A question for Stihl guys and also anti-Asian folk

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poulson01 said:
I remember when Japanese stuff was junk. There was a Saturday Night Live skit with the Samurai swords. John Belushi and someone else clashed swords and busted them. They look at the pieces and say "MADE IN........JAPAN!" I wouldn't have given you a nickel for anything Japanese. Now I own a Komatsu. I've had 3 Toyota 4x4s'.
I found a lighted screw driver that must have belonged to Grampa. Made in Japan. The colet that holds the driver bit looks like it was cut by hand...by eye...in a hurry! It reminds me of something made in China today. What a POS! I ordered a $60 reman clutch disk for our '79 F-150 today. I couldn't order a new one made in the US from the local Napa. I used to talk people out of reman clutches. Too many comebacks. Now, I'd rather chance a US reman disk for sixty bucks then a brand new whole kit for $140, made in China. I've fallen for it 4 times all ready! What does that make me? A dam SUCKER! Remember when it was $500 in parts and machine work to do a quality clutch job? How the heck do you buy one for $140 in todays dollars? Some thing's wrong. The frigin' parts...that's what!
I put two China clutches in my bosses K-1500 before I caught on. I tried it two more times with assurances from the parts man. I AIN'T doin' it again! Four wheel drive clutches are no fun. It'll be 20 years before I trust China junk. That's about how long it took the Japanese.
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Very True!
 
What was the original topic?


here's some sound bites:

65% of World wide production of Stihl units is from Virgina beach..... and they are expanding like there is no tomorrow.....

Nothing bigger (saws) than a 361 is currently made in the USA...

Asia is the big market for the Stihl China made product, but I'll sure we'll see the lower end stuff and/or subassemblies coming from there eventually.

Apart from the serial number, you can't tell the difference (quality, materials, reliability) of a Brazilain, German or USA product.

My 2c... I can't image how any OPE maker (any of them...) can have a profitable factory anywhere in Europe for sales outside of Europe...
 
Lakeside53 said:
What was the original topic?


here's some sound bites:

65% of World wide production of Stihl units is from Virgina beach..... and they are expanding like there is no tomorrow.....

Nothing bigger (saws) than a 361 is currently made in the USA...

Asia is the big market for the Stihl China made product, but I'll sure we'll see the lower end stuff and/or subassemblies coming from there eventually.

Apart from the serial number, you can't tell the difference (quality, materials, reliability) of a Brazilain, German or USA product.

My 2c... I can't image how any OPE maker (any of them...) can have a profitable factory anywhere in Europe for sales outside of Europe...
Click to expand...

Excellent post. Just what I was going to say.:clap:
 
One difference between Japan and China is that Japan first copied western products, and then Japanese companies improved these products. China has so far mainly copied. We haven't really seen any Chinese companies compete with quality, they mainly compete with price. I mean Chinese companies that produce their own stuff, not companies that produce for say Apple, Mitsubishi, GM or Volvo. When asian products outside Japan pick up quality we should all be happy - good quality is always good.

I realise my post is a bit...vague...but I'm tired after working too much and sleeping too little. :) I must just add that I went to a shop the other week, to buy some tools. Saw a Bahco hammer for a cheap price. Picked it up and it looked HORRIBLE, and yeah, it was made in a low cost asian country.
Not produced BY Bahco, but FOR Bahco, and that's a huge difference. (I can't judge the quality of the hammer, but it was too ugly to buy. I'll get a Hultafors when I need a new hammer.
 
bogiemsn said:
.....
To sit there and say that the Chinese can't build a quality chainsaw simply because they're Chinese is ridiculous. If you sell these people short they will roll right over you. (not the least bit funny)
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That is not the main issue - supporting Chinese economy is!
 
Andy

"The production at STIHL Qingdao started in September 2006 with brush cutters."

PRODUCTION....of brushcutters began in the China plant in September of 2006

"Hedge trimmers and chain saws will join the product family in the coming years"

"Products from STIHL Qingdao are backed by the same uncompromising quality guarantee which STIHL is famous for around the world, and every unit is manufactured for export to overseas markets including Europe and North America."
 
PES+ said:
"Products from STIHL Qingdao are backed by the same uncompromising quality guarantee which STIHL is famous for around the world, and every unit is manufactured for export to overseas markets including Europe and North America."
Click to expand...

#1, once again.......
 
PES+ said:
"The production at STIHL Qingdao started in September 2006 with brush cutters."

PRODUCTION....of brushcutters began in the China plant in September of 2006

"Hedge trimmers and chain saws will join the product family in the coming years"

"Products from STIHL Qingdao are backed by the same uncompromising quality guarantee which STIHL is famous for around the world, and every unit is manufactured for export to overseas markets including Europe and North America."
Click to expand...



So.. as you believe those words so precisely..., find me one.......

Search the SE Asia websites - you might be able to find some trimmers there..
 
Last edited:
If you'd like to see the major contributor to the influx of chinese goods look no farther than your morning mirror.
 
Stihl #1 said:
Something else that has come up about having a presence in China is that the Chinese govt. is not very interested in doing anything about fakes and copies of your product unless you are there spending money and employing their citizens.
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Well, you boys know I like Stihl equipment but that statement is a little stretch of the Stihl strategy imo. The asian market has a huge potential and having a manufactering facility in China is probably the closest (and cheapest) way to address the market. But we should not fool ourselves and believe they will not ship to other markets as well. The Zama deal is pretty much a good example, and not a good one imo. I'll be an attentative buyer for sure.
 
belgian said:
Well, you boys know I like Stihl equipment but that statement is a little stretch of the Stihl strategy imo. The asian market has a huge potential and having a manufactering facility in China is probably the closest (and cheapest) way to address the market. But we should not fool ourselves and believe they will not ship to other markets as well. The Zama deal is pretty much a good example, and not a good one imo. I'll be an attentative buyer for sure.
Click to expand...

Tant no biggie Belgian, China is no worry what so ever and I'll tell ya why. Stihl has never forced any dealer to carry any product the dealer doesn't want to carry. Its the dealer's choice as to what he will carry and what he will not. I feel certain there will always be plenty of product built at Va Beach and Germany to keep a display well stocked without having one single model made in China. See Belgian there is more than one way to skin a cat....
 

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