Generator Buyers Beware!
Buyer Beware …of Honda “Copy” Generators.
Honda are the world’s leaders in the manufacture of Portable Generators. Everywhere you look around you, you will see Honda and Honda Powered Generators.
They are the world’s largest Engine manufacturer.
When you buy a Honda product, it doesn’t matter where in Australia you are traveling or working, there is a Honda Authorized Servicing Dealer very close by, who can service your Honda and get you back on the track.
So many single shops today are selling other Brands. Several do not have a servicing dealer network all around Australia like Honda do, so when you are traveling the country and have a problem you have to send the generator all the way back to the shop you purchased it from to get anything done to it. How inconvenient is that? Even getting parts for your Honda is simple. There are Honda Dealers everywhere. Honda has a 4 year residential Warranty. Some retailers only have a 12 Month Warranty or less. That’s how much more Honda believes in the quality of their product.
So, when you are ready to buy a Generator make sure you ask the dealer for a comprehensive list of servicing dealers outside of your state so that you know you will have peace of mind when traveling around this wonderful country!
Serial Offenders - Is it a Genuine Honda Engine?
Beware
Serial Offenders
Is your Honda an impostor?
Some engines sold in well-known stores may have a defaced serial number. These engines may not be supported by Honda’s warranty or network of authorised dealers. If an engine does not match a specific product’s requirements it may not perform to its optimum level and may even be dangerous.
Some of these engines are assembled in China, where their design & durability are specific to application in China and Chinese standards.
This is what the serial number on a Honda engine SHOULD look like
How does your serial number compare?
Background
Honda Australia has been a leader in manufacturing quality engines for decades. Honda Australia Engines use premium parts and are backed by a network of 450+ authorised Honda dealers. Honda also supplies engines to almost 200 local Australian manufacturers for use in their premium, and Honda-approved products.
Honda prides itself on supplying the best quality products, that are designed to suit tough Australian conditions. The discovery that Australian businesses are importing Honda-branded engines with their serial numbers ground off and/or defaced is very disturbing as the source and associated quality of these goods cannot be assured.
As a result, Honda has created an awareness campaign to educate and inform the Australian public of the pitfalls involved with buying these defaced engines.
WHETHER YOU ARE LOOKING AT A HONDA-POWERED PRODUCT IN-STORE OR ONLINE, YOU MUST INSPECT THE ENGINE’S SERIAL NUMBER BEFORE PURCHASING IT!
Engines with ground off/defaced serial numbers:
- May not be genuine Honda engines
- May not be covered by Honda’s extensive warranty
- May not be supported by Honda’s servicing dealer network and parts backup
ASK YOURSELF
Why is this person selling me a defaced product? Is the engine counterfeit? Is the engine a cheap import?
Additionally, in the unlikely event that the engine needs to be recalled, without an engine serial number it is impossible to know if your engine is affected!
WHY ARE PEOPLE SELLING DEFACED ENGINES?
Being a revered engine and power equipment brand, Honda has always been a market-leader in producing quality, innovative and environmentally-friendly products. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous Australian retailers & individuals who want to take advantage of the Honda brand.
Some of these retailers & individuals are KNOWINGLY importing Honda-branded products that aren’t designed for Australian consumers or Australian conditions. These Honda-branded products may be sold without the after-sales support and warranties that only a genuine Honda product can offer.
A Honda engine’s serial number will always be engraved into the engine itself. If a branded sticker is placed over a defaced engine with a different serial number, this practice could indicate the engine is not approved for Australian conditions.
Honda Australia’s greatest concern is that a user could be injured, or worse, as a result of using a product that contains a Honda-branded engine, but hasn’t been engine match tested and approved by Honda, in Australia’s unique conditions. Before you buy, ensure that you inspect the engine’s serial number to ensure it is free from tampering.
You wouldn’t buy a car with its Vehicle Identification Number scratched off, would you?
WHY SHOULD I BUY MY HONDA ENGINE FROM AN AUTHORISED HONDA DEALER/HONDA PARTNER?
Honda takes great pride in its 450+ strong network of authorised dealers around Australia. Honda dealers are staffed by trained mechanics with excellent knowledge of Honda products and offer quality after-sales support through regular servicing, warranty coverage and repairs.
Honda Manufacturing Partners
Honda also sells engines to an extensive network of nearly 200 manufacturers in Australia. These local businesses, in turn, install Honda engines into products such as generators and garden care products, as well as agricultural, cleaning and construction products (among many more). These companies and their products must pass strict engine-matching tests to be able to offer products that are “Green & Gold Approved”.
Click here to find out more about what it means to be a “Green & Gold Approved”.
Visit the Honda Shops Range of Honda Powered Products Here
Why Choose a Honda Engine?
There are many reasons to insist on genuine Honda engines. Reasons like less down time. Lower costs of ownership. Better performance. And a whole lot more.
Experience counts.
As the world’s largest engine manufacturer, Honda offers more engine experience than anyone. Experience born on racetracks and roadways around the globe. Experience that keeps us on the cutting edge of engine performance technology.
We’ve got a well-earned reputation for our engine quality and performance. When you choose a Honda engine, or a product powered by Honda, you know what you’re getting. An engine you can count on, now and in the future.
Superior performance.
Better fuel efficiency. Higher power output. Quieter performance. Easier to use. No matter how you define superior engine performance, Honda engines set the standard.
What’s our secret? Best in class engineering and technology. From our amazingly compact mini 4-stroke engines to the intelligent power of our iGX series, Honda engines are truly built like no other.
Superior reliability and quality. Guaranteed.
Honda sets the standard for reliable, hard-working engines. Our engines are built with high-quality components designed for optimum performance in the harshest environments.
But don’t just take our word for it. Honda stands behind our engines with an industry-leading three year commercial warranty on all GX engines, 100cc and larger.
Or ask a Honda engine owner. Next time you visit a rental center, see a landscape truck, or pass by a construction site, you’ll probably see a Honda GX engine-powered piece of equipment. Stop and ask them what they think of the Honda engine. Chances are they’ll tell you they wouldn’t use anything else.
Legendary easy starting
Honda engines are renowned for being easy to start, consistently. From our unique automatic mechanical decompression system to heavy duty recoil ropes to more advanced variable ignition timing, our engines are designed with quick, easy starts in mind.
Environmental focus
Honda is committed to producing one engine for use in all 50 states. Honda engines meet the new, more stringent CARB emission requirements, and will be ready for the future lower EPA and CARB standards as they are introduced.
In addition, Honda engines meet CARB exhaust emission requirements without the use of a catalytic converter.
Nationwide parts and service support
Honda understands the importance of getting you back to work quickly. Honda has a vast nationwide support network of over 14,000 dealers.
From parts to service, Honda engine dealers are there to assist you whenever and wherever you need it. See The Honda Shop’s Parts and Service Section
The superior choice for manufacturers
Hundreds of OEMs trust Honda to power their products for instant credibility.