Expensive Dolmar parts?? Greedy Stihl dealers?

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H 2 H

H 2 H

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Or you can go the the Saw Shop by me and pick up a Dolmar 420


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TonyRumore

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If you need a part "right away", do youself a favor and just buy an additional saw......jeez.

You're probably the same guy that buys one box of ammo, shoots it, then goes to the store to find they are sold out for the next year and then belly aches for weeks about having no ammo available. Occasionally it is appropriate to purchase a clue.

Tony
 
discounthunter

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i think your worrying about the wrong what-if's. your comparing an old saw from one company to a new saw from another. plus your pricing parts one doesnt normally replace(well maybe the air filter)do a little more research on different saw sizes and manufactures.find a size that fits your needs then look at all the offerings,and look for used as well.also, using ebai as your price guide ,use it carefully.i paid 5 dollars shipping for a muffler gasket(it came in a standard envelope with a stamp!),but i needed it.
 

TK

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edit: nevermind, was thrown off by that pic. looked at local pricing and that's inaccurate.
 
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sachsmo

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Like everything there are good dealers and bad.

Dolmar/Stihl/ Husqvarna have no lock on good, bad dealers.

I find Dolmars have better prices on their parts than Stihl, but my dealer is very good at helping me out.

There is more than one occasion that I have left a 10 or 20 on his counter because he is always trying to do stuff for "no charge"

He does have a going fabrication shop as his first line of buisness, but he goes way beyond to give me service.

If I could find another dealer that did half of what he does, I would give them my buisness as well.
 
sachsmo

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Remember these guys are trying to make a living. Seems alot of folks try to "jack over" the small guy.

You see it all the time, the "well off" don't tip the waitress like a working man.

They try to skin flint a saw for dealer price and leave no meat on the bone.

Someone tries to bend me over a barrel, I tell them to leave, "ain't going to sell you nothing"

I really dislike people who come across as "better than you" because they have a high salary?

Those folks can keep their money, it's no good to me.
 
mountainlake

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Remember these guys are trying to make a living. Seems alot of folks try to "jack over" the small guy.

You see it all the time, the "well off" don't tip the waitress like a working man.

They try to skin flint a saw for dealer price and leave no meat on the bone.

Someone tries to bend me over a barrel, I tell them to leave, "ain't going to sell you nothing"

I really dislike people who come across as "better than you" because they have a high salary?

Those folks can keep their money, it's no good to me.

Your talking about my BIL. Steve
 
redoakneck

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The Dolmar 420 is a great saw. I have used one for 4 years and it is the saw I loan to guys I cut with. One guy is throttle happy and winds that saw up like crazy and it still runs perfect. That thing has paid for itself twice over with all the wood it has cut, at least!!!

I tend to baby my bigger more expensive saws and use my small saws a little rougher, and the 420 is my red-headed step child that has taken some abuse and can handle it. I do use good gas and always perform routine maintenance on all my saws.

For 300 bucks it is a great saw.

My dealer gets shipments once a week and does not charge shipping on special orders, I really like my stihl dealer.
 
justtools
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There are some good points on here. First of to the OP. You are spending alot of time researching a 200 saw. Most people dont spend that much time buying a 30 k vehicle. Also everyone needs to realize the dealers need to make a living. The customers dont work for free why should the dealers. It is expensive to run a brick and mortor store. Pay employees and overhead. If they repair a saw and something doesnt go right they end up eating it. If you repair your own equipment and it doesnt go right than it is on you. Most saws unless they are pro models are not worth the cost to repair. Unless it is a simple carb OH or tune up. Small mom and pop stores are getting fewer and fewer. No reason for them to stay in business when they can make more by working for someone else.. A few tips to help with typical problems. Always have at least 2 saws. One breaks you can still get the job done. Have numerous chains for each saw. Dont have just 1 chain and when it gets dull expect the guy down the street to drop everything to sharpen it on the spot. You are already on this website learn to do basic maintenance yourself. There is a difference between dealers. Go to the local dealers and see which one works best with you. Good luck with your future purchase.
 
SawTroll

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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.

Not only that, but the Dolmar 420 is also a much higher quality saw than the 017/170 - so it isn't fair to compare the part prices of those two.
 
SawTroll

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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.

If it was meant to be a pro saw, it would have had a four digit model number (4200), and a rim and drum setup. It is borderline to pro saw quality though. :givebeer:
 
redhawk23

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Right.

There are some good points on here. First of to the OP. You are spending alot of time researching a 200 saw. Most people dont spend that much time buying a 30 k vehicle. Also everyone needs to realize the dealers need to make a living. The customers dont work for free why should the dealers. It is expensive to run a brick and mortor store. Pay employees and overhead. If they repair a saw and something doesnt go right they end up eating it. If you repair your own equipment and it doesnt go right than it is on you. Most saws unless they are pro models are not worth the cost to repair. Unless it is a simple carb OH or tune up. Small mom and pop stores are getting fewer and fewer. No reason for them to stay in business when they can make more by working for someone else.. A few tips to help with typical problems. Always have at least 2 saws. One breaks you can still get the job done. Have numerous chains for each saw. Dont have just 1 chain and when it gets dull expect the guy down the street to drop everything to sharpen it on the spot. You are already on this website learn to do basic maintenance yourself. There is a difference between dealers. Go to the local dealers and see which one works best with you. Good luck with your future purchase.

JustATool,

Which is why people buy POS cars and overpriced saws from lousy salesmen at lousy dealerships!

If $200 (actually $300) is such pocket change for you please send it my way. At what price is it appropriate to care what you're paying for?
 
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