Toro CCR-2450 GTS - Most Bang For The Buck
Written: Sep 20 '02 (Updated Dec 18 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Plenty of power, fairly priced
Cons: Take a step up if you regularly get over 12"-18" at a time.
The Bottom Line: The most bang for the buck - This model is more than adequate for most home-owners.
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| michiman1's Full Review: Toro Ccr 2450 Gts Snow Blower |
As luck would have it(tongue in cheek), I've had the opportunity to use a number of snowthrowers over the past several years and I can say the Toro CCR-2450 GTS really does offer consumers the greatest bang for the buck.
Nearly everyone in my immediate family has owned Toro snowthrowers for the past 25 years and I can honestly state there has not been a lemon in the bunch. I personally owned my last Toro model for over 15 years and it would probably still be running today had it not been for my own mistake. It was this history of long lasting, quality products that helped make up my mind to replace my existing machine with another Toro. I looked at MTD, Airens, Honda and Deere product lines but decided the Toro CCR-2450 GTS offered the best quality for the price.
The Toro CCR-2450 GTS snowthrower has a fairly standard 20" clearing width and a 5 HP motor. You will find this machine is plenty powerful for depths up to 18". Additionally, the Toro CCR-2450 GTS comes equipped with a "Power Curve" blade which throws snow farther than the old paddle type throwers. The action of these is similar to the auger style snowthrowers on the highest priced models. The manufacturer's literature claims this model will throw snow up to 30' but from my experience, this model throws a distance something closer to 20'. This machine has enough power to throw snow over banks of up to 4' with relative ease. If you have an interest in a bit more power, check out the Toro CCR-3650 GTS which is the same basic model with a "beefed-up" 6.5 HP engine.
Toro's next step up in the single-stage line is the Snow Commander with a 24" clearing path and slightly higher stance it may be over-kill for our use here in southeastern Michigan. You folks in Buffalo, upper Mid-west, Michigan's U.P. or portions of the western lower peninsula should consider something bigger than the Toro CCR-2450 GTS.
The Toro CCR-2450 GTS is not a self-propelled model. One use of this machine will prove spending large amounts of cash for a self-propelled snowthrower is a waste of cash. This model has no problem gripping to the drive as it clears, you will actually have to slow it down at times as it attempts to pull you along.
Another choice you will find yourself faced with is whether you want to pay the extra $100.00 for the electric starter. The electric start option allows you to start the unit by plugging it into a normal 110V electrical socket and pressing a button instead of having to pull the recoil starter. The Exclusive R-Tek Engine is Guaranteed to Start in one or two pulls for 5 Years or Toro will fix it FREE! It was for this reason I decided to pass on the electric start and opted to save $100.00 with the recoil starter. Even after more than four seasons of use, I feel I made a good decision with the pull start version. This machine fires up on no more than two pulls every time… and that includes the first start each fall. Just prime and pull!
Both of the Toro models I mention come with a full 2 year warranty which says If anything goes wrong for two years under normal use and maintenance, Toro will fix it FREE!
I noticed this model on sale at local home stores last week for $539.00 with a recoil start. The Toro CCR-3650 GTS was going for $699.00 with the electric start option. I may have opted to fork over the additional $60.00 for an extra 1.5 HP but few choices were available at the time I was purchasing.
This brings me to my next point, don't delay in your shopping for these items. Be fore-warned, if you decide to wait until the first snowfall you probably have made a costly mistake. After the first major dumping of snow you will most likely be forced to purchase from a picked over selection of machines. It seems that every year, the 5 or 6.5 HP models are snapped up instantly leaving you to purchase a wimpy leftover or a huge 2-stage that is most likely twice the machine you will ever need at a cost of close to or even more than $1000.
For most home-owners, the Toro CCR-2450 GTS is more machine than you will need 99% of the time. For the price I find both this model and the Toro CCR-3650 GTS the best machines on the market today. For those of you who live in areas with regular heavy snowfalls I still suggest taking a hard look at the complete line of Toro snowthrowers.
Recommended:
Yes
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