660 -> 880 $600 difference. Why?

[Rleonard]

I am looking to add to the saw collection. The local dealer quoted $1039 for a 660 w/32" bar and $1629 for an 880 w/36" bar. Is there really $600 worth of difference in those two machines or is it strictly supply and demand, lower volume, higher cost, etc that drives the price up so high?

Thanks,

Bob

 

[manual]

I'd say Sthil is Pretty Proud of there saws.

 

[geofore]

costs

Bigger saws can make a world of difference cutting bigger wood, that pays bigger money for bigger production. Do you get it now? Unless you have a need for BIGGER you don't go there but when you have a need you do and with that comes costs. Ask anyone that has had their saws modded to speed up production if it was worth the extra money and they will tell like I will, it's worth the extra.
You don't have to believe me but here's a test you can do yourself. Take out your smallest trim saw and go after a 3' diameter tree and time your cut. Then pull out your 440 and do the next cut. What was your time difference? Which would make you more money at the end of the day? The bigger the saws, the smaller the market for them, not everyone needs bigger. Those that need them don't ask a lot about price because they know they can recoop the costs with bigger production.

 

[romeo]

The difference between the two is like comparing a farm boss with an 046. That 880 is 120cc's. Is there $600 difference in production costs, heck no.

 

[Lakeside53]

Is there really $600 worth of difference in those two machines or is it strictly supply and demand, lower volume, higher cost, etc that drives the price up so high?

Thanks,

Bob

yes, and yes...

Volume... Last year Stihl NW sold 12 MS880s (and we sold two of them!).

The MS880 is BIG saw... and a handful, but it can run a 42 inch bar with ease..

 

[GASoline71]

We're runnin' out of second growth timber to cut as well.

Do you see the sale of those bigger saws going down in the future here in the PNW Andy?

Gary

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

You're right about the timber nowadays Gary. Not much out there that a 660 can't handle. But as long as there's chainsaw mills, there'll always be a market for 120 cube saws. Not like there used to be in the timber days, but they'll be around. But selling 12 in one year throughout WA, ID and OR isn't very many. My dealer's had the same one sitting on the shelf for two years now. I'm waiting for him to unload it...on me...for like $900...

 

[GASoline71]

My dealer's had the same one sitting on the shelf for two years now. I'm waiting for him to unload it...on me...for like $900...

Good luck with that Jeff!!!opcorn:

Gary

 

[ShoerFast]

This is way too old-skool to have much relavance here, but I can make you a set of coustum shoes for your saddle-horse for about $20.00 ,,,,, but if you wanted a set of shoes for your draft-horse, I would need closer to about $45.00.

But the real cost difference is the pure fact of numbers, distribution and retail cost.

Say a dealers cost is (just a guess) is $800 for that 660 , but $1300 to stock that 880,,,,, money, even if it's sitting on a shelf has a value.

The same with the distributor, he needs a cut,,,,,,,, but just think of the huge cost deferents there is deprecating the tooling to make them,,,,, if your set up to make 1,000,000 somethings, that will sell fast, compared with setting up to make 1,000 somethings that sell slow?

 

[manual]

If you are not selling many 880. don't you think you would lower the cost to recoop your losses on tooling. $600.00 is a big gap in price.
I would rather have more turnovers then sit on something. storage is a factor and a cost.

 

[sawn_penn]

The biggest baddest saws don't sell, but they sell other saws.

When the range goes up to "The most powerful production saw in the world", that makes people like the brand, and it help sell smaller saws.

Some people also like buying a "middle" sized product, no matter what the product is. Making the high-end product really big makes the "middle" point bigger too.

Down under, I've never walked into a Stihl dealer that didn't have an 880 on the shelf. I don't know if they sell better here, or if the distributor agreement forces them to have 880s in stock.

 

[computeruser]

My dealer's had the same one sitting on the shelf for two years now. I'm waiting for him to unload it...on me...for like $900...

If he ends up having an extra in the back that he also wants to unload on you for $900, grab it for me!


I cannot believe that only twelve were sold by Stihl NW. Geez! Maybe I'll have to buy one after all, so can mill in my suburban-bordering-on-urban driveway like CaseyForrest!

 

[CaseyForrest]

LOL, Im pretty sure if I run anything bigger than the 066, I will have my neighborhood police keeping me company!!!

 

[bbqmannn]

660->880 $600 diffrence.why

Fast nickle or a slow dime ....

 

[oldsaw]

If you are not selling many 880. don't you think you would lower the cost to recoop your losses on tooling. $600.00 is a big gap in price.
I would rather have more turnovers then sit on something. storage is a factor and a cost.

There is a very limited market for a 120cc saw. Lowering the price won't effectively grow the market. It is a special needs saw. My 3120 outweighs my 066 by a good 8-9 lbs. I don't know about you, but if I were buying a saw for anything but milling, I wouldn't have bought the 3120 if it were the same price as the 066. Who would want to carry around all that extra weight if you didn't have to? A saw that big doesn't have many uses in todays world, but there is still enough of a market to keep them in production, especially, as someone mentioned, the "status" of having such a monster.

Mark

 

[lawnmaniac883]

Ever consider the fact that it isnt just the 600$ price gap but the weight and unreal power of that saw that holds back 99% of the buyers? A 120cc saw is massiave but the 22lbs that it packs is alot to consider as well. Some of the large companies down here pack one or two of those mammoths for storm cleanup. They serve on function: cutting the trunk. One expensive ass cut to make, no?

 

[wagonwheeler]

Lowering the price of an 880 would mean more people who don't need it would buy it just 'cuz it's the biggest. Then they'd wanna return it within 7 days since it's basically "useless" (i.e. they didn't know what they needed).

I think it's appropriate to keep it out of 'convienent' reach - though that's probably not the intent - since those who actually need it aren't phased by the price difference.

Chaser

 

[ShoerFast]

Wonder how much needs to be set aside from each saw size for senseless law-suits?

I would think that Pro-saws have less court time then home-owner saws?

 

[spacemule]

I don't remember ever reading about a chainsaw manufactering law suit. Is there a record of these things somewhere?

 

[Bill G]

This is way too old-skool to have much relavance here, but I can make you a set of coustum shoes for your saddle-horse for about $20.00 ,,,,, but if you wanted a set of shoes for your draft-horse, I would need closer to about $45.00..........

You have to be kidding. Here you would be working 24-7 with 3 years of work booked.

Bill