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4.9

My dealership is in the Houston TX area and have been a Generac Dealer for over 10 years. Today, I spent time reviewing a number of the customer complaints and feel obligated to offer my thoughts.

As a longtime Generac Dealer I have seen Generac go through a lot of changes, some good and some not so good. In so far as the quality of the residential equipment they manufacture, it's as good as any other manufacturer and in some ways superior. But, lets break it down as seen from a dealer's viewpoint.

Quality: Generac offers a very cost effective quality product that usually has a generous 5 year warranty. Lately they have been offering a 10 year warranty. As a dealer (and not a large dealer with a lot of resources), we normally do not have any problems with warranty issues. The only kickback we get is when a controller needs replacing and usually it's because the technician has not documented the proper tests. I have never had Generac deny a claim when submitted in a timely manner. The dealer just needs to follow the protocol Generac requires. And Generac pays the dealer well for the repair. My only complaint on quality is the liquid cooled 3600 rpm units. They run hard and tend to break belts, water pumps and etc. Generac has a line of liquid cooled units that run at 1800 rpm and are pretty much trouble free. The price difference between the two is normally no more than $1500.00 or so, but some dealers and electrical installers sell the 3600rpm units just to get the job.

Price: It pretty much doesn't matter which air or liquid cooled generator brand you purchase they all are priced competitively and they are constantly chasing each other on the warranties. it's the Ford Chevy thing. Some people like Fords and some like Chevy's, but they both cost about the same and both are of good quality. It's your prerogative. I personally like the Generac controller better than the Kohler or B & S or GE, buy they all are good.

Thoughts: Your generator is only as good as the intended use and the installation, period. Generally speaking, if the installation charges are less than the generator and transfer switch, the installer is cutting corners and doing an inferior job.

A good dealer will:

1. Spend time with the customer to determine their needs and expectations.

2. Determine the customer's budget and how they plan on paying for the job. (a lot of times the customer thinks the generator costs include the installation and are taken aback when the total charges are presented ).

3. The dealer must do a complete load analysis and size the generator accordingly.

4.Be aware of gimmics. When a dealer says he is throwing in a whole house surge protector be aware, nothing is free. You are paying for it even if you don't need it. Surge protectors are pretty cheap for the dealer and the markup can be as much as 500% and homes rarely have surges. Don' fall for it. Another gimmick is having the homeowner pre-pay for service. If a dealer wants you to pre-pay, be aware. Consider this, in the Houston area alone there are, during hurricane season approximately 200 dealers. Then after October the number dwindles down to around 130 until the next hurricane season. If you pre-pay for the service there is a good chance the dealer will be out of business even before the first service is due.

5. Look for a dealer that does good work and can provide references. The big dealers are usually the worst for quality installations and service. That is just the nature of the beast. A company that has weathered the seasons and can respond to your needs is the best, most reliable and most responsive for you.

So, it's not Gena-junk, Kohler-toilet, Briggs and Stratton-lawn mower. They are all good products. It's the dealer that determines the quality and longevity of your generator. Quality in, quality out, junk in, junk out. Pay now or pay later. Spend your money wisely and when getting quotes, NEVER go with the low bid.

Generac Power Systems Pros: Always working for improvement.

Location: Houston, Texas

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Guest

We are electricians in mid west, also a Kohler dealer and B & S dealer. We won't touch Generac.

We won't even repair them. Yes a good dealer is important, a good install is important..but the dealer can not eat the price of repairs when Generac rarely stands behind warranty issues. We hear it daily.

The product is not reliable.

Guest

I have a customer with a brand new 351 ford engine after 3 minutes of run time shut down on a coolant alarm. Found entire engine compartment full of coolant leaking from head and deck of engine.

After calling Generac warranty service company they agreed that engine needs replacement due to warped engine deck. Generac has denied their own service company request to replace engine.

They *** contest still goes on with the customer not having a reliable back up power . Now the customer involved with a law suit .

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