Return unused Echo and buy from a better dealer?

DMax82 · Sep 14, 2019

Thanks for all the responses! I reckon I'll just run it next week and see how it does. If it seems like there are issues I'll take it back to the dealer and have him deal with it. The main reason I wanted a good dealer (besides the fact that I am not at all mechanically inclined) is that people spend so much time about buying from the right tractor dealer and building a relationship with them I figured the same would apply to smaller power equipment. I do realize the difference between a $400 chainsaw purchase and $40,000 tractor purchase though. Honestly I just need to use and enjoy the saw and most of my anxiety will fade. Thanks again everybody!

Industrial Toys · Sep 14, 2019

Here, retailers generally offer returns, as good customer service, but are not obligated to do so.

YLee Kioti · Sep 14, 2019

You can always cancel the credit card charge and dealer will call you really quick...lol
Understand about wanting a good relationship with dealer for future service.
My dealer pulled my Echo CS and while he filled out warranty card the tech took out back tuned it adjust oiler, adjusted chain, ran it for a few minutes, made a few test cuts and brought back and told me I'm ready to go to work.
So now I take my sthil and echo tools to them.
They don't pretend to be my pals but they treat me well, we rib each other like country folks do, my stuff gets serviced and equipment runs well.
Had they been like the one you mentioned I'd most likely be doing what you did, look for someone else to service it.

mikester · Sep 15, 2019

DMax82 said:
The main reason I wanted a good dealer (besides the fact that I am not at all mechanically inclined)

Out of curiosity, why are you worrying about a new unit running lean out of the box when youve never even run it and probably wouldnt know what running lean is?

Enjoy your nice new saw! If it fails to perform take it back and let the dealer fix the issues for you. If Echo is as reliable as they say then you probably wont have to take it in for warranty repairs.

DMax82 · Sep 15, 2019

mikester said:
Out of curiosity, why are you worrying about a new unit running lean out of the box when youve never even run it and probably wouldnt know what running lean is?

Enjoy your nice new saw! If it fails to perform take it back and let the dealer fix the issues for you. If Echo is as reliable as they say then you probably wont have to take it in for warranty repairs.

Because a) even the dealer admitted that all Echo products are tuned to run lean, and b) I know enough to be aware that running lean long term can damage a saw. The original point of the post was whether or not this dealer seems like somebody reliable to deal with. But as mentioned in a previous post, I am going to just run the saw this week, and if there are issues see with them at that point.

s219 · Sep 15, 2019

I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. Whether or not the dealer was technically correct, he is towing the line by avoiding any discussion of tuning the saw and violating federal laws. Some dealers are more strict about this than others, but it's their butt on the line. As far as Echo corporate is concerned, there are no customer adjustments on any of the saws with EPA stickers. Same for other brands, by the way.

Technically he might have been correct depending on interpretation. Some engines are tuned at the factory and then they put the limiter caps on and you could not physically increase the fuel on the high or low adjustments (decrease only). Other engines have the screws completely sealed off, or they put some oddball screw head on them that isn't adjustable with off-the-shelf tools. In both cases, the idea is to prevent customers from making adjustments. You can defeat this either by prying the caps off, or making/buying a tool outside normal channels.

There are some newer saws that have no adjustments at all on the carb. I mean none, zero. These are the ones with an electronic carb. The saws will claim to tune themselves to local atmospheric pressure in realtime, on the fly. Some have a small connector that an authorized dealer can hookup to a diagnostic device, but there are no mechanical adjustments at all.

I've never looked at the carb on my Husky 562XP that has auto tune to see if it has adjustments, but I suspect it has none. A pro saw with no carb adjustments seems like a bad idea, but it's been a great saw over the last 3-4 years and I have never needed to fuss with it.

natedog75 · Sep 15, 2019

My dad owned a small engine shop up till this summer. The dealer is telling you the “truth” there might be a way to “tune” that saw but not one that will not void your warranty even if he did it for you. Getting things warranted from these small engine companies is very difficult and requires a lot of documentation to get paid for the work performed. If he tuned it and Echo doesn’t have a service tunable setup on that saw he owns your warranty for 5 years. To me he sounds like an honest man who plays by the rules. He also sounds like a smart business man who is going to be in business because he isn’t just throwing caution to the wind.

And yes there are plenty of small engines from major manufacturers that are losing the ability to be tuned. You can thank the EPA. Even lawnmowers are starting to have on-board computers much like automobiles. The world is changing. Sometimes it’s not for what we perceive as the better.

4get gto · Sep 15, 2019

DMax82 said:
Thanks for all the responses! I reckon I'll just run it next week and see how it does. If it seems like there are issues I'll take it back to the dealer and have him deal with it. The main reason I wanted a good dealer (besides the fact that I am not at all mechanically inclined) is that people spend so much time about buying from the right tractor dealer and building a relationship with them I figured the same would apply to smaller power equipment. I do realize the difference between a $400 chainsaw purchase and $40,000 tractor purchase though. Honestly I just need to use and enjoy the saw and most of my anxiety will fade. Thanks again everybody!

Nothing wrong not being mechanically inclined.
But how mechanically inclined you think your Dealer is. Maybe that's why he didn't want to touch it.

yomax4 · Sep 15, 2019

Don't most saw dealers start the saws they sell before they go out? Mine does. If so, They know what to listen for. 4 cycle in and out of the cut. If the dealer doesn't throw in some gas and fire it it up, shame on him as an actual dealer. My dealer even fired up my pole saw and weed eater before he billed me out. Listened to them run and said " good to go".