Suggested questions for Stihl Rep.

[PETDOC]

I was reading various threads to try and discover a reason for my MS261 C-M having seized up (http://opeforum.com/threads/stihl-ms-261-rebuild-questions.16608/). It will have been at dealership 4 weeks this Thursday awaiting verdict from the Stihl factory rep. I've had 2 Stihl dealerships tell me that the rep is unlikely to approve warranty repair claiming I "abused" the saw because the damage is at exhaust port. I did not abuse saw and dealer who has saw stated it clearly has not been abused, but also said rep will likely not approve repair. In the 17 months I've had the saw I've only used 4 gallons of ethanol-free gas with a 50:1 gas:Stihl oil mix. It worked fine until day it didn't. Same fuel and was running less than 15 minutes doing extremely light work before it acted as though running out of fuel, then seized up. I'm bracing for denial of warranty repair from Stihl rep. I'm a pretty good BMW boxer twin mechanic, but clueless on M-tronic chainsaws. I would appreciate any specific questions people recommend I ask rep should he deny warranty repair. Thanks

 

[dall]

Mtronic saws are pretty much the same as a carbed Saw so if it gets turned down you’ll be fine rebuilding

 

[Funky sawman]

I dont even think about warranty when buying new saws. The amount of stress and down time trying to moderate with dealers, and reps is a total loss. So I just pack my bags, cut my losses and move on. Life is too short to dwell on that crap.

 

[dall]

I dont even think about warranty when buying new saws. The amount of stress and down time trying to moderate with dealers, and reps is a total loss. So I just pack my bags, cut my losses and move on. Life is too short to dwell on that crap.

i am the same way

 

[Funky sawman]

I've worked at 3 different dealers that sold husqvarna, echo, Dolmar, and stihl. The dealer doesn't have it easy either, moderating between manufacture reps, tech support and the customer.

 

[Funky sawman]

Sometimes if the dealer is real nice they will fix the saw, just to keep a customer, I've done that before, dealer ate 500 in parts and labor in a 395 husky that should have been covered but the factory wouldn't cover it. Unfortunately, dealers like that are far and few. Last year as a stihl tech I felt sorry for and elderly fellow that gummed his new ms250 saw up with old gas, I covered the labor by working on my time off the clock, and he just covered parts.

 

[Stump Shot]

If you are denied there is no reason for holding back anything at that point in time. I would want to know why the dealership can't make this decision and just what is going on waiting a month for a rep from Stihl to make it instead of a certified small engine mechanic at the dealership. When you get the run around I would ask them if it's normal for this to happen to their product, then pick up the saw and out the door to somewhere else to get repaired just for the satisfaction for myself.
But that's just what I would do.
Hopefully it works out and they fix your saw under warranty and it's a non issue.
Best of luck to you.

 

[dall]

If you are denied there is no reason for holding back anything at that point in time. I would want to know why the dealership can't make this decision and just what is going on waiting a month for a rep from Stihl to make it instead of a certified small engine mechanic at the dealership. When you get the run around I would ask them if it's normal for this to happen to their product, then pick up the saw and out the door to somewhere else to get repaired just for the satisfaction for myself.
But that's just what I would do.
Hopefully it works out and they fix your saw under warranty and it's a non issue.
Best of luck to you.

you mean tell them to go f themselves and play a dallas ?

 

[Stump Shot]

you mean tell them to go f themselves and play a dallas ?

It happens.

 

[CR888]

I'm the same as others & won't go through the agony and stress of a warranty claim, its just not worth it. But we can fix saws and know how to do it well & cost effective. Many folks aren't like that & they walk into a Stihl store, pay a premium for a top shelf pro product & a six pack of oil being told its 'fully warrantied' for X years and all that crap then when something goes wrong get told too suck eggs. It happens a lot! You can win if you fight hard, spend hours on the phone, a few tanks of gas etc etc. But the sooner you speak to the regional area rep the better. You have to go over their head to shake the can and get any action/decisions & end the BS answers, blank stares and guff you'll be fed. The sooner you do that, the better off you'll be. You just need the right phone number and Stihl guy to speak too. Good lucky

 

[Philbert]

Hell, if it is under warranty I would want them to fix or replace it. You did not buy a Harbor Freight product.

Yeah, you can 'fix' it, but if you don't know what caused it to seize up, you might just be setting your self up for another failure.

Defective part? M-tronic problem? Air leak? Defective mix?

STIHL has an extensive failure analysis manual, and if warranty is refused the dealer should be able to say something more specific than "abuse".

Philbert

 

[Funky sawman]

Not required to report to the customer more than just abuse. More analysis, then the dealer will charge the customer to do so

 

[Philbert]

Not required to report to the customer more than just abuse.

Are you basing this on STIHL's warranty? On the STIHL dealership agreement? On state consumer laws (which states)? I would raise hell if they gave me such a vague excuse to avoid honoring their warranty.

There might be something that was legitimately the OP's fault (not implying that there was). But I would not accept 'abuse' without some clearly visible, physical signs.

STIHL (and other manufacturers) publish detailed failure analysis guides that they share with their dealers and representatives. If one of those guys points to something at the exhaust and says "abuse", they need to be able to match it up against one of the pictures. If the dealer does not want to do it, the regional representative can do that. It's part of their job.

Philbert

 

[Funky sawman]

Just stating minimum requirement. It's up to dealer to fill in the blank, some dealers do this, some dont, it's their choice

 

[PETDOC]

There might be something that was legitimately the OP's fault (not implying that there was).
Philbert

Philbert I will gladly accept responsibility if the dealer or Stihl rep can show me proof of my f**k up, but somebody needs to show me a reason the saw seized. Having said that my Husqvarna 51 didn't last 24 years because I abused it. I would like to know why Stihl is upgrading the solenoid on the 261 c-m.

 

[Fish]

If you get back to the dealer, get some pics.
Pics of the piston, and anything else you can.
Let them know that you have a bunch of guys on a forum that are interested..

 

[dall]

If you get back to the dealer, get some pics.
Pics of the piston, and anything else you can.
Let them know that you have a bunch of guys on a forum that are interested..

right and also dont let them keep the saw unless they give new one

 

[JB-PlantHeirloom]

If it was rejected, I would look the rep. right in the eye and tell him "What you are doing is not right, if I do not get a new or repaired saw now, I will be getting it later personally from the CEO,after my blog and media campaign on why I would have been better off buying a Poulan from Home Depot or a Husqvarna from Lowes."

 

[PETDOC]

As of last Thursday it was a month with no word from Stihl rep. Perhaps he is waiting for the warranty to expire.
Off topic-in the meantime I always wanted to also own a smaller chainsaw. I researched the current battery powered saws and purchased (from a different dealer) a Stihl MSA 200C-BQ (40V) battery powered chainsaw. I've used the crap out of this saw during the last 2 weeks and it is simply amazing. I have found that I need to check the bar oil reservoir after using about 2/3 of battery power and it really packs the wood chips/debris under the side cover. Latter necessitates cleaning after using for optimal performance.

 

[dmb2613]

The dealer does make a difference in warranty claims. They can tell if it was a bad mix or mal-function of the saw. In all honesty it could be either. Stihl will do what is right or they have been doing it for us no problems. We have had things covered that were clearly the owners fault. There is a good will policy , Dont bad mouth Stihl, bad mouth the dealer.
And I have found a lot of owners should not have a saw of any kind period
David