Well, given its been a frcking hot scorching summer, I thought Id change gears and ask about something winter related to help cool my mind down...

Snow plows and throwers..

Ive got a very long country driveway and Im kicking around the idea of getting an old CJ jeep with a plow on it, or, an ATV with a plow, or if all else fails, a large self propelled snow thrower.

Anyone want to chime in on whats the best value, pros, cons..?

Im trying to keep this under $3K if possible since Ill be searching for a new, large, riding mower come spring.

Anyone out there plowing their own driveway? If so, what do you use, and whats worked best? Im only researching this now because once oct, nov rolls around, the costs will rise for all of the above...

Thanks!!

ATV does not have enough weight to plough driveway snow around here. Old pick up or tractor works best for us.

I use a Bobcat. I have a 1/2 mile long gravel driveway, and I get to clear it all by my lonesome! (I found an '81 diesel model with only 700 hours on it a few years ago)

Early in winter it works great, but after tons of snow, the snowbanks get almost too high to dump above the tops of the banks. This slows everything down because I need to push the snow further down the driveway until I find a lower bank to dump it over.

I used to hire a neighbor to plow/blow. He has a big John Deere with a 12' wide blower on back. This works best because he just makes one trip in, and one out to do the whole thing. The problem was he never wanted to come over to do our driveway until 8 or 9 AM, and I leave for work around 5:45 AM. When we get a foot or more of snow at a time, it can take me 1 1/2 hours to clear our driveway though!

I kind of like it though. Gives me time to 'zone out' like riding the mower around our yard in summer.

The best would be a blower / tractor, or blower / skidsteer. But with a 3k budget, hiring a neighbor or service might be best. I couldn't imagine using a walk-behind blower. That would take me all day!

Find an old Kubota tractor with a bucket and a brush hog. They're fairly easy to find and are getting cheaper every day.

I have a plow for my pickup. Also have a JD tractor with a loader and back blade. Use the truck for 95% of the plowing cause its got a heater! If the piles get to high I get out the tractor and use the loader bucket to move the snow. A thrower would be ideal cause you don't end up with such huge piles. As I get older I like that heater and cup of coffee when I plow more and more. Jeeps aren't that great of plow vehicle because they are light and don't have beefy front ends to tolerate plowing abuse. My F350 diesel goes through just about anything. For $3000 you should be able to find a half way decent pickup & plow.

Put a plow and some chains on the Bird. LOL

Blasphemy!!

I just moved to the Wet Coast instead!

At the lake cabin I gave the full time resident there a piggyback satellite unit on my account and he plows my driveway whenever it snows...one time cost $50

Ok. I gotta ask, what is a piggyback unit? Sounds almost pornographic!

Get an ford 8n tractor w/ blower should be able to get a decent one for that price.Or depending on how large a lawn tractor your getting put a blower on it and you can use the tractor all year.All depends on how big your driveway is and how much snow you get.

I have a Suzuki 500 Vinson 4x4 and a Kubota 4x4 tractor. I always use the Suzuki because it is so much faster and easier to maneuver than the tractor. It has a 5ft plow on it and it will plow snow like you wouldn't believe. Not to mention all the other things you can use it for.

The only solution I can offer is the one that I used to resolve this issue permanately. Move south! The day we left Buffalo, NY the VERY LAST thing I did was stick my shovel in the front lawn (in August) and gave it the one finger salute, got in the moving truck and gave it more one salute for good measure. This is a true story. Now we drive our classic car 365 days a year (litterally) and no longer worry about the "s" word (snow, salt, slush, sleet and any other crappy "s" word you can come up with).

I think I'd miss winter. And I sure as heck hate humidity.

I was thinking more like central California, but WAY too many people there.

I might follow Bjorn down to Panama for my retirement...

Bought my self this ATV with a 4 foot plow. So the wife doesn't have to do this.

LOL See sure looks COLD doesn't she??

Your wife blows the snow? Wait till my wife hears about this.

Had to fire her tho. She's blowing the snow forward instead of to the back of the yard. GOOD HELP is hard to find.

I don't think a atv will do what you want with major snow fall. Here in ohio or indiana atv with a plow is fine. I would find something in a tractor with a blade and a bucket. We have a backhoe here I use if the piles get to high which seldom happens. But a bucket is worth it's weight in gold if snow gets real deep.

I use a john deere 6420 (90hp) with 8' high volume bucket,we used to use a blower but we don't get the snow like we used too.blower is tucked away in the shed.

I have been ploying my driveways with my JD LX277AWS and my snow thrower attachment. Nothing runs like a Deere! Lot's of fun!

I don't know guys, there is something about sitting at a cruise night in Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, March, April that just soothes the soul...

Just gotta rub it in don't ya Joe?? LOL

Sorry. After spending so many misserable years in Buffalo, having 9 months of winter. Then during the 3 months of nice weather, having half of those weekends ruined by rain, cloudy and or cold. It seems nice to actually be able to enjoy the hobby year round.

Isn't it getting close to that time where you northerners have to put your toys away?

About a month yet.

Now that is just down right depressing. I remember those days all too well, I used to actually get seriously bummed out every Oct. when we'd put the Bird away until May 1st. When I had the chance to take a job down here, that was the first thing I thought of. My wife said, what about family/kids etc. I said there is nothing stopping them from moving too, it's a free country and they can move too if they want. Otherwise, we are gone! And away we went and I still tell our older two every day when we talk to them, pack your stuff and get the hell out of the frozen tundra/armpit of the US (Buffalo, NY)!!!!

Some day I will move. But our entire family loves living in the country, on a lake. Kids love their school and teachers. And I own my own business (even though business is crap right now). My business partner wouldn't be too keen on me pulling up roots right now...

It kind of makes driving our 'birds more special because we don't get to drive them too often.

I'll end up putting 1000 miles on the '67 this year, and maybe 250 miles on the '68.

I use the down time to tweak and detail. Out here however we do get nice days in all the months and virtually no snow (maybe once a year and it melts the next day) so I do take it out on those days no matter what month it is...

I think I have about 2500 on mine since spring...including two trips of about 500 miles round trip.

We take a winter vacation down to FLA every year. And while we enjoy it, theres no way we'd live down there year round. We've visited there during the months of June-Sep, and its soooo hot that you cant enjoy the outside weather. Sure, the Wisc winters bite (especially January), but FLA summers bite just as bad. Perhaps when we retire in a few years we'll "snowbird" like the rest of the AARPs...heh..

As for the original question of snow removal.. We're still leaning towards an old CJ with a plow, or getting a new large HP mower with a blower attachment. I guess we'll see what pops up in the coming months.

What part of Florida yall come down to?