Can't have the box ? You can't be serious.

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Must be a new rule if its from corporate level not to let the boxes go. Or its just a$$hole dealers, Stihl has lots of those… Probably 90% of the dealers I have visited over the last 10 years fall into that catagory. When Stihl was the only game in town for serious saws and landscaping equipment, yea, they could be arrogant. But there are more players in the field now and some are just as good, and some for better prices. It seems they haven’t learned that yet.

When I bought my 362 a couple years ago, the dealer asked me if I wanted him to put the bar on it and fill it with fluids… I told him no thanks, I’ll take care of it when I get home. He didn’t even cut the factory tape on the box…

And what happens if I buy the saw as a gift? I’d be damned if I am buying a $800 saw and putting it in an amazon box to wrap up as a gift…
 
I agree with all of you about Stihl (company) and dealer arrogance, my new Echo 4910 and 620 both came in boxes. I also have a MS180CBE made in 2015, I got it used, it always starts and runs and cuts great, especially now since I switched from the Stihl Ultra crap, now using RedArmor (echo) oil, I was surprised how much better all my stuff runs on Echo oil.
 
This makes me want to never buy another stihl product.
If they are willing to go to this length to make sure you don't get the box for a $850 pole saw, I think I'm done with them.
Thats the very definition of control and giving their customers the middle finger.
Echo makes great products also and there's always farmertec.
I know this is just a box but it's infuriating. It's not the box, it's the principal.
Screw Stihl.....
I think you hit on it when you said, "there's always Farmertech". I think people are buying their saws and selling them in Stihl boxes and Stihl doesn't want the public thinking they have cheapened their product.
 
I agree with all of you about Stihl (company) and dealer arrogance, my new Echo 4910 and 620 both came in boxes. I also have a MS180CBE made in 2015, I got it used, it always starts and runs and cuts great, especially now since I switched from the Stihl Ultra crap, now using RedArmor (echo) oil, I was surprised how much better all my stuff runs on Echo oil.
For some reason unknown to me, Farmertech and the other Chinese companies don't clone the Echo saws.
 
So what is the true answer a couple of posters said they pick up empty chain saw boxes at their Stihl dealers op says dealer keeps them.Maybe some one should call Stihl headquarters and get the skinny and there will be no guessing at the truth.
I still have the wooden crate that says Johnson Seahorse on the sides it was from my dads 25hp outboard motor he bought new in 1952 I use it for a kindling box.
Kash
 
I love my little ms180….I treat it like crap, it lives in a toolbox on the side of my sawmill, it only cuts garbage wood and it loves life….lol

my 261 is my go to saw on the wood lot. It’s light, has a 20” bar and bucks everything I put it to with ease.
Funny, I beat my 180 like a red headed step child and it just keeps on trucking. its fallen out of trees, off ladders and bounces around in the tractor bucket. amazing for what it costs.
 
So what is the true answer a couple of posters said they pick up empty chain saw boxes at their Stihl dealers op says dealer keeps them.Maybe some one should call Stihl headquarters and get the skinny and there will be no guessing at the truth.
I still have the wooden crate that says Johnson Seahorse on the sides it was from my dads 25hp outboard motor he bought new in 1952 I use it for a kindling box.
Kash
You know, that's a damn good idea. I have way more money than time. Im going to call them today and ask them why
they are running a protection racket for the boxes. I will report their answer to this thread.
That wooden crate is cool as hell. Why don't you post a pic of it. I was born in the 50's and remember those motors when I was a kid.
 
Only stihl box I think I ever got was the power sweeper attachment box.

But ya agree they are off the wall here in the states.

Why I try and bypass them and order stuff online and not from their dealers anymore if I can on my repairs.

s55box.jpg
 
Must be a new rule if its from corporate level not to let the boxes go. Or its just a$$hole dealers, Stihl has lots of those… Probably 90% of the dealers I have visited over the last 10 years fall into that catagory. When Stihl was the only game in town for serious saws and landscaping equipment, yea, they could be arrogant. But there are more players in the field now and some are just as good, and some for better prices. It seems they haven’t learned that yet.

When I bought my 362 a couple years ago, the dealer asked me if I wanted him to put the bar on it and fill it with fluids… I told him no thanks, I’ll take care of it when I get home. He didn’t even cut the factory tape on the box…

And what happens if I buy the saw as a gift? I’d be damned if I am buying a $800 saw and putting it in an amazon box to wrap up as a
Great point about the gift thing. I had not thought about that. From the responses I got from the dealers around here, I think they would tell you that your not getting the box even if it is for a gift. The dealers here ( all of them I have bought from and thats 4 ) all play the same game. You WILL NOT see the saw you are buying until you pay for it and register it either at their register computer or the new screens they have set up by the saws to get parts and register the product. They tell you they are putting it together while you pay for it and get it registered.

Then they take you to the tech area where they already have it assembled and fueled. Then they try and show you how to start and use it. I used the word " try " for a reason.
Here is the game they are playing. Once a tool has had fuel in it , its non refundable. Its typical Florida scammy unethical sh#$.

This did NOT work out for the Ace Hardware near me though. On the same day I bought the HT131 I was at my nearby Ace buying a HT56ce.
They played the same little game by walking me to the register to pay for it, then escorting me to the screen mounted to the wall on the chainsaw wall so I could type in my life story to register it, then took me to the tech area to " try " and show me how to use it.

The guy took me outside with the saw and it would not start. He pumped the primer bulb about 30 times. I told him 4 or 5 times was good but he continued. He then starting yanking the sh&^ out of the pull cord as hard as he could. IT'S AN EZSTART , insert "try" right here. Shocked he didn't break it. I know from experience that they break easy. He finally got it started and it died immediately like it was running out of fuel or was under a bind. He kept doing this for the next 10 mins.
I finally got pissed and said " since I've paid for it and I own it, let me look at it. I removed the extension that has the chainsaw head on it so I could see the drive shaft to see if it was turning. I told him to start it so I could see. Nope, its not turning during the few seconds it was running. I told the guy that it was either running out of fuel or it was bound up at the power head.

Then the owner of that Ace pulls up in his pickup truck and the guy says " thats the owner, he will get it running ".
Of course he had the same result and now wants to take it to the bench to see what's wrong.
He takes the main shaft out of the power head and puts it back in. I asked him if he wanted to start it with the drive shaft completely off the power head to eliminate it as causing an issue and he said it was not necessary. Im thinking WTF are you doing. All you did was pull it out and shove it right back in.
Troubleshooting doesn't seem to be his strong suit.

Now we are outside and he's saying its gonna run good now. And low and behold, the exact same issue. Now I know in my head this is most likely a fuel delivery issue.
The owner says we need to work on it to get it running and claims it might need a carburetor and he can get one asap.
At this point, I've had enough and tell him I didn't pay for broken saw and you need to refund me right now. " I'm not going to be standing in my yard with a brand new saw and getting the results you are getting right now ". He's saying nothing and just starring at me. He knows I'm not backing down.

Heres the problem he has. Its been fueled and registered to me and now he can't sell it as new.

I'm glad I insisted on a refund. I came home to researched more on the pole saws and decided to buy the 131 instead because it had 3 feet more reach, even though I was hating the price.

One thing is for certain around here, if you ask them to show you the tool runs fine before you pay for it, that will NEVER happen.
Who else can get away with that ?
Still as a company and their dealer network is abysmal. I personally dont know how they have been able to gain customers for this long.
 
Only stihl box I think I ever got was the power sweeper attachment box.

But ya agree they are off the wall here in the states.

Why I try and bypass them and order stuff online and not from their dealers anymore if I can on my repairs.

View attachment 992827
I have that same exact setup with the tiller head on and the weed eater attachment sitting out in the big garage.. I have never had a single problem with it.
I use it when the wife wants to plant flowers or till up in the chicken runs. It works great and usually starts right up.
 
Guess it depends on where you live and what the traffic will bare. Northern tool has the HT 131 14" bar for $669.99 and Sohars has the same saw with a 12" bar for $749.95. lol :cool: OT
You are correct and here's why I didn't buy from northern. cant get one.. Im only willing to drive so far with the cost of diesel. The fuel cost offsets the savings in short order.





Screen Shot 2022-06-02 at 8.55.26 AM.jpg
 
I have that same exact setup with the tiller head on and the weed eater attachment sitting out in the big garage.. I have never had a single problem with it.
I use it when the wife wants to plant flowers or till up in the chicken runs. It works great and usually starts right up.
I got that set up for the wife. She wanted wheel kit on my stronger echo set up. So I bought her that one.
Wish the stihl had used a better powerhead instead of the homeowner crap one. Just carb kits here though so far.
But the echo is so much stronger power head with just the 280.

e280s55.jpg
 
I got that set up for the wife. She wanted wheel kit on my stronger echo set up. So I bought her that one.
Wish the stihl had used a better powerhead instead of the homeowner crap one. Just carb kits here though so far.
But the echo is so much stronger power head with just the 280.

View attachment 992832
The only thing ive had to do to mine is replace the primer bulb. its about 9 years old now.
 
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