My compliments to Stihl

[toolmaker]

Their recent ads on the website, plus the new TV commercial I saw today in my opinion is a direct stab at the box stores.
A bold stance that no doubt took some balls to do.
I will continue to support Stihl and their product line.
Good job!

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Yeah, and there was a thread a while back linking to a newspaper article out of VA about Stihl. Mr. Stihl is pretty steadfast in his ideals about private ownership and selling only through individual dealers. His concepts, I think, are noble and sound. It made me proud to be a Stihl owner, and the article left me believing that Stihl would always be Stihl, and not Electrosthil. And that I wouldn't have to watch out for Home Depot to have a sale on their crappy Poulan-made Stihls.

Jeff

 

[458_lott]

My compliments to Stihl for making a good product. I have never owned a Stihl until my recent purchase of an MS-469. I had run older Stihls (horizontal models) and thought that they were decent saws, but not appreciable better than my pro Homelites (C-72s, Super XL-925s, Super WIz 66s, Super XL-12s, etc.). I am, however, very impressed with the MS-460. I think it has about the power you would expect for a saw its size, but it is SMOOTH. I don't know how to describe it any other way. It is just plain SMOOTH and a true piece of workmanship. I enjoy running it. I don't have the dual port muffler cover on it just yet, but even without that, it still runs well. I will probably grab a MS-361 at some point as I don't think I need a 660 (at least I don't think I do). I am sure I could be talked into one however. Their advertising plan is interesting. I live in a town of 12,000 people give or take. Our local newspaper has a Stihl advertisement in it every day (7 days per week, half page). I find that interesting. That is a relatively new practice beginning sometime in November 2005. It continues to this day.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

On the back of the new Stihl catalog in size 200 font:

"Why is the world's number one selling brand of chain saw not sold at Lowe's or The Home Depot?"

... it goes on: "We can give you 8000 reasons, our legion of independent STIHL dealers nationwide...."

 

[458_lott]

I am sure Stihl will not succumb to the big box mania. They have a great product and they know they do. Stihl speaks for itself. I had to learn. Well I learned and am committed. A typo from my above post should be MS-460. Fingers get clumbsy at times. Guess it is an age thing. One day older than dirt. As I tell my students, when I was in undergraduate school, the predominant life form in the sky was a pteradactyl.

 

[DeanBrown3D]

he he I almost went and did a search on this new MS469!

 

[tonka]

Never owned a Stihl, nothing against them, and not saying I won't. I like their position on box stores. Since we're talking about advertising here, on a different subject. In their 05 catalog there is a picture of an elderly woman being shown the benefit of Easy2Start. Now I've gotta ask - if you can't pull the cord, how can you hang onto the saw?

 

[davefr]

I just wish Stihl had a better parts network.

Either the ability to buy parts online or allowing their dealers to ship parts.

(similar to the John Deere model).

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

(similar to the John Deere model).

And aren't Deere's showing up at Home Depot now?

 

[458_lott]

I don't mean to insinuate that I don't have issues with Stihl in general. I had a devil of a time getting the MS-460. Never really did get it the way I wanted. I got the runaround from, not only my dealer, but also Stihl Northeast. Maybe I shouldn't say runaround, but most assuredly mixed-messages. I wished so much to have Stihl Northeast and my dealer in the same room together because it was obvious they were not on the same page at the same time. Different information repeatedly coming from each camp. I was so frustrated I almost took a trip to Germany to speak to Mr. Stihl himself. Thought that might get me a straight answer. Having said that, their product (at least their pro saws) are beyond reproach in terms of smoothness. I really like the 460 and I am stoked everytime I use it. No wow factor on power. Big time wow factor on being smooth and a fine piece of machinery.

 

[lotawood]

I just wish Stihl had a better parts network.

Either the ability to buy parts online or allowing their dealers to ship parts.

(similar to the John Deere model).

Howdy, I would also like to see parts online for Stihl and wouldn't mind seeing a way to get pricing from the internet. It sometimes would be nice to look at a chainsaw and know the price without a salesman standing there. It kind of has the feeling of being at a new car lot with a salesman standing there.

There are two excellent dealers for stihl in my area that I can call for a part order. That way I don't have to drive there twice if they don't have the part in stock.

Also the local Ace hardware stores (two different ones) sell Stihl. I don't know if they sell parts or service saws. I wonder if this dosn't fit the policy of no box stores. I wouldn't call Ace hardware a big box store, maybe a little box store. It is nice to not see stihl in the big box stores.

 

[SawTroll]

he he I almost went and did a search on this new MS469!

It is the MS461 we are waiting for, as the 441 was a disappointment!

 

[DeanBrown3D]

So what does the extra "1" get you? I presume its some kind of husky style cyclone air cleaner???

 

[SawTroll]

So what does the extra "1" get you? I presume its some kind of husky style cyclone air cleaner???

Not too far off,
a feature resembling the Air Injection is precent in the 441.
The disappointment is that according to specs it weights noticably more than the 440, without much additional power.

Hopefully the 461 will be the same as the 441, but with larger bore and more power.....

 

[Chris J.]

Kudos to Stihl for supporting their dealers and sticking with a system that seems to work. I just wish that their parts weren't so gollygoshdarned overpriced.

 

[Lakeside53]

Not too far off,
a feature resembling the Air Injection is precent in the 441.
The disappointment is that according to specs it weights noticably more than the 440, without much additional power.

Hopefully the 461 will be the same as the 441, but with larger bore and more power.....

You need to use it... I've talked to guys that have used it and they are very happy. Great torque low down... and nice on the hands (anti-vibe). I'll probably get my own hands on one this weekend.

How can you say it's a disappointment by just reading the specs? It's a replacement for the 440, not the 460, and just an evolution of the 440 model line, just as the 361 was on the 360. Want to bet the "461" (not this year) will be a pound heavier and the same power as the 460? Sure you can wish for 660 power in a 440 package, but that's not what the manufacturers are going to make for you.. Heck, for pennies difference in cost, they could dump the 290, 310 and just make them all 390's, then sell them for the same price as the 290, but they don't...

The 440 is a top seller in the NW (way more than the 460) and the 441 will simply replace that market slot. The so-called "extra" weight will not be an issue. The 441 was designed to be the in the same power range as the 440... in fact, dumbed down so that it was. The 441 has plenty of potential to unlock, for the .01% that will want to modify it.

 

[bugfart]

Kudos

You know, me being a poor Homelite guy I deal in obsolete parts that are readilly available but I can't figure out one thing. (at the moment)

Why the hell do you people not network together.
Do you like the wait?
Can't you sponsors pool together and get a bulk deal on pistons from OZ?

And yes, this is the internet.

 

[SawTroll]

.... How can you say it's a disappointment by just reading the specs? It's a replacement for the 440, not the 460, and just an evolution of the 440 model line, just as the 361 was on the 360. .....

The added weight of the 441 vs the 440 is the disappointment, not the lack of extra power.

I think mine, and some other peoples, expectations of the 441 just were too high after the very good job that Stihl did with the 361 vs. the 360. We did however fear that it would be something like the Husky 575xp, and that is just what happened.

The 361 is slightly lighter than its predesessor , while the 441 is notisably heavier than the 440, even heavier than the 460. :bang:

The hope for the Stihl future is that the 461 will be the same as the 441, just with a bigger bore.:angel:

 

[Crumm]

And aren't Deere's showing up at Home Depot now?

I don't know about Deere saws but the Deere lawn-mowers are at Home Depot and Lowe's but even though they look like a Deere they ain't no Deere. They are a cheap knock-off with green paint. No comparison to a Deere you get at the John Deere dealer. I cannot imagine what John Deere was thinking when they started building the box store junk.