I bought one this year and have mixed feelings about it.
Pros:
1: It seems to run strong and does a very good job of producing electricity.
Cons:
1: I don't like the companies marketing practices. The generators seem to be sold by travelling salesmen that sell them as part of a package deal that includes a trash pump, compressor, generator, and other equipment. If you check out their website the 7500 D lists at over 5,000.00$ If you check the web they are often available new for under 2,000.00$
2: Chinese made motor. That's not necessarily a bad thing but if you need parts and service later on you might get better results from dealing directly with the company that produces the motor for Titan.
3: The initial quality seems questionable. The fuel shutoff valve under the fuel tank is poorly designed and started leaking within the first six hours of runtime. The starter motor doesn't always engage and it takes a few turns of the key to get it to catch. Misc. nuts and bolts have been vibrating loose.
4: Cold weather starts ARE a problem. There are no glow plugs or pre-heaters on this motor. You have to crank the engine until enough heat has been built up to ignite the fuel and when it finally goes off it produces a large cloud of smoke & fumes.
You definitely want to be using a diesel fuel conditioner like Power Service.
Although i replaced the lawn tractor battery with a brand new one that had 275 CCA before putting the machine into service that still wasn't enough.
The other day i reinvented the battery tie down and upgraded to a front post automotive battery with over 500 CCA. Then i added a 1.5 amp automatic trickle charger to keep the battery topped up. When i tried it this afternoon it did work well.
5: Avoid using the pull start feature if at all possible. It's got a nasty backlash when the engine catches.
6: The remote start feature is a nice convenience but if it's not well made it could end up disabling the machine. From what i understand if it's left on for an extended period of time it can drain the battery. It's a a selling point but perhaps more of a liability than an asset in the long run.
Overall i would say that it's a crap shoot. Titan Industrial has been in business for quite awhile and is accredited with the BBB. The core of the machine might turn out to be very durable but there do seem to be problems with the peripherals.
I paid 3200.00$ for mine. Knowing what i know now, i would put a fair price point at somewhere between 800 & 1700 USD.
I guess it all depends on how you intend to use the machine. If you're looking for an emergency backup power supply then it's rather pointless to buy a generator that might or might not work when you need it.
Also ... in my opinion ... it's very loud and produces a moderately heavy vibration in the air.
There are comparable machines of superior quality that run whisper quiet in the 5K. MSRP price range.
