My initial post, I advised Jack maybe to hire a plow. I just answered questions. Some like to take care of their own chores. I'm sure Gerry and Jack have their reasons for using snowblowers, as do I. For me the snowblower is ideal at this point in time,  because its almost as quick as a plow and allowed me to keep good customers I've had for 30 years. I've ALWAYS shoveled paths and garage doors and cleaned around cars.  Now I don't have to.  They're like family, and  were  tremendously supportive when  I got cancer.  I  had a snowplowing business for forty years and oversaw snow removal at two ski areas. I've used just about every type of snow removal equipment their is. I now use what works for me.  Most people I know that use blowers just at their residences  expect at least a dozen years use of their machine.  That works out to  5,000 and still leaves a bunch of shoveling and potential damage.  That's why I  bought a snow blower.  Just started Feb. and mine is just about paid for.  This was my trial year, next year I'll add    some more small jobs.  after three years I should have a 10, 000  profit.  Since I'm now semi-retired, works great as supplemental income and keeps me from having someone  do my chores. That would flip me out. 

I have two reason why I do it myself. 
First is the driveway I had installed about 5 years ago is lined with Belgian block.  The last thing I want or need is a plow guy destroying/knocking loose block.  Second reason is a plow guy leaves behind 1-2" of packed snow that the blade doesn't pick up leaving me ice to contend with and the added expense of having it salted/sanded.  Each major snowfall costs me $150-$200 if it's plowed/salted/sanded. 
 
With the thrower I can get down to bare pavement which lessens the amount of ice I have to contend with.  Being retired I have the time to do it myself at my pace.  The day will come when I will have to wave the white flag of surrender but not yet!
 
The machine I use is a 28" 2 stage Cub Cadet 528 SWE with electric start.  MTD (Murray Tractor Division) makes Cub Cadet, Troy-bilt and a few other machines.  It's okay but wish I had a bigger (wider) machine.  I put an Arnold snow cab on which is a God send in windy conditions.
 
Fichy, I don't know if you checked my link but Toro's engines are made in China by Loncin and have been since 2011.  Most of Toro's machine are USA made the rest are made in Mexico. 
A few years ago I was in the market for a zero turn lawn tractor and went with Toro MX 5050 because it had a heavy duty welded cutting deck as opposed to cheap stamped metal.  I have an acre and a half which takes approximately 1:15 to cut.  A few issues with the machine but overall not bad.

Gerry, they do make plows for zero turn mowers, and even some 4-5 foot wide blowers. My friend just sent me a pic of a Skaggs he's using at an apartment complex to do thousands of feet of asphalt paths.  He set it up with a hard cab and lights.  Might want to check local small motor works, aint a box store thing. 
Hoping Sunday's storm goes as predicted and misses me. Should miss the Hudson Valley, too.

I have a Honda,two stage,self propelled,and it runs on tracks.I bought this after I moved into my house about 20 yrs ago.I have a LOOONG drive with a 300 ft hill and then it circles around my 4 car garage and then it goes down the hill to the street.The first winter I had a plow service,and had the same issue with skim ice.So I went with the blower and it is a great machine,but this storm was bad and I.m too old to spend more than 4 hrs. out there.

Fichy, did your friend have to install wheel weights on the zero turn?  
 
Sunday's forecast keeps changing.  The last report says 3-6" starting around dawn to 3 PM.  It's a fast moving system that shouldn't cause too many headaches.

I don't know about weights, but it does have chains. 
Jack, you might talk to a few plow guys and see if they will plow a little slower and with the feet removed or set  so the cutting edge actually hits the pavement consistently.  In a big storm they will have to plow twice . If I was doing it by contract, I ate the cost, as I usually had it figured in, if by the storm, they may charge almost double. That's a pretty long driveway . The bill gets pretty hefty by the end of the year.  Maybe you can find a caretaking business or a handyman/laborer that you could pay by the hour to run your machine.   I've heard that those Hondas are very good. I had a customer  in Manchester, Vt. ,in  the snow belt , that used a John Deere  20 hp garden tractor with a blower on it for a large driveway. I swapped the mowing deck out every Spring and Fall for him when he got a little too frail to wrestle with it.  My neighbor uses a Kubota  of the same size. Neither have a cab, but you can get those, too.  HT mentioned loving the set up like that his family had. The largest walk behinds I've ever seen are Graveleys. They work well, but the new ones are very expensive , near what you'd pay for a garden tractor. 
Sick as I am, I still tolerate the cold well and can walk a good distance. That  will change, God knows when. 
Screw piling snow, I want to go catch a steelhead.

Good talk on the blowers. My Lawn tractor JD X580 let me down. LOL. I guess 2 feet hard packed snow from the roof was too much. I kept raising up and I got stuck and spun a chain off the tire. Even the big blower on the 6K farm tractor raise up or spun. I ended up using the bucket. Making a little mess, but all went well. I cannot exert myself heavily anymore so I am trying to work smarter. Looked at a new cabbed tractor today and if I can stay working will get it. I helped dad with chores this morning to give my other bro a break and it took us twice as long, but we got em down. We were both huffing and puffing like a locomotive after pushing a round bale our. LOL. I start cardiac rehab soon maybe that will help.

Again, I'm not well versed on a snowblower except one dosen't work well for my application. My parking and drive areas are all fill gravel. Lots of areas to clear. Used to take me days of frustration and breakdowns so plowing is way to go go here.

hot tuna
Again, I'm not well versed on a snowblower except one dosen't work well for my application. My parking and drive areas are all fill gravel. Lots of areas to clear. Used to take me days of frustration and breakdowns so plowing is way to go go here.

Dont get me wrong HT a plow works best here too. The blower is for clean ups and accessing areas that the is not feasible I have an area for a portion of my drive that there are buildings on both sides. You have to blow forwards and not yo sides. Plus the plow is twice the width

Well as I sit here the snow is coming down again!! However this one is going to be a dusting,3 -6". it won't be much but it still is a pain!