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rubinew


Joined: Dec 30, 2010
Points: 147

Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Original Message   Dec 30, 2010 12:21 am
I moved to a new house, top of a hill, with farm land across from my driveway.

This is our second winter, and my MTD is not up to the task of clearing the packed snow that blows into my yard, sometimes daily.

I have been looking for a couple weeks, and had made up my mind to get the Honda. I had been to the Yamaha dealer previously, but they were not willing to deal.

Well today a new twist, I went back to Yamaha, and was offered the YS928J for the same price as the HS928TC.

Specs are very similar, with some different features. The Honda has full Joystick control on the chute, and is 100 lbs lighter.

The Yamaha has plastic coated chute, manual up/down. Has no shear pins, which may be a bonus, if the 'Shock Protection' works correctly. Also the Yamaha is quiter.

I have been reviewing this site, however, there is limited information on the Yamahas, likely because they just came back to Canada in 2009 (15 year Hiatus) and I am not sure if they are available in the U.S.

Has anyone out there used these models? Can you offer an Opinion?

This message was modified Dec 30, 2010 by rubinew
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Steve_Cebu


Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 888

Re: Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Reply #51   Dec 31, 2010 2:30 pm
aa335 wrote:
I have similar sentiment with Ariens dealers.  Several dealers I visited were aggressively pushing Ariens product, rude and arrogant, and were so quick to badmouth other brands, while glorifying their brands with thick American steel and made in America blind propaganda.  Not for me thank you.  Show me what your product can do and how well or thoughtful it was designed.  I'm quite capable of making my own mind.


The Ariens dealer here is the same. Toro is made in the US so they can't use that arguement. But they push Ariens so much it makes me wonder why. If Ariens is all that and a bag of chips, why do a hard sell on it? Maybe they get more profit or something? Ariens did not impress me in anyway. The Toro and Honda did. Pushy dealers turn me off to the product.

"If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in New England."  "If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in New England."
aa335


Joined: Nov 29, 2008
Points: 2434

Re: Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Reply #52   Dec 31, 2010 2:37 pm
I'm not sure what is the motivation for pushing Ariens so hard.  I mean I know it's money but there is something else involved.  They were pushing so hard it became insulting and condescending.  Makes me wonder what kind of attitude they represent when I have to get it serviced under warranty.  I went with my gut and took my money elsewhere.
snowmachine


Location: Washington State
Joined: Nov 12, 2008
Points: 268

Re: Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Reply #53   Dec 31, 2010 7:17 pm
Cool.  Be sure to take lots of pics if you do get one of these blue monsters!!!!



rubinew wrote:
\

I think I see a Yamaha in our future, just need to get one in stock for my wife to take for a test drive!

rubinew


Joined: Dec 30, 2010
Points: 147

Re: Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Reply #54   Dec 31, 2010 9:43 pm
For sure, what ever I get, I will post some pics, maybe even get the wife to take a video.

Or I could vidoe tape her using it :-)

Happy New Year to Everyone!

Steve_Cebu


Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 888

Re: Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Reply #55   Dec 31, 2010 11:29 pm
aa335 wrote:
I'm not sure what is the motivation for pushing Ariens so hard.  I mean I know it's money but there is something else involved.  They were pushing so hard it became insulting and condescending.  Makes me wonder what kind of attitude they represent when I have to get it serviced under warranty.  I went with my gut and took my money elsewhere.



I went through the exact same thing. They pushed so hard even knowing that I was primarily interested ina Toro of which they had plenty in stock. I bought a Honda 928TAS then after a serious bout of buyers remorse returned it and got the Toro and am very happy I did. Ariens might make a fine machine but pushy dealers is just odd. I mean they sell John Deere, Ariens and Toro during peak season it's like selling water in the desert. I don't trustthe local Simplicity dealer. I've heard bad things about them. Not the product but the dealer taking too long to fix things scams and rip offs so I didn't consider one because of the dealer. I did try one out in another city but didn't like it over the Toro.

Service is ok at the Toro/Ariens dealer even tho they mostly sell John Deere stuff year round.

"If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in New England."  "If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in New England."
Steve_Cebu


Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 888

Re: Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Reply #56   Dec 31, 2010 11:30 pm
rubinew wrote:
For sure, what ever I get, I will post some pics, maybe even get the wife to take a video.

Or I could vidoe tape her using it :-)

Happy New Year to Everyone!



I take pics of my wife using our Toro and she takes vids of me, it's a lot of fun. I took vids of her at a New Years eve party where she and her Filipno friends got pretty wild. Gotta put those up tommorrow.

"If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in New England."  "If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in New England."
aa335


Joined: Nov 29, 2008
Points: 2434

Re: Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Reply #57   Dec 31, 2010 11:50 pm
Steve_Cebu wrote:
I take pics of my wife using our Toro and she takes vids of me, it's a lot of fun. I took vids of her at a New Years eve party where she and her Filipno friends got pretty wild. Gotta put those up tommorrow.

Geez, I can't wait.  :)
rubinew


Joined: Dec 30, 2010
Points: 147

Re: Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Reply #58   Jan 1, 2011 1:26 am
Steve_Cebu wrote:
I take pics of my wife using our Toro and she takes vids of me, it's a lot of fun. I took vids of her at a New Years eve party where she and her Filipno friends got pretty wild. Gotta put those up tommorrow.


hmmmm, we seem to be straying from the topic!!! :-)
Steve_Cebu


Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 888

Re: Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Reply #59   Jan 1, 2011 1:31 am
rubinew wrote:
hmmmm, we seem to be straying from the topic!!! :-)



Life has diversions from time to time.

Anyway I hope to see some pics/vids of your soon to be new Yamaha snowblower.

"If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in New England."  "If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in New England."
rubinew


Joined: Dec 30, 2010
Points: 147

Re: Torn between Honda HS928TCD and Yamaha YS928J
Reply #60   Jan 1, 2011 2:25 am
borat wrote:
BillH is right. 

If the conditions are as bad as you say, the weight will be an advantage.   The machine is steerable under it's own power and has reverse.   Use the machine's motive ability to move it.  No need trying to wrestle something like that around without power.  Otherwise you'll be experiencing  a back injury.



Hey Borat, happy new year!

I agree, the weight may be an advantage. The 624 at 250 lbs sure chewed up some ice and packed snow, I am sure the 928 will do better.

You are right about the back injury!! I tried to move the 624 in the show room, turned off, not possible. Those tracks sure grip :-) Same with the 928 Honda.

The Honda has a lever, to disengage the transmission, to help move when off, still a bit of a struggle, as the shaft and part of the drive still turned, could feel the resistance.

The Yamaha just has the pins that you can pull, to unlock the tracks from the drive shaft, this made it very easy to roll around. Only prob, it was a bit of a task to line up the holes and get the pins seated back in place.

Of course one would only do this at the end/beginning of season, then they would stay put.

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