Buying Saws Off E-Bay / Stihl Warranty Issues

[Vernon Tull]

Gentlemen -- How suspicious and careful should I be of sellers on E-Bay (beyond, of course, the first consideration of a seller's feedback rating) who sell new-in-the-box Stihl saws? A couple of sellers claim these units are new, not refurbished, and have the full Stihl factory warranty, but doesn't Stihl require an authorized dealer of their own tightly-controlled network to send in the unit registration and activate the warranty? Thanks for any insight and warning you can give.

 

[Chris J.]

I'm not certain, but it sounds like

you're summary is on the money. Hmmm....I wonder if any Stihl dealers have "found a way" to register a new Stihl that they didn't actually sell?

 

[Vernon Tull]

Knot Whole -- Thanks for your response. I'm not sure I follow you. I'm actually looking to purchase another Stihl saw and wondered if I would truly get a valid warranty on one new-in-the-box that came via an Internet sale.

 

[Chris J.]

I was wondering if one of your local Stihl dealers

might be able help you so that the saw could be registered for the warranty. Given Stihl's restrictive policies, I would think that a dealer would be putting himself at risk by doing so. I'm a used saw tinkerer, so I've never dealt with saw warranties. Hopefully some of the former or current Stihl dealers here at AS will provide a more detailed response. Also if you do a search you'll find quite a few posts re Stihl & their sales policies.

 

[sedanman]

The dealer I work for will NOT register a saw he didn't sell. Stihl tracks the serial numbers of every saw they make, they know what dealer they sold it to. E-bay saws only really have a warrantee if the guy selling it is a dealer and sent the card in. Then he has to worry about Stihl catching up with him if you have a problem. He could always do the warrantee work at his shop provided you ship the saw back to him but that doesn't seem feasible.

 

[Vernon Tull]

Sedanman -- You're right . . . that doesn't really seem feasible. I guess that answers my question and points me back in the direction of a local dealer (whom I respect and I'm not avoiding . . . it's just that this E-Bay fellow sells the saw $50 cheaper and has good positive feedback). Thanks.

 

[DanManofStihl]

saws

What saw are you lookiing at on ebay they have some great deals on the 088s on their all the time 600 less then at my local dealer. I would give up a 3 month warrantee for 600 dollars. I have never had to take a stihl of mine in for warrantee work before they always worked great. Wish I had the money for a new saw.

 

[sedanman]

Vernon, If I was your local dealer, I'd tell you to stick the saw and your computer where the sun didn't shine. If you need the security of your local dealer then step up to the plate and pay for it. You can NOT have it both ways, either you want to save $50.00 (some or all of which will be eaten up in shipping) or you want to support your local dealer so he can be there when you need him. As to the the 088's that are $600 cheaper, I might even buy one of those on the understanding that I might have to eat a repair in the first 90 days. To ask your local dealer to register a saw you bought elsewhere is like bringing your mistress home to the marital bed and asking the wife to sleep on the couch.

 

[Bill G]

There is a Stihl dealer that is currently selling on ebay. He sold a large amount of new items a year ago then "poof" he was gone. I figured Stihl caught up to him and shut him down. I guess not as he is back and selling more than ever. What amazes me is with the exception of the 088 most new Stihl saws sold on ebay sell at the local dealer price. It makes no sense. As for warranty support your local dealer SO HE CAN SUPPORT YOU.

Bill

 

[Vernon Tull]

Sedanman -- For the record, I'm not the one who suggested taking an E-Bay-purchased saw in to my local dealer and asking him to send in a warranty card. I wouldn't do that because I like Mr. Spann (my local dealer), I've bought from him before, I'll buy from him again I'm sure, and I respect him as a local business man. I think you've confused me with a few others on here who have suggested buying a saw on-line and rubbing it in to the local dealer. I've got to live here and at least buy accecessories from him, so I wouldn't do anything to disrespect him.

To add the latest information, the E-Bay Stihl seller I've been negotiating with says that HE will send in the warranty card and then I would be able to get warranty service at any local dealer. If I went in to a local dealer here in Alabama with a saw still under warranty and told him I bought it from a dealer in New Jersey, he wouldn't have any idea whether I'd purchased it on-line or not. All that being said, I still don't think in the end I'll try to purchase a new one from E-Bay.

 

[Chris J.]

To all:

I, not Vernon, suggested (more like thought out loud) that maybe his local dealer could register a saw purchased off eBay. I did try to qualify my suggestion/thought by saying the dealer could get into trouble. I should have added that most likely local dealers wouldn't even consider it.

My apologies; I've done enough reading here to know that the support-your-local-dealer sentiment runs pretty high.

 

[Vernon Tull]

It all hinges on whether an E-Bay seller is a true Stihl dealer AND whether he sends the warranty registration in. As far as the Stihl corporation knowing how a saw is sold . . . I guess my own local dealer could sell a new one on E-Bay and pretend the saw was sold through his shop if he was of a mind to do that. Obviously, though, it's still better to buy from a man you know there locally, even though I've entertained the idea of buying on-line.