I know some people avoid HF tools look at them as junk and your right some are junk some are not. Like the generator I bought a few years ago , didn't need it till yesterday and it works just like the hight price ones.

The Predator brand has a big following.

Predator 5000 watt was on sale for $300 off earlier this week

I have the 13 HP on my log spliter no problem splitting wood except knots.

Pretty bold statement considering by your own admission youve only used it once. Put a few hundred hours on it this year and do that for the next ten years and then let us know if it is 'Honda' quality. I hope it is, but good grief, one use tells you absolutely nothing.

Just like anything else that's a bargain, buddy has one model used at camp, it runs great for a while & then quits. weather it be the gas he uses or the unit itself, he drains the gas and return it to Harbor freight for another, and so on. It's not something I would want to depend on at my home or work.

I have a small predator engine on a mud motor it ran the same way ,did some checking and the spark plug that comes in them is junk switched it out to a quality plug and no more problems.

They aren't a Honda but they are pretty dependable from the people I talk to.

Well if it make you sleep better spending alot more on a name brand do it it don't matter to me!!

Use the crap out of them at work... I'd buy one personally

We have 3 of the Predator 3500s. (for concession stands and fish house). Run them all day for several days at a time. Like them so much I didn't even buy the warranty for the last one. Never a problem, just change the oil and have good gas. I personally would never consider buying a Honda again because I feel they arnt as good or worth the money. The next one I buy will be the 5000.

We have 15 of them that get used hard. Some are great, some are junk. They all get the same maintenance. I don't know if it's a quality control issue or what, but the inconsistency is baffling.

The Harbor Freight engines are referred to as 'CHonda' engines. CHonda meaning chinese Honda. This is an older Honda designed engine that the chinese copy. Great design , but quality control may not be up to Honda's standards.

get the 2 year free replacement plan that covers anything but loss & theft.