I think Hillbilly was speaking within the context of this thread, stihl, husky and so on. I don't think he meant a good dealer is going to make a wild thing a better saw.
Same is true in my business. Snap on, Matco, Mac, Cornwell is all just about the same now, and I say all the time, "we're buying the tool man" I buy from the guy that gives better service, has more selection, and gives quicker warranty replacements. In this example, sears craftsmen, harbor freight and so on are not even in context whatsoever. In this example, you put a Matco and Snap on ratchet next to eachother, they will have differences, but are both top of the line tools.
I would agree the better saw, speaking of quality brands, is going to be where you get better service. I have two Stihl dealers very close, and one is fantastic. I have no husky or others. If I buy a Husky saw at Lowes, what am I going to get for service compared to if I buy a Stihl? I bought Stihl, if the tables were backwards, I'd handle the husky, and most likely buy that instead of a Stihl if the service wasn't there.