Well, I tried...silly me thinking that if I was to suck up I might be able to get MSRP on a saw...but they have their own system where they charge you for service, and in a way hold the customer hostage to pay for service to buy from them. I'm sure they take great care of their equipment they sell, so there is probably some sense to all of it, but it only works well when the customers are willing to pay the "tax" of doing business with them. This is not to mention they will be charging over MSRP for parts as well, nature of the beast...they include the "1st service" at a reduced rate in their "plan". They would also sell me the case for $35 vs. $45, when I buy the saw from them. Probably find a case used, IMO. But the point is that if your willing to buy service from them, and bring your saw in for regular service, sure it will run good for the time you own it...I hope I can do better than using unmixed fuel, or letter the oil run dry, or any other number of things that cause most of these saws to fail, at least I would like to think so...In that regard, do I need their service?
Ok, and I'm sorta kidding also when I say they can pound sand.
May have made more sense for me, quite honestly, but at the end of the day I'm looking for what is the better tool for the job. I want to cut accurate joinery, not hog off wooden nickels at the races...if I feel cheated, I'll go buy another saw...I can just print more money...
Ok, you guys confirmed what I suspected, I was leaning towards the 346xp as it just seems to be an all around better tool.
I noticed the e-tech models, and thanks for mentioning that, Urbicide, as I can live without the catalytic environmental stuff...in fact it seems they charge a $40 premium to neuter the saw...hmmm...that doesn't seem like a good investment. I'm going to be doing my share for the environment by building with logs, less carbon footprint to manufacture/build.
If I was completely broke, I might think about the 445 more, but even though I'm not working at the moment, I am not broke either. Just trying to spend my severance wisely to try and get the home built.
I see the MSRP is $489, is it possible to get any discount off the MSRP? As I mentioned, the shop closest to me seems to add a premium on top of the MSRP. I will need to talk to them to see if they can at least do MSRP, I mean in this economy if they can't do MSRP for me, WTF...
Is it worthwhile to buy local, or should I look for the best deal online? The web has changed the way we buy...but I want to be able to get service on the saw also...
Regards,
TT
Apparently not as the dealers don't seem to want to work on just any saw purchased over the internet. Maybe that is how they keep sales up, not sure.
For me, Husky is in the middle, and Stihl is always the most expensive in comparable saws, IMO.
Do it from your home. But you have to wait for it to arrive...
Are you referring to the MS260?
Funny you ask. I was only in WV for about 4 days, but he took me to the guy he gets parts from. He takes me to this place in Weston, WV and the building is incredibly old. Pretty tattered brick building with a bunch of broken down lawn mowers and chainsaws laying around. Amazing plaster medallions on the ceiling, a most fascinating place...cool history out there...
Not yet, but I will. I need to get the saw first. It's in transit. I would like to change over the bar/chain to 1/4", trying to figure that out now...
I would drive that far to visit a quality dealer.
Exactly my thinking also, and the log craftsman I'm working with. The 345s he uses are not pro models, and they work the crap out of them. I will definitely keep you posted, you know how it goes...no pics didn't happen...
blis,Im actually in process of building smoke sauna on my yard
Got the trees cut and waiting at local sawyer for him to saw them into 4" slabs which i will use to make it...
blis,
Actually I am very much into sauna, although it is not very popular in the U.S. I like the wet style, I think that is what you have in Finland.
I ordered 2 trailers of pine, 16" tips - 24" butts. By the time I use the little 336 on them, the sides will be milled off and they will only be 8" thick. They will still be pretty hefty.
A sauna is a cool project...actually it's a hot project, but that is cool in itself.
Biggest one are probaply around 14"-16" from the butt... But yeah, they will still make fine smoke sauna just takes more logs than it would if i had bigger ones...Actually there will not be that much left over. While I am buying over 10k board feet, there is really not that much waste. In fact, I'm calculating the timber savings from the windows and doors and cutting to size, otherwise you loose 20%...
