somewhere around there. 

I had an MTD 640F, 26" 8hp. I got years of good service out of it, though it wasn't built/designed as well as the Ariens' I've had since. My preference would be Ariens, but that would likely carry a higher price tag, to still be 8+ hp, and 26"+. 

The power-to-width of the 10hp 28" and 8hp 24" are similar. The 10hp will clear faster (and has a bit more power, per inch of bucket width), but obviously stretches the budget a bit further. Out of what you posted, if you're trying to keep cost down, the $250 8hp 24" MTD might be the sweet-spot. 

For any machine, take care of it, and it will take care of you. Use fuel stabilizer. Close the fuel shutoff (if equipped), and run the carb dry, at least at the end of the season. Lubricate it per the manual, and always use the proper shear bolts on the augers, to protect the auger gearbox from damage.


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## Jgorhan (Dec 14, 2018)

RedOctobyr said:


> Based on similarities to my machine, I'm going to guess the 524 is from maybe 2000-2002, somewhere around there.
> 
> I had an MTD 640F, 26" 8hp. I got years of good service out of it, though it wasn't built/designed as well as the Ariens' I've had since. My preference would be Ariens, but that would likely carry a higher price tag, to still be 8+ hp, and 26"+.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the detailed reply. Those are good tips for maintenance. Unfortunately the 8hp 24" MTD is gone already, the poster said it went within hours of posting. The 10hp is still available though. I think I might offer $275 and see how it goes. Does that seem fair or is that a slap in the face? Thanks for the help everyone.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

There seems to be less selection, and higher prices, around you, vs near me. You can certainly offer $275 for the 10hp 28", worst-case they tell you to go away. If it's near you, you could go see it, then offer $275, after evaluating the machine. At least then maybe you're more likely to have a negotiation, vs them simply saying no, and ignoring you. In your favor is the fact that the ad's been up for a few weeks, so maybe you've got a little more negotiating power. 

If you could get it for $300, that would seem pretty good to me, and you definitely won't be under-powered. Having more power than you need is really nice when you get the occasional wet, deep storm, and you can still clear it without struggling.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

The #2 on the side of the 1028 - does that indicate that it is a 2-stage machine, or that it is #2 in a fleet of machines that were used for commercial work ? If the latter, then stay away from it. If the former, then get it - it looks to be a good machine.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Good point about the possibility of commercial use. But zooming in on the pic, it appears to say "2 Stage".


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

It says "2 stage, self propelled"
its a sticker that came with the machine..not related to commercial use.
(plus, commercial users would never use a MTD! 

Scot


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## infiniti30 (Jan 22, 2017)

Make sure you buy soon. Once it starts snowing and prices go way up.


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## Jgorhan (Dec 14, 2018)

Thanks everyone. I’m going to go check it out in person tomorrow. Any red flags I should look out for besides excessive rust and any engine knocks or issues starting?


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

This is worth a watch. donyboy's videos are excellent.


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## Jgorhan (Dec 14, 2018)

That was excellent. Thanks.


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## Freezn (Mar 1, 2014)

8/26 MTD might be worth a look: 
https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/for/d/point-pleasant-beach-mtd-yardmachine-2/6778111282.html


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## videojon (May 1, 2019)

sscotsman said:


> Hello J,
> welcome to the forum!
> based on what we know so far, I would say:
> 1. its probably not going to be big enough for you.
> ...


Would you buy it for $250?


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