lawn equipment: honda GX series worth it?

[NetWareHead]

im going to be purchasing some lawn and yard equipment (walk behind blower, edger, pressure washer, rototiller etc...) and so far my research shows that many people consider the honda GX series engine series to be the best small engines out there. Many out there consider these to be the most reliable, best built and longest lasting. Every power equipment rental shop I've shopped at seems to overwhelmingly have equipment that is honda GX powered. You wont find many if any briggs & stratton, tucumseh etc... engines. It seems to be all honda.

Curious to see what the guys on the garage forum think regarding honda GX engines? is it worth it to buy honda GX powered equipment (and pay the premium)? Some of this stuff will be purchased new, others used.

 

[weadjust]

Yes the GX series engines are about as good as it gets in small engines. That's why a lot of the Chinese made small engines are GX clones. Which can be good thing if you need cheap replacement parts. I have a late 80s Honda generator with a GX engine and I needed an oring for the carburetor bowl. Honda price for just the oring was $22. I can a new carburetor Chinese version on ebay for $18 or the carb rebuild kit with oring for $9.99.

 

[NutBucket]

The only thing I dislike about the GX is the timing belt and polymer camshaft. Otherwise mine has been great in the few months I've had it. But I also expect my lawn equipment to last decades with regular (simple) maintenance.

 

[Zenmervolt]

The only thing I dislike about the GX is the timing belt and polymer camshaft. Otherwise mine has been great in the few months I've had it. But I also expect my lawn equipment to last decades with regular (simple) maintenance.

I was under the impression that only the GC series had the timing belt and that the GX series used gear-driven cams.

That said, I've got an HRX mower with the basic GC engine and it's been great so far. Forgot to drain the carb last winter so I had to clean the carb this spring, but other than that bit of user error the thing has been dead reliable.

ZV

 

[deerslayer]

I bought a push mower with the Honda GCV160 engine this year. So far I'm quite pleased with it. My last push mower had a B&S motor on it that seemed like I was constantly fighting to keep it running.

 

[NutBucket]

Ah, good catch Zen. I'm so used to seeing GC motors on consumer grade products I didn't even notice the OP was asking about GX motors.

 

[NetWareHead]

So what do you guys think? GX motors command a premium when buying equipment new. Here is an example from the PowerTrim company: http://www.powertrim.com/products.htm

The Briggs & Stratton models range from $535 to $690.

The same trimmers but with Honda GX engines are $920.

Is it worth that much of a price difference? What would you guys do in this example? Rental shops apparently do think so and alluding to my previous point of several rental shops I have checked that stock exclusively Honda GX and no Briggs & Stratton.

 

[NutBucket]

How much acreage are we talking here?

McLane also makes some nice gear: http://www.mclanemower.com/

 

[NetWareHead]

How much acreage are we talking here?

2 properties. About 1/3 acre each. Each property has sidewalks, driveways and flower beds that need edging. I could use a weedwhacker with an edger attachment but IMO, its easier to use a wheeled edger like in the links despite it being a little overkill. I'd edge once every month or 2 months to keep things looking tidy. I also plan to acquire other properties in the future so the goal is to keep equipment for the long run. I'm a beleiver in spending a little more if need be to acquire better quality equipment and maintaining it so it actually does last long.

But, with the price examples I have provided, could a B&S (or other brand) small engine also be maintained to provide a "lifetime" of usage? Is the Honda GX really worth that much and have that much of an advantage over other small engines?

 

[NoCreativity]

I have an MTD with B&S that I inherited from my grandpa. It's about 15 years old now. Never had too much of a problem with once a week usage and just doing regular maintenance. Occasionally I'll have to pull more than a couple times to get it started and it started running rough last season so I'll most likely need to clean the carb and maybe a plug replacement this year. I've never had anything with a Honda engine so I can't compare the two.

 

[NutBucket]

Honestly for that size I wouldn't bother with the price of the GX-powered equipment. The biggest downfall of small engines is lack of maintenance IMHO. The leaf blower and edger I have are both over a decade old and run fine.

Now I will say I believe the low-end engines, no matter what the make, aren't going to be as good. I think the GC series is a good compromise. But basically, if you buy quality gear the engine should match. I will also say that when it comes to 2-stroke engines I believe there is a bigger delta. I would definitely suggest spending the money on Stihl, Echo or similar.

And like you, I too like edgers. I have a McLane that is quite nice and built like a tank. I would have bought their mower too but my lawn just isn't big enough to justify it. I bought a $250 Troy Bilt from Lowe's with a GC engine. Runs fine so far and is appropriate for my use.

 

[twinrider1]

Have you priced a lawn service? With 2 properties and a plan for more on the horizon, this could be turning into some real hours each week. Add to that storage, maintenance and fuel and dealing with weather.
Do you want to mow lawns or manage properties? (Or am I way off base and the 2 properties are personal use)

But to answer you question, if those are rental properties, and you have the cash, go for the GX engines. It's a write-off anyway, and good equipment equals peace of mind.

 

[NetWareHead]

Honestly for that size I wouldn't bother with the price of the GX-powered equipment. The biggest downfall of small engines is lack of maintenance IMHO. The leaf blower and edger I have are both over a decade old and run fine.

Now I will say I believe the low-end engines, no matter what the make, aren't going to be as good. I think the GC series is a good compromise. But basically, if you buy quality gear the engine should match. I will also say that when it comes to 2-stroke engines I believe there is a bigger delta. I would definitely suggest spending the money on Stihl, Echo or similar.

And like you, I too like edgers. I have a McLane that is quite nice and built like a tank. I would have bought their mower too but my lawn just isn't big enough to justify it. I bought a $250 Troy Bilt from Lowe's with a GC engine. Runs fine so far and is appropriate for my use.

Agree with you on 2-stroke equipment. I am actually pricing out a Stihl string trimmer that can take attachments.

McLane is another one I am considering for edgers. I also like Little Wonder brand because they have one feature that I have not seen on other walk-behind and that is a dual belt. Because the dual belt can handle more engine torque and load from the blade cutting into the ground, they have the most aggressive blade I have ever seen. You can even mount 2 of these saw type blades to the edger and dig a small trench suitable to running shallow cable.

Thanks for your opinions so far...pls keep em coming

 

[NetWareHead]

Have you priced a lawn service? With 2 properties and a plan for more on the horizon, this could be turning into some real hours each week. Add to that storage, maintenance and fuel and dealing with weather.
Do you want to mow lawns or manage properties? (Or am I way off base and the 2 properties are personal use)

But to answer you question, if those are rental properties, and you have the cash, go for the GX engines. It's a write-off anyway, and good equipment equals peace of mind.

Good point on the workload. Im at the point where I feel the work is not too much. I will consider a lawn service at some point in the future if my acquisitions are demanding too much time maintaining the outdoors.

 

[NutBucket]

Agreed on that point. I like working on my own yard but I wouldn't want it to be my full-time job.

 

[Zenmervolt]

So what do you guys think? GX motors command a premium when buying equipment new. Here is an example from the PowerTrim company: http://www.powertrim.com/products.htm

The Briggs & Stratton models range from $535 to $690.

The same trimmers but with Honda GX engines are $920.

Is it worth that much of a price difference? What would you guys do in this example? Rental shops apparently do think so and alluding to my previous point of several rental shops I have checked that stock exclusively Honda GX and no Briggs & Stratton.

Honestly, with those price differences I'd go for the Briggs I/C engine. The I/C line from Briggs is solid and with good maintenance should last just fine. The Honda might be slightly quieter or better on fuel, but IMO it's not worth the price delta there.

ZV