On a used generator, the asking price does not tell the whole story. What matters is what you cannot see: the real hours, whether maintenance was done, and how the machine behaves under load.
The 7 points to check on a used unit
- Running hours on the meter, and whether the meter was ever replaced.
- Maintenance history: oil changes, filters, coolant, with the invoices.
- A load test, not just a no-load start: ask to see it hold its rated power for at least an hour.
- The alternator: stable voltage under load, no burning smell, no rewinding without an invoice.
- The engine and its parts: make, model, serial number; are the filters still easy to find?
- Cold-weather starting: block heater and battery in good condition, working charger.
- The warranty: often none on a used unit sold privately.
What a new generator includes with us
- New Perkins engine and genuine Stamford alternator.
- 2-hour load bank test, from 10% to 110% of rated power, then adjustment: ready to use.
- Block heater, battery charger, prepared with oil and Prestone coolant.
- Deep Sea DSE 6120 controller that counts the hours from day one.
- 1-year or 1,500-hour warranty, plus technical support for genuine Perkins parts.
The real math
A used unit costs less to buy. But a single major repair, on the engine or the alternator, can wipe out the savings, and a broken-down generator does not protect your home, farm or business when the power goes out.
Our new generators start at $12,500 before taxes (10 kW); the 20 kW is $21,000 and the 60 kW is $35,000. See all our prices.
And at Solution NRJ?
We sell new diesel generators only, from 10 to 400 kW. If you are comparing with a used unit, send us the size and use: we will give you the price of an equivalent new one so you can compare on facts.
Request a quote or see our Perkins models.
Also read: What is the best diesel generator in Quebec? · Choosing your generator size.