Steve Husqvarna has been selling through Lowe's for YEARS now, I'm not sure how many, but it has been for quite awhile.
It SUX, because not only do they not service anything, Sorry I wouldn't trust any of my saws to someone that Lowe's would hire for service anyway, but they can't even ORDER, the "Good Stuff", all Home Owner grade saws, which I hear are better than you would expect of them, the Wife's 445 has low hours on it yet, but so far has been a Good saw for the price point. It was either the 455 or 460 was the Biggest saw you could get from Lowe's, and they couldn't order any of the XP models
I have heard that Stihl Dealers are REQUIRED to charge catalog MSRP, and that "Sale Prices" rarely if ever happen, but that there are Occasionally dealers that "Forget" that rule, but that is hit and miss, you have to find them.
The Wife's 445 had an MSRP of $339.95, and I was in Okanogan,WA for work, stopped into Okanogan Power Sports, just driving by, never been there before, no telling If/When I would ever be back, they had a 445 on the shelfso I grabbed it, put it on the counter, they rang it up for$305, without my even asking about a discount, added the 3 cans of premix fuel to double the warranty from 2 years to 4 years, and Stihl only paid $329, $10 Less than MSRP, with the fuel and doubled warranty
The Wife got that 445 for Christmas in 2017, believe it or Not, she actually ASKED for her OWN saw for Christmas
, by 2017, the 445 had been increased from 45.7cc IIRC, to 50.2cc, and was what I felt to be a Great Weight/Power/Price balance for her use
I got a few Funny looks
from her Friends when she told them she got a CHAINSAW
for Christmas
, She got a LOT of Funny Looks when she told them that She ASKED for it
It came with an 18"B&C, but I picked up a 13" B&C so she could get used to visualizing where that bar tip was, and to to keep it out of the dirt and other bad things easier, She wanted Nothing to do with that 13" B&C, said it was "EMBARRASSING"
She also likes Camping, Fishing, Crabbing, and Shooting, Yep she is a Keeper
Doug