Expensive Dolmar parts?? Greedy Stihl dealers?

[redhawk23]

Hi, many time reader first time poster. I'd like your opinion on some conclusions I've come to regarding Stihl and Dolmar.

I have dealt with a couple Stihl dealers in my area and I haven't been impressed with them. First, they tried to take a 017 saw off me for $60 telling me it's not worth fixing. They're right, the cost for THEM to fix it would be too much, BUT not for me to fix it or a small engine repair shop without the enormous overhead. Second, they've tried to sell me stuff I don't need. Third, they wanted to charge me shipping to get a part in! It's made me not want to do business with them.

So, I started looking into alternatives to Stihl and Husky, thinking their high prices on HOMEOWNER saws have more to do with their name than their quality. After a lot of reading I decided I wanted the Dolmar 420 based on the price and the reviews. However, I began to think the price seemed too good to be true and wondered what the cost of replacement parts would be. From what I can tell, replacement parts are 2x to 5x! more expensive for the Dolmar than my Stihl. For instance, a carb for a 420 is over $100 vs $22 for a carb for my 017; ignition coil for the 420 $65 vs $27 for the 017; air filter $22 vs $4. These prices are online prices; I imagine they're even more expensive from a dealer. ALSO, some of the parts aren't even in stock anywhere! These are the parts I've replaced on my 017, in addition to the fuel filter and fuel line.

So, it seems that one may end up paying the same for a Dolmar as the equivalent Stihl due to the cost of parts.

Are my observations correct, completely wrong or somewhere in between?

I'm interested in what you have to say.

Thanks,

Bob

 

[Mac 6-10]

Id say you're on to something but also remember your 017 is old and the dolmar is new. newer saws usaually have higher parts cost due to no demand yet. I agree on the dealers but thats just the way they are, can't change them.

 

[barneyrb]

You are really comparing apples and oranges there. For the 017 air filter it is just a sheet of fibrous material stamped (cut) out (I think $4 is outrageous for that even) and the 420 has a bolt on pro style air filter. The coil, they are coils. For the carb, you get what you pay for, the 017 has only an idle adjustment no high or low fuel, the Dolmar has both. I really think you can get that carb for ~$50 anyhow.

The Stihl 017 is a cheap homeowner saw that is no better than any other bottom line saw on the market and certainly not worth the $180 they get for it new and the Dolmar is a pro construction saw all the way.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Coil shouldn't need replacing for a long time.

Air filter $13.50 at site sponsor Edge and Engine: Search results for: '195173050'

Carb kit is a 17 bucks, replacing the whole carb is likely not needed. Lost the link to the E&E page for it, sorry.

In short, I think you're worrying about the wrong things. Keep in mind that the the 420 will outperform that 017 by a LOT.

 

[struggle]

Only thing I can add is my dealer that I deal with on Stihl parts will charge me shipping if I need the part right away and they don't have an order big enough to fill for free shipping.

I don't think the dealer should have to eat the shipping. It is a cost to them. If I can wait they are more than happy to put anyhting I order on a bigger order so I get the shipping for free. I don't see how this is the dealers fault. In the end if they don't make money they can;t keep the doors open.

It's unfortante we live in the day of Walmart era and lots of people think everything should be rock bottom price like Wally World.

Parts for equipment are in the real world. We all have to pay up. That is why the secondary market for used parts on ebay is such a big deal right noe and you still have to pay shipping most of the time on those.

 

[sunfish]

Find ya a good Husqvarna dealer and get ya a 346xp. Life will be good! :msp_smile:

 

[Homelite410]

Lets not forget about that Dolmar coil has a microprocessor (or such) in it to retard timing for starting. (please correct me if im wrong, going by my brochure here)

 

[Homelite410]

And I do believe that I would rather pick up a Wild Thing over the 017, it would have more power anyway..

 

[redhawk23]

Granted the 420, now the 421, isn't super powerful, but a pro saw (from what you've said) for $300 is amazing! Isn't it!? Stihl and Husky pro saws begin at $500+, though they are 50cc + saws.

 

[workshop]

Plus you can't trust that you are getting the best price off of eBay. I've seen some " buy it now" prices that are out of this world, and then pay a rediculus price for shipping.

 

[redhawk23]

$300 for the 421 is from a local dealer.

 

[Franny K]

The clutch drum and sprocket though for some reason won't come up on the edege and engine site is pretty reasonable at sixteen dollars or so. How many sprockets does one go through before the fuel lines need replacing? The similar drum/sprocket for an efco is like twice that. You didn't seem to find the same on line pricing sites as I did.

Is it even possible to get a part number and a price for a stihl before you buy one. Or after without going to a dealer?

It isn't just chainsaws lots of stuff it is just more sensible to get a new one if a major part like an armature in an electric tool goes bad or if the fan in integral with the armature and it inhaled something. Might be interesting to see the price for the armatures of stihl vs dolmar electric chainsaw.

 

[redhawk23]

Thanks for all the feedback.

With all the repairs I've been doing lately the price of Dolmar parts seemed like a legitimate concern. The Dolmar dealer is further away, but if the saws are as reliable as everyone has said I shouldn't have to go there very often.

So, it appears that Stihls and Huskies are much more expensive than some other brands due to their popularity rather than their superiority.

Thanks again.

 

[computeruser]

Honestly, apart from running saws over with equipment or dropping trees on them, how often do they really need non-maintenance parts?

As for the bit about charging you shipping on your part order, that's a load of crap for two reasons: (1) the fact that they choose not to stock parts should be THEIR problem, not yours, especially if you're paying MSRP on the parts; and (2) what kind of shop does so little business as to not have a parts order going out at least once a week? Do they not have a service department? In any case, a shop that pulled that crap would certainly not be a shop I'd care to deal with on a regular basis.

 

[redhawk23]

They are full service dealers and I felt the same way. I ended up buying an aftermarket part online than deal with them.

 

[ROWDY]

I do believe that some of these shops need to have more parts on hand. More than spark plugs and replacement chains. I myself thought that dealerships were to have an "X" amount of parts on hand. I'm not sure what specific parts either.

Shipping an order should be an option to the consumer if needed right away but, if it could wait for the order to grow...then that should be brought up and a choice to the consumer.

I do agree that price gouging is out their that's an over kill.

An example;
I call a GM dealership to purchase one bolt $3.59 each and I need to buy 5 of them. Ummm Naaaaaaa!

 

[TK]

I carry enough parts in stock so that I don't have to do orders every week. Parts not in stock here are usually not common, hence the verbage "special order."

I have no problem ordering parts and not charging shipping for anyone as long as they're willing to wait until my next order goes through. Just because someone needs a part doesn't make it common, doesn't mean it should be stocked by every dealer, and doesn't mean they should get it at cost.

Anyone who thinks a dealer charging MSRP on parts is getting rich, is out of their mind.

 

[TK]

I do agree that price gouging is out their that's an over kill.

An example;
I call a GM dealership to purchase one bolt $3.59 each and I need to buy 5 of them. Ummm Naaaaaaa!

The price of a dealer bolt vs. a hardware store bolt has many difference.

IPL mapping
Part number association
Packaging and labeling
Maintenance in software

It's not just a company making a billion bolts, chucking them in a bin, and saying 'here, sort through this until you find what you need.' There's more involved with it. Often times certain parts are only sold in packs. I know if I had a customer looking for one bolt that I rarely if ever use, I'm not going to eat the cost of 4 bolts just to sell one. That's losing money, something a for-profit business shys away from if they want to stay around :wink2:

 

[ROWDY]

I carry enough parts in stock so that I don't have to do orders every week. Parts not in stock here are usually not common, hence the verbage "special order."

I have no problem ordering parts and not charging shipping for anyone as long as they're willing to wait until my next order goes through. Just because someone needs a part doesn't make it common, doesn't mean it should be stocked by every dealer, and doesn't mean they should get it at cost.

Anyone who thinks a dealer charging MSRP on parts is getting rich, is out of their mind.

You must be one of the better dealerships to have parts. It's hard to find that around here! Some of them believe that having parts on the shelf is a waist of money. When I look at it as "Its a loss for you to make money". I must also say to be right..my chainsaw dealer does have all the parts I need 90% of the time.

As for making a profit on service parts; I also agree with yea.

 

[battlefordguy]

The 420 would offer solid construction, great durability, easy start system, probably over 200 psi. Yep it is too good to be true.
Get one you never regret it