There are Rural King farm stores popping up all around the area here. Our nearest one is in Bloomington and sells Echo and Husky. The newest one near us is in Bedford (about 20 miles south) and it sells Stihl. Quite a surprise for sure!
New Stihl dealer!
- Thread starter longbowch
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Stowe Boy
ArboristSite Lurker
We have two Rural Kings. One in Rural King and the other is Big R Rural King. Both sell Stihl. I do not know about service, as I have always gone through local dealer.
It looks like what is in Bloomington and Bedford is what I know as Rural King.
It looks like what is in Bloomington and Bedford is what I know as Rural King.
lambs
Stihl crazy after all these years
My local Town and Country store carries Stihl but I must say I was surprised to see a 362 sitting on the shelf this week. Not sure anyone in my area needing a saw for a little yard clean up is going to buy that one.
On the other hand if we were to get a good hurricane or winter storm, that saw will probably be sold. And two weeks later it will be listed on CL.
On the other hand if we were to get a good hurricane or winter storm, that saw will probably be sold. And two weeks later it will be listed on CL.
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We have a Cal-Ranch store, and they sell Stihl. I bought my FS-250R from them. They do not have a service dept. Only a back room with some canned fuel, a couple of funnels, and a small assortment of hand tools. They have a large cardboard box full of owner's manuals. It took them about 15 min. to find the right manual for my FS-250R.
They had trouble starting it. They thought they had it on choke when they didn't. Flooded the spark plug and they had to install another.
Anyways, they do have a good stock of all grades of saws and other OPE, as well as accessories. They have 10% off all store merchandise from time to time.
According to an ACE Hardware Stihl service tech, Cal-Ranch hasn't yet sent anyone to the Stihl tech school. Of course, that might be old, out-dated news by now.
Jon1212
Riff Raff Fart Knocker from other Forum's.
My local CAL Ranch(Spanish Fork, UT) had a kid(mid 20's) whom they sent to Stihl school for begginers. He seemed to be the only one in the store that had a clue. He no longer works there, as I haven't seen him in there in a couple of months.
As a side note, and as evidence of the lack of training, on at least three occasions I have intervened on behalf of the customer when the store employee was attempting to sell the wrong bar, or chain for the desired application.
big t double
Addicted to ArboristSite
good on you for intervening but that just looks bad...im glad stihl is happy/ok with this. even the stihl reps that set up these larger box type farm stores know the employees haven't a clue...but stihl doesn't seem to mind. I find it funny that they still stick to there mantra about only dealing with servicing, knowledgeable dealers and not going into box stores..blah blah blah ********. do as I say, not as I do....they make the rules and can break them if they want...but don't piss on my leg and tell me its raining....either way, the small dealer has to keep on keepin on....compete or die.
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Initially, I said that I didn't want the store to start the trimmer I bought. The store clerk got quite indignant, stating they could not sell it to me, w/o first having it "serviced". I grudgingly agreed.
At least I was allowed to follow the employees into the back room. The employee, 19 or 20 at most, acted as if he'd never started one before. He had to call another employee to assist him. By the time I stepped in, it was flooded and could not be started. We all agreed a new plug was in order. After the old one was removed, I turned it upside down and pulled it over several times. I myself then installed the new plug to insure they didn't under or over tighten it. It then fired up just fine.
longbowch
ArboristSite Guru
The nice thing about farm and fleet is they are open till eight seven days a week. A lot of dealers close at five five days a week.
This doesn't make sense. To get Gold certification, you must attend the 3 day school at Virgina Beach. There's now a 'Diamond' certification.
If the 'box store' is independently owned, they're allowed to apply for dealership, but they're 'supposed' to have an on site service technician. It's up to the territory managers to set up who they do, and they can lie about the service center and if their branch manager doesn't say anything, STIHL, INC. won't know about it.
All Stihl dealers should file some sort of class action against them if they're in violation.
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Yes, and they must pass a hard test, and they must have a "workshop" that meets certain requirements, including
a ridiculous tool inventory, which is why the dist. sales reps borrow them from other shops that we silly
enough to buy them for the photo shoot of the "Uber Shop"..... Once the certification is awarded, the tools are returned to their owners, and the fantastic Stihl workshop is dismantled......
So . . . the certified mechanic must be 'on site'? Is is possible for a chain to have a certified mechanic at a central location that they send stuff to? It seems to me that a few stores operate this way. They can't even sharpen chains on the premises.
Thanks for the insight.
Philbert
Thanks for the insight.
Philbert
Seriously you guys do that? That's some ghetto ass ****. Yeah, I think I remember we had to do something like that when we got our Gold. But we just took pictures. Our shop was already "uber shopped".
Each store has to maintain an on site service tech.
KenJax Tree
Terraphobic
I don't care about an onsite mechanic, but someone that knows what they're talking about behind the counters in a "gold" dealer would be nice.
Gotta love when you even tell them the part# and they proceed to bring out the catalog and repeatedly tell try to sell you something totally different.
Gotta love when you even tell them the part# and they proceed to bring out the catalog and repeatedly tell try to sell you something totally different.
longbowch
ArboristSite Guru
Kinda like when you ask for a chain by number and they keep asking what saw its for.
KenJax Tree
Terraphobic
Yup....its for a Husqvarna 562xp.....oh sorry we don't sell Husqvarna chains
Or ask for a yellow chisel chain and they toss a green semi chisel chain on the counter.
longbowch
ArboristSite Guru
Yesterday I asked for a 23rm72 and he found a 23rm272. I said I want one without the 2. He said "what's the 2 mean"Yup....its for a Husqvarna 562xp.....oh sorry we don't sell Husqvarna chains
Deets066
Firewood hack
it took me a few dealers before I found one that was worth a ****, but now I won't go anywhere else. Lil T is da man when it comes to parts!
longbowch
ArboristSite Guru
The dealer I found like that is fifty miles away!
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He had a 272 drive link chain in a box? What was his price on that puppy??????????
