I am fortunate to work near one the bigger Stihl dealers in Metro ATL. They are good for chainsaws and parts. I recently found a hardware store(not Ace) closer to home. Dropped $1k for a 131r and several attachments. It's an old timey place. Stihl elite service rated. Smells like the good old days, old fellers smile and greet you at the counter. The ACE up the street is full of snot nosed teens who can't stop looking at their phones long enough to complete a sentence. They never have what I need, don't know what skip chain is... but the guys in the saw shop are pretty good with a grinder. It is a roll of the dice dealing with them. One would think Stihl would be a little more invested in who they use to peddle their wares.
Ace hardware as a Stihl dealer?
- Thread starter northernswede
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Squidward
ArboristSite Lurker
I have a 30 mile commute along a US highway, not an interstate. About halfway to my place, there is an Ace with a pretty good selection of Stihl equipment, and they also do repairs. They seem fairly knowledgeable, haven't really tested it. Convenient, because I don't even really have to exit, like you would off interstate, just slow down and turn right into their parking lot.
They have a lot of saws in stock, up to and including the 500i (which retails there for over $500 more than my Echo 7310).
I've bought some parts from them--chain for MS 290, primer bulb for FS85T trimmer.
Nice folks, but they don't have a reason not to be yet. I'm pretty cynical about small scale brick and mortar when it comes to honoring warranties. I feel they don't have the economies of scale to give them clout with the manufacturer, and the mfr. probably gives them a hard time if they return stuff. The advantage is they handle top shelf, often commercial grade stuff. At least this Ace does. But if something broke on me, I'd expect, honestly, to get more of a no questions asked refund or exchange at a big box. BTW, not talking here about outright abuse, running something with demonstrably lean mix, dull as cr*p chain, etc. I'm still fuming about Stihl putting valves on a blower, then passing the cost of adjustment at 2 years on to the customer.
They have a lot of saws in stock, up to and including the 500i (which retails there for over $500 more than my Echo 7310).
I've bought some parts from them--chain for MS 290, primer bulb for FS85T trimmer.
Nice folks, but they don't have a reason not to be yet. I'm pretty cynical about small scale brick and mortar when it comes to honoring warranties. I feel they don't have the economies of scale to give them clout with the manufacturer, and the mfr. probably gives them a hard time if they return stuff. The advantage is they handle top shelf, often commercial grade stuff. At least this Ace does. But if something broke on me, I'd expect, honestly, to get more of a no questions asked refund or exchange at a big box. BTW, not talking here about outright abuse, running something with demonstrably lean mix, dull as cr*p chain, etc. I'm still fuming about Stihl putting valves on a blower, then passing the cost of adjustment at 2 years on to the customer.
northernswede
ArboristSite Lurker
Well I did some digging and reached out to the owners directly of the shop I visited earlier and they got back to me. They set aside a km131r aside and the attachments I was looking for and I was able to get what I needed.
Unfortunately when I arrived I found out they had suspected the wrong person for the encounter, as it turns out he had the day off on the day I arrived and I had to clarify that to the owner.
All in all, it worked itself out and I am glad because I was really dreading having to go find another shop again and roll the dice. I really appreciate everyone's help and insight!
Unfortunately when I arrived I found out they had suspected the wrong person for the encounter, as it turns out he had the day off on the day I arrived and I had to clarify that to the owner.
All in all, it worked itself out and I am glad because I was really dreading having to go find another shop again and roll the dice. I really appreciate everyone's help and insight!
Haven’t commented, because I had nothing new to add. It depends on the specific dealer / location / staff. Same as with any saw dealer.
Then I got this ad on FB from a local hardware store chain.
I tried to gently notify them, that their photo was reversed, and that it made them look unknowledgeable. Their response confirmed it. (Edited only to protect the innocent).
Philbert
Then I got this ad on FB from a local hardware store chain.
I tried to gently notify them, that their photo was reversed, and that it made them look unknowledgeable. Their response confirmed it. (Edited only to protect the innocent).
Philbert
windthrown
361 Junkie
That there is a south paw chainsaw, not a down under chainsaw. For an Oz saw, flip the GB bar over so the logo is upside down. Also add velcro to the saw handle, or it will fall off the earth when cutting down under.
Dealer near me dropped Husky and went with Stihl. One of the reasons was you could buy a Husky about anywhere. I’ll support him as long as he’s in business. Great guy. Plus he sells guns and zero turns. I’ve bought him many a steak dinner.
user 188535
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Nope.
user 188535
Chainsaw-wielding middle-schooler
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Ace Hardware gives me no problems. I'm 13 and I know almost as much as most of the techs there do. There is one old man and about three younger dudes. All of them know their stuff and are great at their job. It's quite surprising to see people from my generation so competent and so good at their jobs because most places that I've been to Stihl dealers around the nation all of the young people there are quite incompetent.
SOUTHERNFIREWOOD
ArboristSite Lurker
Yes
Sore subject in this area. No techs on staff at area ACE stores. . But now I am swamped with repairs.
Cycledude
ArboristSite Operative
Local Ace Hardware had a nice new Stihl battery operated chainsaw on display but the chain was installed backwards ! Not sure but I don’t think they have a chainsaw service department.
Abbeville TSI
ArboristSite Operative
Local Echo dealer had several CS2511T saws on the floor, just assembled, one had the chain on backwards. I mentioned it to him and be said that his daughter must have done that. I went on and bought the 2511, but no more from that place.
As a re-con interest, after breakfast at the Coney, I wandering into the Ace, and straight to the Stihl display. When I asked for assistance, the PA called for Burton, in the bird seed aisle. He prompted me for a model choice, and then leaned in, moved his glasses in and out, and read back the specs. on the display card................Turns out Burton is a whiz with screens, and BBQ assembly. He considers chainsaws noisy, and dangerous.
I took a Stihl 036 into a local dealer because it wouldn't stay running for more than 15 sec and I didn't have time to work on it. The place was a New Holland dealership as well and they had a pretty sizable service department. They told me the top end was shot and it would cost over $300 for replacement parts. I took it home and checked the compression. 150 psi, just like the day I brought home several years earlier. Put a new spark plug in it, fired it up, and it ran just fine.
I'm sure there are a few good dealerships out there, but most are just a source of OEM replacement parts. Dealerships are required to meet certain sales quota's to maintain their dealer status, and those quotas never go down. When you take into consideration what a good technician costs (ie someone who's skilled at troubleshooting and repairing things meaning he/she likely has enough life experience that they also have a family to feed), most dealerships can't afford to repair saws. They can only afford to convince you to buy a new one.
I'm sure there are a few good dealerships out there, but most are just a source of OEM replacement parts. Dealerships are required to meet certain sales quota's to maintain their dealer status, and those quotas never go down. When you take into consideration what a good technician costs (ie someone who's skilled at troubleshooting and repairing things meaning he/she likely has enough life experience that they also have a family to feed), most dealerships can't afford to repair saws. They can only afford to convince you to buy a new one.
"didn't have time" is and always will be the true sign of a man who had to scrape together enough for a spark plug. Just kidding.
While doing the affordability exercise, you wasted your valuable, and clearly quite profitable time taking a 15 lb machine to a place your assumed would be fair. Thats quite a bit of farting around, over a spark plug. Maybe get 3.
Now, the rest of it. Lesson learned, observation spot-on.
I'm a retired guy, & 45 yr. licensed small engine mechanic. I have alot of fun puttering in my home Shop. I service the locals via CList and referrals. I am forced to buy my parts on-line because any local Shop sees me coming and they want to sit me down, and hire me. The talent pool has gotten shallower by the year.
Any mower shop today, lives for a mechanic, that would pop a new plug in your saw, anyway, and try to start the saw. If it did run, he'd be chasing after you in the parking lot, to spare you another trip.
And some, for lack of skilled help, live off inaccurate diagnosis, and salesmanship. You are spot on young man. Thanks from this forum member, for making both points and doing it with honesty.
Part of being a good mechanic is diagnosing common issues.
I’ve known a couple who were so intuitive, that they could just look at a saw, lawnmower, etc., and be correct 90% of the time.
Basic things: fuel, air, spark, compression; shouldn’t be hard for an authorized dealership. If they want to charge for their diagnostic time and expertise, and how much, is a side discussion.
Philbert
I’ve known a couple who were so intuitive, that they could just look at a saw, lawnmower, etc., and be correct 90% of the time.
Basic things: fuel, air, spark, compression; shouldn’t be hard for an authorized dealership. If they want to charge for their diagnostic time and expertise, and how much, is a side discussion.
Philbert
LOL That's a true statement. Every time I don't have time to fix something myself, I end up spending 2x longer (plus quite a bit of $$) dealing with a mechanic or technician most of the time just to turn around and either fix it myself or undo their screwup and THEN fix it myself. I have a couple of good 2 cycle guys that I can take saws to, but they are out of my way. There are 2 Stihl dealerships that I drive past twice a day, 5 days a week. I've now dealt with both of them for repairs plus 2 others. None are worth the time it takes to pull into their parking lot, let alone the cost of the fuel if I have to go out of my way.
While I certainly knew better, I hadn't deal with that shop yet and was hopeful that they would be better since they were also working on diesel tractors (old and new). On that particular occasion, it was winter. I had the seasons worth of firewood cut and stacked in log form out behind the house. I only needed to buck it to length as my indoor furnace consumed it. That 036 is my favorite tool for that task, but the 026 and 064 will also do the job just fine so I wasn't in a bind needing the saw. I had the saw on the bench for a few months trying to get to it. The saw developed the problem mid cut on a 24" log. It acted like it was starving for fuel. It lost power at WOT and got progressively worse from there, and fast. Truthfully, the spark plug hadn't been changed in years and should have been the first thing that I tried. I just hadn't seen a sparkplug fail like that before. After it finally died, the saw would start just fine, but after a few seconds it would act like it was starving for fuel again. Every time I've had a plug issue, the engine is hard to start. My brain went straight to fuel delivery. I put a new fuel filter and pickup line on it and it didn't help. That's when I decided I didn't have the time to chase it any further and decided to give another dealership a shot at it. When the dealer tech said the top end was shot, that didn't seem to fit the symptoms either. I took it back home and pulled the muffler . Everything looked fine. Compression came back at 150 psi. So, I started back at step 1 and replaced the cheapest consumable part on the saw. Problem solved. Since all of my saws use the same plug, I now keep 3 of them in the tool box in the same container that stores a few bar nuts, gas and oil cap, a few drive rims, and some e-clips and a pull rope.
Gone is the local family owned hardware store, with worn wood floors that creak, nail bins, clearance racks, and everything you need when you walk in. The tinker out back would make anything happen. His time spent was his life; his experiences, his expertise. The money part of it was vapor.......
You just described where I have worked for the past 42 years.
