local shop part 2

[quasikeaggy]

i didn't want to hijack this thread, so i thought i'd make my own.

just as some background, my wife and i are looking to buy a wood burning stove next summer. through various friends and co-workers, i've started stockpiling wood that i'll let dry for next year. i don't currently own a chainsaw and am stuck borrowing a friends poulan plus. it's not bad, but i definitely want my own.

after reading this website for a few days, i'm really leaning towards getting a Husky 353. my dilemma is where do i buy it? i can get a great price and some freebies from southwest fastener's or bailey's but if i need it worked on, will my local dealer help me out or just blow me off since i didn't buy it from them? i haven't checked my local dealer for prices/deals but i'm assuming they'll be more expensive than online.

any thought or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[jefeVTtreeman]

local

i live in a small town and like you i could have gotton my saws from the weba nd paid quite a bit less but my local shop puts their sticker on all the saws so when you bring in one that is missing the sticker they kind of give you the evil death look which would then make me question the service im about to get. plus i like keeping money local so i paid the extra to keep everone happy, plus now they give great tips and ideas for different situations.

 

[HiOctane]

Go local way,its easier to get the repair done or get parts.Probably few bucks more but worth it.

 

[twoodward15]

they sell them at lowes around here. Try popping in if you have one locally to see what they have.

 

[quasikeaggy]

thanks for the replies. looks like i'll be taking a trip to the local place to see what kind of prices they have and maybe strike up a relationship with them.

i have a lowes very close and i know they carry husky's. i don't know if they have the 353 or not. the only thing i don't like about buying it at lowes is that i can't take it to a dealer to get it repaired. i have to call husky or take it to lowes who just sends it to husky. seems like a pain when i have a dealer about 15 miles away.

 

[bump_r]

they sell them at lowes around here. Try popping in if you have one locally to see what they have.

Perhaps it's time to distinguish between "dealer" and "retailer". The way I see it, Lowes sells chain saws, whereas my dealer deals with chain saws. Sure, lowes will take your money and hand you a saw, but for me, I want more out of a transaction. Would Lowes have special ordered my DP muffler cover? Roller chain catcher? Will they order me parts as things wear or break? Will the same snot-nosed high-schooler looking for doobey-money working the lawn and garden department today be there next year? What about after model changeover? Will he or whomever takes his place have the knowledge, ambition and resources to offer service to a saw I bought xx years ago? Maybe, maybe not. A specialty shop, a true dealer will. That's his job. He doesn't give a boo about drywall, refrigerators, bath tubs or storm doors. When I bought my MS290, MS170, MS460, SH 85 and the assorted whatnot to go with them, I would hope that I aslo walked out with future support, parts availability, and a solid professional relationship with a professional saw supplier.

Sure, as my experience grows, I feel my dependance on the dealer for certain facets of support decreasing, but I still like being able to male the call that would go something like this (and they have already):

Ring-ring..

Hello (not mentioning non-sponsors!), this is Dan

Hi Dan, this is Bob xxxxx, I'm looking for a xxxxx for my xxxxxx

Oh, hi, Bob, let me pull that up... I show that (insert "in stock" or "not in stock, but can have it by xx/xx/xx")

That's cool, I'll be in around 5 to pick it up

We close at 5, but we'll still be here, see you then.

Bye

Bye

By contrast, when I did buy my @$#%&*!#%#$ Poulan from Lowes, it was a demo and was missing a sprocket cover nut. The conversation went like this:
Do you have a replacement nut I can buy?

No, but we have nuts over in Hardware, you can find something that will work.

Oh.

A dealer is a specialist, a retailer just turns product. I'm sure there are places that have grey areas in between my two extremes, and that's dandy, no need for the discussion to be black and white. MY experiences in MY area with MY dealers and MY retailers make ME make MY own choice, and I don't regret for one second paying MSRP to be on a first-name basis with a pro.

 

[Ed*L]

Get it from your local dealer. Even if the saw is going to cost a few bucks more, it's worth it.
I know a Husky dealer who will NOT work on a saw that was bought elsewhere. Not even warranty work.

Ed

 

[quasikeaggy]

thanks again for the info. i was already leaning towards getting it from the dealer for the reasons that people gave. now that i hear some good and bad stories, i'm definitely going to use my local dealer. sounds like i'll be happier in the long run.

 

[wagonwheeler]

Unless the local dealer is consistenly bad or has a bad reputation I'd recommend buying local. And remember that nobody wants to be judged by thier worst day.

There have been LOTS of benefits from dealing w/ my local dealer. I still order some things elsewhere, but start w/ my dealer and am more than happy to pay a little more (within reason) so that I don't have to think about that particular item any longer.

Shopping things to death is an absolute waste of time if your time is worth more than $10/hr...

My 'spare' time is worth a LOT to me!

Chaser

 

[twoodward15]

OK, OK, I misread his post. I thought he said he didn't have a dealer nearby. If I was in the market for a saw and had a dealer near then I would certainly buy it from them. I am not advocating buying from lowes, I just though he didn't have any place to buy a husky from and thought i'd mention them. Bump r, I am on the same page you are on. I agree with you completely.

 

[SteveH]

I go to my local dealer, a one-man shop that, in my case, happens to be Stihl, but I'd do it for any brand. You will sooner or later need some expert advice, or even not necessarily expert if you are not a chainsaw expert yourself. Your local person [dealer, I mean] will be able to chat about the problem, ask some pointed questions, give the saw a look, if appropriate tell you what to do or how much it'll take for him to do it, get you parts, advise you on the saw/bar/chain you will want for the work you are doing. Endless information. You might and likely will pay a little more for your saw up front, but you'll reap all kinds of benefit and it will be more likely the shop will still be open when you need it. I have even taken to buying my bar oil, etc., thru my shop even though I could save a buck or two somewhere else. It probably adds up to maybe $10 a year or something, I don't really know or care, and it is worth it.

 

[JUDGE1162]

I bought both my saws online from a Husky DEALER, they happen to be on the west coast and I am in NY, but it saved me $50 over the local dealer, they were even cheaper than Lowes, plus a got a free "power box" case, 2 free chains so a total of 3 chains came with the saw and a bar up grade, a free hat and free shipping. Since I bought it from a dealer and not lowes or Sears (they also carry husky saws) I can bring it to any Dealer and have it serviced. I go to my local husky dealer for chain sharpening, bar oil, 2 cycle oil, etc. I have yet to need service but before I bought the saw I spoke with Husky and they said if you buy from a dealer you can go to any dealer for service if you buy from lowes or sears things are diffrent.

There are draw back buying on-line, The dealer did not set up the saw for me I had to do it myself (They did test it and adjusted the carb, but I had to re-adust for my local conditions, your local dealer should set up the saw for you. The whole I put on a sticker so if you don't have a sticker I can't help you is BS, if they are a husky dealer they will help you with a husky saw. You can still order parts, chains, etc if you don't buy the saw there.

I lied to mine and told him I just moved to town, and already owned the saw. He has even worked on my fathers stihl and my Mac saw, a real saw shop will work on anythig you got no matter where you got it from, only time it matters is for warrenty. (Like buying a car you don't need to go back to the dealership you bought the car from)

 

[quasikeaggy]

judge,

just so i can look at prices, what was the dealer on the west coast you bought from? i'll still check out my local place to see their prices and whatnot but it sounds like you got a great deal from a real dealer.

 

[computeruser]

judge,

just so i can look at prices, what was the dealer on the west coast you bought from? i'll still check out my local place to see their prices and whatnot but it sounds like you got a great deal from a real dealer.

Ah, entrapment! The 'thou shalt not identify by name dealers who are not AS sponsors' rule is about to be broken!!

Seriously, though, if you're looking for a Husqvarna 353 and can find it for $375 or less, you're looking at a price that represents a good value. Most dealers who move any volume of saws will be able to meet or beat this price. And when you factor in the intangible benefits that come from dealing face-to-face with a good dealer, then even a $400 price tag is fair and reasonable.

I would encourage you to make at least one major saw or accessories purchase from your local dealer, even if your subsequent purchases come from other locations or are of used saws. I'd make this almost an absolute rule when we're talking about your first saw purchase. The value that comes from establishing a rapport with the people you’re going to turn to for “oh shoot, I need it right now!” parts, accessories, and service, is invaluable. It has been my experience that most good dealers offer fair prices on their products which, when you factor in the value of the relationship, represent a very good value.

The trick, though, is to find a good dealer. Someone who knows saws, has good customer service skills, and who genuinely appreciates your business. It is no easy task, and you may have to go through a couple until you find one that works for you. If you can find out where the local loggers, arborists, county tree crews, power company line crews, etc., buy their stuff, that is usually a good indicator that the shop is sufficiently capable and knowledgeable to be worth frequenting.

Good luck in purchasing your first saw. We look forward to pictures and stories!!

 

[Mr.]

Shopping things to death is an absolute waste of time if your time is worth more than $10/hr...

My 'spare' time is worth a LOT to me!

Chaser

Your spare time is spent here same as the rest of us. Sit down and my brother.

Fred

 

[musch]

i didn't want to hijack this thread, so i thought i'd make my own.

i haven't checked my local dealer for prices/deals but i'm assuming they'll be more expensive than online.

any thought or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thats a big assumption. There are a couple actual dealers near me that come within about 20 bucks of the cheapest online dealers. Usually they'll throw in some oil, a chain, whatever, and are always good for a cheap bar, or a deal on some other thing like trimmer parts or whatever. Local definately has its perks.