Originally Posted by bullwinkle
Originally Posted by Kruse
Originally Posted by Dinoburner
HF has cheap engines if the machine is worth the expense.
A couple of years ago, I got a 22 HP HF Predator engine for a Kohler Courage engine that created a hole in the block on my zero turn. (The Kohler Courage engine is notorious for that. Google it)
Anyway, I managed to find a coupon to get it for $549 and purchased it. Except if you do the paperwork on it, it's not the bargain that it appears to be.
HF stopped printing the coupons for that engine, as far as I know. It is now at a normal $730 that gets the price up to the "American-branded" engines.
First, the HF engine has only a 90 day warranty, where most B&S engines have at least a year. If you add the extended warranty to the HF engine, the price can be a big turnoff, especially if you listen to the horror stories of getting replacement parts for the HF engine. I no longer consider a Harbor Freight engine cheap, nor a bargain.
B&S still has USA built engines? When I repowered my log splitter & replaced the ancient flathead Briggs that was on it, the local B&S shop wanted DOUBLE the price of the 13 HP Predator I ended up putting on it-and the B&S engine was "Made in China" too!
Nowhere in my post did I say it was American-made, I said it was American-branded. I'm well aware of the COO of a lot of B&S motors. Last I checked, B&S is still based in America. Chinese-made or not, they still have a better warranty than HF.