My Ariens has been so reliable I'm keeping it. Inexpensive to maintain too. I bought it in May for $599, normally $1199. That was 10 years ago. It was my 3rd snowblower. There are cheaper snowblowers but Ariens offers the best value IMO.
I have a friend of mine that had the cub cadet. After numerous times of not being able to get through hard packed snow and then having to use my Ariens, he decided to sell his and pick up and Ariens. They are far superior machines.
keep the Ariens ...for the cub cadet being 12 hp should had done a lot more then what it did ......6.5 hp Ariens did better roster tails ..(my opinion)
When we get a wet snow... I am the only one who has the Cub Cadet.. the exact one you have... the entire lock with there single stage blower counts on me to use my 3 stage to clear to bottom of driveways 9 20 HOUSES.. IT IS A 2018 MODEL... i NEVER DRAIN FUEL OVER SUMMER... i WAS UP AT 6AM CLEANING OUT JETS IN CARB.. TOOK 4 HOURS, BUT BACK TO FULL POWER.. jUST WISH IT WAS NOT -2 DEGREES OUTSIDE WHEN i HAD TO TO TAKE IT ALL APART. i LOVE THAT MACHINE.. WHEN i FIRST BOUGHT IT, I COULD NOT USE IT.. IT THE BELT EVERYTIME I STARTED IT.. THEY SENT A NEW ONE EVERY 3 DAYS... 4TH ONE WAS THE CHARM... It throws snow from my sidewalwalk, across the street, over easement onto peoples lawn across the street ! amazing power. (. hint. Remove idle screw, lift out idle mixtrture plug and drill out copper insert on bottom of it.. a well know trick to give it max power and prevents surging ! A 15 min process. Forget just drilling small hole as suggested.. just drill thru it.. you can leave it in.. but make the hole as big as possible !!! I actually have a Cub Cadet Dealer 16 min from my house.
I have a 10 year old 11hp 30” arens. I take care of the engine when I store it. Change the oil yearly. I put stabilizer in the gas. I use carb cleaner once or twice per season. It Starts every single time. Never had a problem with it. Long driveway uphill… The snowblower is Old Faithful, it never fails. The most I have blown is 18 inches of snow here in New Hampshire. In low gear it handled it fine. Your every day 5 - 8 inches of snow are never a problem whether it is heavy and wet or light and fluffy.
We live in to Colorado mountains so periodically get deep snow (2+ feet) and need a snowthrower to move it. We got an Ariens 24 inch with track drive since our area isn't flat. It is way more powerful and serious than the ones in this video. So after being impressed by our Ariens I was looking on craigslist during the summer and saw a guy selling an Ariens cheap. So I went over to his house and he told me hadn't used it in years and his wife said to get rid of it before she gets back from vacation. I bought it for $10 and took it home (sale also included an empty gas grill canister he didn't need). It is like the Ariens in this video, but as my research discovered it was made in the late 1980s. I got home and it started on the first pull (which it always does). So I replaced the oil, gas, spark plug, and the short fuel line. You can still get parts from Ariens for this old piece of equipment. I keep it on our deck (the track snowthrower is way too heavy to lift) and use it when we get too much deck snow to shovel.
Have an early '70s 8 HP 36" Ariens. Still going strong: New Snow Hog tires, new main auger bearing, oil change every spring (30 WT), impeller enhancement (using pickup box liner material), numerous shear bolts, some new belts, run the carb dry each spring/fresh gas in fall for first use, new pull starter rope as needed, replace gear box lube every couple of years, using it in Mn in 2020. That'd be about 50 years with original Techumseth 8 HP that's never been opened up. Throws snow with the best of them, starts great with pull starter.
I have owned an Ariens snow thrower for 15 years. Same machine and it still operates like new (looks like new as well). Easy to start (electric start) and durable. I live in northern Michigan and we get plenty of snow. Based on my experience with the products, I would buy an Ariens again if the ne I have ever dies.
I just purchased the 3 stage Cub Cadet after a 14 inch snowfall we recently had. I've had an 28 inch 8hp MTD snowblower for over 20 years. Having said that the Cub Cadet was a beast at moving the snow. This is my first experience with Cub Cadet and I was impressed with their snowblower.
Take an ariens any day over a cub cadet
Ariens seems to throw the snow WAY better.
The Ariens throws snow way better
I'll stick with Ariens. They're locally made in WI and they're tough as nails.
My Ariens has been so reliable I'm keeping it. Inexpensive to maintain too. I bought it in May for $599, normally $1199. That was 10 years ago. It was my 3rd snowblower. There are cheaper snowblowers but Ariens offers the best value IMO.
I have a friend of mine that had the cub cadet. After numerous times of not being able to get through hard packed snow and then having to use my Ariens, he decided to sell his and pick up and Ariens. They are far superior machines.
keep the Ariens ...for the cub cadet being 12 hp should had done a lot more then what it did ......6.5 hp Ariens did better roster tails ..(my opinion)
Little red threw the snow farther away hands down
It's pronounced air ins
When we get a wet snow... I am the only one who has the Cub Cadet.. the exact one you have... the entire lock with there single stage blower counts on me to use my 3 stage to clear to bottom of driveways 9 20 HOUSES.. IT IS A 2018 MODEL... i NEVER DRAIN FUEL OVER SUMMER... i WAS UP AT 6AM CLEANING OUT JETS IN CARB.. TOOK 4 HOURS, BUT BACK TO FULL POWER.. jUST WISH IT WAS NOT -2 DEGREES OUTSIDE WHEN i HAD TO TO TAKE IT ALL APART. i LOVE THAT MACHINE.. WHEN i FIRST BOUGHT IT, I COULD NOT USE IT.. IT THE BELT EVERYTIME I STARTED IT.. THEY SENT A NEW ONE EVERY 3 DAYS... 4TH ONE WAS THE CHARM... It throws snow from my sidewalwalk, across the street, over easement onto peoples lawn across the street ! amazing power. (. hint. Remove idle screw, lift out idle mixtrture plug and drill out copper insert on bottom of it.. a well know trick to give it max power and prevents surging ! A 15 min process. Forget just drilling small hole as suggested.. just drill thru it.. you can leave it in.. but make the hole as big as possible !!! I actually have a Cub Cadet Dealer 16 min from my house.
I have a 10 year old 11hp 30” arens. I take care of the engine when I store it. Change the oil yearly. I put stabilizer in the gas. I use carb cleaner once or twice per season. It Starts every single time. Never had a problem with it. Long driveway uphill… The snowblower is Old Faithful, it never fails. The most I have blown is 18 inches of snow here in New Hampshire. In low gear it handled it fine. Your every day 5 - 8 inches of snow are never a problem whether it is heavy and wet or light and fluffy.
Bought an Ariens Deluxe last fall and I love it. Really throws the snow, starts every time.
We live in to Colorado mountains so periodically get deep snow (2+ feet) and need a snowthrower to move it. We got an Ariens 24 inch with track drive since our area isn't flat. It is way more powerful and serious than the ones in this video. So after being impressed by our Ariens I was looking on craigslist during the summer and saw a guy selling an Ariens cheap. So I went over to his house and he told me hadn't used it in years and his wife said to get rid of it before she gets back from vacation. I bought it for $10 and took it home (sale also included an empty gas grill canister he didn't need). It is like the Ariens in this video, but as my research discovered it was made in the late 1980s. I got home and it started on the first pull (which it always does). So I replaced the oil, gas, spark plug, and the short fuel line. You can still get parts from Ariens for this old piece of equipment. I keep it on our deck (the track snowthrower is way too heavy to lift) and use it when we get too much deck snow to shovel.
Have an early '70s 8 HP 36" Ariens. Still going strong: New Snow Hog tires, new main auger bearing, oil change every spring (30 WT), impeller enhancement (using pickup box liner material), numerous shear bolts, some new belts, run the carb dry each spring/fresh gas in fall for first use, new pull starter rope as needed, replace gear box lube every couple of years, using it in Mn in 2020. That'd be about 50 years with original Techumseth 8 HP that's never been opened up. Throws snow with the best of them, starts great with pull starter.
Bought this for my small back deck in the Eastern Sierra.
I have owned an Ariens snow thrower for 15 years. Same machine and it still operates like new (looks like new as well). Easy to start (electric start) and durable. I live in northern Michigan and we get plenty of snow. Based on my experience with the products, I would buy an Ariens again if the ne I have ever dies.
The Ariens appears to throw the snow further. I just bought the Deluxe 30. It’s a beast!
I have a 2x 24 inch Cub Cadet 2018. Runs great here in Colorado in deep and wet snow. Used it 5 times already this Winter with no problems.
The smaller motor on the Ariens bogged down a bit more, but both seemed to handle the EOD snow pile just fine.
I just purchased the 3 stage Cub Cadet after a 14 inch snowfall we recently had. I've had an 28 inch 8hp MTD snowblower for over 20 years. Having said that the Cub Cadet was a beast at moving the snow. This is my first experience with Cub Cadet and I was impressed with their snowblower.