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Craigslist. Get an older one from when they were made better.
Got a new-to-me troy-bilt mower with big rear wheels. After doing some cutting on a slope, I found one of the wheels wobbling on the axle. Took it off and discovered that it had some sort of knockout spacer bushing on each side that was held in place only by sprues like you would find in a model airplane kit holding the parts on the big mold sprue. Rather than build with a real bushing, troy-bilt cheaped out, leaving the customers with wheels that were about as strong as those on a kid's toy. I had to buy a couples packs of washers to shim things in place, so the mower wouldn't be like a wonky shopping cart flubbering across the grass.
General commentary on one of the two manufacturers being considered. Another commentary on the general construction of equipment today vs. the older stuff. Caveat Emptor.
I remember a couple of snowblowers I used in the late 1960s that were such heavy gauge steel that I'm sure they would throw gravel all day if you wanted them to. The few that I have seen in recent years have such a light gauge of metal that the normal scuffing from sand will likely wear them out after any serious use. Buying new isn't always best.
Agree with Harry Chickpea, older Troy-bilt. One that was made before being bought out by MTD in 2001. MTD can't make a snowblower that lasts more than a season or two to save their lives, while the older Troy-bilt ones just keep throwing snow year after year. I have an old Trot-bilt that has blown snow for 15 years in northern Maine and the last 4 years in a west Michigan snow belt without any problems. If you think you have to buy new and don't have the cash to buy a top notch machine like a heavy duty Ariens, get the cheapest one you can find that will do the job you want it to do, they are all crap now and won't last more than a few seasons. If you live in an area you only use them 4 or 5 times a season they will last longer.
Also had an ancient Toro that wouldn't die several years before the Troy-bilt. Thought I had to move up to a new machine and spent $1500 on a MTD made snowblower (White brand) and gave the Toro to a neighbor who needed one. 2 years later I took it to the dump because it was falling apart and bought another neighbors Troy-Bilt because he was retiring and moving to Florida. Last I knew that Toro I gave away was still going strong and still throwing snow. It was probably 35 years old when I gave it away 8 or 10 years ago.
The brand of blower is not as important as the features. Also, if you're going to buy a used on on Craigslist, NOW (beginning of September) is the time to do so. When snow flies, the used blowers will be as expensive as new ones.
1. Determine whether you want a snowBLOWER or just a snowTHROWER. A snowthrower (also known as a single stage) simply has paddles that spin fast, and throw the snow away from where you are. They're great for anything up to 3-4 inches. A snowblower (known as a two-stage) has an auger that pulls the snow into a blower. These are bigger, heavier units that can handle a LOT more snow.
2. Horsepower is far more important than width of cut. An 8 horse 32 inch cut blower is a waste. You'll never use that width anyway, and in heavy snow you could only cut a swath 15-16 inches wide anyway. Depending on your needs, an 8 horse 24 inch cut would probably do well.
3. Look for FEATURES. Bigger tires are better. A larger auger is better. Bearings instead of shims are better. As pointed out by a previous poster, you WANT the 110 volt electric start. Regardless of brand name, all of these features come at a price. Don't fool yourself. An 8 horse blower for $899 is going to be a better blower than the 8 horse blower for $499.
4. Be careful. Lots of people have lost fingers in snowblowers. Lots of people have also thrown rocks through windows with snowblowers.
My snowblower is an older 826 John Deere - older, as in built back in the 1970s. It is built heavy, and is an absolute hog. I bought it used, in August about 10 years ago, for $300. I'll probably never own a different blower.
General commentary on one of the two manufacturers being considered. Another commentary on the general construction of equipment today vs. the older stuff. Caveat Emptor.
I remember a couple of snowblowers I used in the late 1960s that were such heavy gauge steel that I'm sure they would throw gravel all day if you wanted them to. The few that I have seen in recent years have such a light gauge of metal that the normal scuffing from sand will likely wear them out after any serious use. Buying new isn't always best.
Absolutely agree. Troy-Bilt is owned by MTD (ugh). I think Deere snowthrowers are made by Simplicity, and Deere also carries Ariens.
Nothing comes close to the older stuff. Example: my snowblower (from 1996) weighs 185lbs (and there is no motor on it), the quick-attach hydraulic hitch weighs enough that I can barely pick it up, is essentially made from armor-plate, and the auger/impeller drive has a huge cast iron transfer box. None of the modern cheap aluminum transfer cases. Only trouble I ever had with it is I picked up a cobblestone, but that is what shear pins are for.
(As an aside, depending where you live, the ROI on a snowblower may be questionable).
The brand of blower is not as important as the features. Also, if you're going to buy a used on on Craigslist, NOW (beginning of September) is the time to do so. When snow flies, the used blowers will be as expensive as new ones.
1. Determine whether you want a snowBLOWER or just a snowTHROWER. A snowthrower (also known as a single stage) simply has paddles that spin fast, and throw the snow away from where you are. They're great for anything up to 3-4 inches. A snowblower (known as a two-stage) has an auger that pulls the snow into a blower. These are bigger, heavier units that can handle a LOT more snow.
2. Horsepower is far more important than width of cut. An 8 horse 32 inch cut blower is a waste. You'll never use that width anyway, and in heavy snow you could only cut a swath 15-16 inches wide anyway. Depending on your needs, an 8 horse 24 inch cut would probably do well.
3. Look for FEATURES. Bigger tires are better. A larger auger is better. Bearings instead of shims are better. As pointed out by a previous poster, you WANT the 110 volt electric start. Regardless of brand name, all of these features come at a price. Don't fool yourself. An 8 horse blower for $899 is going to be a better blower than the 8 horse blower for $499.
4. Be careful. Lots of people have lost fingers in snowblowers. Lots of people have also thrown rocks through windows with snowblowers.
My snowblower is an older 826 John Deere - older, as in built back in the 1970s. It is built heavy, and is an absolute hog. I bought it used, in August about 10 years ago, for $300. I'll probably never own a different blower.
I had an 826 Those things rocked. Only had to upgrade because of the size of the driveway I had to do. The thing would plow through about anything.
One experience, though: when the paperboy throws the Sunday paper in from of the mailbox, and then it gets covered by 4" of snow, you will be removing the auger after the snowblower picks it up, to get it out, as it gets wedged so tight that you can't practically even chisel it out. Don't ask.
Troy bilt- absolute garbage the day you buy it. They're a lot like a boat, there's 2 happy days owning one. The day you buy it and the day you unload it. I can't think of a worst piece of junk. Wanna bulletproof snowblower? Buy an old Gravely but they ain't a cheap date, even a 40 year old Gravely brings good money. But they aren't for the weak. Here's what one looks like on fleabay: Gravely 5660 Tractor,Tiller-Cultivator Sno-Blower,Plow, Mighty-Mac Shredder | eBay
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Those things rocked. Only had to upgrade because of the size of the driveway I had to do. The thing would plow through about anything. 
