I second the "Dealers" comment. Those guys have a good product; why don't they want to sell it? Is it a Dolmar problem, or is it more a Makita problem? Surely it's corporate hornswagglery but the customer is not being served well.
New Dolmar Chainsaw 70cc+ Suggestions
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166
Addicted to ArboristSite
Most saw shops already have their main chainsaw line. It's hard for dealers to take a 2nd or 3rd saw line and do the line justice.
We got some Jonsered saws in and the Dolmar's are outselling them easily 20 to 1.
We got some Jonsered saws in and the Dolmar's are outselling them easily 20 to 1.
Dolmar need to be nice to solo when they help design their best selling saw.
jeff taswelder
ArboristSite Operative
+1 
opcorn:
opcorn:
MRCo.
ArboristSite Operative
Agreed. If a shop has Husky or Stihl, then it's pointless to add a smaller name because the banner names will get the sales due to name recognition. Product quality might be the same, but name is a huge factor. If you are a small engine repair or equipment sales place starting, you are going to try to get the big name in there to pull in customers. It's how it is. Now, if you want to get in the game and the big names are taken or you don't want the big company bossing you around in your store, you look at things on a product comparison basis and choose the best one, name be damned, and start to get it out there: In my small mountain town, word of mouth is the best advertisement. Once I sold a few of the Dolmars people walked in all the time and said "X bought one and it's great , so sell me one..." But in a big urban area, name brand would bring folks in as they are going to do an internet search for who they heard of. I'm the only Dolmar dealer anywhere around so if they need parts or service, it's coming to me. Stihl has 4 dealers in my tiny town within 3 miles of each other. They can run one down on unit price so the dealer sells it for nothing and then never go back for anything else. Right there is an incentive for the smaller names, you have a service market. Also is the fact that when I try to get up with Husqy about a Jonsered issue, its very hard to get person to person help. With the smaller names, each dealer matters more, gets protected areas and someone answers the phone when you want them.
166, I also outsell Jonsered with Dolmars about 20:1!
Personally my biggest complaint is dolmar signing up dealers that have no interest in stocking inventory...power heads and parts. I am about to find out on the Jonsered and Dolmars about that 20:1. I can tell you what happens with Dolmar to Echo...its 1000:0 for chainsaws and on the trimmer side it is 50/50 but that is changing now that dolmar has a 2 stroke trimmer.
Amen! Local dealers and/or easy online buying would be nice. Right now I have ready access to neither where I am, which is why there are only two Dolmars in rotation anymore, and the 5100s is up for sale.
For future 70cc+ saws, I would propose the following:
1. Put a 70cc saw on a 60cc chassis. Large mount bar, proper oiler, but a smaller form factor.
2. Put a 90+cc saw on a 7900-sized chassis.
3. Heated handles that work well, with durable switches.
4. 3/4-wrap handle bar option.
5. Different/better dawg options. The earlier suggestion of using Stihl (or Husqvarna, I suppose) mounting pattern instead of a proprietary one would be good.
6. Better air filtration. I'm fine with a better filter that is sized such that it needs tending/swapping more often, if that gets me a low-top saw.
7. Factory scrench holder. The rubber ones are nice, but require all kinds of trimming/fitting to fit on Dolmar handlebars. Why not just include this attribute from the factory?
porsche965
Addicted to ArboristSite
2. Put a 90+cc saw on a 7900-sized chassis. (Quote from Computeruser.)
Now that would be a saw I'd have to buy. Under 14#s? Oh Boy!
Now that would be a saw I'd have to buy. Under 14#s? Oh Boy!
Shoot, if they're going to bother to innovate and produce a product that could be a game-changer and gain them market share, they might as well do it right. Putting out another <7hp 90cc saw that weighs 2# more than its competition is hardly a winning formula.
Mastermind
Work Saw Specialist
The 6100 is a very well built saw.
I could see that same chassis with a 70cc and a 90cc top end.
I could see that same chassis with a 70cc and a 90cc top end.
bryanr2
Addicted to ArboristSite
spike60
Addicted to ArboristSite
The 7300 and 7900 sharing a chassis worked great, but I wouldn't go that far with the 6401. In fact, even combining a 70cc and 90cc on the same chassis is a stretch, and they need to be careful here. If they try and go that route, then the 70cc entry is going to end up being too heavy for the class and fall flat on it's face in the market. And the 70cc class is far more important than the 90cc is.
Chassis sharing is good from an engineering and manufacturing cost perspective, but it forces compromises. Saws like the 116si, 6401, 362XP, and Jonsered 630 were nothing more than 70cc saws, with 60cc jugs on them. All great saws, but they all weighed the same as their 70cc, (or 79cc), big brothers. 562XP comes out and we have a game chainger. The 70cc class needs to be approached the same way. Design a saw to specifically hit the 70cc target without expecting that customer to carry around the weight of a 90cc saw.
I know what the next 70cc saw out of Sweden is going to be and the standard for that class is being raised a bit
Mastermind
Work Saw Specialist
Bob........when is that 70cc saw from Sweden gonna hit the shelves?
spike60
Addicted to ArboristSite
Don't have a clue, but it's gonna be a while.
Mastermind
Work Saw Specialist
I'm ready to drive one. 
SawTroll
Information Collector
In my book it is a really bad idea to add the weight and bulk of a scrench and holder to the powerhead. It may even snag on stuff now and then.
bryanr2
Addicted to ArboristSite
Which ever way the MFG's go the main principal to be applied is KISS. The more fancy do-dads and gimmics added the more stuff breaks and then you are up the creek without a paddle, and that ain't the roar of a crowd you are hearing up ahead. Add in the Ethanol problems and it is a tough road to hoe.
spike60
Addicted to ArboristSite
Well written post there. (didn't quote the whole thing for space purposes).
Not sure that you and Steve aren't exagerating the 20:1 thing though. That would mean that if you sell 60 Dolmars, then you are only selling 3 Jonnys. If that's the case, I'd get rid of the Jonnys and put some more Dolmars on the wall. In my store, the Huskys outsell the Jonnys at an 8:1 ratio, and even that seems kind of lopsided to me. But there is a following for the Jonnys and it's well worth keeping them.
One thing that makes it easier for me is the fact that most of the parts are the same, and I don't have to make a huge parts investment to support my second line. When I tried Dolmar, and with you guys having Jonsered, it's a different ballgame cause the only parts that interchange are the bar nuts and the spark plug. And it's hard to justify having a lot of parts to support a handful of saws. Then your reputation takes a hit. Instead of saying, "I've got that in stock", you're saying, "I have to order it". Not good for you or the customer.
And in the end, the big question is: Does the second line actually generate ADDITIONAL sales, or does it simply split your sales between 2 brands? With the exception of a couple guys who bought 7900's from me, every other Dolmar sale easily would have been a Husky or Jonny sale anyway, so where's the benefit to having another brand?
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