Solo going at Bailey's is Dolmar next?

[redprospector]

Well, from what Grande Dog, Edge & Engine, and Spike 60 have said, I think Solo is living proof that the "free market" is dead or dieing here in the U.S.A.
It seems that if you can't kiss the EPA's butt while turning a backflip through the loop holes they've set up, and fill their coffers at the same time...........Well, you just can't do business here.

Andy

 

[mdavlee]

US automakers don't want the vehicles to last 300k or more. They lose too many sales to do that. The epa is killing off a lot of good vehicles, engines, saws, and everything they can to make themselves a job.

 

[tdi-rick]

I got 42 mpg on my Toyota Tercel in 1989, more than 20 years ago. My wife got 50 mpg on her little CVCC earlier in the '80s.

We've laughed our arses off at these commercials where auto makers are bragging about how many cars they produce these days that get 30-35 mpg, as though that were something impressive.

[snip]

A huge impediment to decent fuel economy is the weight of modern vehicles.
A little Honda Civic from the seventies weighed, what ? 900kg or so, maybe 850kg ?

I'd reckon you'd be lucky to find a Civic under 1250kg these days.
Ok it's gone up a class or two in size, but car weights have ballooned.

Back in the late eighties I had a V8 Holden Commodore with all the fruit (think Pontiac GT8) that weighed only 1350kg. I think they're up around 1750kg these days thanks to all the extra safety, NVH, and powered everything demanded by motorists.

 

[Andyshine77]

A huge impediment to decent fuel economy is the weight of modern vehicles.
A little Honda Civic from the seventies weighed, what ? 900kg or so, maybe 850kg ?

I'd reckon you'd be lucky to find a Civic under 1250kg these days.
Ok it's gone up a class or two in size, but car weights have ballooned.

Back in the late eighties I had a V8 Holden Commodore with all the fruit (think Pontiac GT8) that weighed only 1350kg. I think they're up around 1750kg these days thanks to all the extra safety, NVH, and powered everything demanded by motorists.

You got it.

Fact is Solo never really had a chance in the Stihl dominated U.S. market, and the brainwashing most suffer from do to great advertising doesn't help. One could also say that the lack of regulation allowed for what amounts to a monopoly of the OPE market. There's two sides to every coin.

 

[WVMtneer]

Ask yourself why U.S. automakers don't push small diesel cars.


First until resent years the big three couldn't make a diesel engines worth anything. Second, if they did make a good small diesel engine they would last too long. + they likely get paid off buy the oil companies.

US automakers sell a nice variety of small diesel powered vehicles in Europe where diesel powered vehicles make up 50% of the market. A better question is why do they not sell them in the US? Overly stringent government regulations.

After outfitting a diesel with all of the EPA mandated emissions equipment, americans have little appetite for a diesel powered car that costs several thousand more than the comparable gas model and gets only slightly better mileage.

I think it is interesting how chainsaws are targeted now, when you look at the "big" picture chainsaws contribute almost nothing to the total carbon emissions generated. I am sure the same bunch regulating emissions would love to never see another tree come down too.......

 

[Andyshine77]

US automakers sell a nice variety of small diesel powered vehicles in Europe where diesel powered vehicles make up 50% of the market. A better question is why do they not sell them in the US? Overly stringent government regulations.

Many European countries have the same if not more stringent regulation than we do. If the auto makers wanted to sell more they likely couldn't, most here simply don't like diesel power cars, and most of it has to do with marketing, or lack there of IMHO.

 

[166]

83 Years and Counting

Dolmar has been making chainsaws since 1927 and I don't see them going away anytime soon. For the next couple years we're going to see more catalytic converters on the Dolmar's. Then see a switchover to new models including Stratified Charged engines and maybe 4 Stroke chainsaws. Dolmar has had 4 Stroke saws for over 10 years or so in prototype form.

Only two Chainsaw manufactures are still in business that have been around since the 1920's. A lot of people think of Dolmar as new company but they've been around 83 years and counting.

Yes the PS-9010 is going away but that saw has been out since 1992. The PS-7300 will not be imported anymore putting more focus on the much more popular PS-6400 & PS-7900.

The PS34/45 will no longer be imported but I don't think anybody on here cared for those. The PS-460 will stop being imported as well with the PS-420 being just as powerful or the PS-510 being the same weight & more power. The PS-5100s has been replaced with the PS-5105 which runs much richer out of the box, has the CAT and the larger dual spike bars

So the Chainsaw lineup will look like

ES-173 TLC Electric (Tool Less Chain Tensioner)

PS-3410TH TLC Top Handle (Tool Less Chain Tensioner)
PS-350 C
PS-420 C
PS-510 C
PS-5105 C
PS-6400 C
PS-7900 (Cat may be coming at a later date on these)

Along with 12", 14", & 16" Cut-Off Saws that have been running Cat's for a couple years. A full line of String Trimmers, Hedge Trimmers, Backpack Blowers, Handheld Blowers, Electric Cut-Off Saw (New) and a 4 Stroke Water Pump (New)

The PS-45, PS-460, & PS-7300 will be available for a while until the inventory is bought up thats sitting in warehouses. The PS-9010's are sold out at the north east distributor (I know of a dealer that bought most of them up) They may still be more left at other distribution points.

The EPA rules are nothing new and the manufactures have been working to comply with them for many years.

Steve

 

[eyolf]

US automakers don't want the vehicles to...

There was a story floating around a few years ago about a GM subsidiary in Brazil marketing a small pick-up-, or van-like vehicle capable of hauling about 600kg payload (heavy 1/2 ton) at modest speeds, but getting imprerssive mileage and supposedly designed and tested to perform for years of service.

GM wanted to test market it here as a niche vehicle, especially in urban markets as a local delivery rig, homeowners with limited garage or parking space, or as a shuttle rig at places like airports or campuses.

Unions and competitors got together, said "No!" and got some government types to agree. Build a factory to assemble them here, hire at least 500 people, etc., was the mantra.

Just to see if it would find a niche, if it would sell.





Sometimes we are our own worst enemy.

 

[spike60]

You got it.

Fact is Solo never really had a chance in the Stihl dominated U.S. market, and the brainwashing most suffer from do to great advertising doesn't help. One could also say that the lack of regulation allowed for what amounts to a monopoly of the OPE market. There's two sides to every coin.

Yup! Very similar to what I said earlier: All of these smaller companies have been here for many years, and for various reasons, have never got their act together. The EPA regs may be the final nail in the coffin, but are not the primary reason a company like Solo folds their tent. (Don't get me wrong, nobody hates government intrusion more than I do)

Dolmar should end up being the main beneficiary if some of these companies close up shop. They can pick up the pieces as there will always be shops out there that for one reason or another are simply not a good fit for either Husky or Stihl. Dolmar seems to have seen this all coming, and that's what drove their distribution change 5 or 6 years ago. They realized if they were going to stay here, they needed to get serious, so they put a plan in place to do so. Got to give 'em credit for rolling up their sleeves and going after it, rather than just quitting.