Need snowthrower advice

[sayvanderlay]

Hello:
Hopefully, I'm in the right forum.
About to buy my first snowthrower, and I'd love to hear advice about what specs I need.
I live in Buffalo, NY, so a foot or two of snow (several times a year) is common.
As with any other fairly big purchase, I'm concerned about under-buying (being cheap, then regretting it later), or over-buying (spending more than I need.
Although we get a lot of snow, throwing distance is not crucial for me, as ny neighbor's homes are very close to me, and throwing snow 30-40 feet would be a waste, as it would only end up in their livingrooms.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[kactuskid]

There's 2 different ones I can recommend to you. The Toro Model 2450 is a single stage type, cost here is $589, then add another $100 if you want electric start on it, though it's not really necessary. This thing will clear your driveway and be pretty much maintenace free besides the norm., but if the snow is heavy and wet there's no single stage that can handle that as well as a 2 stage. Plus with a single stage you have to mix the oil and gas together.

A lower priced 2 stage would be the Airens 5520E This is a 5.5 hp blower and cost $599 here, add $100 for electric start. This thing will move the snow for you, wet or dry. I have the 7hp model which I bought 5 years ago and couldn't be happier with it. Didn't want to have to be concerned with ever buying another blower, this thing will last a lifetime. You may even want to consider an 8 hp to get the job done quicker, especially if you get alot of the heavy wet stuff.

There are alot of brands to choose from, Airens is the cadillac, heavier gauge steel and top notch quality. Toro and Simplistic are also good brands. I'd stear clear of the MTD's and the Murrays if you want one that will last.

http://www.toro.com/home/snowthrowers/gassinglestage/ccr2450.html

http://www.ariens.com/snow_products/compact_sno_thros/

[LazyPup]

Some years ago I worked maintenance for a school system in Western Massachusetts that had dozens of snow throwers of many different makes and models, all of which had the conventional manual starting systems.

I personally had a Toro 16HP 40inch cut two stage with the electric starter system. Although i didnt really notice at the time I bought it, the electric starter system also had a built in 120v trickle charger to maintain the battery level and an electric engine block preheater.

One only has to spend a few minutes priming and pulling the starter cord on a cold engine to really appreciate the added convenience of the electric start. I could walk out to the garage on the coldest day of the winter, disconnect the extension cord, hit the switch and i was off and running in seconds.

With the 40 inch cut I could completely clear my driveway in two rounds and i could clear the sidewalks on a single pass.

My machine had a 4 speed transmission to set ground speed. I found that in 1st gear I could easly blow heavy wet snow a foot deep, while lighter snow i could move it up to a higher gear and make better time. In 4th gear it would clear snow as fast as i could walk behind it.

While it was capable of blowing the snow up to 30 feet, the discharge chute is completely adjustable, so if working in a tight area between buildings you can set the discharge to barely throw it 3 or 4 feet, while running at full throttle. And speaking of full throttle, the Toro had a fuel tank large enough to run 2.5 hours on one tank of fuel.

Another nice feature is the electric start models have a headlight, so if you get home from work late in the evening, you have a light to see what your doing.

Although that Toro was a very heavy machine, It was extremely easy to handle, in fact, I hardly got to play with it because my 14 yr old daughter usually had all the snow off before i got home. ( I later found out she was also making a fairly good income clearing walks and driveways all over the neighborhood.)

considering that snow plows are typically charging $30 to $50 to do a driveway and they dont touch the walkways, with a little ambition one could make the machine pay for itself in a short time.

[HayZee518]

I know of the Buffalo snows. I used to live on Marion St in Black Rock so I know the house spacings!!! Depending on your budget, Sears and MTD products have great machines. The chute is adjustable for distance and right up close. 5 horse minimum.