How much $ is too much?

[swampfox]

I'll stand by what I said in my previous post.

I know how the game works, and you don't get the free saw without pitching a fit.

The saw shouldn't have been missing parts, but most places won't re-assemble a saw that the customer doesn't want to repair. The customer would then have to pay for that reassembly.

So, who paid the dealer here? Lowes or Vapnut?

Dealers do like the box stores as they are a magnet for this type of customer, keeping them from bothering us.

No worries here Spike. I won't be "bothering" you with my business I can see both sides of this having been a mechanic for many years (not a technician, mind you) but there are always two sides and I don't think customers, including Vapnut, want something for free. Sure, some are pricks that bust nuts over every little thing but they are 1%. The rest of us just want fair treatment, independent dealer, Big Box or otherwise. I for one want to have a good relationship with a local business and be taken care of and not taken advantage of - even over little things. Peace! Peter

 

[rreidnauer]

I'd pitch a fit too, if I came back to get my incomplete saw, and be $55 lighter in the wallet. I'm not saying one deserves a new saw out of the deal. That was truely above and beyond. I'd be happy just getting back what I brought in AND THEN I would be more than happy paying for the diagnosis, that's only fair. Also, how long can it take to dismantle and reassemble a saw for diagnosis? Bet less than an hour. I'd say $55 covers that pretty well for a round trip.

I would like to hear more about what was wrong with it. (we may never know since it's probably in the compactor behind the store ) And I'd suspect vapnut had to pay the $55, but only he can answer that for sure.

 

[THALL10326]

OK, so nobody is a fan of the big box stores, so this is what happened to me this very day. I had to send my lemon 359 (bought at the local big box store some like to call "Slowes". They sent the saw to their contracted Husqvarna servicing dealer for a diagnosis and repair estimate. The estimate to fix the saw was $278, and I declined the repair. I still owed $55 for diagnostics. When I went in to The Big Box Store to get my saw, I discovered it was still torn apart and not reassembled. Parts were even missing! This was unacceptable and if I had to, I would have sought my recourse with the crooked, dishonest servicing dealer, but instead complained to the Big Box Store manager. The manager offered to refund my original purchase price including taxes, or I could take a new saw off the shelf, my choice. Now I bought this saw FOUR YEARS AGO, yet the manager from this Big Box Store was willing to make ME a happy customer, and make things RIGHT. Now, what I want to know is... how many of you independent servicing dealers are willing to go this far to make things RIGHT for a customer? Or, do you have to LIKE me first? Husqvarna didn't, the servicing dealer wouldn't, but the Big Box Store went the extra mile for a customer. If you can't fix it yourself, your best bet is to get cheap, throw away saws you can buy from ANYWHERE, but not Steals because of their price fixing marketing strategy. Any saw is worth it's price only if it performs as advertised. And sometimes it's NOT something the customer did that caused a saw to fail, but try proving that one!

Seems you got a great deal. You should be more carefull with your boasting though, why, lets pick it apart here and read between the lines. You say the saw was a lemon yet it ran 4 years, hmmmm, thats not a lemon, thats a saw that failed after 4 years. Strike one on you. You declined the 278.00 repair with no sweat. Apparenty you felt it wasn't worth fixing. No problem. Them tearing it apart to see what was wrong with it and billing you 55.00 for doing so, that you have a problem with. Shipping it back and forth cost money and the guy that open the saw up must be paid as well. I suppose you felt it should have been done for free, do you work for free, no, thats strike two for you. You see your saw in pieces and all the sudden that saw that wasn't worth fixing is all the sudden worth having a tissy over, why, hmmmmmm. That was your opening to pull your number on the manager and you did great. Typical box store customer, complain hard enuff and they will do anything to getcha out the building. You screwed him over, you know it , I know it and everyone that read your post knows it. That is why you hate the dealers, they won't put up with your non-sense. Oddly as well what you ignore is that saw didn't cost that manager one penny out his pocket but everyone that goes in that store will each pay a part of the cost you sucked him out of, inculding you. You won't notice the few pennies up on everything else in the building but thanks to people like you everyone has to pay a tad more to cover for swindlers like you. What you pulled is nothing more than legal shop lifiting and everyone pays.

What I find most odd is your calling dealers crooks and dishonest yet you don't see yourself as one. After reading your entire post its clear to me your nothing more than a con artist of sort. You admitted in your post on how you complained about a saw 4 years old and got a new saw out of it. Betcha laffed all the way home didn't ya. Now tell me, what makes you so great. Stealing is stealing, how you do it doesn't matter. You got yourself a freebie saw and then you boast how you got it by saying in so many words the dealers would have never given you one. Your smart and your right. Thats why you shop box stores dontcha, a blind man could be read your post see right through you.

You go on to say Stihl is price fixing the market, what a joke. What Stihl does do is sell through dealers only, yup those awfull dealers that aren't box store managers you can swindle out of new saws. Can't really blame you for being ticked at dealers, they're not as dumb as you wish they were, they handle people like you quite differently than the box store managers. Much harder to pull one over on the man that knows his products isn't it,wink!

BTW the price of 16 penny nails go up tomorrow at Lowes to pay for that free saw you got today. Dayumm them shoplifters and thieves and con artists, they make us all pay, grrrrrrr. All the carpenters thank you but don't go near where they are working,LOL

 

[THALL10326]

I'd pitch a fit too, if I came back to get my incomplete saw, and be $55 lighter in the wallet. I'm not saying one deserves a new saw out of the deal. That was truely above and beyond. I'd be happy just getting back what I brought in AND THEN I would be more than happy paying for the diagnosis, that's only fair. Also, how long can it take to dismantle and reassemble a saw for diagnosis? Bet less than an hour. I'd say $55 covers that pretty well for a round trip.

I would like to hear more about what was wrong with it. (we may never know since it's probably in the compactor behind the store ) And I'd suspect vapnut had to pay the $55, but only he can answer that for sure.

Agree, the 55.00 was for tear down and shipping. If you look at his post close I think its safe to say he had already been to the dealers over that saw. He sure thinks he knows alot about dealers. I assume the dealers sent him packing and the box store where he bought it was his last chance, he did good, I'll give him credit for that...

 

[Cut4fun]

I guess this is what made me like this Dolmar/Echo dealer down the road.
First time ever had to have a saw checked and first time to this dealer, because at one time I didnt have a clue on what to look for wrong.
Even though i didn't want to fix the saw for his estimate (before I learned to work on saws a little) he said if you dont want to fix it I can just toss it in the parts heap for diagnostic fee. I said naw, I will come pick it up and drove the 24 mile round trip. When i ask what i owed he said $5 will cover my troubles.
Then he also threw the parts back on while I was there talking with him and explained what i needed and then went on telling me about Dolmars, which at the time I had never heard of before. My how times have changed. :greenchainsaw:

 

[spike60]

but there are always two sides and I don't think customers, including Vapnut, want something for free.

You're kidding, right Peter? It's clear that Sap, I mean Vap, wanted something for free here, and he got it. Got a brand new saw. After 4 YEARS. No way the guy deserves a new saw after that time.

And then he sarcastically puts it out there asking dealers if they would be a stupid as the Lowes manager and give away free saws. And he knows the answer is no, but he is so self centered he believes that he is entitled to a free saw to make things "right" and himself "happy".

I don't know what you do for a living Peter, but would YOU want to do business with this guy?

 

[spike60]

I'd pitch a fit too, if I came back to get my incomplete saw, and be $55 lighter in the wallet.

I would like to hear more about what was wrong with it. (we may never know since it's probably in the compactor behind the store ) And I'd suspect vapnut had to pay the $55, but only he can answer that for sure.

Yes, I was wondering what the actual problem was with the saw. $278 seems like a lot, as does $55. The $55 however probably reflects a standard diagnostic fee that the dealer charges Lowes. My store woulld be $10. The saw would still be unassembled, but complete.

Got another question for all of you guys who want to pat Vap on the back. Put yourself behind the counter at your own store. He comes in with a saw that's 4 years old. Doesn't want to pay to have it repaired. Starts complaining. Would you give him a free saw if it was coming out of YOUR pocket? Didn't think so.

 

[swampfox]

Spike: I'm not kidding and we don't know all the facts. I'm not agreeing that a 4 year old saw should be replaced for free - that's ridiculous. Any business would go broke. However, giving him back a saw in pieces, missing parts is not right either. Most times these situations are a result of miscommunication compounded by mistakes. Sounds trite but many customers are not told up front what they're getting into. Having been a technician, I actually "enjoy" paying for good service as silly as it sounds. Getting treated better than you expect to is a thrill for me. I don't have high expectations mind you. I've had a lot of experience dealing with the "public" and it is challenging. When I was a tech - I mean mech - I worked alongside of a guy I wouldn't let change a light bulb for me. This is where the dealer or manager has to step in and make things right. Sometimes we have to go above and beyond to save a customer. Not saying that Vapnut is right mind you but a business needs to be fair to its customers if it wants to keep them. Sometimes that means going above and beyond. Peter

 

[spike60]

Why am I not surprised to see a followup to vapnut's post come as name calling. A. He never said he wasn't paying for the teardown.

Where in Vap's original post does he say that he was going to pay the diagnostic charge?

Also, Vap has indeed been whining about this 359 for quite some time, here on the site, and probably everywhere he goes. He's mad a Husky, mad a Stihl for some reason???, mad at dealers. Man's a whiner.

 

[Cut4fun]

When i ask what i owed he said $5 will cover my troubles.
Then he also threw the parts back on while I was there talking with him and explained what i needed and then went on telling me about Dolmars, which at the time I had never heard of before. My how times have changed.

For some reason I could see Thall doing this very same thing where he works and use it as a opportunity to introduce someone to stihl saws and what they may need for the job at hand.

 

[THALL10326]

For some reason I could see Thall doing this very same thing where he works and use it as a opportunity to introduce someone to stihl saws and what they may need for the job at hand.

I would have opened it up for way less than 55.00 but I'm not paying any shipping back and forth. To yank the cylinder, maybe 20.00-25.00, if he buys a new Stihl I'll do it for nothing, providing he buys a new saw. If not he's gotsa pay.............

Of note, I will not put it back together though, no point in it if he won't fix it..

 

[spike60]

Spike: I'm not kidding and we don't know all the facts. I'm not agreeing that a 4 year old saw should be replaced for free - that's ridiculous. Any business would go broke. However, giving him back a saw in pieces, missing parts is not right either. Most times these situations are a result of miscommunication compounded by mistakes. Sounds trite but many customers are not told up front what they're getting into.

Well said, and I completely agree. And this type of confusion is prevalent with the box store business model, which is one of the reasons I don't get involved with it. Uninformed customers dealing with clueless store employees is a receipe for foul up's like this.

But again, Vap did want something for nothing. Something he didn't deserve. Then he lobbed a grenade at dealers in general asking if they would give him a free saw as did Lowes. I responded in kind.

 

[THALL10326]

Spike: I'm not kidding and we don't know all the facts. I'm not agreeing that a 4 year old saw should be replaced for free - that's ridiculous. Any business would go broke. However, giving him back a saw in pieces, missing parts is not right either. Most times these situations are a result of miscommunication compounded by mistakes. Sounds trite but many customers are not told up front what they're getting into. Having been a technician, I actually "enjoy" paying for good service as silly as it sounds. Getting treated better than you expect to is a thrill for me. I don't have high expectations mind you. I've had a lot of experience dealing with the "public" and it is challenging. When I was a tech - I mean mech - I worked alongside of a guy I wouldn't let change a light bulb for me. This is where the dealer or manager has to step in and make things right. Sometimes we have to go above and beyond to save a customer. Not saying that Vapnut is right mind you but a business needs to be fair to its customers if it wants to keep them. Sometimes that means going above and beyond. Peter

Thats true to a degree but mind you now, what your saying is kissing the butt of one means you have to kiss the butt of all or your not treating all your customers equal. The man was not due a new saw but the manager caved in to his complaining. If that manager caved in to everyones complaints like that he'll soon be out of a job. No customer is worth your job no matter how much they complain.

 

[swampfox]

Thats true to a degree but mind you now, what your saying is kissing the butt of one means you have to kiss the butt of all or your not treating all your customers equal. The man was not due a new saw but the manager caved in to his complaining. If that manager caved in to everyones complaints like that he'll soon be out of a job. No customer is worth your job no matter how much they complain.

I never said kiss the butt of "all" customers but make good on mistakes and treat customers fairly depending on the situation. I've "dismissed" a few customers to never return in my day and that's the choice a business has to make. In my case I paid full price, never complained, and was not treated like a "valued" customer when I did have a problem. Charging me for shipping on a normal stocking part and blowing me off my my saw wouln't stay running is not what I'm looking for - I don't care if it's Big box or independent dealer. I'm sure you'd feel the same way. :help:

 

[THALL10326]

I never said kiss the butt of "all" customers but make good on mistakes and treat customers fairly depending on the situation. I've "dismissed" a few customers to never return in my day and that's the choice a business has to make. In my case I paid full price, never complained, and was not treated like a "valued" customer when I did have a problem. Charging me for shipping on a normal stocking part and blowing me off my my saw wouln't stay running is not what I'm looking for - I don't care if it's Big box or independent dealer. I'm sure you'd feel the same way. :help:

I'd feel the sameway if I knew I was right. This deal of this guy getting this new saw is a no brainer. Its quite obvious what took place. Now he's in here huffing and puffing at dealers but you my man will indeed help pay for his free saw, you can rest assured of that. These big chain stores know exaclty how to get their money back, pass it onto others.

As for your saw I told you what I would have charged, 12.50 plus parts, do you find that fair? As for the shipping on the part yes I think that was alittle unfair but remember no one is twisting your arm to ever deal with that man again. Coming in here and grouping all dealers as that dealer doesn't help your cause at all. You would have been better off to tell everyone don't deal with so and so than to group all dealers in general as your dealer.

 

[spike60]

Is this one over already? It was starting to get fun. One of the things that I found somewhat amusing is the righteous indignation over the missing parts.

Don't get me wrong, the guy is entitled to all of his parts. Even on a saw that was deemed not worth fixing.

But would it not have been reasonable, and more realistic, for the Lowes manager to say, "Ok Mr. Vapnut, I'll see that we get the rest of your parts back when the dealer returns next week. I'll call you as soon as they are here."

But some of you guys grabbed onto the missing parts like it was a senate hearing in Washington. How DARE they forget all of the parts for a dead saw. Why not just get him back his parts?

 

[redprospector]

Seems you got a great deal. You should be more carefull with your boasting though, why, lets pick it apart here and read between the lines. You say the saw was a lemon yet it ran 4 years, hmmmm, thats not a lemon, thats a saw that failed after 4 years. Strike one on you. You declined the 278.00 repair with no sweat. Apparenty you felt it wasn't worth fixing. No problem. Them tearing it apart to see what was wrong with it and billing you 55.00 for doing so, that you have a problem with. Shipping it back and forth cost money and the guy that open the saw up must be paid as well. I suppose you felt it should have been done for free, do you work for free, no, thats strike two for you. You see your saw in pieces and all the sudden that saw that wasn't worth fixing is all the sudden worth having a tissy over, why, hmmmmmm. That was your opening to pull your number on the manager and you did great. Typical box store customer, complain hard enuff and they will do anything to getcha out the building. You screwed him over, you know it , I know it and everyone that read your post knows it. That is why you hate the dealers, they won't put up with your non-sense. Oddly as well what you ignore is that saw didn't cost that manager one penny out his pocket but everyone that goes in that store will each pay a part of the cost you sucked him out of, inculding you. You won't notice the few pennies up on everything else in the building but thanks to people like you everyone has to pay a tad more to cover for swindlers like you. What you pulled is nothing more than legal shop lifiting and everyone pays.

What I find most odd is your calling dealers crooks and dishonest yet you don't see yourself as one. After reading your entire post its clear to me your nothing more than a con artist of sort. You admitted in your post on how you complained about a saw 4 years old and got a new saw out of it. Betcha laffed all the way home didn't ya. Now tell me, what makes you so great. Stealing is stealing, how you do it doesn't matter. You got yourself a freebie saw and then you boast how you got it by saying in so many words the dealers would have never given you one. Your smart and your right. Thats why you shop box stores dontcha, a blind man could be read your post see right through you.

You go on to say Stihl is price fixing the market, what a joke. What Stihl does do is sell through dealers only, yup those awfull dealers that aren't box store managers you can swindle out of new saws. Can't really blame you for being ticked at dealers, they're not as dumb as you wish they were, they handle people like you quite differently than the box store managers. Much harder to pull one over on the man that knows his products isn't it,wink!

BTW the price of 16 penny nails go up tomorrow at Lowes to pay for that free saw you got today. Dayumm them shoplifters and thieves and con artists, they make us all pay, grrrrrrr. All the carpenters thank you but don't go near where they are working,LOL

Hahahahaha, Sound's kinda like the pot calling the kettle black to me.

Andy

 

[chainsawman]

how much $ too much

ive always charged 52.00 hourly on my jobs . havent got any complaints because i always point to my sign that says MASTER SERVICE TECHNICIAN then they understand . not like some little hillbilly garage that is run out of there garage

 

[THALL10326]

Hahahahaha, Sound's kinda like the pot calling the kettle black to me.

Andy

Naaaaaaaaaa when the pot calls the kettle black it's usually two birds of the same feather. The only thing the same here is you and me, we're gonna pay for that man's free saw. I don't mind though, hell S'lowes saws aren't that costly,

 

[spacemule]

OK, so nobody is a fan of the big box stores, so this is what happened to me this very day. I had to send my lemon 359 (bought at the local big box store some like to call "Slowes". They sent the saw to their contracted Husqvarna servicing dealer for a diagnosis and repair estimate. The estimate to fix the saw was $278, and I declined the repair. I still owed $55 for diagnostics. When I went in to The Big Box Store to get my saw, I discovered it was still torn apart and not reassembled. Parts were even missing! This was unacceptable and if I had to, I would have sought my recourse with the crooked, dishonest servicing dealer, but instead complained to the Big Box Store manager. The manager offered to refund my original purchase price including taxes, or I could take a new saw off the shelf, my choice. Now I bought this saw FOUR YEARS AGO, yet the manager from this Big Box Store was willing to make ME a happy customer, and make things RIGHT. Now, what I want to know is... how many of you independent servicing dealers are willing to go this far to make things RIGHT for a customer? Or, do you have to LIKE me first? Husqvarna didn't, the servicing dealer wouldn't, but the Big Box Store went the extra mile for a customer. If you can't fix it yourself, your best bet is to get cheap, throw away saws you can buy from ANYWHERE, but not Steals because of their price fixing marketing strategy. Any saw is worth it's price only if it performs as advertised. And sometimes it's NOT something the customer did that caused a saw to fail, but try proving that one!

I'm thinking of a good place for a size 12, and I'd have a ball showing you.