I took my 18 month old MS200T back to the dealer I bought it from because it wouldn't stay running. His posted rate was $68.50 an hour and I almost choked. :jawdrop: Thinking that the $1,000+ I've spent on several ppieces of equipment would be worth something, I asked what he could do. Nothing. Sure he's got overhead and needs to make a profit but come on, you can get a car serviced for not much more and a saw is pretty simple by comparison. Long story short, I was "motivated" to fix it myself: the fuel hose was cracked and was sucking air. I won't go back to the dealer and a big thank you B's for sending the part! BTW, this dealer of mine also charged me $4 for a Briggs fuel bowl o-ring and $5 shipping. Am I behind the times or is this robery????:censored:
How much $ is too much?
- Thread starter swampfox
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Just Mow
Don't touch my Willie !!!
You are behind the times. Nowdays parts and service are what keep the dealer in business with the sometimes low margins on equipment. And if they werent charging that rate for labor do you really think they would be able to keep a decent tech in house. Get over it and be grateful you have a dealer you can use.
THALL10326
The Champ
Hmmmmmmmm we charge $50.00 a hour, last year we were charging $45.00, I thought both were high. Come to find out there's a new dealer not far from us charging believe it or not $75.00 a hour. I can tell by your post you think dealers are crooked and tight and don't give you any lee way for all the equipment you have bought from them. Just to set the facts striaght not all are like that. I use the Stihl time table on most all repairs. Your repair on that saw for a fuel hose would have been a new hose, maybe fuel filter and 12.50 for labor. Its only a 15 minute job and thats all you would have paid for. I recently had a landscaper who did exaclty the oppsite of what your saying, he got free labor but wanted free parts as well. Have to draw a line somewhere. I recently paid Chrysler $300.00 to replace a $7.00 emission hose they missed on the first try, I call that robbery and politely told them so. Their shop rate is 95.00 a hour. I don't think UPS will ship anything for much less than 5 bucks so thats not your dealer screwing you there.
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
Swamp: How much do you make an hour doing your tree work?
RiverRat2
Serio Tree Freak
+1
What THALL said!!!!!!
What THALL said!!!!!!
RiverRat2
Serio Tree Freak
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rreidnauer
ArboristSite Operative
Eh, not much different than my closest Stihl shop.
It's one of the reasons I went with Husky. I know a lot of folks go with Stihl for their service, but I'm just as happy servicing/repairing my own equipment whenever possible. I consider both of equal quality, but with Husky being more affordable, the decision was easy in my case. IMHO, because Stihl charges so much for it's parts, the many dealers don't make much profit on them. Their only option is to try and make up some of that through their labor fees.
THALL10326
The Champ
Those are right stiff but on the prepaid sharpening I don't blame them. You would not believe how many people never come back to pick up their sharpened chain. I pitched a boat load last year after sitting on the shelf for over a year. My boss has been on my azz to make people pre pay for chain sharpening. I've yet to do it but if people keep leaving them I'll soon have no choice in the matter. Now ole friend lets see your Husky dealer list on repairs. I'm betting I can beat it.
Lakeside53
Stihl Wrenching
You might be suprised to know that parts have a decent profit for the dealers, and I don't see much difference in Stihl or Husky parts prices...
oldsaw
"Been There, Milled That"
Heck, my former dealer marked up parts 50-100% AND charged me shipping, AND made me wait for their regular order to come in, AND made me wait for 2 days to sort through it and call me. When I questioned them about the freight charge when I had to wait for their regular shipment anyway, they told me that my stuff was "special order". I found a better dealer.
I'm not against people making a buck, but it can go too far. If I'm paying a premium, I expect premium service. I'd have even been okay if they charged me their parts overage OR the freight, but both? Then make me wait?
If the mechanic is good, I'll pay the money. If he's going to pad the bill, not so much. I got to the point I couldn't trust my ex dealer would actually charge me for real labor without padding the time.
Mark
I'm not against people making a buck, but it can go too far. If I'm paying a premium, I expect premium service. I'd have even been okay if they charged me their parts overage OR the freight, but both? Then make me wait?
If the mechanic is good, I'll pay the money. If he's going to pad the bill, not so much. I got to the point I couldn't trust my ex dealer would actually charge me for real labor without padding the time.
Mark
THALL10326
The Champ
Well I can't really speak as a bonified Stihl dealer since I'm part of a huge lumber outfit. Recently RiverRat came by and together we put a set of seals in a old 028. Heres how the bill was. Full price for all parts which consisted of only seals, fuel fliter and a spark plug. $25.00 for Cuda cleaning and $25.00 for labor, a 1/2 hour. If thats too much then no point in even doing repairs at all I feel. I can get by with that because I'm within a big big muti million dollar lumber outfit. I'm not so sure a man running a full bonified dealership could stay in business charging what we charge...
thomas72
Addicted to ArboristSite
Around here saw shops are charging from $55.00 a hour to $65.00 a hour. I do not see anything wrong with that hourly rate if the saw shop repairs the unit the first time. If you really think about it $100.00 in a fuel system overhaul is not that much if you can make $1000.00 off a two day job. For me it is not feasible to take any of my saws to a saw shop since I do not make much money with them. I only cut about 8 cords of wood a year, and collect as many non running saws as I can find. I have fixed over 60 of my saws and I would be one broke brother if I had to pay someone to do it for me.
Just Mow
Don't touch my Willie !!!
It would be hard, but another thing that helps is they are working on mowers as well.
The biggest problem the shops face are the people that buy the crap that the mass merchants sell and then when they come in it usually runs half the price of the unit for repair. When they are calle dthey don't come back to pick up. now these dealers are charging half an hour labor as a deposit so if that happens then they arent out the money that they had to pay the tech.
THALL10326
The Champ
That is so true. We have a dealer way out of town that is also a mower repair shop. This guy sells everything. Behind his shop are acres of old mowers laying outthere. People never came back and got them. I'm talking hundreds of those dayumm things laying in a feild. Fact is though dealers get harped upon not all customers are on the up and up either. I've gotton stuck with a few specail order parts. I was being nice and trusted the person would come and get it so I didn't charge upfront. Not anymore. Stuck once too many times on parts. Now its pay first before I order it. The big Honda bike dealer down the street is the exact sameway so I don't feel bad about it..
redprospector
Addicted to ArboristSite
A good dealer, with a good tech is worth his weight in gold!
Fix what you can, and let them fix what you can't.
O-ring's can be bought at a lot of places, it may not say brigg's on the package but if it will fit great.
Try to support your (good) dealer all that you can, because some day you will need him.
Andy
Fix what you can, and let them fix what you can't.
O-ring's can be bought at a lot of places, it may not say brigg's on the package but if it will fit great.
Try to support your (good) dealer all that you can, because some day you will need him.
Andy
rreidnauer
ArboristSite Operative
I believe you can! But it's a bit of a ways for me to come.
I'm looking for one who has their prices posted online, but haven't had much luck. (actually, I was surprised I found a Stihl dealer that did) And since I'm happy doing my own work, I've never visited one to check prices.I should add that when I said Husky was more affordable, I was referring to the initial saw purchase.
RiverRat2
Serio Tree Freak
@ my dealer they augment with the OPE + mowers/rentals
If people refuse to pick up their stuff or they dont pay,,, they forfeit the right to recover the equipment and if its a decent unit they usually put a tag on it priced for the parts and labor,,, most of the time they dont last long!!!! ya dont lose money but ya aint makein much for the effort either!!!!!!
BTW its still legal to Hang a horse theif in tha state of Texas,,,,
Yahoo Buckeroo!!!
If people refuse to pick up their stuff or they dont pay,,, they forfeit the right to recover the equipment and if its a decent unit they usually put a tag on it priced for the parts and labor,,, most of the time they dont last long!!!! ya dont lose money but ya aint makein much for the effort either!!!!!!
BTW its still legal to Hang a horse theif in tha state of Texas,,,,
Yahoo Buckeroo!!!
THALL10326
The Champ
:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange: that was a good one,hahahahaha. If that old cogger hadn't brought me my pack of smokes I was gonna get a rope,LOLOL
