Customer Reviews
Great Opener - Terrible accessories 
2008-08-15
Purchased the Genie Excelerator from Home Depot (think they sell under a different model number) but it is the same unit essentially. I was replacing a 1/2 Craftsman after about 10 years and hopefully this unit will last longer. The Genie Excelerator is a great garage door opener as it is easy to install, runs quietly and has the very cool excelerator feature which opens the door twice as fast (door comes down at the same slower speed as other garage door openers). The head unit/motor is surprisingly light and small. The screw rail is light aluminum. That being said, the other parts are light and cheaply designed and made. For example, the remote controls come with a bracket/holder (what you use to attach to your sun visor), these are the cheapest, worst designed things ever made as they quickly lose their ability to hold the remote and it falls out of the holder unexpectedly potentially causing a lost remote (falls out the car door, etc). The remote's range is very short also - you almost need to be right in front of the garage door to get the remote to work.
Another issue with this package is the number entry keypad (you place on the outside of the garage); It has the cheapest plastic cover you have ever seen - apparently designed by a three year old as it has very cheap plastic tabs which hold the cover on causing the cover to constantly come unclipped - what a pain everytime you use it. Also, the plastic infrared eyes (which are used for safety forming a beam across the doorway preventing walking under the closing door) are also cheap plastic and are attached poorly to the brackets. I am hoping these accessories hold up under daily use but I do not think they will. It is disappointing that such a seemingly good opener would not have decent accessories - it would not have been that hard to do things right but it seems Genie just did the bare minimum on these parts - which makes me wonder how well the opener itself will last. My previous Craftsman had none of these issues with cheap accessories (other than something that went wrong with the opener itself) and I wish Genie would have at at least matched that standard since their opener is billed as one of the best around. The Excelerator feature and the screw drive seem great - I just hope the whole unit is not as cheap as the accessories - it makes you wonder.
I guess the remote range, remote holder and keypad door are minor issues but are still a pain considering they could have been solved so easily. Things like this make you wonder how reliable the unit itself will be. I wonder if the Genie people even use thier own products as these issues would have been very apparent to anyone. Poor design? poor quality? poor QC? who knows - I would recommend the opener but realize there are small issues that may bug you over time but shuold not dissuade you from considering the unit.
Super garage door opener 
2008-08-05
I recently installed the Excelerator Series 8000 as a replacement for my old Genie 880 which I installed in 1976 and which has worked faultlessly for 32 years and 7 months. A soldered-in relay finally began to stick, so it was time for a new opener (although it probably could have been repaired inexpensively).
I have a solid wood 16-ft. door that is very heavy and this opener handles it with ease. The old Model 880 (1/2 HP AC motor & external remote control receiver) was relatively quiet, but it could always be heard in the rooms near our attached garage. The DC motor Excelerator is virtually silent. The only audible noise in the garage is from the door track rollers. The opener can't be heard at all in the house. The super quick opening speed (more than twice as fast as the old AC motor model) is a plus and the sealed magnetic reed limit switches look like an improvement over the fragile-looking, open frame switches on the cheaper Genie openers. This model (the 8000 Series) includes a lifetime guarantee on all parts which is amazing for a user-installed, electro-mechanical device these days. BRAVO Genie!
Installation instructions were easy to follow, well illustrated, and were adequate for anyone with good, basic mechanical and electrical skills. You do need a good assortment of tools to do a proper installation. My installation took about 4 hours (with wife helping) and that included removing the previous opener, and making new hanging brackets to support the new model.
I've helped install 3 or 4 openers for friends, and this was relatively quick and certainly easier than most because of Genie's color coded parts packages and very detailed instructions. Although one person can do the whole job if necessary, there are a few places in the install where another pair of hands are very helpful.
All in all, this unit is better built than I expected at this price point, and it works better than expected. So far I'm delighted with this Genie product. Just hope it works as long as my old one did!
Designed well, but had a problem 
2008-03-30
First, let me say the product is well designed and seems like it is made to last a long time. Second, the customer service personnel speak English because THEY are made in the USA (Yeah)! Unfortunately, I had to call them; after I got the thing put together and installed and programmed to the remotes and the optional wireless keypad, the receiver/controller board went out. After a call to service, I received a new board with easy instructions for installation in a few days. All is well, now, so we are very happy.
Buyer Beware! Genie will not honor their 5-year warranty! 
2008-01-27
I am now shopping for a non-Genie new garage door opener after Genie refused to honor their 5-year warranty. After 2 years, the motor started malfunctioning and cost me $400 to replace a 2-year old garage door. (Yes, I am the first owner of my house and this is the very first garage door opener of the garage)
I called Genie regarding my problem and they refused to replace ANYTHING, but instead asked me to adjust some settings on the unit. I did adjust the settings as they instructed only to have the problem happen again.
I WILL NEVER BUY GENIE AGAIN!
GENIE Excelerator is Excellent 2007-12-31
Installed the Genie Excelerator, 1/2 HP, DC Motor, with the fast open feature to replace my old screw drive Genie that lasted 15 plus years (the plastic gear on the carrier device wore out). Although I could have replaced this part, I wanted a full replacement to get the newer Intellicode feature (rolling code for security), better infra-red light system, as well as better overall operation. This newer Excelerator is GREAT. It is very, very quiet. The screw drive works well and, as I said, quietly. Only real noise comes from a little creaking of the garage door itself as it travels in the metal channels (something you really can't eliminate totally). This Genie Excelerator is noticeably more quiet than my old model. I really don't think you could get a quieter motor or opener with the dependability of the screw drive.
The screw drive is the same reliable system but with improvements to the mecahnism. The directions were very specific, but there was an enclosed yellow form notating a change in the wiring connections. Nothing complicated, just an update to the printed instructions and poster. At first I didn't think the screw type wiring connnections were as good as the old plug ins on my previouis system, but I decided they were really more dependable and easier to fix if need be. Although, I doubt it will be necessary as my last Genie was good for over 15 years! It takes a a few hours to get everything installed, run the wires to the auto-reverse lights, assemble the rails, and to get your ceiling mount lined up properly. But it is all well worth it.
My install worked flawlessly the very first time I tried the wall switch for the first operation. It was also very easy to program the remote controls by pressing the learning button and pressing the remote twice. And programming the HomeLink System in my cars was just as easy. The car owner's manual has the directions to program the homelink using the Genie remote that you've already set up, and then going through the "learn" process using the learn button on the Genie Excelerator. It was really very easy, and now I have the HomeLink buttons to use in my overhead car console plus the two remotes that come with the system for others. Also, the system comes with a coded outside opener to attach to the house. This has always been something we've used and the new remote worked easily with the same programming feature. This device is also better as it has a fold down cover for greater protection.
There are some fine new features like the wall switch with the red glowing lights to show the wall switches, the accelerated opening speed is very nice, the magnetic limit switches are a definite improvement over the old mechanical switches, the new carrier device uses a metal (aluminum?) gear instead of plastic, the slow down speed on closing makes for a quiet gentle closing process, and as I mentioned the remote programming with the newer Intellicode system is easy and much more secure than the old one code system I replaced. Genie really has enhanced the already strong quality and performance of its garage door openers with this Excelerator Model.
Overall the Genie Excelerator is the BEST garage door opener I've ever had and I recommend it to you highly.
Single garage door opener 2007-12-28
Excelerator, 1/2 Horsepower Screw Drive Door Opener, Opens Door Twice As Fast But Closes It Gently, Quiet, Powerful DC Motor, Wide Angle Lighting For Optimal Garage Illumination, Excellent Cold Weather Performance, 2 Deluxe 3 Button Transmitters, Intellicode Technology To Eliminate Access Code Duplication, 5 Year Limited Motor Warranty.
Won't be disappointed 2007-12-26
Great product. Purchased this for another garage door to be used by my teenage daughter. Have a Genie Door Opener that I bought years ago that I liked but am thrilled with the improvements Genie has made. This newer model is visually more appealing, the light is brighter and opening and closing the door is smooth and virtually silent. You can't go wrong if you purchase this product!
Genie Excelerator garage door opener 2007-12-02
I ordered this as a replacement for the same type unit that had malfunctioned after six years of use. I ordered a new opener and spent a few hours installing it. After everything was in place and ready to go, I went to push the button to "train" the remote controls and the switch did not function. I contacted Amazon who very quickly sent out a new one with upgraded shipping at no charge. The second opener worked just fine. I am a bit disappointed at having to install then uninstall then install again but I am very happy with how Amazon handled the issue.
Great Garage Door Opener - Fast and Quiet 2007-07-21
Highly recommended ... the chainless screw drive is indeed quiet and the install was relatively painless - it can be adjusted to open quickly and close slowly - Great product.
