Stihl Getting Ripped Off In Australia...

[MCW]

Time to vent guys...

Myself and others here have mentioned how much we get ripped off on chainsaw gear in Australia.

Well this just got taken to new heights today after pricing a 200T. I priced one from the US but have just gotten pricing from a very good and very competitive Australian dealer. I nearly fell off my chair!!!

I will convert everything to US dollars to make it easier based on an exchange rate of USD$0.80 to our AUD$1.00.

The US price for a new 200T was USD$574. Including freight I can land a 200T to Australia for around USD$670, or AUD$837.

The recommended retail on a 200T in Australia is USD$1270 (AUD$1550)!!!

This particular dealer dropped the price to USD$1112 (AUD$1390) and rest assured that is very competitive. I asked this particular dealer how many 200T's he has sold lately and he said very few at that price - even the pros are going to the 192T's. He complained about the pricing too stating that basically Stihl Australia have used the 200T's good reputation to take advantage of customers and have priced themselves out of the market with everybody but dedicated or upper professional use customers.

Luckily Brad Snelling had a very neat 200T for a fraction of the price which I've now bought off him - thanks again Brad

I know that it is not the dealers driving the price up on the 200T's, it is the Australian distributor that is taking advantage of the 200T's reputation.

Anyway, there you go. I know that Stihl dealers in Australia would say "Yeah but where is the warranty?". Well let me put it this way - I can buy a 200T and a 192T from the US and still get change from buying one Aussie 200T. The 200T is a pro use saw and if any pro guy can't do basic servicing or repairs then they shouldn't be running a pro saw. Personally I'd take my chances on any warranty issues and fix things myself...

Sorry guys but the difference in price today just pushed me over the edge. You know the Aussie 200T pricing is out of control when even the dealers complain about it.
For example, I can get a MS660 at the moment in Australia for about USD$1192, cheaper than the Australian RRP on a 200T!!! :censored:

 

[AUSSIE1]

Whinge, whinge, whinge....




























But I know what your saying and it didn't take long for the buck to drop 10c :censored:

 

[MCW]

Whinge, whinge, whinge....
But I know what your saying and it didn't take long for the buck to drop 10c :censored:

Yeah sorry mate but the veins started poking out my forehead, my eyes glazed over, and I started typing. You know what I'm talking about anyway Al as you've imported some of your saws anyway

But the 200T price diifference between the US and Australia is WAY different compared to other Stihl saws which were already bad enough...

Yeah I pumped a heap of funds to Brad the second I saw the dollar dropping. If I'd have waited a few weeks it would have cost me an extra few hundred bucks for the saws he's modding for me...

 

[gmax]

(AUD$1550) for a 200T :censored:, you would have to be mug to pay that price! Stihl Australia can jam their chainsaws where the sun don't shine.
A 200T would be nice but my little Oleo Mac top handle does the job.

 

[MCW]

(AUD$1550) for a 200T :censored:, you would have to be mug to pay that price! Stihl Australia can jam their chainsaws where the sun don't shine.
A 200T would be nice but my little Oleo Mac top handle does the job.

Yeah Wayne I was thinking AUD$1100 tops but couldn't believe $1550 RRP. Basically the Stihl dealer told me some of the climbing guys have just been buying two 192T's for the same price. He could do a 192T for AUD$590.
Stihl Australia have tickets on themselves if they think a 200T is worth that much...

 

[Muffler Bearing]

OT. Do you live near Mick Dundee?:monkey:

Cheers Mate!

 

[splitpost]

OT. Do you live near Mick Dundee?:monkey:

Cheers Mate!

He lives in the STATES now doesn't he

 

[Muffler Bearing]

He lives in the STATES now doesn't he

Yeah, Your probably right. Got tired of over priced Stihls i guess?

 

[AUSSIE1]

Yeah sorry mate but the veins started poking out my forehead, my eyes glazed over, and I started typing. You know what I'm talking about anyway Al as you've imported some of your saws anyway

But the 200T price diifference between the US and Australia is WAY different compared to other Stihl saws which were already bad enough...

Yeah I pumped a heap of funds to Brad the second I saw the dollar dropping. If I'd have waited a few weeks it would have cost me an extra few hundred bucks for the saws he's modding for me...

I was only stiring Matt and couldn't agree more.
It's not only chainsaws. When the dollar is good you can buy an ARB air locker, Made in Aus, from the States cheaper.

OT. Do you live near Mick Dundee?:monkey:

Cheers Mate!

Muff, he lives in the States and married one of your girls.

 

[splitpost]

bloke on ebay AU got one for start bid $899,spose if you got it for A grand thats $550 in your pocket150446924920 item number

 

[MCW]

I was only stiring Matt and couldn't agree more.
It's not only chainsaws. When the dollar is good you can buy an ARB air locker, Made in Aus, from the States cheaper.

Yeah I know you were mate It isn't just chainsaws sadly. Really hard to understand isn't it, particularly when the US guys are paying freight over for Aussie made gear, we pay freight back, and it still works out cheaper...

Muff, he lives in the States and married one of your girls.

Yeah Mick Dundee got old, wrinkly, but most importantly, he got NOT FUNNY which is the saddest part. The old Paul Hogan show from the late 70's early 80's is still one of the funniest gag shows ever as far as I'm concerned. I've got the "Best Of" DVD and it still has me in stitches.

 

[gmax]

Matt, Paul Hogan's latest movie "Charlie and Boots" was ok but not as funny as his earlier stuff.

 

[Nardoo]

It is not just chainsaws guys. I buy my Leupold scopes and MVA black powder soule sights straight from retailers in the US for greatly reduced prices.
Now I am paying retail cost not wholesale, and shipping costs per one item should not be cost effective - so how come price to my door from the US is around half what I pay over the counter here for?
Price gouging?

 

[TimberMcPherson]

It is not just chainsaws guys. I buy my Leupold scopes and MVA black powder soule sights straight from retailers in the US for greatly reduced prices.
Now I am paying retail cost not wholesale, and shipping costs per one item should not be cost effective - so how come price to my door from the US is around half what I pay over the counter here for?
Price gouging?

Its middle men and volume. If it make you feel better swedes were buying swedish made huskys from the US because they were cheaper. not to mention US customers get far better warrenties.

 

[MCW]

It is not just chainsaws guys. I buy my Leupold scopes and MVA black powder soule sights straight from retailers in the US for greatly reduced prices.
Now I am paying retail cost not wholesale, and shipping costs per one item should not be cost effective - so how come price to my door from the US is around half what I pay over the counter here for?
Price gouging?

No you're exactly right Nardoo. I've imported golf gear for massive reductions (and it's genuine stuff), fishing gear that is top of the line but costs about a third of the price here, etc etc. I've also imported reloading gear too. Pity I can't get projectiles in without the proper paperwork and Customs forms as I'd be importing tonnes of those. They've gone through the bloody roof in the last few years in Australia despite the high dollar. We well and truly get ripped off here on gun related stuff

 

[MCW]

Its middle men and volume. If it make you feel better swedes were buying swedish made huskys from the US because they were cheaper

It's definately the middle men mate. I have full confidence the Stihl dealers are "generally" going in pretty hard with their prices. There is no way that Stihl Australia would be importing saws and paying more than I can get them here for. They would have to be marking up 50-60% to their dealers unless I'm missing something...
I know Stihl dealers are kept on a pretty tight pricing leash but if the dealers were marking up 60% on saws I'd eat my hat and I've got a fat head

 

[Stihlman441]

Ya i have done the same with Leupold scopes,range finder and bynos from the US at very good prices.If you use ebay make saw it is a from a shop or a power seller from over there,they do this all the time and have it worked out.

 

[CentaurG2]

Looks like a good time to buy a new slouch hat. Australian goods in the states have always been an excellent bargain (except beef and sugar).

As for the 200t, I think stihl keep the price of these things artificially high to keep them out of the hands of the homeowner. It looks small, compact, cute and easy to use. How much trouble could I possibly get into with that little saw?? I wonder how many lawsuits stihl has avoided by setting a price higher than an ms361? Does Australia have any regulations on the top saws?? I think I remember reading that in Europe you need a permit to buy a top handle saw. Sort of like a handgun in the states.

 

[MCW]

Looks like a good time to buy a new slouch hat. Australian goods in the states have always been an excellent bargain (except beef and sugar).

As for the 200t, I think stihl keep the price of these things artificially high to keep them out of the hands of the homeowner. It looks small, compact, cute and easy to use. How much trouble could I possibly get into with that little saw?? I wonder how many lawsuits stihl has avoided by setting a price higher than an ms361? Does Australia have any regulations on the top saws?? I think I remember reading that in Europe you need a permit to buy a top handle saw. Sort of like a handgun in the states.

No there isn't any regulations but there is a surprising amount of forearm injuries from top handled saws. Generally to people that get a bit blasé with their use. You'll cut your arm off just as fast with a 192T or any other top handled saw though.
That still doesn't explain the US to Australia price gap though, particularly when the US has such a high number of lawsuits (well it seems that way?).

I know a number of fruit property owners who will not buy tophandled pruning saws as they are concerned their employees will cut their arms off, which they probably will

 

[pgg]

200T's have been over $1500 down here for ages, they were over $1200 years ago, for serious use I can tell ya buying 192T's, solos, oleo-macs, echo shyte and hardware store junk is all just a total waste of money though, the tinky toys are always bad news in the bush, skimping on the initial costs never works out, running crap saws is the worse thing to do, the wise operators still cough up the dosh and go with the atrociously priced machine