Ariston in the US--Good or Bad?
chicagobent
18 years ago
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spewey
18 years agolast modified: 9 years agochicagobent
18 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Snowblower Engines...Good, Bad, or Ugly
Comments (45)If you're buying a new snowblower the only company in the USA that both engineers and builds the engines is Honda and of course they are primarily for commercial use. I'm based in Canada and we can get them at local dealers only, for about $2,600 - $8,000. Much more than you would pay for a Toro or Ariens. There's a good article here explaining who makes what - https://movingsnow.com/2020/2020-snow-blowers-who-makes-each-brand/ Also for OEM Engines like many products there is a design, build and test component. I've seen many people complain about LCT Engines, yes they are "built" in China, no they are not designed or tested there. LCT is very clear on their website - the Corporate Office is in Travelers Rest, SC. "Operations Management, Design Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality Assurance, Production Control, Warranty / Technical Services, Logistics and other Administrative functions are solely based in South Carolina, USA." LCT also has a Shanghai Office - "LCT has a dedicated staff of professional Engineers, Quality Assurance Teams, and Logistics/Sourcing Personnel based in our downtown Shanghai, China offices." So yes, LCT has Chinese Engines, but that doesn't mean that Ariens is using an engine that was designed, built and tested in China because it's 10-20x cheaper for them to do that so they can increase profit margins. Not at all. I don't get the feeling that products made outside of USA or Canada are "cheap". I've been in both mechanical, medical and software engineering and this was never the case. A good example is Loncin, they were known as a Honda clone at one point but they're known globally for their quality engines so much that they sell about 3 Million engines per year - "It has annual production capacity of 2,500,000 motorcycles, 3,000,000 motorcycle engines, and 150,000 all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)." Loncin builds engines for Toro that rival anything Honda or LCT make and there are other brands such as PowerMore that are good quality as well - you will find these on Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt. Briggs & Stratton? Tecumseh? Yep, built in China too, Briggs owns it's facility there and Tecumseh is part of LCT now. In reality USA companies are using facilities in China to build engines, not necessarily designing them there except in the case of Toro and Loncin. At the very minimum the design spec comes from the brand company and they are doing their own quality assurance. The engine doesn't just show up at the assembly plant and they slap a sticker on it, there's a little more to it than that. Overall I think it's a good thing, product manufacturers in every market are getting sub-components from niche market companies that specialize in them. Think companies like Toyota or Honda are manufacturing every component in their products? They don't make their own steel, aluminum, plastic or crude oil do they? Ever seen a Toyota Oil rig? At some point it must be OK to buy a component from somebody else, and they don't need to be your next door neighbour. I mean... do you ever go to the produce section of the grocery store and think hey, how long has this fruit been in season? It's OK to get your fruit 12 months per year from somewhere but it's not OK to build an engine outside of the border?...See MoreOT: Good News - Not Bad! Trust Me!! :))
Comments (44)Mike! That is such awesome news. I guess Arrant (and God) knows that you need him in your life awhile longer! I could not be happier for you. On a side note... I think Aleve is the miracle drug... I love it! Have a great weekend. Bob...See MoreAriston undercounter refrigerator - good or bad?
Comments (3)They are very new to the U.S. market, have few sales and and even smaller trained service network. Sub Zero on the other hand invented the residential drawer fridges, has been around for eons, and has a broad and knowledgable service network in place. You might also really look at that unit as I don't think it gets as cold as the U.S. manufacturer's units. I could be wrong on that though....See MoreThe Good, The Bad, and The Fluffy
Comments (12)It's great to hear from you Pooh. Very happy to know that you have your son now. What a blessing for both of you. I'm sure he'll do so much better in school and just in general. Plus, he will be a great help to you at home. I hope they will let your boy have his dog soon. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Good news about your mood lifting too Pooh. I'm sure when you start getting more active again, with the weather warming up, you'll start having better luck with your weight loss. The 4-wheeler sounds like a great choice for you. I can only imagine how much freedom that allows you. Best of luck to you, Cindy and your DS Pooh. Please do check in when ever you feel like it. You are in our thoughts....See Morerfcc1
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