What makes a dealer a great place. I say above all its their attitude, do they love saws? Do they give repeat customers/saw and firewood hoarders discounts because you spend 40% of your income at their shop. Do they have free beer? Lol i think most any good saw shop should have a fairly large diameter test log out back also!
I am lucky to have a good dealer nearby. I like it when they call me by my name when I walk in the door. They know I go to them for anything I need, and they take care of me in return. Sounds like you have a good dealer also?
The current dealer here has no real enthusiasm for saws. The owner and his employees are all very polite. The prices are pretty high on everything. He sells mostly stihl but does keep some 372, 562, 550, and sometimes 395xp in stock. They are open 7 days a week which is cool. This shop also sells mowers, echo weedeaters and cub cadet tractors.
The only good dealer around me is almost an hour away. What I like is he will stop and talk as a matter a fact he LOVES to talk. One thing stood out for me above all others was he fixed a tiller my dad forgot to add oil to. I must have carried that old troy built to 5 different shops each one just said to old or we can change the motor. This guy took one look and said man its got a Kohler on it I'll see what I can do. Still using that tiller and that was 8 years ago.
The shop where im at just seems to be very unsociable, nice people i think they are more interested in renting a cement mixer than bench racing about saws.i havent given up on em yet everyone there is really polite.
You're lucky if you have a good one. Our local one charged me $20.00 to reinstall bar and chain(itemized on the bill) and threw away my parts and even admitted that I said I wanted them back(1/3 worn sprocket}. Then manager refused any discount on their admitted mistake. I had bought 2 new saws form them in the past as well. Have and will not set foot in their ever again.
Wow kevin thats horrible! How do they stay in business? The shop here is boring but im positive the guy is honest down to the last nickel.
That the same with any repair shop. I try to use shops where I know the guys. Getting to be less and less of them now that I am 70
They sell mainly John Deere lawn and small Tractors but have sold Stihl for years as well. I don't know how they keep going because everyone I talk to has the same story when it comes to their repairs. My neighbor took his mid size loader tractor their and they got him for $4000.00 more than quoted and still didn't fix it. From what I can tell it's new sales that they bank on but when dealing with county, town and businesses equipment and repairs. They don't question or know any better and the screws turn.
I worked in a shop for 3 years before I left. I always made sure I had a good size log out back for testing saws in. When I first started and I said I wanted to keep a log out there they thought I was strange. They did all kinds of small engine repair but I was the 2 cycle guy and did strictly that. They did not even know what an antivibe buffer was and when one was broken. They were a echo dealer ship but I worked on everything from concrete saws to the fire rescue saws and wacker nueson to earth quake saws. I did a lot of warranty work for the big box stores also. But in the end they did not want to really pay for that level of expertise so I said thanks but good bye. So it could be that some dealerships do not want to pay for good help and you know what they say. You get what you pay for and that goes for people too.
I guess i just kinda miss our old shop which closed in 2015. The owners had a small logging co along with the ope shop. Very nice people and would cut discounts for the regulars. And yes they liked to bs about saws.
I recently dropped off a cut saw at a stihl dealer while working out of town. I pulled the cord out of it and needed it repaired right away. They told me it would take 2 days but when I returned expecting it to be done they had to order the cord...really?!? ... They called me a week later and the bill was 75$... "What did you do to it?!?" "Bill says we installed a pull cord and test fired it"... "Cord was $23"... installation $50" Needless to say...I will NEVER do business with them again...
I guess i got to admit i enjoy walking into a well stocked dealership. Even better when they have like 3 brands of saws and lots of goodies to go with it. Shop that was here in the early eighties had pioneer, mcculloch, and dolmar saws.
In my area the stihl dealer is an Ace Hardware store. They have a decent display but not a single employee in that section of the store. Every piece of equipment is cable locked to the display and prices are MSRP plus and no parts. Husky dealer is a tool rental place... they stock a few saws, but really are not in that business... they can rent you a dozer or hoe and know everything about them.... just not saws. I do my own repairs so dealer support is not as important to me as it might be for others. I am a dolmar guy these days and have purchased 2 new saws and some parts in the last couple of months.... my dealer is FordF150 and his support has been great, but I don't think I can just drive up to his shop in OH since I'm in GA. lol
I think you can do better with an experienced guy that works out of his garage. My guy owned a dealership for mowers and saws, then retired, and gives me great services and prices out of his garage. He has kept my zero turn mower going for 3500 hours (still mowing) when it should have lasted to only 2000 hours. In return I have referenced him about 20 customers.
Yep I know what you all are talking about. Last week I was at a mates place and needed a chain for my Stihl 088, now there's a Stihl dealer 2 blocks away but I drove past them and clear across town past the second and biggest Stihl dealer in my area to my mate Andre who owns the Husqvarna dealership. I walk in the door with a 42" bar and get greeted, Gday Chris need some new chain. Yea mate 404 full skip 0.063 123 drive links. No worries. I walk out the back with him and we bull chit while he makes up the chain. The other dealers are both good in fact I do shop there when I need Stihl genuine parts, I just like Andre better! I suppose I'm lucky to have 2 good dealers and one great dealer to choose from. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
