Dolmar 421problem
- Thread starter woodbutcher56
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Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
Which dealer?
woodbutcher56
ArboristSite Operative
Performance Outdoor Equipment
Khntr85
Addicted to ArboristSite
This is the craziest thread ever, I just remembered it and re-found it....you just now got the saw, I literally don't know wether to laugh, cry, pull my hair out, or get into fetal position and rock back and forth while petting my ms461....you sir, should write a book!!!!!
Doug Fir
ArboristSite Operative
If there's a lesson here I suppose it's that dealers matter. Had Woodbutcher purchased from Nate (Performance Outdoor Equipment) in the first place the problem would have been solved with far less drama.
Live and learn.
Doug
LittleLebowski
ArboristSite Guru
Yup, but glad he's been made whole finally. I bought from Nate the first time, no issues, no regrets.
nitehawk55
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Having been on the inside with Stihl Canada in the tech dept. we had to deal with these same situations where the customer was unhappy and the dealer totally messed up . In most cases we would do the repair in house and it was done right , rarely did a saw get replaced unless the cause of the failure was "uncommon" and Stihl engineers wanted to look into it . Our dealers were required to take factory training at our facility and with these schools I saw lots of issues with dealers who did not do proper diagnostics which is key , too often a new piston or jug was slapped on a saw by a dealer and returned to the owner only to have the same happen again.....this quickly makes a product (any product) look bad . In some cases if the dealers did not improve their servicing and we continued to have "issues" with them they were pulled .
It's clear Makita doesn't have a network like Stihl does , that dealer would have been gone .
It's clear Makita doesn't have a network like Stihl does , that dealer would have been gone .
perhaps Dolmar engineers eventually wanted to look at this one, notwithstanding the dealer dropping the ball...
nitehawk55
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Bottom line is that the dealer is the one who makes a product look good or bad by how they look after a customer .
Unfortunately the OP in this case did not realise just how bad this dealer was at proper servicing and being honest . Thankfully Makita did come thru in the end to take care of it .
Unfortunately the OP in this case did not realise just how bad this dealer was at proper servicing and being honest . Thankfully Makita did come thru in the end to take care of it .
woodbutcher56
ArboristSite Operative
The saw still hasn't been used ! Seriously considering trading it in on a Jred 2252 or Husky 545 maybe an Echo 501p ( just to avoid the AT) Anyone interested??
nitehawk55
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If the saw was checked out by Ford150 I would keep it , don't let the fact it was assembled in China bug you .
I'm sure Dolmar or Makita is on top of QC . I have a 421 Dolmar and it's awesome , have a 501 Echo as well and it's a great saw too but if you already have a 50cc why have 2 ?
I'm sure Dolmar or Makita is on top of QC . I have a 421 Dolmar and it's awesome , have a 501 Echo as well and it's a great saw too but if you already have a 50cc why have 2 ?
woodbutcher56
ArboristSite Operative
I figured a 2252 is lighter and smaller and I'm told stronger in the cut and with a 16" bar would be an upgrade from the 4300 ,421 performing the same tasks.
I seriously doubt the QC is equal to that in the German facility! It's hard to get an underpaid impoverished workforce to take pride in their work . They do it because they are forced to do it.
I seriously doubt the QC is equal to that in the German facility! It's hard to get an underpaid impoverished workforce to take pride in their work . They do it because they are forced to do it.
woodbutcher56
ArboristSite Operative
I found this interesting!! The oil on the right is the old Dolmar oil (no longer available) on the left is new Makita oil that replaced the Dolmar. The manual on the bottom is the Dolmar I got with the 421 the top is the manual from the Makita. Note the old oil is FD rated the old manual calls for FC . The new oil is FC rated and the new manual calls for FD?? Pics attached.
woodbutcher56
ArboristSite Operative
Apparently the pics of the manual didn't come thru above. So here it is.
Khntr85
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hello sir, I have read all this saga, I will be honest, I am lost.....
Do you have the saw in hand????
Have you used the saw since getting it back???
If you can answer yes to either of these 2-questions, how does the saw run????
woodbutcher56
ArboristSite Operative
Makita kept the 421 with the problems and sent me a Makita 4300 which I took to a dealer I trust and had him test fire and tune the saw. I have it now but have not used it ,the only time it has been run is at the dealer.
Khntr85
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thanks for clearing it up to me!!!
I can not believe after all that ****, you never got to run a 421....
Are these saws the same size cc and quality...I know nothing about either brand!!!!
woodbutcher56
ArboristSite Operative
My original saw that I had problems with was a Dolmar PS 421 I had it for a year before the problems started. The dealer I bought the saw from and Makita ( who took over Dolmar) could not seem to fix the saw so Makita finally sent me a replacement saw a Makita 4300 which replaced the Dolmar 421 no longer available.The Dolmar was made in Germany the Makita is made in China.
Amazing. Certainly not the foot that Makita would want to start out on especially given the recent name change from Dolmar. I hope the new 4300 works out for you.
Out of curiosity, what is manufactured at the Georgia facility?
