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Predator vs. Honda for a splitter

Discussion in 'Chainsaws and Power Equipment' started by Beetle-Kill, May 25, 2016.

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  1. Bret Hart

    Bret Hart

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    Bret Hart, Jun 1, 2016
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  2. RCBS

    RCBS

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    RCBS, Jun 1, 2016
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  3. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

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    I got it to open finally, must be a rush of traffic to that site.... :rofl: :lol:


    Oh yeah, no secrets there. How do you think the Chinese and the Thai manufacturers learned how to copy those engines so well? ;)

    The fallacy of thinking that consumers (especially Americans) wouldn't accept the inevitable clones as equivalents has definitely changed the consumer/residential markets. And their are plenty of commercial customers embracing the concept of disposable engines too. Cheaper/faster/more reliable repair to swap the entire engine than to pay a tech to spend hours of his/her time diagnosing and correcting a fault on sub-$500 engines.

    If it looks like a Honda, starts like a Honda, and runs like a Honda, it must be just as good. The vast majority of "pro-sumers" and home-owners won't put enough time on their equipment to notice, let alone justify spending more on higher quality materials, and better manufacturing. So long as it makes the proper noise when we pull the ripe, it's all good.

    That pretty much sums it all up right there. :( A tear shed for losing a quality competitor to Honda in this business. But if the market just ain't there.....

    I think I'll be re-thinking my stance on how these engines are affecting commercial customers too.:sherlock:
     
    MasterMech, Jun 1, 2016
    #43 Top
  4. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

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    Can't blame it on Harbor Freight. They and the manufactuers are just giving customers what they want. Exactly what they say they want. You have to change the consumer mentality before you will see a real shift in this trend towards disposable engines.

    I wish Subaru had stuck it out tho. They really were gaining traction in the market.
     
    MasterMech, Jun 1, 2016
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  5. ironpony

    ironpony

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    also the average consumer/homeowner will never put enough hours on a small engine to see the difference. They buy it, run it, if it don't start they buy anew one, don't matter what brand. Heck I have pulled everything from a Predator to a Kawasaki from the trash and they all start and run fine after a carb cleaning.
     
    ironpony, Jun 1, 2016
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  6. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    This is the point to these engines. If I don't put enough hours on a wood splitter in 15 years to need a high dollar brand why pay for honda? If I grenades at 15 years I'll buy another $100 motor. I don't care that the Honda may last 35 years. It cost more than 3x as much. I rather have that difference in $$ in my pocket for all those years. Like someone said if I go out and it won't start or it grenades it's no big deal I will just buy a new one. It's not like I will be out 2 days worth of work because of it.
     
    clemsonfor, Jun 1, 2016
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  7. ironpony

    ironpony

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    exactly the Predator fits a niche and so does the Honda. Kinda like the Earthquake saw, 20 bucks it will cut anything I need cut
     
    ironpony, Jun 1, 2016
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  8. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Haha. I love my quakes! I feel so much better strapping that earthquake down to my trailer and driving across the state to my farm vs a $1200 stihl!!!
     
    clemsonfor, Jun 1, 2016
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  9. RCBS

    RCBS

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    I know, I forgot Northern Tool and the Tool Trailer sales, etc. They have fooled consumer into thinking they really can afford a generator/waterpump/whatever.

    I posed the question earlier but no bites...Who's gonna drive the $5,000 F150 they start selling in a couple years? Why is it that inferior quality is OK on some products but not others? I depend on everything I buy to do it's job every time without question....whether it be a kitchen knife or an automobile...I want it to work. Silly old me I guess. I try to buy the best I can afford and go without when I can't afford something that won't fail me when I need it most.

    Most of you can probably tell...I hate the "throwaway society" we are becoming. Take a look at your local highways if you'd like to see the culmination of "lowest price gets the job".
     
    RCBS, Jun 1, 2016
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  10. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

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    Cars are a status symbol. When cheap becomes the new chic, that $5000 F150 will be all the rage. I doubt that day is coming anytime soon. But it can't possibly be any worse than the $50,000 rust buckets they are selling today.

    It becomes a matter of when is disposable appropriate? These clone engines seem to be doing the job just fine in a wide variety of applications. It's not the way we're used to but it works for a lot of people. I'm guilty of buying cheap stuff on occasion. If nobody bought a cheap tool to get a job done, we'd have to hire out every job to a pro who has the good stuff to get it done.

    On those highways I hear ya. (or any major construction project) A lot of that comes from the way municipal and corporate budgets are managed. Year to year budgeting and a use it or lose it mentality costs us millions if not more every year. It's nobody's personal bank account and we can't seem to see the value in saving surplus to pay it forward next year. Plus those in charge are seldom around long enough to be held responsible for the long-term effects.
     
    MasterMech, Jun 1, 2016
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  11. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Um if the quality is close to the HF engines I have run I would definitely buy a knock off $5000 f150!
     
    clemsonfor, Jun 1, 2016
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  12. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    I actually like utilitarian vehicles and am fond of seeing g older things that are just simple trucks or cars.

    I remember when I was young in the early 90s (yes I'm young to some of you) there still were utilitarian economy cars. With manual everything, donut spare and AC and radio were actually optional. I'd like to see options like that back in the market but like MM says that's not the market and not what most want.

    I also know government regulation on safety and emissions has killed the low price sector as well
     
    clemsonfor, Jun 1, 2016
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  13. Canadian border VT

    Canadian border VT

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    Well guys let's be honest.. China bought a Honda engine and copied it without paying any royalties for engineering or design... but no one wants to annoy large holder of USA debt so it continues. . but that's why predator is cheaper and lower Quality inputs rant over...
     
    Canadian border VT, Jun 1, 2016
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  14. MasterMech

    MasterMech The Mechanical Moderator

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    Worse. Honda built GX series engines in China and the tooling was used to build clones.
     
    MasterMech, Jun 1, 2016
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  15. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    They didn't have to buy it. They make the darn things!
     
    clemsonfor, Jun 1, 2016
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  16. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    MM beat me to it
     
    clemsonfor, Jun 1, 2016
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  17. ironpony

    ironpony

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    think back about 40 or so years ago when Toyota came to the US market, the same was said. cheap japanese junk, look at them now. The toyota truck was a comparable example, cheap rust bucket. build it and they will buy it.
     
    ironpony, Jun 1, 2016
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  18. Boomstick

    Boomstick Banned

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    My harbor freight pressure washer has 5 years on it with the original oil in it.
    The harbor freight generators have great consumer reveiws and ratings.
    I put a used predator on my sawmill also.
    They all run great sitting seasonally with (gasp) ethanol e10 fuel in them.
     
    Boomstick, Jun 2, 2016
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  19. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Welcome broomstick. Nice to have another HF lover here.
     
    clemsonfor, Jun 2, 2016
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  20. Boomstick

    Boomstick Banned

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    Harbor freight makes some decent/great stuff they do make junk, gotta check reveiws lol
     
    Boomstick, Jun 2, 2016
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