Interesting Chat with Stihl Dealer today.

[Stein]

Stopped by to take a look around and get a price on a 25" B&C for my 361. Talking to the guy, I asked about nonworking saws that were left by the PO, never to be picked up. He said "yeah, we get a bunch of them. Every 3 or 4 months we haul a trailer load to the scrap dealer." I asked if he gets some Stihls and he said yes. He also said I need to talk to the owner about getting them. He has a big shed out back where they hold saws for pickup and paying the $30 inspection fee.

They don't fix any of them to resell-he said it wasn't worth it. I mentioned that I could use an aftermarket P&C. He said "don't do it. They are junk."

I also said that I was thinking about muffer modding my 361. Again he said "don't do it-you will burn your saw up."

By the comments above, it seems like they are strictly "by the book" dealers. Might be some diamonds in the rough back in that shed.

 

[willsaw4beer]

Stopped by to take a look around and get a price on a 25" B&C for my 361. Talking to the guy, I asked about nonworking saws that were left by the PO, never to be picked up. He said "yeah, we get a bunch of them. Every 3 or 4 months we haul a trailer load to the scrap dealer." I asked if he gets some Stihls and he said yes. He also said I need to talk to the owner about getting them. He has a big shed out back where they hold saws for pickup and paying the $30 inspection fee.

They don't fix any of them to resell-he said it wasn't worth it. I mentioned that I could use an aftermarket P&C. He said "don't do it. They are junk."

I also said that I was thinking about muffer modding my 361. Again he said "don't do it-you will burn your saw up."

By the comments above, it seems like they are strictly "by the book" dealers. Might be some diamonds in the rough back in that shed.

Sounds like you need to pull some covert ops, sneak in there at night and pilfer all the decent saws. :monkey: Not really, but it's a shame for them to go to waste like that...

 

[ShoerFast]

Been told the same thing about 361's mufflers, by a young Stihl tech.

He had said that the 361's muffler was 'optimal' and that doing anything would lower performance.

So I ask the kid if the saw would last longer then? He said that it would not, that it would burn up 'sooner' .

The dealer is cool and didn't mind me picking on there 'kid' a little, and let me hear the saw before leaving, they were cool,,,,,,, the saw was running at 17K and then some.

We fattened that up, but it is easy for a dealer or a kid working for them to not want to trust customer advice or input over what they hear from Stihl.

The Old Guy did say that modding a saw in-house would change the kickback potential and safety counter-measures that for insurance measures would never do them, I see his point.

 

[Stein]

Sounds like you need to pull some covert ops, sneak in there at night and pilfer all the decent saws. :monkey: Not really, but it's a shame for them to go to waste like that...

Hopefully I don't have to pilfer and the $.05/lb that they get from the scrap yard will cover it.

 

[Oldsawnut]

There aren't any dealers like that left in washington state... Why can't we get some stupid ones to buy parts saws from

 

[computeruser]

They're missing out - my dealer keeps used saws and parts, and when they get caught up in the service department, they make rebuilt saws out of the parts saws, and then sell them in the store or on eBay. They also strip saws and resell the parts on eBay from time to time.

Some used stuff is junk, obviously, but a lot of it is cash waiting to be made.

 

[Taxmantoo]

Hopefully I don't have to pilfer and the $.05/lb that they get from the scrap yard will cover it.

If you buy the whole shed full you'll save them the trip. Anything that isn't worth a nickel a pound you can haul to the scrapyard. If you want to cherry pick there's no gain in it for them.

 

[galde]

Many (if not most) modern-day dealers would like all old saws and old parts to go directly to the scrap heap or landfill. Dealers pay the rent and overhead from profits made selling new stuff at MSRP. Pro users with saws that cost $1000 are willing to spend hundreds to get them fixed. The $200 saws, on the other hand are mostly disposable, and most dealers find it easier to tell the homeowner that his saw is junk than to tell him that installing a new starter rope will cost $50.00. I have got lucky a few times by being in the right place at the right time to get a pickup load of old stuff (some easily fixable) for $50 or $100 that the dealer was getting ready to haul off to the landfill. Many dealers regard every old saw that gets fixed as a lost sale of a new saw. There just isn't much money to be made at the typical dealership from the old stuff. "We don't take trade-ins" is the standard line these days. The EPA restrictions and liability concerns on old equipment by themselves are enough to kill any desire for the dealer to sell old stuff.

 

[Mama Tried]

I was told by my dealer that stihls and echos where port matched and touching anything inside or modifying anything would decrease power and ruin the saw.

 

[AOD]

Around here most dealers sell parts saws/junkers. My Stihl dealer is a major small engine and ATV parts supplier, they do lots of business selling parts for all makes, and they are also a full line Toro dealer. Their diversity allows them to do things small dealers can't. Another dealer, who only deals in used equipment, buys a lot of their junk. This area is full of cheap (Dutch) people who don't like throwing something away that they spent a lot of money on.

 

[blackoak]

I was told by my dealer that stihls and echos where port matched and touching anything inside or modifying anything would decrease power and ruin the saw.

If that's the case there's going to be bunch of members here with ruined saws. Your dealer is full of fecal matter.

 

[Jacob J.]

I also said that I was thinking about muffer modding my 361. Again he said "don't do it-you will burn your saw up."

You guys really shouldn't be modifying your saws. It's madness I tell you, MADNESS!

 

[skid row]

You guys really shouldn't be modifying your saws. It's madness I tell you, MADNESS!

Exactly, just look what happened to sneller.

Move over "Girls gone wild" cause "Brad's gone mad".

I don't think he sleeps.

 

[AOD]

I wonder if these dealers even know about sites like this one and that they are not the only place who knows about saws. I stopped by my local Jonsered dealer and was amazed at his lack of knowledge.

 

[RENNIE]

Dealers

I find & remember well my time as service manager in several shops that as "Computeruser" has said, when we would get slow I would have the guys rebuild saws, mowers, commercial equipment,etc. Also ditto what "Shoerfast" said about a lot of dealers will only do as they are told by the distributors & reps. they won't touch mod because of insurance liability & i've heard tell of a rep threatening to pull his line out of a dealer if, he made mods. Myself I would do mods for certain people I knew, if they wanted. Of course it is all circumstantial, it really does depend on Who, What, When, Price & "is it really worthwhile". Just my 2 cents.

Rennie

 

[fourfivefour]

My dealer said they are NOT allowed to use any aftermarket parts. If it's not available from Stihl they will not fix the saw due to liability issues. Saws tampered with (aftermarket parts, muffler mods, big bore kits) forget about it.......454

 

[Lakeside53]

True, if they want Stihl legal support. If not, many have their own insurance policies.... it's about risk managment. What is the chance of a crappy pos aftermarket piston physically hurting someone? Emotionally... that's a different issue...

 

[Stein]

Well, I got a chance to stop by at lunch today and spoke with the owner. Found out that the "shed" is a 50x100ft building offsite. He said that he really needs to get it cleaned out. I asked about bigger Stihls and he knows that there is an 045 out there that I can have. He can't remember what else is in there. There are some 026's and some others that he can't recall. I offered to "help" him do some cleaning and he asked for my number so that he can call me when it warms up a bit and he can spend some time out there on a weekend.

 

[willsaw4beer]

Well, I got a chance to stop by at lunch today and spoke with the owner. Found out that the "shed" is a 50x100ft building offsite. He said that he really needs to get it cleaned out. I asked about bigger Stihls and he knows that there is an 045 out there that I can have. He can't remember what else is in there. There are some 026's and some others that he can't recall. I offered to "help" him do some cleaning and he asked for my number so that he can call me when it warms up a bit and he can spend some time out there on a weekend.

Sounds like you just stumbled on a goldmine.

 

[blackoak]

Well, I got a chance to stop by at lunch today and spoke with the owner. Found out that the "shed" is a 50x100ft building offsite. He said that he really needs to get it cleaned out. I asked about bigger Stihls and he knows that there is an 045 out there that I can have. He can't remember what else is in there. There are some 026's and some others that he can't recall. I offered to "help" him do some cleaning and he asked for my number so that he can call me when it warms up a bit and he can spend some time out there on a weekend.

The phrase "like a kid in a candy store", comes to mind. Have fun.