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Most people know NOTHING about shopping for a snowblower. They end up getting dumped on by a HUGE snow storm and just buy something so they don't have to shovel. Don't fall into that category - READ ON!

There are plenty of machines to choose from, so be selective. Most that you will find are homeowner used machines. Some aren't - ask the seller if they were used commercially. Commercial machines log a LOT of usage hours & usually are subjected to severe usage. Commercial machines usually have non-factory numbers or letters (stencilled) on them so the owner can differentiate between machines in his fleet. Again, choose carefully.

The MOST IMPORTANT things to consider when choosing a snowblower are: How much area do you have to clear? Is the pavement paved (smooth) or gravel? How much snow do you get during the winter, and how deep can the snow get when you get a "bad one"? Do you require electric start for effortless starting? DO you need a headlight? Keep this in mind while continuing below.

There are 2 kinds of machines - single stage & two stage. Here's the differences between the two:

Single stage's have an auger (the cork-screw thing at the front) that turns at a high RPM. The auger does double duty by breaking up the snow AND throwing it out the chute. Most machines with rubber paddles clear right down to the pavement - not a good choice if you have a stone driveway as the stones can be catapaulted out the chute & WILL do damage or cause injury. However - some older single stage machines have adjustable "skids" that allow you to raise the auger AWAY from the pavement - these can be used on a stone driveway. Singles also provide some semi-self propelled motion in forward only (however some older single stage machines can be self propelled), as the auger has rubber strips on it (or is made completely of rubber) that drags on the pavement & moves the machine forward when the operator handle is lifted to a slightly UPWARD position. They must be pulled back manually. The rubber sections do wear out, and will require replacing during some point of the machine's life and these rubber parts can be pricey ($60+). Engines are usually two cycles that require mixing gas with oil. This is not a bad thing, as it simplifies maintenance by eliminating oil changes, but the exhaust can be a tad smokey & there is a slight odor. Many now are being offered with 4 cycle engines - this eliminates the gas & oil mixture. Horsepower can range from 3hp up to 7hp. A 3hp machine will move snow, just more slowly than a higher hp unit. 3hp might be good for someone who gets really light snowfall but doesn't want to shovel. 4.5hp is a good, general hp measure to shoot for when shopping for a single stage. Single's offer light weight, betweeen 40 and 75 pounds, which makes car transport a snap. Folding handles simplify transport even more, and also do wonders for easy storage. They can be hung on a wall with 2 sturdy hooks. Most offer a 20-21 inch clearing width, some are as little as 16 inches. If there are any drawbacks, singles only have up to a 12 inch intake height (most are about 10 inches high). Any snow accumulation over 12 inches requires that you push down on the operator handle to angle the auger bucket UPWARD to take a bigger bite of snow. That requires bending. Then there's the EOD (that's END OF DRIVEWAY) pile - you know, thats what your town's plows leave at the foot your driveway. EOD's can exceed two feet at times depending on where you live. A single will tackle it, but YOU will end up doing a bit more work by maneuvering it up/down, back & forth. If you get a DEEP snowfall, you should go out & clear the snow a few times BEFORE it accumulates. Snow throwing distances can be up to 25-30 feet max, but in reality, I would say the average single stage throws snow about 15 feet. Single's handle SLUSH well. A headlight is NOT available on a single stage machine. If you live where snowfall amounts are light & your average storm is less than 8 inches, have a single car or small 2 car driveway, have paved surfaces & not much sidewalk, then a single stage may be for you. I strongly recommend a Toro for a single stage machine - I have personally dubbed them "snow eaters with FANGS". Hondas are fantastic too if your wallet can handle the price!

Two Stage's also have an auger at the front, but it turns at a much slower speed. That aids in breaking up ice & wet snow, and is known as the first stage. The second stage is a fan that is behind the auger, and it rotates at a high RPM to hurl the snow. They can handle any snowfall, with slush being an exception. Kits can be added to 2 stagers to handle slush if necessary - I install them for my customers and everyone RAVES about the increase in throwing performance. Two stagers have 4 cycle engines exclusively (there are some 2 cycles out there though) with horsepower ranging from 5hp to 13hp. A 5hp engine will do the job (albiet a little more slowly) for smaller clearing tasks with a 2 stage, but I recommend at least 7hp on a two stage snowblower for good performance. Widths range from 22" up to 36"+. Intake heights can be as little as 12 inches, and as high as 24 inches. These units are usually self propelled, and offer forward & reverse with multiple speeds available for each. There are some 2 stage's that have forward only, and some that have auger propelled drive like a single stage, and some that have no drive at all! ALWAYS ASK what the machine has if they don't mention it! These are usually HEAVY machines, at 125+ pounds. You will most likely need a truck/SUV and ramps to transport one of these or two strong guys to lift it. Highly recommended brands for 2 stage machines are: Ariens, Simplicity, Snapper, Toro. Husqvarna offers some mid level two stage machines that look fairly robust but I have never used or worked on any. Honda makes fantastic machines, but they are expensive to purchase - parts are also expensive IF the thing ever breaks down!

Tank Tracks or Track Drive - a MUST if you have a steep incline. These machines can even climb STAIRS with no problem. They can be rather difficult to move around when not under power. I recommend a dolly placed under the machine, and trust me - this will GREATLY simplify moving the machine around!

Chains - an alternative to track drive, but they tend to mar the pavement surface. Most newer machines offer Snow-Hog or X-Trac tires which provide VERY good traction without having chains mounted.

As for the other "big box store" brands (both single & two stage machines): Sears Craftsman, MTD, Yard Machines, Cub Cadet, post 1992 Troy-Bilts, Murray, Noma - they make good entry level machines. They will move snow. Murray was bought out by Briggs Stratton & parts availability currently is difficult. Most Sears machines are Murray products under the skin (look for 536.xxx model numbers). Sears machines are now made by: MTD (247.xxx), AYP/Husqvarna (917.xxx). You may begin finding new Sears snowblowers sold  with a 536 prefix, and these are made by the Briggs & Stratton Corp - but they are still low-end Murray style machines. For areas where a snowblower is used almost daily during the winter, I strongly recommend one of the better brands as they offer better construction & better hardware - that means good service & long life.

RE: SEARS/MURRAY/NOMA machines: note well that since Murray was bought out by Briggs & Stratton, they WERE offering SOME parts but have recently announced that they are NOT SUPPORTING MACHINE PARTS FOR ANYTHING OLDER THAN 2001. You will be on your own for almost ANY kind of parts. BE CAREFUL!

There is some good vintage equipment available at times: Allis Chalmers, AMF, Atlas, Bobcat, Bolens (made by Gardenway Corp, who made the GOOD Troy-Bilts), Gilson, Gravely, Hahn Eclipse, Jacobsen, Lambert, Montgomery Ward (made by Gilson), Snowbird/Snowchick, Pre 1992 Troy-Bilt, & Yardman. Most use either Briggs Stratton or Tecumseh engines, so engine parts won't be a problem. However, machine parts availability may prove difficult. Gravely parts are still obtainable & MTD may offer some support for Yardman & good support for older Troy-Bilt & Bolens machines. Older machines are usually void of safety devices (work extra safely with these!) but they are TANKS & will probably outlive us all.

JOHN DEERE - a few manufacturers made them for Deere, and some were NOT of the best quality. Murray actually made them for a number of years and is currently still offering them, and while I am fond of JD products, I feel JD took/is taking advantage of buyers by offering JD snowblowers (with Murray so-so quality) with a typical high JD selling price. Ariens & Simplicity also made some older JD snowblowers & they are VERY GOOD machines. Frontier made many of the newer ones but they too are cheap "Murray clones". The current 2008 offerings are made by Simplicity once again and are very nice snowblowers. I can tell just by looking at one whether its a "good or bad Deere", but to explain it would make this page even LONGER than it is now!

Heres a quick rundown of other things to ask a seller in addition to above:

Does the engine smoke or make any strange noises? Does it run smoothly at ALL speeds? Does it start promptly cold or hot?
What condition are ALL the belts (auger & drive belts)? Belts can run up to $30 each, plus installation if you're not able to replace it yourself!
Condition of tires? Do they hold air?
Is the auger & casing rotted or banged up? Means it was possibly subjected to rough use & neglect...
In what condition is the scraper bar (horizontal blade at the bottom of the machine - can be metal or plastic)?

On a single stage only - check the distance between the auger rubber & the BACK of the auger bucket. If you can place your pinky (1/2") in between the two parts, the auger rubber is worn appreciably - which means the snow throwing distance will be limited & performance will be extremely poor. Toro's usually have a wear indicator (a small hole) in one corner of the auger paddle. Ariens & Honda auger paddles are EXEPENSIVE & can run $90+ for the set. Price these parts BEFORE buying the machine so you know EXACTLY what you may be getting into.

On a two stage only - ask the seller to remove the shear bolts & spin BOTH augers. If the augers don't turn with the bolts removed, DO NOT BUY THE MACHINE. PERIOD. This means the augers are literally welded to the auger shaft with RUST & WILL be extremely difficult to free up. This also means that if you have an auger jam, you WILL damage the gearbox at the front. I've spent entire DAYS (8+ hours) freeing up rusted augers & shafts. Its not fun. I charge a bundle to repair this problem, and usually end up using torches & a hydraulic press to get them free and its STILL one hell of a job. TRUST ME ON THIS - frozen augers should be someone elses headache, NOT YOURS! If equipped with a light, make sure it works. If not working, a simple bulb replacement could be the cause, or a bad ground, or the alternator could be bad. IF the front skid shoes are worn, they are easilly replacable & are not expensive to purchase.

If equipped with electric start, make sure its working. These small starter motors can be expensive. Some are very time consuming to replace.

Do the safety switches work? These protect you from SERIOUS injury! Some machines don't have them, so understand operation well BEFORE you use the machine & work safely & SMARTLY.

Is the owners manual included? If not, try to see if you can obtain one before purchase. VERY IMPORTANT! It covers operation, safety, and parts numbers for when (and if) you have to perform repairs.
Where was the machine stored? If outside, its probably a rust bucket - pass on it unless it REALLY is rust free, clean & otherwise decent. Also, being kept under a tarp while outside traps moisture - not a good thing either.
An original owner should be able to tell you the exact age of the machine - if not, be a little suspicious. If they say "five to seven years old", its probably older than what they tell you, OR they are NOT the original owner. Find another machine because who know what else may "escape" their memory!

Ask lots of questions. A bad seller will dodge answers or ignore you - do the same if this occurs & find another machine. I can always give you my HONEST OPINION of a machine, even if its a local competitor's. If its good, I'll tell you so. If its crap, I'll also tell you so.

And don't forget - we offer a used machine buyer's consultation with transportation if needed - inquire!

email: Marty@majorpowerequip.com