# What Do You Think Of This Snowblower?



## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

I am looking to buy a new snowblower before next winter, which is October-ish around here, I have an older 5 hp 23 inch that is starting to struggle with the snow we receive here in Canada, so I want something more powerful. My budget is up to $1800 Canadian which is around $1300 USD or there abouts.

In that price range around here pretty much every blower is around 24 inches 200-225cc engine size,

I came across this 30 inch snowblower 338cc for only $1100 (around $800-ish USD), where as all other 30 inch blowers I see around here are well over $2000

this just seems too good to be true....is this a matter of "you get what you pay for"?

The engine is "Champion"" brand, which I never heard of, but after some research, I found this website.....






Champion Power Equipment


Powering Your Life




www.championpowerequipment.com





I am very skeptical.....any opinions from the experts here?

Am I better off buying a smaller 24 inch brand name blower?

Here is the link to the snowblower......



https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/certified-338cc-2-stage-gas-snowblower-30-in-0603744p.html#srp


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

jerryvvv said:


> I am very skeptical....


I don't really have anything to back this up, but I would be also. Wish I had real advice.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

It took me a bit to find the 100% made in china list.
Post number 307.








"Made in the USA" versus "Made in China"


We need companies with pensions or we need better education in school on how to make sure you can survive when you retire. A pension becomes a pretty big deal after a while and I would personally take a couple dollar pay cut if it meant a pension.




www.snowblowerforum.com


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

depends. how much annual snow, wet/dry, flat /slope. dirt gravel asphalt

also depends on dealer/parts availability.

Am leary of this brand. perhaps TORO or ARIENS. Known brands and Known good service in your price range.


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## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

orangputeh said:


> depends. how much annual snow, wet/dry, flat /slope. dirt gravel asphalt



my driveway is paved and flat, it would fit about 6 cars parked 2 side by side, 3 rows

i used my old blower about once a week during winter, it does the job for the most part, but it struggles if we get a big storm,

i have to go so slow in heavy snow or the engine will stall, thats why i want something more powerful,

would i be better off with something like this....for almost same price, although it is smaller and less powerful....



https://www.homedepot.ca/product/ariens-classic-24-inch-2-stage-120v-electric-start-snowblower-with-208cc-ariens-ax-engine/1001057170


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

jerryvvv said:


> this just seems too good to be true....is this a matter of "you get what you pay for"?


Hi Jerry,

You are correct with your statement "you get what you pay for" .

I would steer clear of this snowblower, there are many better choices that fall into your price range, especially with the great deals on used blowers right now and through out the summer and fall.

Video for what to look for buying a used snowblower:






I would recommend Ariens, Toro or Simplicity. A used Honda will probably be out of your price range in Canada.

Do you have a very large driveway to clear and that is why you are looking at 30" machines? A 24 or 28" may only require 1 or 2 additional passes and are easier to maneuver, store and fit between man doors.

If a used blower is not a consideration, there may be some great deals this year on new blowers as well, especially before the snow comes. I would call around to some local dealers (Ariens, Toro, Simplicity) and see if they have any deals (they may be very hungry to make a sale).

I purchased a new Ariens Deluxe 28 SHO from a dealer in mid February 2019 for less than $1800.00 not including tax, it was marked down a little over 20%.
I am very happy with the blower it handled a 2 foot snowfall this winter with no problem. I also have a very large gravel drive.

Good luck, I would start your seach now for a better chance to negotiate a good deal and find just the right machine.


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## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

Ziggy65 said:


> Do you have a very large driveway to clear and that is why you are looking at 30" machines? A 24 or 28" may only require 1 or 2 additional passes and are easier to maneuver, store and fit between man doors.


thanks for the reply,

im not specifically wanting a 30 inch, i think what im looking for is the most powerful snowblower for my price range, regardless of width

correct me if i am wrong here, but i just assumed this 30 inch blower would be a lot more powerful then most 24 inch blowers as it has a 338cc as opposed to a 200-225cc,

i am very handy with repairs and maint, on snowblowers, so thats not an issue, i was considering a used one, but i have the extra cash, so im thinking about treating myself to something new


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## Honda1132 (Sep 2, 2016)

They should have reviews on the Canadian Tire website, I did a quick look and the average rating looked to be 2.5/5. A colleague bought a new snowblower last fall and asked one of the small engine repair shops for recommendations on brands. The 3 were Toro, Ariens and Honda.


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## paulm12 (May 22, 2015)

+1 on buying Ariens, Honda or Toro. Stick with these better brands, and the machine can last a lifetime. Around here there are plenty of good used Toro, Ariens and Honda. Not sure how much of a market there is by you. 

tx


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## Johnny G1 (Jan 28, 2020)

More Can Tire junk, guy in town bought one last yr. first thing to go was a drive shaft, expensive fix, I would stay with known brands than waste $1000, lots of good blower's on Kijiji that have lots of life left in them. Partial to Honda's my self but they are expensive and will last 25 yrs.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

i would say 30" is overkill size wise. maybe you can try seeing if anyone you know has one that size to try it out and feel if you like how it maneuvers. i personally found a 26" machine nearly perfect for me. the sno tek ones made by Ariens look like they may be decent. with some of the new machines it isn't as much about the engine size. the new engines seem to be more powerful with a smaller engine than the older ones. also doing the impeller mod also helps. i got a tiny 8hp/24" machine at my sisters place which was junk without the impeller mod. all that power does no good if it can't throw it very good.


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)

Since you don't need a snowblower @tm, why don't you save-up till October, fatten your budget and get a YT624 you won't regret it.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Johnny G1 said:


> More Can Tire junk, guy in town bought one last yr. first thing to go was a drive shaft, expensive fix, I would stay with known brands than waste $1000, lots of good blower's on Kijiji that have lots of life left in them. Partial to Honda's my self but they are expensive and will last 25 yrs.


I'm a Honda guy also but the OP was looking for something in the $1100 range which is very doable for a great used Honda if you know what to look for. Since he mentioned that he is mechanical a good used Toro, Ariens , or Honda would be the way to go. For Honda I am still partial for ones built in the 1990's

I would never buy a new Honda. Still seeing too many problems at the dealer. maybe someday when i can pick one up for $500 or less . That may be only a couple more years. Already seeing 2 year old Honda's that cost $2600-3400 going for around 2k. .and I still see 20-25 year old Honda's going for the same 2k.


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## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

thanks for all the replies,

i think im going to spend the summer looking for a good deal on a used one,

meaning, spending pretty much the same money, but getting something better then i could afford brand new,

if i dont find anything by september-ish i think im going to buy an ariens,

this one looks like a good deal.......



https://www.homedepot.ca/product/ariens-classic-24-inch-2-stage-120v-electric-start-snowblower-with-208cc-ariens-ax-engine/1001057170



i guess thats pretty much a base model, but i dont really need any fancy features, any reason to pay more for a more expensive ariens model?

will something like this be a lot more powerful then my 90's 5HP techumsea????

my only concern with waiting to buy new is prices might go up in the fall


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Hi Jerry
If you are considering a used blower, here is an example of a 24" Ariens that has a big powerful engine. Condition appears to be excellent. 
This one is fuel injected, the carb. version should be several hundred $ cheaper. I prefer carbs because they are simpler to work on, but some people prefer FI.









Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds


Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.




www.kijiji.ca





Also, the asking price is just that. It is a buyers market until the big snow storm hits.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

jerryvvv said:


> will something like this be a lot more powerful then my 90's 5HP techumsea????


i feel like anything would be better than the 5hp. i got a craftman 5/23 at my sisters and the engine just really doesn't have the power to throw snow good. anything other than lite fluffy snow bogs the engine down too much to throw the snow very far.

there are a lot of options used depending on what you want. you can get real basic for $100 or less. i picked up a mtd snowblower a couple weeks ago for $40. needed a new float and a main jet gasket. also picked up another mtd snowblower a few months ago for $20 that needed a muffler and some muffler bolts. you definitely have to look around and keep an eye open for the deals. some people may be more willing to offer a deal in the summer since they may want the space back.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Jerry
What area of Canada do you live in? Do you get large storms with snowfalls of a foot or more several times a year or smaller snowfalls of 5 or 6"?
Is the snow often wet and heavy? Where you live can influence whether a basic smaller sized engine model will meet your needs or if you need something with more power.
If you purchase a quality machine it should last you many years, better to have too much power than not enough.

The Classic 24 will out perform your old 5hp, (208cc is around 6 HP), especially of it is getting worn out and tired.


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## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

Ziggy65 said:


> Jerry
> What area of Canada do you live in? Do you get large storms with snowfalls of a foot or more several times a year or smaller snowfalls of 5 or 6"?
> Is the snow often wet and heavy? Where you live can influence whether a basic smaller sized engine model will meet your needs or if you need something with more power.
> If you purchase a quality machine it should last you many years, better to have too much power than not enough.
> ...


i live about an hour and a half to two hours north of toronto,

generally speaking, our snow storms are 6-8 inches or less, im home most of the time, so i normally get out and plow it quickly,

but last winter we had a few storms where we got a foot or more overnight, and at that depth my current 5HP was basically useless, i would have to go on the slowest speed which might have paced me at 6-8 feet per minute, its too frusterating going that slow, id be faster shovelling.....if i go on a higher speed i could only cut maybe 3-4 inches of snow or else the engine would bog down, and i would have to stop, to let the engine come back up to speed,

i want something that can handle a foot or more of snow going at a reasonable speed, and not a snails pace,


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## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

crazzywolfie said:


> i feel like anything would be better than the 5hp. i got a craftman 5/23 at my sisters and the engine just really doesn't have the power to throw snow good. anything other than lite fluffy snow bogs the engine down too much to throw the snow very far.
> 
> there are a lot of options used depending on what you want. you can get real basic for $100 or less. i picked up a mtd snowblower a couple weeks ago for $40. needed a new float and a main jet gasket. also picked up another mtd snowblower a few months ago for $20 that needed a muffler and some muffler bolts. you definitely have to look around and keep an eye open for the deals. some people may be more willing to offer a deal in the summer since they may want the space back.


thanks for the reply,

i am fully capable of doing any repairs nessessary on any snowblower, i have changed belts, rebuilt engines and carbs, removed and repaired augers, replaced auger bearings and auger gears in the gearbox.....all of that stuff is easy to me,

i am just getting to the age where i dont want to be bothered doing that work anymore, which is why i want something new, or at least "newer"....i want something that will only require basic maint once a season.....oil change, tire presssure, etc etc,


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## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

Coby7 said:


> Since you don't need a snowblower @tm, why don't you save-up till October, fatten your budget and get a YT624 you won't regret it.



Lol.....i would love it, but wouldn't be able to get away with it,

im aready lyng to the wife about how much im going to spend....this would be pushing it way too far!!


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

jerryvvv said:


> i live about an hour and a half to two hours north of toronto,
> 
> generally speaking, our snow storms are 6-8 inches or less, im home most of the time, so i normally get out and plow it quickly,
> 
> ...


I would think based on you being in the snow belt and looking for a machine that won't bog down in deeper snow that you may not be happy with the 208cc engine. I would recommend at minimum the 254 cc -7.5 HP unit. 8/24 is a common ratio for snowblowers.
The bigger the better😈. 

If you find a deal on a Honda or Yamaha, 6HP will be fine.

CC to HP conversion chart for Ariens AX engines
Displacement / HP / Torque
136cc 4.0hp 7.5 lbs/ft
208cc 6.50hp 9.5 lbs/ft
254cc 7.50hp 12.5 lbs/ft
291cc 8.50hp 14.5 lbs/ft
306cc 9.0hp 15.0 lbs/ft
369cc 10.0hp 17.0 lbs/ft
414cc 12.5hp 20.0 lbs/ft

Good luck with your search


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## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

Ziggy65 said:


> I would think based on you being in the snow belt and looking for a machine that won't bog down in deeper snow that you may not be happy with the 208cc engine.


yes, im starting to think that also,

thanks for the chart, that is helpful

i think i want at least an 8-10HP


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

I found this, if you want the ultimate.








Honda hs55 snowblower tracked - heavy equipment - by owner - sale


Good unit low hours picked up from a estate looking to sell it for 25% of the cost of new it's a...



columbus.craigslist.org


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Rooskie said:


> I found this, if you want the ultimate.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


over 30 years old and many parts are NLA. I love mine which is basically good for only smaller areas like my deck but I also have a couple parts machines in case it breaks down.

same thing with the Honda's HS50-70 and 80 ( which is 8 horse ). critical parts are NLA

A very popular Honda that I have no trouble selling is the HS724. Great DoubleDuty snowblower. Good enough for driveways and berms but lighter with a 24 inch bucket for smaller areas. it's about 60 pounds lighter than the HS828 and HS928.

here is a HS724 .with the OP mechanical background he can pick up a good one for around $400-800 around here in summer, service it, and be done with for several years.


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

orangputeh said:


> over 30 years old and many parts are NLA. I love mine which is basically good for only smaller areas like my deck but I also have a couple parts machines in case it breaks down.
> 
> same thing with the Honda's HS50-70 and 80 ( which is 8 horse ). critical parts are NLA
> 
> ...


So the HS55 is wildly overpriced? I myself took a second look just now and it is a tiny Honda, isn't it. I could use a tiny Honda as I have recently fallen into the Honda Harmony lawnmower and FG-100 rototiller clubs. I can sell my Ariens and get the Honda for a reasonable price after I talk sense to the seller. So I ask the experts: What is that HS55 reasonably worth?


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Rooskie said:


> So the HS55 is wildly overpriced? I myself took a second look just now and it is a tiny Honda, isn't it. I could use a tiny Honda as I have recently fallen into the Honda Harmony lawnmower and FG-100 rototiller clubs. I can sell my Ariens and get the Honda for a reasonable price after I talk sense to the seller. So I ask the experts: What is that HS55 reasonably worth?


where is this? Vermont? we are at Lake Tahoe. This time of year it's about 200-300. during winter 400-500 ( here) vermont may have a different market for Honda's.


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## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

Coby7 said:


> Since you don't need a snowblower @tm, why don't you save-up till October, fatten your budget and get a YT624 you won't regret it.





Is this a similar model??

is this a reasonable price?









Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds


Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.




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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Here is another Yammy, much better price if it runs well.









Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds


Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.




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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Possible parts machine for one of Yamahas.









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Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.




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Already gone, looked to be a great deal for $60.00


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

jerryvvv said:


> yes, im starting to think that also,
> 
> thanks for the chart, that is helpful
> 
> i think i want at least an 8-10HP


Jerry if you are still looking for a blower, this is a beast of a snow moving machine, looks to be in great condition.









Kijiji - Buy, Sell & Save with Canada's #1 Local Classifieds


Visit Kijiji Classifieds to buy, sell, or trade almost anything! New and used items, cars, real estate, jobs, services, vacation rentals and more virtually anywhere.




www.kijiji.ca


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