Question for Stihl dealers re: Service

[Urbicide]

You mean they are gonna pull a Huskyvarny in 50 yrs, good, I'll be dead by then,:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

One can only hope.

Well, maybe if you stop smoking, drinking, and cussing, you'll still be around. Somehow I don't see that happening.

Will I Live to see 80?

Here's something to think about.

I recently picked a new primary care doctor. After two visits and exhaustive Lab tests, he said I was doing 'fairly well' for my age. (I just turned 60.) A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him, 'Do you think I'll live to be 80?'

He asked, 'Do you smoke tobacco, or drink beer or wine?'

'Oh no,' I replied.. 'I'm not doing drugs, either!'

Then he asked, 'Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?

'I said, 'Not much... my former doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!'

'Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?'

'No, I don't,' I said.

He asked, 'Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?'

'No,' I said.

He looked at me and said,... 'Then, why do you even give a sh!t?

 

[Erick]

:agree2:

:hmm3grin2orange:


I may die early but I'll be smiling.




Wouldn't let me rep ya Urb. :bang:

 

[spacemule]

Yeah, you smokers and drinkers will really be smiling with your emphysema, lung cancer, and liver disease, huh.

 

[Erick]

Okay..... some folks still don't quite seem to grasp the concept sooooo....

Can anybody tell me what "Net 30" means??????

 

[Paul001]

Okay..... some folks still don't quite seem to grasp the concept sooooo....

Can anybody tell me what "Net 30" means??????

I like seeing 2/10 net 30 myself

 

[Paul001]

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...

Knocked it out of the park on that one. Stihl is one thing, they approve or not instantly. They pay (depending on your commitment to them) and they pay quickly.

Most other manufactures...not so much. Most I deal with will give a prior approval, meaning they agree to consider the claim, after they get the parts back. In the mean time we get to jump through hoops to get the customer his parts, get them installed, and then wait for months to get paid....cost!

Parts at our cost. Labor at pretty much our cost.

Net result we lose money on warranty work. The manufacture only pays for the shop labor (at very reduced rates), not the time spent diagnosing the issue, looking for parts, filing priors, filing the claims, boxing the parts, and then finally jumping through whatever hoops they would like us to in order to finally issue a check.

With those manufactures, if you didn't buy it from us...are you going to see a bill? You betcha.

 

[Erick]

I like seeing 2/10 net 30 myself

Yep!.... every little bit helps.

 

[Paul001]

Yep!.... every little bit helps.

I've headed down this road before. Attempted to explain what it costs to service debt load, fixed overhead, etc. It seem to many a corp. is this huge monster that can feed itself and the source of all that is evil in the US.

It can be difficult to understand that Corps do not pay taxes, lost revenues do to theft/unpaid warranties/etc...future customers do.

 

[2000ssm6]

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.)

Skip the 180 and go for a 211, you will thank me later.

 

[fredmc]

Stihl=suck

So I think I get the jist of this thread. Basically if you didn't spend ALOT of money kissing the Stihl dealers AZZ you will get no service on your non Stihl.

Number one reason why I don't need Stihl-they suck.

 

[spike60]

So I think I get the jist of this thread. Basically if you didn't spend ALOT of money kissing the Stihl dealers AZZ you will get no service on your non Stihl.

Number one reason why I don't need Stihl-they suck.

WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!

Why should Stihl dealers feel any sort of obligation to work on a brand that they don't sell?

Customers have the right to choose what they buy, and dealers have the right to choose what they service.

It's really a pretty simple concept, but it's obviously beyond the grasp of the twisted panties crowd who get all huffy when they bring some different brand or an old piece of junk into a store and the dealer "refuses" to work on it.

"That guy blew me off!! I'm never going in there again!" "You promise?"

 

[2000ssm6]

So I think I get the jist of this thread. Basically if you didn't spend ALOT of money kissing the Stihl dealers AZZ you will get no service on your non Stihl.

Number one reason why I don't need Stihl-they suck.

The jist of this thread is there are bad dealers everywhere, no matter what brand. It is up to the dealer to decide what they take in.

btw, Since Stihl sucks, why ya got 2???

 

[fredmc]

The jist of this thread is there are bad dealers everywhere, no matter what brand. It is up to the dealer to decide what they take in.

btw, Since Stihl sucks, why ya got 2???

Free. Wow I got feathers ruffled early today. I go to the Husky/Jred dealer now. He doesn't sell super fancy overpriced junk and he doesn't make me kiss his azz or smell his farts for parts and service. In fact he even helped me with older homelite and partner stuff.
Also Stihl equipment doesn't suck, their dealer network does.

 

[fredmc]

Let's take a look at what you get when you go to an authorized Stihl service center. You get a factory authorized parts changer that has to follow stihls guidelines. More often than not it's Lenny the town drunk. Cut the cord people-go dealer free, DIY is more rewarding and economical.

 

[2000ssm6]

Free. Wow I got feathers ruffled early today. I go to the Husky/Jred dealer now. He doesn't sell super fancy overpriced junk and he doesn't make me kiss his azz or smell his farts for parts and service. In fact he even helped me with older homelite and partner stuff.
Also Stihl equipment doesn't suck, their dealer network does.

No ruffled feathers here, it's your money, if you want to buy junk with it, go ahead. You need to find a different Stihl dealer.

 

[2000ssm6]

Cut the cord people-go dealer free, DIY is more rewarding and economical.

Easy to do being a member here, but we are only 5% of the saw owners, the other 95% need a good dealer.

 

[fredmc]

No ruffled feathers here, it's your money, if you want to buy junk with it, go ahead. You need to find a different Stihl dealer.

It's too late for me I've seen the other side. I'm not fooled by the lame corporate marketing. Makita and Solo are the better German saws anyway. Get this: they both can be mail ordered.

 

[husky46cc]

Stihl dealers and service centers, I’ve learned a lot since originally posting, really appreciate your honest answers. Here’s my take on the service environment today, not only for Stihl, but for many other small engine repair, based on what you all have written.

Consumers have a better chance of getting service after the sale from Stihl dealers/service centers, than they do from other manufacturers, except maybe Husky. Notice I said “better chance”. It’s not an absolute guarantee. But Stihl Corp. seems to at least TRY to support their dealers and make good on their advertising.

As I suspected, warranty work is not necessarily profitable for a Stihl dealer. This is troubling to me. There should be a very clear financial incentive from Stihl to dealers to look forward to taking in warranty work. If I’m not mistaken, the auto dealers like warranty work, because they make money on it. I hope Stihl is the same way, pay on time, no long waiting to get paid, pay full cost of shop labor, etc. But I kinda doubt it.
Hope I’m wrong. I’d like to see an assured future for Stihl dealers and service centers.

One thing I’ve definitely learned: Don’t slap a chain saw up on the service counter of someone you’ve never met and DEMAND that he fix it for free. That’s just counter productive. He can tell you to go to h**l. Call first, explain the situation, find out the dealer’s stance on your request. Which is what I did, btw, and it worked out. BTW, I kiss no one's azz.

BTW, I appreciate the tip to go with the 211, not the 180. I’ll definitely check it out. Might not be worth the extra $$$, since my dad uses a chainsaw at most 4 times a year for limbs and deadfall. But I will definitely research it.

Bottom line on service - consumers pays their money for a chainsaw and then takes their chances on getting it fixed if it breaks. Just like everything else. But probability for success is higher with Stihl and there seem to be more Stihl dealerships than Husky. My $.02.

 

[sbhooper]

If I was a diy mechanic, I would definitely look at Solo. They have great exploded views and parts ordering right on their main site. I am not much of a mechanic, so fortunately, our Stihl dealer is good. I have had nothing but grief with Husky and the guy here that is actually a dealer has had misery getting parts for everything from saws to mowers. He is about to refuse to work on them anymore.

I think that I am going to try to start doing more of my own stuff when my old Husky breaks down. It is a 97 model 257 and so is not worth a lot. It would be a good saw to break into diy on. Saws are just plain frustrating sometimes.

 

[howellhandmade]

Easy to do being a member here, but we are only 5% of the saw owners, the other 95% need a good dealer.

Hmm. David Hume wrote that personal incredulity does not constitute logical proof, but I'd be surprised if it's anywhere near 5%. Even 5% of owners of pro grade Stihls would seem high, but I could be wrong.

Although I think it is wrong to make a blanket statement that Stihl's dealer network is bad, I do think Fred has a point. Not so much true of the members here since we have so many small engine professionals and serious users, but humans are increasingly dependent on technology they do not understand, and increasingly ignorant of basic mechanical principles. Which goes hand in hand with manufacturers who increasingly make things that cannot easily be repaired by users, and are cheaper to replace than to repair. Kind of a chicken-and-egg situation, but ignorance of how something works leads to unreasonable expectations and abuse, both of the equipment and the dealer. Returning to the statistics, even with all this forum does to disseminate knowledge, I doubt it has much impact on the work of the average Stihl dealer one way or the other.

Jack