Did you know that Stihl products aren't expensive??

[montanaman]

OK, you caught me, I'm a dealer......

But this is something I have given a lot of thought to. I can't count the number of times I read on here that someone is looking for a lawn widget and they say they would love to buy a Stihl, but can't afford it!! Now if you are shopping in the throw away price range, this is true, but if you are looking at the higher end products that the box stores carry, in many cases, the local servicing Stihl dealer is cheaper!! The blue box store sells the husky Rancher for more money than a Stihl dealer sells the Farm Boss for yet the Farm Boss is a two piston ring engine vs a single ring, has more HP, easier to operate chain tensioner and fuel and oil caps, and an easier to service air filter. Add to that a Swiss made chain with twice the chrome on the cutters and rivet holes that are reamed, rather than stamped in a chain that is pre-stretched, and you can get all of this from a dealer that can actually repair and service it for you!! The orange box store sells Echo and again, in the same engine size saw, Stihl is cheaper with more STD features.


Another big difference comes after the sale. Every time I have checked their prices, I have been cheaper on chains, trimmer line, files, etc. The orange store sells a chain I have never heard of made in China, for as much as $5 more than I sell a genuine Stihl chain!! The only lower priced product they offer that you need to buy to keep your equipment running are their generic oils, and they are not the same quality as what I sell.

Just a little rant and I was curious to see where this thread would go!

Ken

 

[gordon21]

I'll bite. When living in Florida, I bought several gas powered yard tools over a 5 year period. One was a gas pole trimmer about 10' long. Home Depot had one for about $199 and the Stihl dealer was over $350 for what appeared to be a VERY similar model. Same thing with the gas hedge trimmer, etc.

I did patronize the dealer for filters, blades, etc and he probably made about $200 in sales from me over the years. Probably $40 profit. It could have been much more, except I balk at 50-80% premiums in pricing for homeowner tools. Maybe I wasn't big enough for him. He liked to show off his $6000-$8000 zero turn mowers he had. They were some brand I never heard of. Fit and finish weren't too good either. He did apparently sell those OK. It seemed as though the service area always had some in the shop.

It scares me when the dealer focuses so much on his service dept. It almost gives you the feeling that he KNOWS the product he is selling you will spend a lot of time in the shop. If he is truly selling quality, then why is it supposed to break all the time????


Ryobi 30CC fixed length pole pruner 10" bar 2 yr warranty $189 at Home Depot
Stihl 31CC fixed length pole pruner 12" bar 2 yr warranty $429 at local Asheville NC Stihl dealers

I looked up these prices just now. This is the same scenario that I experienced in Florida. Granted the stihl comes with a 12" bar instead of a 10", but over double the price?? Both have the same warranty for homeowners. Commercial people only get 90 days with Stihl.

 

[montanaman]

I'll bite. When living in Florida, I bought several gas powered yard tools over a 5 year period. One was a gas pole trimmer about 10' long. Home Depot had one for about $199 and the Stihl dealer was over $350 for what appeared to be a VERY similar model. Same thing with the gas hedge trimmer, etc.

I did patronize the dealer for filters, blades, etc and he probably made about $200 in sales from me over the years. Probably $40 profit. It could have been much more, except I balk at 50-80% premiums in pricing for homeowner tools. Maybe I wasn't big enough for him. He liked to show off his $6000-$8000 zero turn mowers he had. They were some brand I never heard of. Fit and finish weren't too good either. He did apparently sell those OK. It seemed as though the service area always had some in the shop.

It scares me when the dealer focuses so much on his service dept. It almost gives you the feeling that he KNOWS the product he is selling you will spend a lot of time in the shop. If he is truly selling quality, then why is it supposed to break all the time????

Thanks,



This wouldn't be any fun if you didn't! I think the key word is appears. Like I said, for a home owner using a tool x number of hours, Stihl will not have a product in that price range but when you compare the high end products in the box store, Stihl is often less expensive. Heck there is someone out there building a multi function tool with a trimmer, pole saw, and tiller for less than I can sell the powerhead alone, but it is not fair to compare it to a high end product. A friend of mine almost bought one because his brother told him how great it was, and he was lucky that his brother called him to tell him it broke before he ran out and got one!

I'm just comparing the higher end products at a servicing dealer vs the higher end products at a box store.

As far as service, it ranges widely. I have a climbing saw I'm putting the guts from in a new case because the owner had it fall when he was using it. I usually get a lot of fuel related repairs usually with home owner products because they leave them sit with gas in them for years between uses. A lot of the local tree services use this stuff every day, so they are in need of replacements of wear items like starter rope, sprockets, bars, etc. It is very rare when I have a major repair needed on a product that is cared for properly, but even the best out there will eventually quit, when run 40+ hours a week.

I'm also not debating the need for lower priced tools built for occasional home owner use. If I only cut a few limbs a year and a tree every now and then, a Poulan could do that but when you get into the high end products, I just think folks are brainwashed into thinking it will be cheaper in a box at the box store!!! And it is not just the whole goods, but the supporting parts like chains, bars trimmer line, etc are often much higher priced and much lower quality.

Ken

 

[rox]

montanaman,
Since we are farmers and use all our tools in our business we only buy from a dealer and we only buy Stihl. In order to get the leaves out of the olives we use a Stihl leaf blower/vaccuum. We work that tool all day long for 6 weeks. When the tool goes down, and it has we hop in the car run over to our dealer and the repair guys stop what they are doing and fix it on the spot. When that one tool is down we have a crew of 6 people who can't work. This is what a good dealer does for you he knows when to drop everything and fix your machine and when to ask you to leave it. FWIW i really like the Stihl chin saws, they jsut cut better and wear longer.

 

[shvl73]

Ryobi 30CC fixed length pole pruner 10" bar 2 yr warranty $189 at Home Depot
Stihl 31CC fixed length pole pruner 12" bar 2 yr warranty $429 at local Asheville NC Stihl dealers

I looked up these prices just now. This is the same scenario that I experienced in Florida. Granted the stihl comes with a 12" bar instead of a 10", but over double the price?? Both have the same warranty for homeowners. Commercial people only get 90 days with Stihl.

I think the key here is that higher end tools are what he is discussing. Ryobi is not high end at all. I have some Ryobi tools (not gas yard tools) and they are good for my use. My Poulin "Wild Thing" saw is good for my occasional use but, for any serious work, no way.

 

[Shmudda]

You know I have to chime in here on this one!

When I finally built my house in 1996 I put a wood burner in it. At that time I was using an old Mcculloch Mac 10-10 saw that my Dad bought in 1968, and used it until 2002 when I had finally had enough. Not that the saw was giving me problems or not cutting (which it cuts really good) but I was tired of the vibration, and it was just working me harder then I worked it. I went to my local Stihl dealer in Delmont, PA and was looking at saws when the owner came up to me and asked if he could help me. I answered that I wanted a saw that I could work, and one that wouldn't work me. At that time he took me over to the "homeowner" type saws, MS290 Farm Boss. I looked at him and very politely said, "I don't think you understood what I said. I said I want a SAW, not a toy" I walked over to the MS460 picked it up and told him to fuel it up, it was going home with me.

I got it home and began to attack a pile of logs about 8' high, 8'wide x 12' long or so. I ended up cutting that pile up in less then half the time it would have taken me with that old Mac 10-10. I had the biggest grin as the sawdust was flying and had enjoyed every minute of that day. Needless to say I have purchased a few more Stihl saws, and a blower. I am very happy with everything that Stihl engineers and manufactures because it is quality and top of the line equipment, second to none!

I just wish they would make a tractor now..........but I'm in good hands with my BX24.........

Craig

 

[LBrown59]

I have almost as many Stihls as I have Kubotas.

 

[Egon]

I have as many Husky's as Kubota's, one of each.

Neither was purchased at a box store.

I prefer to go to the small dealers for chain saws and such tools. I'm not the most knowledgeable of people so the small dealers fill a much needed gap when it's question time.

Another advantage is that if it's not in stock chances are they can order in and have it for you in a weeks time or so.

Just for example check out a box store and see if you can find a 24 inch 3/8 rip chain.

In our area there are quite a few small engine type businesses in operation.

 

[Gizmo36]

I have a Stihl 044 that is 29 years old and it runs as good as the day I bought it. and it has been run hard .My friend has when through 5 saws .the last one when out last weak he is going to get a stihl this time.

 

[swines]

I have a Stihl 044 that is 29 years old and it runs as good as the day I bought it. and it has been run hard .My friend has when through 5 saws .the last one when out last weak he is going to get a stihl this time.

I've got a 25 year old Husky that does the same thing - works everytime. It's been in to be repaired once - the chain oil pump went out. My fault, I loaned it to someone who didn't put oil in the chain oil sump...and ran it for two weeks without oil....oh yeah, it needed a new bar and chain too...

I don't loan it out anymore. I always wondered what he thought the gallon of bar oil I gave him to use with the saw was for.