Difference in honda generators Big store vs small dealer?

[path1]

Pricing out Honda 2000's. Overall big box store $200 less than Honda dealer. Any reason? Honda's part numbers from their on line site has 3 different part numbers for their 2000I.

EU2000iT1A1, EU2000I1A1, EU2000IKN, EU2000IKC

Is there any difference from one or the other?

[austinjenna]

One of our local guys came down in price when I offered to buy 2 and pay cash so they got my business. The other dealer would not budge. As said before there are many places online to also get them. Good luck!

[mkirsch]

path1 wrote:
Op here... Thanks for all the replies.

Pricing yesterday at a big box store, each unit was $200.00 less than what the Honda dealer (less then one mile up road) was asking. I wanted to make sure that big box models isn't cheaper quality or some thing missing out of more expensive models that the Honda dealer has.

If the Honda dealer is asking more than $999-ish for the regular EU2000i, and $1099-ish for the Companion version, then he is a typical overpriced dealer.

See if they will come down on their price though. Show them the box store ad. They will be servicing it for any warranty work regardless of who you buy it from, and it would be better to buy it from them because they are a small business.

[SoundGuy]

robert_at_honda wrote:
FYI, Canada-market models are similar, but do not have parallel connections, due to CSA regulations.

Which is happily no longer the case as Honda Canada now does offer EU2000i Companion and EU2000i Parallel models. Better still, Honda Canada must still have a warehouse full of standard EU2000i models without parallel capability because the price has been dropped significantly to just $1099 Cdn. :B I'm sure glad I sold my own 2014 EU2000i recently ... got $1000 for it but with brand new models selling for only slightly more it looks like I sold at the right time. 😄 Yikes, hardly any difference in price at all between Cdn model EU1000i @ $985 Cdn and the Cdn EU2000i @ $1099! Wow! :B

FWIW, my first EU2000i which was about 6 yrs old at the time I purchased it was built in Japan, the second one I just sold was a 2014 model built in Thailand, but both performed exactly as any Honda EU2000i should be expected to - faultlessly. :B

Also FWIW, while the Canadian version EU2000i up until recently has not had parallel capability the Canadian version EU1000i IIRC has so there has to be more to this than that just CSA regulations.

[Chum_lee]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:

"Me?
I would make sure the big box store exchanges warranty or other problems on the spot. The last time I used a big box store and they refused exchange but rather sent the (UPS) in for repair I had to wait more than 90-days."

That's not right but it does seem to be the way international business is headed and has been for the last 25 years.

That said, I am a Costco customer and have been for the last 30 years. I normally buy only food, office supplies, motor oil, and passenger car tires there. In that time I have had some issues with rotten/spoiled food, and a few defective tires. To their credit, they have always exchanged the defective tires for new replacements (no charge) and given me the option to return (for cash credit) or exchange any bad food. They have always honored their lifetime tire rotation policy. Always check the lug nut/bolt torque though. They aren't too good at getting that right, but I am picky about my nuts.

Just lucky, I guess

Chum lee

[RJsfishin]

I was headed to ebay, stopped at Honda w/ the ebay add,.... give them a chance, they came w/ in 10 bucks,....was good enuff for me !

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Me?
I would make sure the big box store exchanges warranty or other problems on the spot. The last time I used a big box store and they refused exchange but rather sent the (UPS) in for repair I had to wait more than 90-days.

[path1]

Op here... Thanks for all the replies.

Pricing yesterday at a big box store, each unit was $200.00 less than what the Honda dealer (less then one mile up road) was asking. I wanted to make sure that big box models isn't cheaper quality or some thing missing out of more expensive models that the Honda dealer has.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Like Airline Pilots

Small Store service departments are only needed when things go wrong...

But when they go wrong, wuuwee.........................................

This is why Costco is so effective. Just exchange it. Big outlets smile showing 73 teeth when you're buying. When things go wrong "Hoo R.U.?" is not a nice reception.

I found small town service centers to have Techs of greater troubleshooting ability than Big City service centers. Big City troubleshooters tend to want to open their own business and sever OEM connection.

[Chum_lee]

As someone with a few years of outside technical sales experience, I think I can shed some light on this.

Conversation goes as follows:

Buyer from Home Depot on phone, "Hey Honda Factory Sales Rep, we're thinking of placing a purchase order with you for your 2000I gas generator. We were thinking in quantities of 100,000 units a month for the next calender year, BUT, not at your current dealer pricing. If you want our business, ya gotta do significantly better than that. What can you do for us?"

Honda Factory Sales Rep., "Oh really! Well, . . . . can I put you on hold for a minute while I call my boss? Back with you in a minute."

Honda Sales Rep. calling boss, "Hey John, I've got the buyer from Home Depot on the other line right now. Here's their deal. (explains potential deal) Do you wanna dance or should I tell 'em to put it where the sun don't shine!"

Boss, "Are kidding me?

Honda Sales Rep., "No, . . . I'm not."

Boss' "Listen, you do what ya gotta do to close that deal RIGHT NOW! If you close that deal and there's a purchase order on my desk by the end of the week, you're getting a promotion and the biggest bonus we've ever paid. Click."

Honda Factory Sales Rep., "Hello Home Depot, Whatta we gotta do to close this deal right now?"

The rest is history. IME, that's how big business works. No regional dealer can compete with the international buying power (volume) of Home Depot, Costco, Wal Mart, etc.

I take no sides. It's a personal decision where you want to do YOUR business.

Chum lee

[wa8yxm]

Many companies often advertise with ads like "If you can find it elsewhere for a better price we will refund twice the difference" or some such.

What they do not say:
The company uses a special code which is part of the model number.. all this code means is "Originally sold by _______" (The company making the ad) since no other company sells that precise model For any price.. They never have to refund twice the difference.

Sometimes the difference "Company code' part is obvious.. Sometimes not.. but that may well be the difference... Just one means "Sold by a company dealer" and the other "By a big box store".

Now. I'm not saying for sure this is the case.. but I do know it is a COMMON practice.. Same identical device will have twoo different model numbers in teh form of AA#######HD and AA######LW for home depot and Lowes as an example.

[Bobbo]

Now you've gone and done it! We had AT LEAST 2 more pages of arguments left in us, and you've spoiled the fun!

[robert_at_honda]

Honda guy here...

All current Honda EU2000i models are made at the Honda plant in Thailand.

There is no "big box" model, nor are there any "special" models only sold by certain dealers or retailers. All authorized dealers, including Home Depot, all get the exact same models. Further, you can expect warranty service from any Honda dealer, no matter if you bought it there or not. Caveat: Many dealer service shops will give priority service to customers who did buy from them, but are not allowed to deny warranty service to those who did not.

As of May 1,2016, there are a few different types of 2kw Honda inverter-type generator models sold in the USA:

EU2000i: The standard model, with a 20A duplex outlet, 12V DC vehicle battery charging output, parallel connection ready

EU2000i Camo: Identical to the standard model, but with camo-printed outer cases (and higher price!)

EU2000i Companion: This is the "add-on" model to connect with a standard or Camo EU2000i and create a 4,000 watt system; it has a large, 30A receptacle, and single 20A receptacle. Parallel ready, just add a set of cables and power from both units is routed through the single 30A receptacle. Add an adapter to allow connection of a standard RV cable. The Companion does NOT have DC output, and cost a bit more than a standard model.

EB2000i: The industrial/rental/construction version; it has a duplex GFCI receptacle, no DC output, no parallel. It exists only to meet OSHA rules for portable generators used on jobsites. Unlike all other Honda 2kw inverter generators, the EB2000i is neutral bonded to frame.

All USA-spec Honda 2kw inverter generators have a 36-month warranty.

FYI, Canada-market models are similar, but do not have parallel connections, due to CSA regulations.

More details available at gen.honda.com or drop me a PM.

[rv2go]

This is a reply from Honda in June, 2015 that I found it on another forum.

[Likes_to_tow]

There is credible evidence that some Honda motors are made in China! Not all, but some. This would validate the price difference. Big box stores have special deals because of this??