Briggs market share has tanked over the last few years.. Even before the financial issues. At one time they were like 66% of the market, and with what I am seeing now, I suspect it is now closer to 15% For me the last couple years, engine repairs have been minimal on both Briggs and Kohler engines, with a lot more Kawasaki. I would say at this point that Briggs is now less than 5% of all the engine repair work I do. Most of my repair work is equipment related and not engine related.
And repair invoices are just going up I have had a rash of people digging out their chainsaws that haven't been ran in a few years, and minor repair work is cost effective, but since they have set the chain links and bar sprocket have froze up. When you add those items to the repair it is no longer a feasible repair. So can't even repair chainsaws if they also require a new bar and chain. Just had a 45cc Homelite the other day. Needed a new $30 ignition module and replacement fuel lines and primer bulb. That alone is not a bad repair cost, but a new bar and 2 chains pushes the repair bill to $173.