STIHL DEALERS

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BRUISER

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What makes one STIHL dealer better than another? Case in point 1 dealer approx 50 miles away ( The one I deal with) GREAT customer service, knowledgeable,nice guys to deal with. The other 16 miles away( John Deere dealer no outside STIHL signs) I wouldn't give you 2 cents for. Don't get me wrong I know they have to eat but, their markup is approx 30% more , when you order a part they charge you shipping TO THEIR STORE, does'nt seem they want to deal with STIHL product, They don't advertise, TECHS seem to not know their mechanics or product. In short seems they don't want to have anything to do with STIHL AND my point is if Stihl requires us to purchase from the dealers and not online than I believe they need to step up and give the customers the aforementioned service. I'll get off my soap box now. Thanx for letting me rant.
 
I go through it here too Bruiser. One store is crap, the next store is crap, next store somewhat better than average. Progressively further away from me I might add. Part of me loves the Stihl product, the other part of me is about had it. So you ain't the only one. You will notice a lil thread on my 200t I sent to Brian to fix cause the idiots up here had NO CLUE. But I do find it is pretty common with both Stihl and Husky that you get good ones and bad ones, both in product and service.
 
Welcome to the treehouse, bruiser. And yes, this is common in all walks of life. It isn't just Stihl dealers that suck, it's people in general. 90% of them aren't worth a crap at their jobs and they don't care. You can't legislate competence.
 
I would also add you get what you pay for..... In my neck of the woods, a tech may make 8.00 per hour and if he's lucky, a commission on items sold. And if you have a commission situation, they are likely to get very distracted by incoming customers and lose track of where they were whilst repairing your saw. Heck I made more than that in 1979 as a moped mechanic fresh out of high school.
 
I was just ranting about this today to one of the guys that works for me. There is a True Value hardware store near me with a Stihl dealer upstairs. Dare not speak my name there. They have burned me a number of times on a number of different repairs. I once waited 2 months for them to fix the rubber intake boot on my 200T then they told me they lost my saw and couldnt offer me a new one. They found it within a day luckily. I could go on and on. On the flip side of it, there is a dealer down the line a bit and they stock EVERY tool stihl makes and their parts department has had any part i have ever called looking for. they are a dream to deal with but a bit of a drive. I run more Husqvarna saws than stihl simply because my local Husky dealer treats me like a gold. Funny thing is that i prefer Stihls.
 
I am blessed with a dealer that supports the local logging operations... so they have a high turn over of consumable parts like bars, chains, and sprockets...

Plus they have almost any part I need for a Stihl saw on the shelf. Even for the older saws like 056's and 041's and such.

I don't think any of them are "crooks"... they mostly don't know any better.

Gary
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10
SO! Why does'nt STIHL pull the dealers franchise on the S#4% Dealers?
 
Well it's been said, but yeah, good ones and bad ones. Alot of it too has to do with where you're at. There's crappy dealers in logging country, and great dealers in average logging country, but in WA where I just moved from, they were awesome! But that's because that was their bread and butter. They had every saw, every part, all kinds of knowledge and experience. Then I get here to MI, and I'm looking for a bar, and they look at me like I have two heads because I don't want one of the 18" they have on the shelf. But they don't cater to professionals in my area.

There's good and bad. Just like good and bad Chevy dealers or whatever.

Welcome to the TH man!
 
BRUISER said:
SO! Why does'nt STIHL pull the dealers franchise on the S#4% Dealers?
Click to expand...

Because it's not that simple. If their numbers are good, and there's not major or consistent complaints, there's not much they can do. And I'm no expert, but I'd guess there's a contract, and unless the dealer breaches that contract, they'll remain a dealer.
 
A couple of things to think about Bruiser, and wlecome BTW!!!!
I have three Stihl dealers close, the two that are closest I wont let my shadow hit the door!! One salesman couldn't explain to me the difference between a 440 and a 390 as far as price? "Well, it has better anti-vibration......." Another one is just a jerk who like to rip of anybody that walks in the door, including little old ladies, that just pisses me off!! Most of them around here do saws as a sideline, lawn equipment is the main staple for them.
The third is a decent guy, a bit of a BS'er, but he has figured out I know my shat so he gives me what I ask for when I go in, and I have bought enough he doesn't question much anymore. I told him about the 441 six months before he could get it case in point.

Now for the JD dillema, this is a problem that has yet to fester much, but when it blows, it's going to be HUGE!!! JD has been trying for decades to get decent two strke equipment in the stores. The dealers are tired of dealing with them, and having backlash from customers when they can no longer get parts, it's really a bad deal in the service department!! What they have done is just buy someone elses equipment and painted it green and yellow. But then they have a falling out with said company and it starts all over again.
Now these dealers have Stihl shoved down their throats. But who knows how long this may last, they certainly don't!!!!
 
I buy Stihl parts from the local dealer. They are pleasant to deal with, try to be helpful, but in reality, don't know much about the mechanics of saws, especially anything obscure. He had never heard of an 090G :(. I've been teaching them though ;). The same with the Husky dealer, who can recite verbatim from a sales brochure from memory, but knows even less than the Stihl shop about the mechanics.

When I really want to talk turkey, I call up the main distributors for the country for both makes, and each has a tech guy who will research parts for me, and give some knowledgeable consideration to enquiries. Particularly the Stihl man seems to have a lot of experience, an older guy who has nostalgia about the no longer produced equipment, and we can end up having an interesting and informative chat, especially now that we have spoken a number of times.

I'm working up to asking them to ship parts directly to me, probably not likely though.

Howdy Bruiser!
 
fishhuntcutwood said:
Well it's been said, but yeah, good ones and bad ones. Alot of it too has to do with where you're at. There's crappy dealers in logging country, and great dealers in average logging country, but in WA where I just moved from, they were awesome! But that's because that was their bread and butter. They had every saw, every part, all kinds of knowledge and experience. Then I get here to MI, and I'm looking for a bar, and they look at me like I have two heads because I don't want one of the 18" they have on the shelf. But they don't cater to professionals in my area.

There's good and bad. Just like good and bad Chevy dealers or whatever.

Welcome to the TH man!
Click to expand...

you need to go here....http://www.superiorsaws.com/

Their website may be a little out of date but they pretty much have everything you'll ever need in stock. Only dealer I've ever been in that stocks every saw Stihl makes... Great guys and excellent service.

Ed
 
Holy crap! Thanks Ed! Worth the drive too, it would appear.
 
Best Stihl dealer I ever went to was about 30 miles from my brother's house in Ohio. I needed some parts that the dealer here never brought in 2 years after I placed the order. He did not have it in stock, so he took it off a new saw (I only needed external parts, no engine stuff) and said he would put the dismantled saw back together when the replacement parts arrived.
 
GASoline71 said:
Hey Jay... Wha-choo-need-mang? I could check my dealer for parts you need and ship 'em to you.
Gary
Click to expand...

Wow, kindly offer, thanks Gary! No repairs going at the moment, but if something comes up and is problematical to get, just might ask for your help.
Much appreciated. :)

Jay
 
GASoline71 said:
I am blessed with a dealer that supports the local logging operations... so they have a high turn over of consumable parts like bars, chains, and sprockets...

Plus they have almost any part I need for a Stihl saw on the shelf. Even for the older saws like 056's and 041's and such.

I don't think any of them are "crooks"... they mostly don't know any better.

Gary
Click to expand...
Hey Gary Stopped by your dealer Friday morning they had brisk buisiness going at 7am 3guys behind the service counter goin full tilt yup looks like you are well equipt. Bigger than my little local shop but my shop still caters to logging buisness stocks 056 and 076 parts and anything from handles to cases for pro models. You do get spoiled living in the PNW if my local shop dont have I always have these within an hour. Woods in longview is a husky dealer insead of Stihl If one of these shops doesnt have what you need ya prolly cant buy it.
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GASoline71 said:
Brian... your pics came up red X's...

Ya shoulda gave me a holler when ya was up this way. I was off the island doin' some Christmas Shoppin' on friday...

Gary
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Found your card in my desk after I got home with your number on it didnt know I was going to be up there friday. Ill redo pics
 

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Brian, those places give a warm fuzzy felling, thanks for posting them. The place I go to is about the size of a postage stamp, and saws get run down in the basement.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #25
GASoline71 said:
I am blessed with a dealer that supports the local logging operations... so they have a high turn over of consumable parts like bars, chains, and sprockets...

Plus they have almost any part I need for a Stihl saw on the shelf. Even for the older saws like 056's and 041's and such.

I don't think any of them are "crooks"... they mostly don't know any better.

Gary
Click to expand...

You Right Gary, You guys in the PNW are blessed. I would give almost anything to have a Dealer like the ones you and Brian mentioned. I bet you both can go in there Bullshit about anything STIHL, Logging, etc, have a cup of JOE, get expert advise, get the right part the first time and last but not least forge friendships that will last a life time.The rest of us will have to deal with subpar DEALERS. Don't mean to be hateful it's just that some make a living at this and time is money.Maybe others will take note and follow the same.
 
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