# Consumer Reports Loves MTD!



## 90trunk (Nov 30, 2013)

The March 2015 issue of CU is out and the Lab Test Top Ten is dominated by MTD products. (It shouldn't take long for the rabid fanboys to show up...)


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## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

I don't always agree with Consumer Reports' methods of evaluating. Too heavy on features and function, with too little value placed on long term reliability and durability (harder to evaluate)


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## caddydaddy (Dec 10, 2014)

I'm liking my Cub Cadet a lot more than the Ariens I had!


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

Interesting list. I will have to pick it up and read how they did their evaluations.

What does a 5 point difference really reflect? Could the results of the top 11 easily have been flipped?

Cost may be a big factor. As timettime said they really don't look at long term reliability all that well. They do a pretty good job of this with cars but not other products.

6 of the top 11 are MTD's. I know Cub Cadet is owned by MTD but it's designs are a bit different than the core MTD products. I am not sure if they are a subsidiary who they let do their own thing to some extent.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Looks like they put them in reverse order.


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## Pathfinder13 (Feb 28, 2014)

time2time said:


> I don't always agree with Consumer Reports' methods of evaluating. Too heavy on features and function, with too little value placed on long term reliability and durability (harder to evaluate)


+1 on that, pretty much exactly what I was thinking long-term durability .. tough to simulate unless something happens to break while they're testing. Also they tend to test what is popular and widely available in the big-box stores. 

That said, I do like the CR for certain things. Maybe not so much for yard equipment.


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## Pathfinder13 (Feb 28, 2014)

Toro-8-2-4 said:


> Interesting list. I will have to pick it up and read how they did their evaluations.
> 
> What does a 5 point difference really reflect? Could the results of the top 11 easily have been flipped?
> 
> ...



I think I saw on YouTube them doing testing on snowblowers with wet sawdust ...something in my mind sparks a memory of seeing that. Now you got me curious and I'm going to have to go look it up tonight again.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

caddydaddy said:


> I'm liking my Cub Cadet a lot more than the Ariens I had!


Do you realize that that this statement is going to go against a small yet very vocal group of people here who intensely dislike MTD. I Do not automatically hate on things without first looking at and evaluating the product first. If it is a well made well working product I am not afraid to say so. Despite its country of origin or company of origin.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

GustoGuy said:


> Do you realize that that this statement is going to go against a small yet very vocal group of people here who intensely dislike MTD. I Do not automatically hate on things without first looking at and evaluating, the product first. If it is a well made well working product I am not afraid to say so. Despite its country of origin or company of origin.


And the people who instensely dislike MTD do so for the same reasons you emphasized: looking at and evaluating the product, and arriving at a conclusion based on that evaluation..MTD is disliked for a reason, because they are usually worthy of being disliked, compared to other makes.

And no one here "automatically hates on" anything for no good reason. you automatically made up that judgement without first looking at and evaluating why they hold the opinions they do! 

Scot


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

90trunk said:


> The March 2015 issue of CU is out and the Lab Test Top Ten is dominated by MTD products. (It shouldn't take long for the rabid fanboys to show up...)


You Proved his point here exactly. I say I look at stuff. I evaluate. And if it is a bad product then I will say so.* I do not automactically hate on things*. I do like Ariens. They are still in bussiness because they do make excellent snowblowers. Likewise some of the higher end MTD machines are also decent to very good snowblowers as well. They are not Hondas per say yet they still are a good running excellent products especially for the price they are sold at. You and I are not all that different Scott in that we appreciate high quaility Equipment. I did maintanence for years and I know my way around a wrench. Unfortunately Briggs and yes the now demised Tecumseh were not always the very best products on the market. I am just not afraid to say so however.


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## AriensPro1128 (Nov 9, 2014)

Some posters think their 50 or 60 inches of snowfall in a season is a lot of snow. Their MTD products seem to be lasting a lifetime. I live on a private road road in central NH where most residential roads are private so the town does not have to maintain them. Not only do I do my own driveway but also neighbors and hundred of square feet of end-of-road piles that quite often contains some 3 to 6 rock kicked up by the plow if the road isn't frozen rock hard. The truck makes one pass to the end of the road, back up, and and then makes another pass widening it a bit. I am one of those Arien lovers because my 2002 commercial has not needed a single repair doing all of the above year-after-year. How many MTD models do you think would stand up to this abuse?


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## caddydaddy (Dec 10, 2014)

sscotsman said:


> And the people who instensely dislike MTD do so for the same reasons you emphasized: looking at and evaluating the product, and arriving at a conclusion based on that evaluation..MTD is disliked for a reason, because they are usually worthy of being disliked, compared to other makes.
> 
> 
> Scot


I had 2 problems, 1 very major, with my Ariens within the 1st month of ownership. Zero problems with my Cub Cadet so far. 
I guess time will tell how well this Cub Cadet holds up!


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

And yes, as others have said, the problem with Consumer Reports is that they only rate snowblowers when they are _brand new_, long term reliability isn't even a factor..a brand new Kia might compare favorably with a brand new Honda Civic, but the Kia isn't going to last 250,000 miles and 20 years, which the Honda will do with ease. And the Kia will also cost a lot more in repairs over its shorter 10 year lifespan than the Honda..anything looks fairly decent when its brand new, but that's only a fraction of what should be considered for a complete evaluation..its just a fact that not all brands are equal quality.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

AriensPro1128 said:


> Some posters think their 50 or 60 inches of snowfall in a season is a lot of snow. Their MTD products seem to be lasting a lifetime. I live on a private road road in central NH where most residential roads are private so the town does not have to maintain them. Not only do I do my own driveway but also neighbors and hundred of square feet of end-of-road piles that quite often contains some 3 to 6 rock kicked up by the plow if the road isn't frozen rock hard. The truck makes one pass to the end of the road, back up, and and then makes another pass widening it a bit. I am one of those Arien lovers because my 2002 commercial has not needed a single repair doing all of the above year-after-year. How many MTD models do you think would stand up to this abuse?


*It should because it is a commercial made blower*. We have to compare simular products. Comparing a super duty pick up Truck to a car based cross over SUV is not exactly a fair comparision. However for the higher price you paid for your Commercial blower it should be the better product. I say Compare simular machines in simular price points and then base your conclusion on how they preform. Yes Ariens makes excellent machines. Likewise for the average homeowner the higher end MTD products are certainly up to the task as well.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

caddydaddy said:


> I had 2 problems, 1 very major, with my Ariens within the 1st month of ownership. Zero problems with my Cub Cadet so far.
> I guess time will tell how well this Cub Cadet holds up!


That's great! I'm glad to hear your Cub is doing well..but just remember, a sample size of one is not statistically significant!  10,000 Ariens compared to 10,000 Cub Cadets will tell a different story..

Scot


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

sscotsman said:


> And yes, as others have said, the problem with Consumer Reports is that they only rate snowblowers when they are _brand new_, long term reliability isn't even a factor..a brand new Kia might compare favorably with a brand new Honda Civic, but the Kia isn't going to last 250,000 miles and 20 years, which the Honda will do with ease. And the Kia will also cost a lot more in repairs over its shorter 10 year lifespan than the Honda..anything looks fairly decent when its brand new, but that's only a fraction of what should be considered for a complete evaluation..its just a fact that not all brands are equal quality.


I actually own a Hyundai and they incidentally own Kia as well. It is a very reliable and dependable car. Plus Hyundai actually employs thousands of American workers in Alabama. May be Ford could take a look at what Hyundai is doing and bring back some of those jobs from Mexico back here to the USA. I am well aware of your dislike for Hyundia and Kia in your thousands of posts. Have you ever owned a Hyundia or Kia? Prove to me that they are bad cars. 
PS I have 361,000 miles on my Hyundai


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## 90trunk (Nov 30, 2013)

GustoGuy said:


> You Proved his point here exactly.


...and it took less than two hours.

FWIW, I backed into MTD ownership via a Craigslist deal that was too good to pass up. I found that they are stone simple to work on and parts availability is fantastic. Nothing but normal preventive maintenance and replacement of wear items to report on. My Honda HS621 has been great too! I'm pretty brand agnostic when it comes to OPE. As long as it works for you, I'm not going to badmouth your brand. 

Off to blow some more DTW snow...


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## caddydaddy (Dec 10, 2014)

sscotsman said:


> That's great! I'm glad to hear your Cub is doing well..but just remember, a sample size of one is not statistically significant!  10,000 Ariens compared to 10,000 Cub Cadets will tell a different story..
> 
> Scot


Well, so far it's 1 bad Ariens and 1 good Cub Cadet. The sampling continues....


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

90trunk said:


> ...and it took less than two hours.
> 
> FWIW, I backed into MTD ownership via a Craigslist deal that was too good to pass up. I found that they are stone simple to work on and parts availability is fantastic. Nothing but normal preventive maintenance and replacement of wear items to report on. My Honda HS621 has been fantastic too! I'm pretty brand agnostic when it comes to OPE. As long as it works for you, I'm not going to badmouth your brand.
> 
> Off to blow some more DTW snow...


  
 I say do your maintenance and for the most part your machine will last. Higher price points are usually consistent with higher quality but not always. Companies that do not provide a decent reliable product as expected by the consumer are doomed to fail. It simple economics 101. Most people will look at a products initial quality and reliability and some look at historical reliability and make a decision. Some however will continue to order the same product no matter how it performs whether good or bad against the competition. Product loyalty is continually earned and not a given. Honda has and will continue to be an innovator while unfortunately some companies stopped innovating or felt it was not important and ended up doomed to the dustbins of history.


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## Ray 1962 10ML60 (Oct 14, 2011)

Hey guys, not that I'm trying to get in the middle of this dogfight, but the top 10 on this list we are arguing about are separated by only 5 points...which means to me they are virtually the same ratings wise. We all love our machines/brands for our own reasons, now let's go blow some snow!!!


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## AriensPro1128 (Nov 9, 2014)

GustoGuy, and which MTD product might that be? I know some of the "higher end" products are priced near commercial model prices, but is the build quality the same? BTW, I bought mine used for $650. I believe according tothis forum that MTD started in the snowblower business in the mid -1980s? Are OEM parts for their first blowers even available? Honda and Toro to-a-degree are. Some of those with old Yamaha are retiring good snowblowers due to a lack of parts. The common thread about Chinese made products is that repair parts are not available. I agree that the CCR report is in the inverse order it should be if my opinion isn't obvious.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

AriensPro1128 said:


> GustoGuy, and which MTD product might that be? I know some of the "higher end" products are priced near commercial model prices, but is the build quality the same? BTW, I bought mine used for $650. I believe according tothis forum that MTD started in the snowblower business in the mid -1980s? Are OEM parts for their first blowers even available? Honda and Toro to-a-degree are. Some of those with old Yamaha are retiring good snowblowers due to a lack of parts. The common thread about Chinese made products is that repair parts are not available. I agree that the CCR report is in the inverse order it should be if my opinion isn't obvious.


 
Of course I do not lump all MTD products into the same basket. Low-end models are like I said low-end models. I say look at the product to see if it will meet your snow blowing needs. A brand new Commercial grade Ariens or Honda is pretty much overkill for the average homeowner. Likewise not all MTD machines are bad. Yes some of the low-end stuff is less than ideal for me too yet the very best MTD has to offer is often of very decent quality and at a price point that most consumers would like. Cub Cadet 3X machines are not bad machines at all.


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## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

T824 noted that CU does a good job evaluating cars.. I always feel like they offer some really good information in their annualApril car issue. I think that their car reliability evaluations are a major part of their content (and sales). Cars are a huge market, with many billions in sales, lots of buyers, a lot of available information, and much research. 

Snow blowers are a much smaller niche market. It may not be the same bread and butter to CU as cars, but it is certainly not an unimportant topic for the guy who lives in the snow belt and has to keep thousands of SF clear of snow.


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## time2time (Jan 8, 2015)

Pathfinder13 said:


> I think I saw on YouTube them doing testing on snowblowers with wet sawdust


I believe they are based in Yonkers, NY. Not enough snow there to really test well, so they are forced to simulate. Also a lot of lead time- to publish in time for the winter buying season, they probably have to do their testing in summer, or by the fall.


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## 90trunk (Nov 30, 2013)

AriensPro1128 said:


> I believe according tothis forum that MTD started in the snowblower business in the mid -1980s? Are OEM parts for their first blowers even available?



That's a good question. I went over to Parts Tree for a second and I see listings for MTD snowblower parts back to 1985. The Cub Cadet listing is even deeper, going back to IH ownership. The Troy-Bilt listing went to 2003. That's as far as I poked around. They have quite a few brands to cross shop if you if you had to come up with something odd to get one of their units back in service. 

Parts Tree MTD Snowblower Parts Listing


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## HJames (Oct 28, 2013)

AriensPro1128 said:


> GustoGuy, and which MTD product might that be? I know some of the "higher end" products are priced near commercial model prices, but is the build quality the same? BTW, I bought mine used for $650. I believe according tothis forum that MTD started in the snowblower business in the mid -1980s? Are OEM parts for their first blowers even available? Honda and Toro to-a-degree are. Some of those with old Yamaha are retiring good snowblowers due to a lack of parts. The common thread about Chinese made products is that repair parts are not available. I agree that the CCR report is in the inverse order it should be if my opinion isn't obvious.


Early model MTD parts availability is the same as early model Ariens and Toro 50/50 shot to find tractor and bucket parts. A lack of parts availability for Chinese made engines and snow blowers is over blown. Most made in China snow blowers are based on MTD design and parts are interchangeable Parts for made in China engine are available through the snow blower manufacturer or directly from the engine manufacturer. I've yet to have a problem finding parts for any of the new made in China engines that I've worked on including Loncin, Powermore and LCT. I was at a local Ariens dealer recently to get a belt for my 1968 10m6d and I was told they would have to order it for me because he only stocks parts for the last 3 model years sold. I ended up ordering the belt myself and saving money. Everything is available online and the brick and mortar stores are stocking less of a variety of parts everyday.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

HJames said:


> Early model MTD parts availability is the same as early model Ariens and Toro 50/50 shot to find tractor and bucket parts. A lack of parts availability for Chinese made engines and snow blowers is over blown. Most made in China snow blowers are based on MTD design and parts are interchangeable Parts for made in China engine are available through the snow blower manufacturer or directly from the engine manufacturer. I've yet to have a problem finding parts for any of the new made in China engines that I've worked on including Loncin, Powermore and LCT. I was at a local Ariens dealer recently to get a belt for my 1968 10m6d and I was told they would have to order it for me because he only stocks parts for the last 3 model years sold. I ended up ordering the belt myself and saving money. Everything is available online and the brick and mortar stores are stocking less of a variety of parts everyday.


 Exactly. You can easily get parts for HF Predator engines. Just go to Oldminibikes.com store OMB. They have stock parts as well as billet connecting rods and billet flywheels. You can build a beast of an engine if you want too. What’s nice is the HF Predator is $99.99 with coupon and it is a great running easy to start engine that has good components in it. Cast iron cylinder liner and dual ball bearing support crank. The engine is built much like the Honda GX series engines for 1/3rd the cost.


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

*Bingo*



time2time said:


> with too little value placed on long term reliability and durability (harder to evaluate)


 Agree. 110% ! Who knows how their top choices will be doing after 10 yrs of use.

(I had a 2006 MTD, 8.5/26. The machine did right by us. I have no complaints. Bought it for $700, sold it for $325 last year.)


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

uberT said:


> Agree. 110% ! Who knows how their top choices will be doing after 10 yrs of use.
> 
> (I had a 2006 MTD, 8.5/26. The machine did right by us. I have no complaints. Bought it for $700, sold it for $325 last year.)


  Thank you. Yes, High-end MTD machines are decent quality. Thank you for being unbiased and factual in your evaluation. I am tired of all the product basing that goes on here by a small yet very vocal minority. I say look at the products carefully and evaluate them based upon their initial quality and availability of repair parts. I also believe in maintenance to keep your product running well. Consumer reports is a good publication that gets their support only from its Subscribers who pay subscriptions. It does not take it support or advertising dollars from manufactures so it can remain unbiased.


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## Pathfinder13 (Feb 28, 2014)

sscotsman said:


> And the people who instensely dislike MTD do so for the same reasons you emphasized: looking at and evaluating the product, and arriving at a conclusion based on that evaluation..MTD is disliked for a reason, because they are usually worthy of being disliked, compared to other makes.
> 
> And no one here "automatically hates on" anything for no good reason. you automatically made up that judgement without first looking at and evaluating why they hold the opinions they do!
> 
> Scot


Exactly Scot ! But I have a couple reservations on the old ones.

I bought an MTD back in '93 and that was one heck of a good strong blower (10hp/24") I sold it in '99 when I moved and didn't need one for a few years and my dad bought one in '95 same machine as mine but it has a headlight and it's still going strong with good maintenance. That being said, that was a while back and they made the more solid back then although the steel is STILL not a thick on it as it is on my '91Toro . 

Today it's a different story , I look at the products in the big box stores just for kicks sometimes and I find the MTD yard machines and most of their other lines are very thin metal and I would stay away from it or just except the fact that we have to keep it clean and prevent corrosion because metal gets thinner very quick on these. And you can't expect it to last 40 years like the old Ariens,Toro, ect. that we see still in service. The chassis even flex a little. Heck I even looked at Simplicity at a dealer and the Signature ProSeries is still built like a tank ! ..but the lower end machine don't appear nearly as sturdy, kinda thin and the handlebars even flex a bit. 

A good rule of thumb is if you are buying new you pretty much "usually" get what you pay for.


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## 90trunk (Nov 30, 2013)

time2time said:


> I believe they are based in Yonkers, NY. Not enough snow there to really test well, so they are forced to simulate. Also a lot of lead time- to publish in time for the winter buying season, they probably have to do their testing in summer, or by the fall.


Yonkers, NY is correct. I found that they only have a 34" average snowfall there.

Here is a link to a short video of CR evaluating the snowblowers. Click on it to find out why they use sawdust to test your favorite brand on a level playing field...


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## pfn (Dec 24, 2010)

I think the CR test shown above may not be perfect, I doubt sawdust packs like wet snow, but it seems fair.
In this discussion I'm with GustoGuy. While it is true some manufacturers products are generally better that others I see no reason to buy more machine than you need which is exactly what I did. I have an Ariens Pro that is well maintained. I'm 66. That machine will outlive my kids. Do I need a snowblower that will last longer than me? A MTD or a less expensive Ariens would have served me as well imo.


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## HJames (Oct 28, 2013)

GustoGuy said:


> HJames said:
> 
> 
> > Early model MTD parts availability is the same as early model Ariens and Toro 50/50 shot to find tractor and bucket parts. A lack of parts availability for Chinese made engines and snow blowers is over blown. Most made in China snow blowers are based on MTD design and parts are interchangeable Parts for made in China engine are available through the snow blower manufacturer or directly from the engine manufacturer. I've yet to have a problem finding parts for any of the new made in China engines that I've worked on including Loncin, Powermore and LCT. I was at a local Ariens dealer recently to get a belt for my 1968 10m6d and I was told they would have to order it for me because he only stocks parts for the last 3 model years sold. I ended up ordering the belt myself and saving money. Everything is available online and the brick and mortar stores are stocking less of a variety of parts everyday.
> ...


Yeah...there are alot of sites that sell parts for the 212cc predator as well. My point is that so much is made of these new Chinese engines being cheap throw away motors, when in fact the parts availability is equal to if not greater than that of Briggs and Tecumseh at this time. I have a Briggs and a Tecumseh that were manufactured in 2005 that are sitting in my shed stripped of all usable parts and waiting to be thrown away due to large hole in the blocks. I can't get a new block for either one but I can get new blocks for my Chinese made engines if need be.


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## Hanky (Nov 14, 2014)

I do not know what to think or say. But My 18 year old Craftsman I just sold to buy my new Toro I had no Problems with and My Toro has had many small problems and will go back to the dealer latter on this week. I still like to believe that Toro makes a great product??


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Hanky said:


> I do not know what to think or say. But My 18 year old Craftsman I just sold to buy my new Toro I had no Problems with and My Toro has had many small problems and will go back to the dealer latter on this week. I still like to believe that Toro makes a great product??


  
 Well at one time Toro was totally made here in Minnesota in the USA. Now all the 2 stage Toro snow blowers are made in Mexico. MTD still makes it snow blowers here in the USA. Innovation and quality needs to be earned and once in a while companies like Toro think they can save money and rest on their laurels are often shocked when competitor’s machines leapfrog theirs in quality. Yes, you usually get what you pay for in quality, however once in a while quality can take a back seat to cost cutting.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

GustoGuy said:


> Thank you. Yes, High-end MTD machines are decent quality. Thank you for being unbiased and factual in your evaluation. I am tired of all the product basing that goes on here by a small yet very vocal minority. I say look at the products carefully and evaluate them based upon their initial quality and availability of repair parts. I also believe in maintenance to keep your product running well. Consumer reports is a good publication that gets their support only from its Subscribers who pay subscriptions. It does not take it support or advertising dollars from manufactures so it can remain unbiased.


I already explained that the "anti-MTD" opinions on this forum are based on the products and their performance..yet you still insist on depicting those opinions as somehow unworthy and "brand biased", even though those opinions are well earned by the brands and the machines..earned by  looking at the products carefully and evaluating them based upon their initial quality and long term reliability.

 I am tired of all the unwarranted forum member bashing that goes on here by a small yet very vocal minority of one..you.

Scot


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## puppycat (Oct 30, 2014)

GustoGuy said:


> Thank you. Yes, High-end MTD machines are decent quality. Thank you for being unbiased and factual in your evaluation. I am tired of all the product basing that goes on here by a small yet very vocal minority. I say look at the products carefully and evaluate them based upon their initial quality and availability of repair parts. I also believe in maintenance to keep your product running well. Consumer reports is a good publication that gets their support only from its Subscribers who pay subscriptions. It does not take it support or advertising dollars from manufactures so it can remain unbiased.


And you believe that line of bull. Come on now.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

if someone wants to buy an mtd its their coin so have at it. will it last as long as my toro? I don't know. I saw my new neighbor out with his newer craftsman two stage snowblower earlier today and it was doing a good job. I just sold my craftsman two stage snowblower a few days ago, i bought it new in '03. the four times I used it, it did a good job of blowing snow. I sold it more out of frustration and the fact that I knew I wouldn't be happy with it. the guy I sold the craftsman to said his uncle had one just like it that he had used. he also said the craftsman worked real good. he's happy with the craftsman and I'm happy its with someone that wanted it


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Yawwwnnn.... 
This really ought to stop.


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## AL- (Oct 27, 2014)

*I think we could get into over thinking a bit*

I think we could get into over thinking a bit... but there is some very good *sincere* information,


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## Pathfinder13 (Feb 28, 2014)

Hanky said:


> I do not know what to think or say. But My 18 year old Craftsman I just sold to buy my new Toro I had no Problems with and My Toro has had many small problems and will go back to the dealer latter on this week. I still like to believe that Toro makes a great product??


That's a good point Hank. It may be that Toro isn't what it used to be too. I cannot make a conclusion there as your's is the first I personally have heard of that has problems, but I'v been paying more attention to old machines than new. I want to learn more about the newer units as I may have to help someone pick out a new one next season. At least it's looking like it.


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## scrappy (Dec 7, 2014)

I never put any merit to CR or any published reports. Motor Trend for example voted 1971 car of the year... Chevrolet Vega. Geez that one was a winner. 2015 truck of the year is Colorado. Both years were brand new unproven models. 

I will stick with common sense. Ariens, Toro Honda. And anything older than 10 yrs has proven itself.

Maybe CR should bring all the models way up north To Canada or Alaska for a real evaluation. How it works, starts, blows chunks of real EOD when its below freezing. Pretty sure the wet saw dust test has no merit.


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## Toro-8-2-4 (Dec 28, 2013)

That saw dust test is certainly limited and leaves out many real world issues. Big chunks of ice, cold weather and slush just for a few. 

I will reserve full judgment until I read the entire article.

To Scrappy's point, trade magazines can favor to sponsors. On the other hand CR is suppose to be independent and does not take advertisements to avoid conflicts of interest.


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## ih8thepackers (Jan 4, 2014)

I own a 10 year old Ariens,and I love it...I previously owned a 20 year old Mtd built blower.that had carburater problems was very unreliable.because ran like ****,and a lot of times wouldn't start.I can't say it was Mtd's fault it had a Tecumseh motor,same as my Ariens.I can say there was a big difference in build quality in the 2.The Mtd had a plastic shute,and the metal seemed flimsy.And my Ariens has a metal shute,and thicker metal.The Mtd lasted 20 years,but the previous owner took care of it,kept it clean,he used to spray the whole thing down with Wd-40.I have to agree with whoever mentioned in this thread about maintenance, is a big factor in reliability no matter what brand you own....but that being said I would never trade my Ariens for a Mtd!! But whatever you own take good care of it.who cares what you own,as long as it works,and you like it!!!!


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## scrappy (Dec 7, 2014)

I just read the CR about sun tan lotions. They were in Alaska, they used a UV light. The cheapo no name brand SPF50 works just as well as the expensive brands.


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## driz (Dec 19, 2013)

time2time said:


> T824 noted that CU does a good job evaluating cars.. I always feel like they offer some really good information in their annualApril car issue. I think that their car reliability evaluations are a major part of their content (and sales). Cars are a huge market, with many billions in sales, lots of buyers, a lot of available information, and much research.
> 
> Snow blowers are a much smaller niche market. It may not be the same bread and butter to CU as cars, but it is certainly not an unimportant topic for the guy who lives in the snow belt and has to keep thousands of SF clear of snow.



The thing i find most useful in CU is their section on consumer reported issues and problems. That's the meat and potatoes of machines much more so than the dial and gauge placement and other bells and whistles. Much of those are subjective. _ What i always want to know is What Breaks with regularity._ Much of the rest is personal preference and subjective.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

Ray 1962 10ML60 said:


> Hey guys, not that I'm trying to get in the middle of this dogfight, but the top 10 on this list we are arguing about are separated by only 5 points...which means to me they are virtually the same ratings wise. We all love our machines/brands for our own reasons, now let's go blow some snow!!!


 does DRYWALL DUST COUNT ALSO.


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