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Briggs appears to going the way of Harbor Freight

#1

StarTech

StarTech

Well gentlemen this is just my opinion but it looks like Briggs is taking up the bad habits of Harbor Freight on their small engines.

I got last week a Briggs horizontal shaft 13U2-80098068-F1 engine. Even the model number is formatted differently than what I am use to. Even tried the serial number with no results. No where on the Briggs Dealer Power Portal I can pull up the engine. I did manage to pull up the pressure washer and engine just has few of the external parts with no internal parts listed. Can't get an ignition coil for it. Apparently Briggs is now selling throw away engines like Harbor Freight. We can't repair engines when we can't get the parts.


#2

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

StarTech said:
Well gentlemen this is just my opinion but it looks like Briggs is taking up the bad habits of Harbor Freight on their small engines.

I got last week a Briggs horizontal shaft 13U2-80098068-F1 engine. Even the model number is formatted differently than what I am use to. Even tried the serial number with no results. No where on the Briggs Dealer Power Portal I can pull up the engine. I did manage to pull up the pressure washer and engine just has few of the external parts with no internal parts listed. Can't get an ignition coil for it. Apparently Briggs is now selling throw away engines like Harbor Freight. We can't repair engines when we can't get the parts.
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They're meeting a market. Low end, lower costs for low end consumers. I'm sure they still make a branded engine, that's superior to their low end stuff.


#3

StarTech

StarTech

That rich. Low end consumers just getting knifed in the back. Buying cheap usually means you will in the end spend at least twice the money maintaining your equipment by having to constantly replace it. It just another Slick Willy con job of what they think is the stupid consumer.

Boy things are going to heck in a thimble now instead of a hand basket.

A kinda glad I basically bailed on being a Briggs and Stratton dealer last year. Just didn't have the volume they want me selling of parts.

Just can't see myself selling junk; unless, it is to the scrape yard.


#4

I

ILENGINE

@StarTech what is the brand and model of that pressure washer. I am wondering if it was made by Briggs but the pressure washer OEM is claiming it is their engine. LIke JD does with Kawasaki in the US.


#5

StarTech

StarTech

ILENGINE said:
@StarTech what is the brand and model of that pressure washer. I am wondering if it was made by Briggs but the pressure washer OEM is claiming it is their engine. LIke JD does with Kawasaki in the US.
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IL go Briggs power portal and enter CMXGWAS020790-03 and it will pull up the pressure washer so it is either built by Briggs or by one its sub contractors for Craftsman.

And it kinda hard for Craftsman to claim it as their own with all the Briggs labels and logos on it. Plus all the part numbers in the IPL are Briggs PNs.


#6

I

ILENGINE

Totally Briggs item licensed to Craftsman, and that is that series of engine that we were talking about a few months ago were there was no internal parts and what parts were available were assemblies like couldn't get starter pulley or spring, had to get complete starter. The XR CR series engines.

Wondering if the 797343 modules for the 13U232 series engines will work.


#7

StarTech

StarTech

Hopefully Briggs will respond to my email but most time they just ignore my emails.

and look at me I swallowed a dinosaur.

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#8

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

The small hardware store in town has me work on the mowers they sell. They sit too long and the fuel goes bad in the carbs. These are the absolute cheapest push mowers. They sell for $150. They have Briggs engines I have never seen before. They look cheap. I haven't needed to order any parts yet but the store said that their supplier told them no parts are available except air filter and spark plug. I guess these are throw away mowers.


#9

B

bertsmobile1

These are the B & S engines from one of the B & S factories in China
The first give away is the engine number is a dot point etch in the crank case behind the carb
We got them a long while ago & they were such a massive flop in the market that most of the mowers fitted with them were retro fitted with US B & S engines
Now most have a very large sticker that says "ENGINE MADE IN THE USA " on the engine in 2 places plus on the swing tags
And yes they were mainly on the bottom end mowers $ 200 ( AUS ) or less and store branded mowers .
However shop brands now seem to have Lifans , Ducars & Zongsins as even the Loncins are considered to be "Too Expensive "
And of course no service parts what so ever for any of them


#10

StarTech

StarTech

I think I am about ready to quit this business. All I got to do is make it another 9 months then I will have a steady income otherwise.


#11

I

ILENGINE

StarTech said:
I think I am about ready to quit this business. All I got to do is make it another 9 months then I will have a steady income otherwise.
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I think the day is coming quickly that the business quits us.


#12

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

StarTech said:
I think I am about ready to quit this business. All I got to do is make it another 9 months then I will have a steady income otherwise.
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It's awesome. I now only have about 10 people that I do business with. They're rich, but nice. They don't complain about what I charge. They don't complain when I add a little something they need, without telling them first. They just expect me to keep their equipment running. What ever it needs.
I don't cheat them in anyway, of course. And they know it.

But as to your point, working when and as much as you want, is just so darn nice.


#13

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

ILENGINE said:
I think the day is coming quickly that the business quits us.
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I was just reading through that thread about those Briggs engines that don't have any parts available. Last night I was catching up on the saline ion battery technology, and how it's advancing.

You're spot on. Especially for those folks out in CA, where they've banned small engine lawn equipment. There's going to be a treasure trove of good used equipment out there headed to the scrap yard.
Wished I had a couple million to buy and haul it back here.


#14

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

The big $100/hr dealers around me won't touch the off brand chineese engine stuff and a couple only service it if they sold it. A car dealer sells Bad Boy mowers and they only service what they sell. Another car dealer is a Kubota power sports dealer and they only service kubota products. With the inability to lookup or source parts for all the new cheap equipment dealers are just avoiding issues. I see lots of stuff nobody else will touch and I have no problem telling folks up front that if it needs parts I probably can't fix it. When it gets to the point that everything is fuel injected or every part is NLA or no IPLs available I will just move on to another hustle.


#15

StarTech

StarTech

Well here is the final comment from Briggs.

On 8/14/2023 4:15 PM, <customersupport@basco.com> wrote:

XXXXXX,

This was a contract manufactured machine and the power products team that is no longer around decided not to support the engine completely. It was not a True Brigg's product.

We completely understand your frustration.

Respectfully
Craig
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Just one of those Con jobs done to the customers. And is a total embarrassment for Briggs and myself as a dealer.


#16

grumpyunk

grumpyunk

Not a dealer, Given that B&S declared bankruptcy, and moved most of their production overseas, why would anyone be surprised that service parts are NLA. All spare parts at the factory are used up on the 2nd and 3rd shifts where eerily similar looking engines with different names roll off the assembly lines. Sometimes they even paint them a different color.
I have no idea how this is going to turn out, but so far I am not impressed with how the US based suppliers decided higher profits today were better than being loyal to their long-time employees, And at the same time, expessed disinterest in any future beyond the next quarterly report from the WS analysts. Stock price, you know... They forgot it doesnt matter when the firm goes belly up.


#17

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

StarTech said:
Well here is the final comment from Briggs.

On 8/14/2023 4:15 PM, <customersupport@basco.com> wrote:


Just one of those Con jobs done to the customers. And is a total embarrassment for Briggs and myself as a dealer.
Click to expand...


I see what happened, I think. Briggs tried them out, let them build a few engines for them, and they sucked. So briggs dropped them.


#18

PTmowerMech

PTmowerMech

grumpyunk said:
Not a dealer, Given that B&S declared bankruptcy, and moved most of their production overseas, why would anyone be surprised that service parts are NLA. All spare parts at the factory are used up on the 2nd and 3rd shifts where eerily similar looking engines with different names roll off the assembly lines. Sometimes they even paint them a different color.
I have no idea how this is going to turn out, but so far I am not impressed with how the US based suppliers decided higher profits today were better than being loyal to their long-time employees, And at the same time, expessed disinterest in any future beyond the next quarterly report from the WS analysts. Stock price, you know... They forgot it doesnt matter when the firm goes belly up.
Click to expand...

Upper management trying to impress investors, would be my guess. All upper management has to increase profits or they're fired.


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