Dollars+Sense: Don't blow it

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow -- but only if the snow blower isn't on the fritz. Whether you're in the market for one or want to keep the old one in good repair, local experts have some tips to keep you enjoying the snow as it piles up.

But let's not put the cart before the horsepower. Is it a bad investment to drop $300 to $1,000 on a snow blower given our warming climate? Long-term trends show that Twin Cities-area snowfall has held relatively steady, despite the past three winters of below-average snowfall, said WCCO meteorologist Paul Douglas. This year's La Niña cooling of the Pacific Ocean seems to be triggering a colder, snowier winter, although it's difficult to know if the trend will last all winter.

If the snow doesn't continue into January, look for discounts on all snow-related merchandise in February and March. Each year is a little different. Some years, Menards and Home Depot stores have discounted snow blowers by 10 to 30 percent. Other years, the overstock is shipped to snowier regions. With the past three winters being a bust, few local stores are overstocked this year, said Christine Yu, snow marketing manager for Toro in Bloomington.

If you want service after the sale, buy from a dealer that also repairs the machines, but check your warranty carefully. Although most last one to two years, they only cover manufacturer's defects, not running over a dog chain or a doormat.

How do you keep it out of the shop after it leaves the showroom? "Ninety-five percent of repairs are carburetor rebuilds due to ethanol," said Laurie Miller of Cedar Small Engine in Minneapolis. Dirty fuel puts kibble in my dog's dish, joked Miller's co-worker, Derrick Wood. Both suggest using gasoline without ethanol in it, also called non-oxygenated fuel. Many stations sell it, including Fleet Farm.

"Non-oxygenated fuel has a longer shelf life with less carburetor fouling," Miller said. Even with non-oxygenated gasoline, Miller and Wood suggest using Sea Foam additive, which stabilizes fuel and acts as a drying agent and carburetor cleaner. With less snow, a little Seafoam and ethanol-free gasoline, Wood could become like the Maytag repairman.

But he's not too worried about that yet.