Wow, nice thread...
1st off, My 5100 weres a 16" 3/8 bar and chain. would like to see that standard for the hardwood areas. 18" is like husky selling a 147 with a 20" (not really that bad, but you see where I am going).
Dealer support and network:
I have 4 local dealers (within an hour that I know of). Up until recently only one of them carried the entire saw line in stock and had a good selection of parts for them.
2 of those dealers don't carry anything bigger than the 510.
The other one, which was closest to me and did not show up on the dealer locator only carried a few smaller saws (510 and down) from before the central merge. I got on him big time to order a couple 5100's and 7900's.
He said the demand wasn't there. (he was an old sachs dolmar dealer, where I got all my old 110 115 stuff).
Well a couple months went by and I stopped back in to check out his used saw junkyard. he had a 6400, 510, 3410, and a couple others on the shelf.
I asked if he had ordered any 7900's or 5100's. (mind you, this is the same guy that I bartered with to order me a 7900 for super cheap and he could run it as a demo for a while. He agreed with me, but never took me up on my offer... Anywho, he ordered 3 5100's, 2 7900's, 2 7300's, 2 6400's, and more of the 510's.
in less than a month he has sold them all except one 6400 and a 510. He was stunned. He then thanked me for being on him to order them. He then asked me where I got my 5100 and 7900.
I told him I bought the 5100 over the internet and got a real good deal on it. that was the only reason I bought it at the time, and after owning it, I'd by three more at full price. I told him I would by future stuff from him if he would stock more stuff and give me a deal every once in a while. he was kinda stunned, as in he didn't think I was serious. He thanked me again.
The short story (not really) leads to a couple of things. Dolmar has a lot going for it right now, but it also has some handicaps to over come.
They are not stihl and husky. they are still little compared to them. If they get away from the mentallity that they are one of the big shots, they will sell more saws.
Dealer networks are growing, but still I meet people all the time that don't know what a dolmar is. More dealers and good prices will get the saws in the hands of people that will come back for more. I had no use for a 7900 before I bought my 5100. I had a 372 and an 046, but after running the 5100 for some time, I thought I should try one. If anyone is thinking about a 50cc or 80cc saw, the 5100 and 7900 are the smoothest and most powerfull saws I have ran in the respective classes.
I keep hearing and reading that the parts situation is 2 days a way. Everytime I have ordered anything, it took a minimum of two weeks and more parts took longer. Dolmar needs to get their parts situation figured out before they can continue to grow. If a home owner needs a part for his saw (smashed saw example) then if could be accpetable to have the parts in a couple days, even though it shouldn't take that long. If a professional needs parts, he needs them now, not two or three days later. The delay in parts for the tool that makes him money will force him back to Stihl and Husky.
When I ordered a 7900 piston and cylinder for a makita conversion, it took a month. When I ordered a muffler for a 6400/7300/7900 it took three weeks. When I ordered a 5100 muffler, it took 2 and a half months. To me, these are common items that should be stocked by a large dealer. My question is why it took so long to get the parts I needed? The mufflers were for modifications so I still had a stock one to use and put back on it had I wanted to sell it. Had I been a professional that used them to make a living, I would have taken them back to the dealer and told them to keep them. Surely Husky or Stihl could get parts quicker than a month..... I also understand that there are rare parts that get backordered, but all of them?
(don't give me the warrenty crap, don't want to hear it, I know that modding the muffler is tappering with the saw, but I am not the guy that doesn't know how to change a plug or sharpen a chain. there is power to be had in the modded mufflers, and the motors will last longer from the reduced heat in the motors, abeit the added epa emissions)
Basically what I am saying is that Dolmar has one hellava lineup of saws. They need more dealers, more parts stocked at the dealers, and more dealers willing to carry the mid sized and bigger models (without having to pay for it and order it). I try to support my local guys when i can, but like when I bought my 5100, there was not a close dealer that would order one in for me too look at and feel. I will not buy anything without seeing it.
I think the internet sales has a place, especially for dolmar, as in my case the one local dealer would never have ordered a large saw to stock on the shelf. I realize dealers are here to make a living also, but with the dolmar still being the underdawg, then need to open the flood gates and get more saws out in the hands of users, via dealers, internet, etc.
Thanks for taking the time to read my novel. I like my dolmars, hope others do to.
