Husqy dealer frustration!!

[Landmark]

I started not to post this because I really like the guys who work at the dealership and will not name which one it is or where it is. This is purely a rant.
Well I went by our local Husqvarna dealer this am to buy that 550 i used the other day. They wanted 325 for it and said they would take 310. They had two and I asked to talk to their mechanic about why they had to repair the saws and what had been fixed. He said that he had replaced the ring in one of them due to low compression. The other had to have a piston and ring installed. I asked if the cylinder had been hurt and he said no he didn't even have to clean it up. I ask why he replaced the piston then. He said it was scratched up. Then went to the work bench and picked up the piston and it was scored bad. Then he told me that was the wrong piston, it was one out of a 372xt. I told him it was to small for a 372 piston and he assured me it was a 372. I said ok, then ask if he had pressure and vac tested the saws after repairs were made and he said no, they don't do that and if it had a leak it wouldn't run. I asked why the piston had been scored and he said it just happens sometimes. So needless to say I left without a saw and will never buy a used saw from them. I then stopped by the Stihl dealer on way as i was fuming and wanted to hear how they operated. As i looked at ms261c the mechanic ask if he could help me. After small talk i ask how they handled diagnosing problem saws and he said 1. Ck fuel that its mixed. 2. Pressure/vac test. Then he took me in the shop and showed me the equipment and some saws they were working on.
What a huge difference in dealers. It almost turned me into a stihl man today!!!!

 

[Warped5]

(Speaking from local experience here)

Dave, IMHO, both of those dealers are oddities.

Here, the Squihl dealers are just parts swappers for the most part and the Husky dealers are pretty good.

Sorry to hear of your bad experience.

 

[Landmark]

(Speaking from local experience here)

Dave, IMHO, both of those dealers are oddities.

Here, the Squihl dealers are just parts swappers for the most part and the Husky dealers are pretty good.

Sorry to hear of your bad experience.

It just really surprised me that i do better quality work in my basment than they do. I am confident when i build/sell a saw it has no leaks and will make a good saw.

 

[super3]

There is always a positive side of everything.
You found out who not to buy from b4 you got hosed.

 

[Wagnerwerks]

The rings usually scrape that little bit of transfer right off....

My dealers are the opposite. Stihl dealer rebuilt a 394 2 times and it still scored the third factory cylinder,.... Hmmm. He said he just didn't like those huskys. Never pressure tested.

 

[skidooguy]

Bum deal my friend. At least you did your homework and it payed out for you in the end. Every dealer is different and I buy equipment according to the dealer having good people regardless of brand. That is how I ended up with a Jonsered years ago and haven't thought at all of switching to anything else or buying from anybody different.

 

[295 tramp]

and he said it just happens sometimes

that's funny douh! Maybe it's a bad batch of pistons that would have sounded better.

 

[skidooguy]

Hahaha. Yea that sounds like something my Stihl dealer would say. They been trying to sell me a mtronic saw pretty badly here lately. But seems like that's all I've seen them work on lately also.

 

[CR888]

Good post from the OP, but that husky saw seemed not to bad of a deal from a dealer if it was in decent condition like you mentioned. You could take a mityvac down there and a couple of hand tools and tell them they have a deal if you can test and put a wrench on the saw. But then again when your fed clear lies and realise the depth of incompetance of those who worked on the saw its a big turn off. The saw was probably good enough to sell itself, but it seems the guy/s that you dealt with failed to sell themselves. When you don't trust someone, you don't trust anything they have a hand in.

 

[Landmark]

. When you don't trust someone, you don't trust anything they have a hand in.

Nail on the head.

 

[Genius]

What's the point of pressure and vacuum testing saws?


Every dealership I frequent around here says the exact same thing about every saw I get with a bad top end. "It was straight gassed"

I know one of our Stihl dealers here has never changed a seal in a saw. This fall I asked their mechanic if I could take a look at their Stihl seal puller. The guy said they don't have one, he then told me that he has never once had to replace a seal on a saw.

 

[Spike60]

It just really surprised me that i do better quality work in my basment than they do. I am confident when i build/sell a saw it has no leaks and will make a good saw.

Really not that unsual, regardless of brand. Maybe I'll go on a little industry rant here myself. Husky and Sthl have largely created this mess by their respective dealer sign up programs. Stihl wants to be everywhere that could possible sell units. Hardware chains, all of the John Deere dealers, any big operation that can move product. Husky takes a similar approach, and of course insists that dealers be full line dealers that sell wheeled goods. And as if they didn't already have enough dealers in most markets, they have begun to target stores that aren't really in the OPE business such as Artic Cat and Polaris dealers. The days of the traditional "saw shop" are mostly gone. Most of the guys on this site are better saw techs than you'll find at the typical dealer these days.

So what you get from all that is an awful lot of dealers who have a primary focus on a lot of things other than chainsaws. Their shops and parts departments are geared towards working on sleds and tractors, not saws. Sounds kind of stupid for two companies who are known primarily for their chainsaws to do that, doesn't it? But that's the reality that exists out there right now, and that's what many of you guys are running into. The relentless drive for more sales numbers always trumps any concern for the ability to service the product. Both companies offer all the tools, technical assistance and documentation for dealers to provide competent service. But far too many dealers are too busy doing other things to bother with it.

My rep told me that out of the 82 dealers in his territory I'm one of just 4 that can/will split a case and do bottom end work. Most dealers don't have a mighty vac or any special tools, and half the dealers still cant even program an AT carb. So, we get guys who will drive hours, and pass a lot of other dealers, to do business with us. Some of those lousy dealers that frustrate many of you guys are actually great for me.

 

[Sty57]

What's the point of pressure and vacuum testing saws?


Every dealership I frequent around here says the exact same thing about every saw I get with a bad top end. "It was straight gassed"

I know one of our Stihl dealers here has never changed a seal in a saw. This fall I asked their mechanic if I could take a look at their Stihl seal puller. The guy said they don't have one, he then told me that he has never once had to replace a seal on a saw.

It much easier to just someone a new saw.

 

[mnmdad]

Really not that unsual, regardless of brand. Maybe I'll go on a little industry rant here myself. Husky and Sthl have largely created this mess by their respective dealer sign up programs. Stihl wants to be everywhere that could possible sell units. Hardware chains, all of the John Deere dealers, any big operation that can move product. Husky takes a similar approach, and of course insists that dealers be full line dealers that sell wheeled goods. And as if they didn't already have enough dealers in most markets, they have begun to target stores that aren't really in the OPE business such as Artic Cat and Polaris dealers. The days of the traditional "saw shop" are mostly gone. Most of the guys on this site are better saw techs than you'll find at the typical dealer these days.

So what you get from all that is an awful lot of dealers who have a primary focus on a lot of things other than chainsaws. Their shops and parts departments are geared towards working on sleds and tractors, not saws. Sounds kind of stupid for two companies who are known primarily for their chainsaws to do that, doesn't it? But that's the reality that exists out there right now, and that's what many of you guys are running into. The relentless drive for more sales numbers always trumps any concern for the ability to service the product. Both companies offer all the tools, technical assistance and documentation for dealers to provide competent service. But far too many dealers are too busy doing other things to bother with it.

My rep told me that out of the 82 dealers in his territory I'm one of just 4 that can/will split a case and do bottom end work. Most dealers don't have a mighty vac or any special tools, and half the dealers still cant even program an AT carb. So, we get guys who will drive hours, and pass a lot of other dealers, to do business with us. Some of those lousy dealers that frustrate many of you guys are actually great for me.

QTLA you hit the nail on the head spike

 

[smokey7]

I have 1 good dealer by me in the city here. He is a small jonsered and maybe redmax dealer. He laughed at all of the other dealers crap they pull and the repairs and life long customers he gets from it. The other dealers by me only get the emergency parts business. Only when I can't wait for what I need.

 

[Stihl working Hard]

What's the point of pressure and vacuum testing saws?


Every dealership I frequent around here says the exact same thing about every saw I get with a bad top end. "It was straight gassed"

I know one of our Stihl dealers here has never changed a seal in a saw. This fall I asked their mechanic if I could take a look at their Stihl seal puller. The guy said they don't have one, he then told me that he has never once had to replace a seal on a saw.

I personally pressure test my saws approximately 4 times a year the last thing I want to do is seize a saw over something I could have prevented

 

[angelo c]

Really not that unsual, regardless of brand. Maybe I'll go on a little industry rant here myself. Husky and Sthl have largely created this mess by their respective dealer sign up programs. Stihl wants to be everywhere that could possible sell units. Hardware chains, all of the John Deere dealers, any big operation that can move product. Husky takes a similar approach, and of course insists that dealers be full line dealers that sell wheeled goods. And as if they didn't already have enough dealers in most markets, they have begun to target stores that aren't really in the OPE business such as Artic Cat and Polaris dealers. The days of the traditional "saw shop" are mostly gone. Most of the guys on this site are better saw techs than you'll find at the typical dealer these days.

So what you get from all that is an awful lot of dealers who have a primary focus on a lot of things other than chainsaws. Their shops and parts departments are geared towards working on sleds and tractors, not saws. Sounds kind of stupid for two companies who are known primarily for their chainsaws to do that, doesn't it? But that's the reality that exists out there right now, and that's what many of you guys are running into. The relentless drive for more sales numbers always trumps any concern for the ability to service the product. Both companies offer all the tools, technical assistance and documentation for dealers to provide competent service. But far too many dealers are too busy doing other things to bother with it.

My rep told me that out of the 82 dealers in his territory I'm one of just 4 that can/will split a case and do bottom end work. Most dealers don't have a mighty vac or any special tools, and half the dealers still cant even program an AT carb. So, we get guys who will drive hours, and pass a lot of other dealers, to do business with us. Some of those lousy dealers that frustrate many of you guys are actually great for me.

Bob,
Anyone who has ever shook your hand or looked you in the eye knows its worth the drive( or shipping wait time) or money to do business with you.

 

[bikemike]

It just really surprised me that i do better quality work in my basment than they do. I am confident when i build/sell a saw it has no leaks and will make a good saw.

Yeah they want to make the most for cheep. They probably did a 50 dollhair trade inn on a new saw

 

[295 tramp]

It much easier to just someone a new saw.

That's the attitude that all saw dealers have here. they always tell me that your not going to find parts for that saw it's to old.
I just grin on the inside and go find parts on my own. the saw shops here want you to by new saws and that's it, unless it's a warranty job.
The ones they get on trade ins usually come my way thru the metal recycling depot. In the summer I make at least 2 or 3 visits a week.

 

[CR888]

The funny thing is its hard to warranty OPE properly when most places swap parts rather than diagnose/fix. One of the supposed advantages of buying a premium price product with a motor is you can keep it running and buy parts into the future. The proboem with Stih/Husk Australia is they sell parts so highly priced it makes no sense to do much in most rebuild cases other than to purchase a new product. I don't use dealers for to much but I can't see dealers going back to the way they once were as much as we all would like it.