A disappointment

[Maintenance supervisor]

I've noticed that right now , small engine dealers and tractor dealers are experiencing a bumper crop year due to everybody being stuck at home and some of them are getting their priorities mixed up.
If 2008 taught us anything about a market boost it's don't put all your eggs in one basket! When "Joe home owner "goes back to work and can't play in the yard anymore all those peices of power equipment are gonna sit, and all the shops and dealers will only have service repair work.
Honestly it's a customer based business and if the person behind the counter is a duch'e bag they are only screwing themselves.

 

[ham]

I think a lot of companies have difficulty seeing the benefit of the small parts orders. What they don't realize, someone who can't buy $15 worth of parts sure as **** isn't going to buy an $800 saw. I have a dealer close to me, I like the guys who work there a lot but the owner HATES ordering small parts or helping out of warranty customers. So, when I buy a new saw I go a bit further down the road to a dealer who has zero problems supporting older saws.

 

[farmer steve]

I wonder how they handle looking up parts for the newest saws, I don't think they still put out an ipl on paper.

My Mennonite shop got the Stihl computer for looking up parts. They are not online but have all the files to look IPL's. I guess the the Stihl rep uploads new stuff as needed. My guy Lowell is pretty good though. Ask him for a muffler bearing for a MS 250 and he knows right where to look in which drawer.

 

[Cliff R]

The muffler bearings are right beside the piston return springs!....LOL

 

[Vibes]

I see a lot of the smaller parts suppliers are just ordering the same parts I can order on-line anyhow. I was at my little independent auto parts store and he had to take me in back to look at some part that was in the bins. I noticed all the Rock Auto boxes by the door waiting to go out to the dumpster. Then all the Rock Auto magnets on the sides of the shelves. I'm thinking, why buy from him if I can get the same stuff cheaper and dropped off at my door step.

Same thing happened to me when I went to pick-up a part for a Shindiawa trimmer. I looked the part up on Ebay but figured I'd give this newer small local shop a visit and see what he could come up with. Well he spins the computer around to ask me if this is what I was looking for and he has the same ebay link pulled up that I looked at the day before.

 

[sean donato]

I see a lot of the smaller parts suppliers are just ordering the same parts I can order on-line anyhow. I was at my little independent auto parts store and he had to take me in back to look at some part that was in the bins. I noticed all the Rock Auto boxes by the door waiting to go out to the dumpster. Then all the Rock Auto magnets on the sides of the shelves. I'm thinking, why buy from him if I can get the same stuff cheaper and dropped off at my door step.

Same thing happened to me when I went to pick-up a part for a Shindiawa trimmer. I looked the part up on Ebay but figured I'd give this newer small local shop a visit and see what he could come up with. Well he spins the computer around to ask me if this is what I was looking for and he has the same ebay link pulled up that I looked at the day before.

Yep, napa, and auto zone dont get much business from me for the same reasons. If they dont have it right now when I need it, I can order it myself. I still give the one dealer a stab at getting my parts. I was tickled with them a few weeks ago, on a filter update kit for my 562xp. Had several other dealers tell me it didnt exist or they couldnt get it. Sent them (eblings in myerstown) an email. They called me the next day to let me know they could order it, and expected to have it mid January. I said order it, and call/ email me when you get it. I've bought a few saws from them in the past, but this latest deal has won me over for now. You cant spit without hitting a husqy, stihl, or echo (to a smaller extent) dealer around here and most of them arnt that great. I just with this one wasnt clear on the other side of the county from where I live.

 

[ham]

I see a lot of the smaller parts suppliers are just ordering the same parts I can order on-line anyhow. I was at my little independent auto parts store and he had to take me in back to look at some part that was in the bins. I noticed all the Rock Auto boxes by the door waiting to go out to the dumpster. Then all the Rock Auto magnets on the sides of the shelves. I'm thinking, why buy from him if I can get the same stuff cheaper and dropped off at my door step.

Same thing happened to me when I went to pick-up a part for a Shindiawa trimmer. I looked the part up on Ebay but figured I'd give this newer small local shop a visit and see what he could come up with. Well he spins the computer around to ask me if this is what I was looking for and he has the same ebay link pulled up that I looked at the day before.

I think there's some value in keeping brick and mortar around. I'm happy to pay more to help a local shop keep their doors open.

 

[lone wolf]

I think there's some value in keeping brick and mortar around. I'm happy to pay more to help a local shop keep their doors open.

There sure is a value to that. Cant have all the little guys going out of business. Then what?

 

[frank_]

online ordering is killing all kinds of shops in the uk, the high streets are full of tumbleweed
there is no way they can compete (stockholding costs/rent etc)

 

[Vibes]

There sure is a value to that. Cant have all the little guys going out of business. Then what?

I realize that and try to keep them in business. That's why I'm there looking for parts in the first place. But I have a bottom line also!!! Why hand him an extra $20 and waste my time and gas driving around when all he is doing is supporting his competition.

If that girl at the Stihl counter had half a brain she would've told you I'll get those parts and just ordered the $50 worth on Ebay or where ever the OP got them from and jacked you on the price. SEE how that works.

There's lots of little guys out there needing that same $20.

 

[Vibes]

Yep, napa, and auto zone dont get much business from me for the same reasons. If they dont have it right now when I need it, I can order it myself. I still give the one dealer a stab at getting my parts. I was tickled with them a few weeks ago, on a filter update kit for my 562xp. Had several other dealers tell me it didnt exist or they couldnt get it. Sent them (eblings in myerstown) an email. They called me the next day to let me know they could order it, and expected to have it mid January. I said order it, and call/ email me when you get it. I've bought a few saws from them in the past, but this latest deal has won me over for now. You cant spit without hitting a husqy, stihl, or echo (to a smaller extent) dealer around here and most of them arnt that great. I just with this one wasnt clear on the other side of the county from where I live.

My good buddy owns a pretty sizeable used car lot and has been in business for over 50 years between him and his dad. He used to order $1000's of dollars worth of parts from the local Napa which he dealt with for years. He said when it got to the point that Napa's delivery drivers and counter people were getting too lazy to even unpack his parts orders out of the Rock Auto boxes he said what the f@ck?? He called the owner and told him he wants the magnets if all he's getting is Rock Auto parts delivered a day or 2 after he could get them dropped off at his desk.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I use the marine version of stabil, havent had a single fuel system related issue since in any of my gas powered equipment.

I run a mosa 5500 watt powered by an air cooled yanmar. It's a bit heavy, but doesnt care about what fuel you run in it, and goes for about 7 hrs on a gallon under close to full load. Funny bit is I acquired it through work because the previous owner tried to use either to start it, and cracked the piston. I gave him $100.00 for it and paid the bill he had with the shop. Off he went to harbor freight for a gas unit lol. Havent had to use it often in recent years. When we bought the house the power was out every other week.

Guessing you mean .7 gallons an hour.

Even the fuel sipping Honda 2000s aren't running 7 hours on a gallon at full load.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I realize that and try to keep them in business. That's why I'm there looking for parts in the first place. But I have a bottom line also!!! Why hand him an extra $20 and waste my time and gas driving around when all he is doing is supporting his competition.

If that girl at the Stihl counter had half a brain she would've told you I'll get those parts and just ordered the $50 worth on Ebay or where ever the OP got them from and jacked you on the price. SEE how that works.

There's lots of little guys out there needing that same $20.

The dealer here does an order once a week so it keeps the costs lower.

If you absolutely need it right away they'll order it, but with the shipping it can be better just to buy a new tool.

They used to be more customer friendly, but in the last ~5 years they've expended and do alot of "by the book".
Like refuse to sell new saws without the green safety chain. They wouldn't even allow yellow chain to be bought on same transaction.
Claim it's Stihl policy. We've gotten 2 362s and a 462 from there.
And they know it's used for logging as only gave the 3 month warranty.

 

[sean donato]

Guessing you mean .7 gallons an hour.

Even the fuel sipping Honda 2000s aren't running 7 hours on a gallon at full load.

No 7 hours on a gallon of diesel. The fuel take holds just over 1 gallon, every 7 hours give or take a few minutes I had to go out and top the tank off. I was really rather surprised how far it stretched fuel.

I just recently pulled the factory tank off to swap out fuel filter. Decided to hook it up to another fuel tank. I had laying around. It's a sweet little gen.