Question for Stihl dealers re: Service

[Adirondack]

We are STIHL Franchised Dealers. We NEVER discriminate on where someone bought a saw.
Why ??????????????????????????????????
We're in business for Service work! Big part of the Dealership!
Don't care where they bought it. They get treated nicely like everyone else.

Personally, I would walk quickly out the door of a Dealer that had the attitude of only working on what he sold. VERY limited thinking...
He might be out of business before long as well....

*************************

We work on ALL BRANDS.
Chain Saw Tune-Up includes pretty much everything, including removing the starter and clutch covers and steam-cleaning / power washing all.
We don't give back dirty saws. Dirt is probably the #1 overall enemy of saws,
assuming it's got proper Fuel/Oil mix in it.
Carburator rebuilding IS included in the Tune-Up. $49.95 + parts.
On a MS660 or an old Craftsman/Roper -- doesn't matter.
Bring on all the Poulans, old or otherwise--no problem at all. We probably fixed/serviced 400-450 "Poulans/Wild-Things/cheap Homelites" last year
We fix a LOT of 605/610 MAC's -- can't kill them.

Throwaways -- We work on all of them. The cheapest you can buy is about
$125. including tax. We can do a Full Tune & Service for half of that.Why do we send them away when we are in Freaking business to fix saws??
Answer = We don't!
And, the customer owns it now! Do not underestimate this point. It's HIS saw.
As a general rule, they are usually only parts saws when the P&C is toast.

One of our best Tech's recently said about saws, "they're all the same, but
they're all different". True enough.

We also stock about a jillion carb kits for everything.
And, keep about 100 parts saws on hand. [that's a big deal]
About the only saws we have to order parts for are STIHL's!

In closing, it's amazing to me why many dealers are closed minded about working on "other" saws, or ones they did not sell. It's what they're in business for.
The Poulan customer's needs and cash are exactly the same as the STIHL customer's.
We treat them all the same -- Happy to help!
And, we do keep in mind, that the happy Wild-Thing customer may very well be a STIHL owner in the future.
Good investment it seems.
Regards.

Now that is service. In todays economy it is the small things that make the difference.

 

[fredmc]

Well that's all great and good.

Well here in my neck of the woods, let me tell you a story. We have a Stihl dealer here that has been around for 30 or more years. About 7 years ago a Lowe's was built right next door, literally. My family has bought Stihl's from them over the years. The other year when I lost my job I needed to make money, so I decided to cut firewood and sell it. At the time I didn't have much money so I bought a husky rancher from Lowes because of the cost. I was planning on buying a Stihl after my first season. To make a long story short, I tried to get the Husky fixed there because I trusted their service. They told me to get bent because I bought it at Lowes. They won't work on anything that wasn't bought at their shop because their panties are in a twist over Lowes. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and DIY. What I found out from DIY is this: fixing and modifying the worlds most simple internal combustion motors isn't rocket science, and most service centers don't employ mechanics they employ parts changers. IMO the whole Stihl corporation and their overpriced cadillac saws aren't any better than the other manufacturers, in fact stock saws suck altogether. So from a DIY standpoint Stihl can get bent because even stock a Dolmar 7900 cuts better than a 441! and parts are cheaper.

 

[fredmc]

Oh and before anyone busts my nuts, I have run both the 441 and the 7900. Side by side stock there is no comparison.:rockn:

 

[sbhooper]

I am lucky in that the dealership that handles Stihl here is great and will work on ANY saw or other small engine. They don't care where it came from. I am sure they will respond better to those of us that buy from them, but they are a good shop.

On the other hand, I have a Husky 359 that another shop has had for over a month and has been having trouble (so he says) getting just a tank vent (thinks that is the problem as he can't find anything else wrong with the saw). He is getting away from Husky because they demand that he take snow blowers, mowers etc., that he cannot necessarily sell. He is a nice guy and will work on anything, but Husky has soured him pretty badly. He now sells Dolmar, but I don't want to depend on him for anything ever again.

He did tell me what was mentioned earlier here. He has people bring in Poulans etc. and he tells them that it will cost more to fix them than what they are worth. Some people will still tell him to go ahead and fix it. It is a shame that so much is throw-away anymore.

 

[Burvol]

We welcome all saws except chinese knock offs that goes for all other equipment as well dirt bikes,quads whatever!

That's the way it should be. Any dealer that would tell you to take it back where you got it is a fag, and they shouldn't even be in the business.

 

[fredmc]

That's the way it should be. Any dealer that would tell you to take it back where you got it is a fag, and they shouldn't even be in the business.

:agree2:

 

[FATGUY]

Oh and before anyone busts my nuts, I have run both the 441 and the 7900. Side by side stock there is no comparison.:rockn:

How many cc's is a 7900, that's an 80 cc saw isn't it?

 

[Ax-man]

I'd like to ask a question and this is directed more to the dealers themselves. Seems like as good a place as any to ask.

When a saw is covered under warranty, how exactly does that work.

I know the work is done and the dealer is rembursted from the manufacturer.

I am looking for more of the particulars concerning the money end of it.

Is the work based on flat rate??? or hourly???

Do you get paid in a timely manner ???

Do you guys ever have to eat some of this warranty work because of disputes coming from the manufactures side and decides not to pay for the work done.

Some of this may explain why some dealers have the attitudes they have.

From the outside looking in it looks great for the dealers to do warranty work but I am sure there is alot more to it than meets the eye of the average person.

I'd like to hear from the dealers what their thoughts and feelings are concerning warranty work.

Larry

 

[Fish]

I'd like to ask a question and this is directed more to the dealers themselves. Seems like as good a place as any to ask.

When a saw is covered under warranty, how exactly does that work.

I know the work is done and the dealer is rembursted from the manufacturer.

I am looking for more of the particulars concerning the money end of it.

Is the work based on flat rate??? or hourly???

Do you get paid in a timely manner ???

Do you guys ever have to eat some of this warranty work because of disputes coming from the manufactures side and decides not to pay for the work done.

Some of this may explain why some dealers have the attitudes they have.

From the outside looking in it looks great for the dealers to do warranty work but I am sure there is alot more to it than meets the eye of the average person.

I'd like to hear from the dealers what their thoughts and feelings are concerning warranty work.

Larry

Rembursted, yes it feels like that sometime...........

Here is a pic from an old school workbook.

 

[fredmc]

How many cc's is a 7900, that's an 80 cc saw isn't it?

yeah you're right but why spend the extra on a 70 cc saw when you can get more displacement, lighter weight and more H.P. for less money?

 

[Ax-man]

Fish,

Are those really the times for flat rate on some of those repairs?? WOW

A person would really have to have worked on many and I mean many saws to get that fast to even come close to those times. Plus have the proper tools to do some of those jobs in the first place.

If a shop put a new guy on a saw and he wasn't that familiar with it. The shop would be taking a bath on warranty work.

Sorry for the typo on rembursted

Larry

 

[Fish]

Had a customer bring in a push mower he bought at Lowes, but I was a listed
Briggs dealer, he said he was mowing, and his crankshaft just broke
going into a tall patch of grass.

I said yeah right, but I told him I would look into it, but it would be highly doubtful that it would be covered.

To even have it considered, I would have to remove the crankshaft, and ship
it to them for analysis. It was about this time of year, and the grass
was growing like mad. This guy was not wealthy, and couldn't afford to
buy another mower, I had no loaners, and it would be at least several weeks until we got word back from Briggs.

As a dealer, I could order and pay for the crankshaft myself @ $70
back in the early nineties{it was a self propelled model, more expensive}.
Install it, and let the customer have the mower until we heard.

If I did that, and it was not covered, do you really think that this guys was going to pay me???? at the least parts at cost?????, any labor???????

Should I just have just submitted the warranty, and leave the parts in a box,
until I got word?? The Briggs rep told me that the repair had to be completed
before the warranty was submitted..
At least Tecumseh was straight up enough to say no, absolutely.....


Would any of you guys do that as a shop owner, for something a guy bought at Lowes??? Let me hear about the question posed this way, since the
saw dealers and workers are all taking the high road but in reality just posturing...

 

[Fish]

No, rembursted is more accurate, at least it feels that way.

 

[ZeroJunk]

I know the Stihl service center people here very well. That's the reason I learned to work on my own stuff.

 

[howellhandmade]

SNIP
As a dealer, I could order and pay for the crankshaft myself @ $70
back in the early nineties{it was a self propelled model, more expensive}.
Install it, and let the customer have the mower until we heard.

If I did that, and it was not covered, do you really think that this guys was going to pay me???? at the least parts at cost?????, any labor???????

Should I just have just submitted the warranty, and leave the parts in a box,
until I got word?? The Briggs rep told me that the repair had to be completed
before the warranty was submitted..
At least Tecumseh was straight up enough to say no, absolutely.....


Would any of you guys do that as a shop owner, for something a guy bought at Lowes??? Let me hear about the question posed this way, since the
saw dealers and workers are all taking the high road but in reality just posturing...

I don't understand why the customer didn't just take it back to Lowe's with that story. Under warranty, chances are they'd just give him a new one. But, as a shop owner, I'd explain the financial dilemma -- If he wanted the mower back right away, either you would have to buy the parts and trust him to pay for the repair if the warranty claim was denied, or he would have to pay for the repair and trust you to reimburse him if the claim was accepted. Of those two options, the latter makes better business sense and you get to call that shot since you're the one with the tools and the knowledge. If he didn't want to deal with Lowe's and didn't want to accept the risk that the warranty would be denied, he could leave the mower while you did the repair and waited for the warranty process.

In return, though, if he had bought the mower from you wouldn't you feel some obligation to assume the risk? That's one benefit of buying from a dealer, and I see no reason to pretend it's not so. If you have a good dealer, it makes sense to do business with him for many reasons, not the least of which is to keep the dollar turning in the community.

Jack

 

[howellhandmade]

I know the Stihl service center people here very well. That's the reason I learned to work on my own stuff.

Once a saw is out of warranty, I feel the same way. Even though I think the techs at my dealer are pretty good, I appreciate the opportunity to learn by working on my own equipment. But that's what old/used saws are for, not new ones.

Jack

 

[fredmc]

Sounds to me like the dealers need a bailout, looks like they are going the way of the horse and buggy when autos were invented. Here we sit using the tool that will be the demise of the local guy.The industry did it to themselves, outsourcing to remain profitable. Give em a bailout please.

 

[husky46cc]

Follow up from OP

Good news. I got the following courteous and reassuring reply from Jerry Vickery, a Stihl dealer in Seneca, SC:

“Tom,
Thanks for asking about the MS180. Unfortunately, I no longer carry that model. The MS181 is it's replacement, although it sells for $259.95. If I could buy just one MS180, I would, however those saws are sold to me two to a carton. As for service, I can take care of any issue with Stihl products that are purchased anywhere. “

So a thanks to Jerry Vickery. Now I can buy the MS 180 in confidence right here in Chapel Hill, NC, give it to my dad and know that he’ll be taken care of if he needs service. He’s 93, very active, loves working in the yard and woods, and this will be great for him!

(I guess you just have to get on the phone and ask, on a case by case basis, if a given dealership will work on any saw.)

 

[ZeroJunk]

Even though I think the techs at my dealer are pretty good

These techs are excellent, just burnt out and don't want to do anything they can get out of. Would much rather sell you a new saw than work on anything, and they stay perpetually behind enough to help insure that happens.

 

[spike60]

All dealers are free to choose what they will and will not work on...if this guy is not willing to work on a brand he sells and services just because you didn't buy it from him I'd say you wont have to worry about him working on anything before to long.




If you bring a saw into my shop you will be asked the same question.

Reason????

Any saw shop worth a squirt of piss will take care of their customers first, if you bought it here you will be moved straight to the head of the line for service..... simple as that.

If you bought a brand we sell and service from another dealer.... you're next in line.

If you bought a brand we don't sell (obviously not from us) but we can get parts for... you're next.

If you bought a "throwaway" saw at the department store and bring it to us for service.... tune-ups, bars, chains, and sprockets only, if it needs anything more than that I'm gonna tell you to throw it away.



EDIT: Thought I better clarify....... I have been known to put the odd fuel line, primer bulb, or carb kit in a wild thingy/rump ranger when work is slow but space nailed it pretty well..... nobody wants to put $75.00 in a worn out $100.00 saw. It just doesn't make good business since to keep parts or work on these "throwaways".

It's rare that I find myself in as complete agreement with another post as I am with Erick here. Very well said!

I will add a few things though. Regardless of of any OEM's policy, written or otherwise, a dealer really makes the call about whether or not he will work on something. Raise a fuss and he may get a phone call, but it's real easy to say the guy was being unreasonable or whatever. So much of this has to do with attitude. I think that people sometimes feel that courtesy isn't required from the customer side of the counter. If someone comes in and asks if we can help them, we usually do. Our service is very good and once people start dealing with usn they seldom want to go anywhere else. We have a lot of lanscapers and loggers/arborists who drive past other dealers to come to us. If anyone comes in with the "you have to" attitude, they are the ones that are more likely to be sent back to where they bought the unit.

I usually take in any saw of the brands I sell. I will also at least take a quick look at some of the cheap stuff sometimes. The very fact that they aren't worth fixing increases the likelyhood that the guy is going to be leaving with a new Husky. I don't like to mess with brands that I can't get parts for, but I will do a different brand saw as long as we're just talking spark plug, fuel filter, bar and chain type parts. In fact there have been a few older/odd saws coming in lately as folks are getting a jump on next years firewood cutting.

Experience has taught me that box store customers are indeed a different animal. They are far more likely, with encouragement from box store employees, to believe that everything is covered under warranty even when they know they did something stupid and broke the unit. I would never go out on the limb for a Lowes customer, as in Fish's story. With saws, they usually bring them in the store, so an evaluation of what happened can take place right then. But for ride on equipment that we would have to go and get, we absolutely don't get involved in any of that at all, warranty or otherwise. Those deals just never seem to have a happy ending, and half the time it's way out in some town that we never go to anyway.