Briggs & Stratton discontinues all Snapper & Simplicity tractors & zero turns - 9/8/2023

[J316]

I had a Simplicity Prestige bought just a few days ago but after reading this news (that all dealers knew) I went back and retrieved my check. Simplicity sales rep was one of the best I've ever delt with for any product. I'm expecting a Gravely ZT HD to be delivered this week.

 

[Scott_HRR]

Unfortunately we live in a throw away society these days from a consumer standpoint. People no long have the attention span and the desire to purchase tools to keep for a lifetime or at least a long period of time. Many consumers have not yet realized when they go electric that battery is going to need to be replaced in 3-5 years and in most cases the cost will be up to 1/2 the price of the electric tool.

When you walk through Home Depot or other home improvement locations it’s pretty hard to even find a selection of gas powered equipment as they have been replaced by electric.

 

[chinookmtp]

Had a Kawaski on my Hustler Raptor, was a good engine. Went with Briggs when I bought a Ferris IS 2100 and ISX2200. The ISX Vanguard (Briggs) has the external oil tank which I like. I wonder if Kawasaki will eventually be the choice?? Went with the Ferris for the ride as I have very uneven terrain.

 

[J316]

Had a Kawaski on my Hustler Raptor, was a good engine. Went with Briggs when I bought a Ferris IS 2100 and ISX2200. The ISX Vanguard (Briggs) has the external oil tank which I like. I wonder if Kawasaki will eventually be the choice?? Went with the Ferris for the ride as I have very uneven terrain.

I hear ya on trying to get the best ride. My 'yard' is as rough as any farm field I've been in. I bought my Gravely with their full suspension seat and the upgraded casters with rubber buffers in them. I'll also adjust the tire pressure accordingly.

 

[jcsm5079]

Working for Home depot has been an education in mowers for me. It seems the only brand that stands out is Toro. I wished we had the walk behind line of Toros. I have a Poulan walk behind and a Poulan tiller I purchased 2017 with
B & S engines. No problems and still running great. I have a Troy Built TBR that has overheating problems. I am going to work on it this fall and make sure the engine is very clean. It is the TH 382 cc model which I have little confidence in. Home Depot is on track for 50 % of mowers sold being battery operated. I have a small Ryobi Battery OP that works great for trimming. We sell very few Battery Operated mowers at our store. Being in a rural area Not much demand for these guys.

 

[grumpyunk]

Somebody is forcing an earthquake in the use if IC engines. Rules and regulations are enacted or dictated(regulations are not law) at the whim of unqualified people.
I do not believe any sort of cost:benefit analysis has been done on electrification of OPE.
Th PTB do not seem aware that the world runs on diesel. Farm equipment to plow, plant, weed, till, and harvest crops, equipment to haul the crops to mills, to run the mills, to transport the milled product to bakeries, etc, and final delivery to warehouses and retail stores is ALL done with diesel powered equipment.
The meatheads by the PoToMac think dictation works. It does when composing a letter, if you have a good assistant, but dictating rules and regulations without proper preparation and knowledge of the effects can be disastrous.
We do live in interesting times.

B&S declared bankruptcy, and should have sold off the brand names that were valuable. Apparently the people doing the re-organization do not understand the OPE, pro and consumer markets. Briggs had an excellent reputation built over 80-90 years or more. Someone decided to eat the brand name and destroy it with inferior products. Once the brand name has been associated with junk, it takes decades to bring it back. It is a real waste. It also effectively destroys any chance for B&S to be a strong competitor, and damaged the job opportunities for those who will be put out of work.
Short term gains traded for destruction of a name brand is the last resort of ignorant people making decisions they should not even be allowed to consider. Apparently the 'stock market' evaluation drives a lot of companies. Long term, the stock market will do what it will do, so focusing on the job right now, right in front of you should be what employees do daily. They no longer have the chance, or soon will not.

 

[Dmax Dually]

They have the same plan to get rid of gas powered cars. But it is a lot easier to get rid of all gas power lawn equipment first than cars. They are putting all US small engine and lawn equipment manufactures out of business so your only choice will be battery power lawn equipment all from China. Once they force everyone to get use to using battery lawn equipment vehicles will be next...

 

[SamB]

So that’s the end of Snapper lawn tractors & zero turns. Briggs & Stratton shut them down yesterday on negative sales growth. It’s likely they will license the name, so look forward to seeing $299 electric mowers made in China & sold in big box stores, etc. It’s disappointing, I used to use Snapper Pro mowers while doing yards during college and they were amazing. I bought my 2020 RPX largely on the reputation of the pre-acquisition company’s reputation & the fact that they were owned by Briggs.

https://www.rurallifestyledealer.co...-snapper-tractors-zero-turns-in-north-america

Sad. The original Snapper RER was perhaps the best rider mower ever. No frills, no cup holders, no fancy engine covers to make it look like a mini- farm tractor, just everything required to cut the lawn and do a great job of it. My 33" Extra Tough Hi Vac rider from 1984 will live on due to the many aftermarket parts available for the millions(?) of Snapper RERs still out there, doing their job.

 

[StarTech]

I agree it is terrible what has been done the Briggs and Stratton company. For me it is nearly impossible to get parts now. I just recent worked a Briggs Pressure washer that very in engine were available. It was less than two years old and I had to give the customer the bad news that it was unrepairable due to lack of parts.

 

[Forcus]

B&S declared bankruptcy, and should have sold off the brand names that were valuable. Apparently the people doing the re-organization do not understand the OPE, pro and consumer markets. Briggs had an excellent reputation built over 80-90 years or more. Someone decided to eat the brand name and destroy it with inferior products. Once the brand name has been associated with junk, it takes decades to bring it back. It is a real waste. It also effectively destroys any chance for B&S to be a strong competitor, and damaged the job opportunities for those who will be put out of work.
Short term gains traded for destruction of a name brand is the last resort of ignorant people making decisions they should not even be allowed to consider. Apparently the 'stock market' evaluation drives a lot of companies. Long term, the stock market will do what it will do, so focusing on the job right now, right in front of you should be what employees do daily. They no longer have the chance, or soon will not.

I couldn't agree more. I work at a very large construction equipment manufacturer and have seen it time and time again where non-customers and people who have not bought anything more than a wheelbarrow make inane decisions that impact end customers that have bought equipment to support their businesses. With regards to Simplicity I am sad but not surprised as the dealer network here has all but dried up (there used to be one in every town, sometimes multiple), the product really hasn't been marketed or updated in years, so naturally market share will decrease. There are people out there that want to own quality and will pay for it but you can't neglect your brand and expect them to just show up.

I make buying decisions for my equipment based on how I think the manufacturer will support it currently and down the road. Thus I own Grasshopper and Kubota products and older equipment where there is a cottage industry that supports it.