Saw shop games

[Union_mike]

Hey everyone looking for some feedback and advice. Went to my local shop the other day for a coil for my husky 372xp shop wouldnt sell me the coil because "electronics are non refundable and we need to diagnose the saw first" ok I'll bite so I leave the saw off they say that I should hear from them on Friday this was monday. Tuesday 830am I get a phone call telling me my saw has been diagnosed with piston and cylinder scoring and they found straight gas in the saw and to fix it will be $500 but its not worth it because the saw is 6yrs old and that the husky 372xp is a throw away saw.....and I should just replace it. Ok so I'm a munincipal worker/ tree guy I know the straight gas story is bs because we use the same mix in our saws, blowers, trimmers everything and we mix to 40:1 not 50:1 just for protection. Also this saw is not run 40hrs a week like a commercial guy would run it. Im really at a loss on what to do because I know this shop is raking us over the coals. And yes I tested the coil everytime the saw got hot id lose spark, I know i should have bought a coil from baileys and just done it in house. But what recourse can be done to this dealer and now I hear I'm not the first one they've done this to.

 

[medalist]

You could have simply purchased the coil with the understanding electronic parts are non returnable. I'm sure everyone wants a new part and not one used previously and returned by another customer performing swapnostics. Diagnostics were already complete to your satisfaction and 2 screws and a business card you're back out working.

Was/is the saw in good running shape and otherwise well maintained? Recent vintage?

I'll play devil's advocate here and suggest almost all small service shops could not survive long with this being their business plan. They make better margins selling parts and service that selling new product...by far!

There are other scenarios that cause piston scoring and ring seizure aside from mix ratios and a tactful discussion on that possibility might be a consideration.

Recourse? ..If you feel you were victimized I'd speak to the business owner about how you feel and why. Maybe there is some consideration to be made if you bought your saw(s) there originally, had your service and repair work performed there, and otherwise a customer in good standing. He'd hate to lose your valuable business.

Good luck. My advice...buy a different saw and do your own service.

Hate to say how many intake boot failures I have seen but back in the day there were few aftermarket compression parts so a scored piston/cylinder usually meant the repair was cost prohibitive. Pro series saws have different numbers to consider.

Disclaimer... I've been on both sides of the counter...

 

[jefflovstrom]

Look and verify what they said, see for yourself.
Jeff

 

[AGoodSteward]

"but its not worth it because the saw is 6yrs old and that the husky 372xp is a throw away saw." Find a different shop.

 

[lone wolf]

Hey everyone looking for some feedback and advice. Went to my local shop the other day for a coil for my husky 372xp shop wouldnt sell me the coil because "electronics are non refundable and we need to diagnose the saw first" ok I'll bite so I leave the saw off they say that I should hear from them on Friday this was monday. Tuesday 830am I get a phone call telling me my saw has been diagnosed with piston and cylinder scoring and they found straight gas in the saw and to fix it will be $500 but its not worth it because the saw is 6yrs old and that the husky 372xp is a throw away saw.....and I should just replace it. Ok so I'm a munincipal worker/ tree guy I know the straight gas story is bs because we use the same mix in our saws, blowers, trimmers everything and we mix to 40:1 not 50:1 just for protection. Also this saw is not run 40hrs a week like a commercial guy would run it. Im really at a loss on what to do because I know this shop is raking us over the coals. And yes I tested the coil everytime the saw got hot id lose spark, I know i should have bought a coil from baileys and just done it in house. But what recourse can be done to this dealer and now I hear I'm not the first one they've done this to.

Wow that's some BS from them huh! If you caled Stihl they would tell yo to go to another dealer. But if you really want to make a Federal case out of it take the muffler off and look at the piston for scoring. If not take a pic and let them precede with the lie and catch them!

 

[grizz55chev]

You could have simply purchased the coil with the understanding electronic parts are non returnable. I'm sure everyone wants a new part and not one used previously and returned by another customer performing swapnostics. Diagnostics were already complete to your satisfaction and 2 screws and a business card you're back out working.

Was/is the saw in good running shape and otherwise well maintained? Recent vintage?

I'll play devil's advocate here and suggest almost all small service shops could not survive long with this being their business plan. They make better margins selling parts and service that selling new product...by far!

There are other scenarios that cause piston scoring and ring seizure aside from mix ratios and a tactful discussion on that possibility might be a consideration.

Recourse? ..If you feel you were victimized I'd speak to the business owner about how you feel and why. Maybe there is some consideration to be made if you bought your saw(s) there originally, had your service and repair work performed there, and otherwise a customer in good standing. He'd hate to lose your valuable business.

Good luck. My advice...buy a different saw and do your own service.

Hate to say how many intake boot failures I have seen but back in the day there were few aftermarket compression parts so a scored piston/cylinder usually meant the repair was cost prohibitive. Pro series saws have different numbers to consider.

Disclaimer... I've been on both sides of the counter...

You saved me a LOT of typing!

 

[medalist]

I could have written far less but I'm working on being diplomatic for my grandson's benefit.

 

[Husky Man]

That is the first time I have ever heard a 372XP called a "Throw Away Saw", hell it's Rare that even a Stihlhead, would seriously call a 372XP a Throw away saw, never mind a Husky Dealer.
The 372XP has an Excellent reputation, that even most Stihl Guys won't Bash them

I don't know what recourse you have with this dealer in this situation, but after it is resolved, I would never be back at that dealer myself.


Doug

 

[giver]

I think the dealer is right, I'll give you 100$ for it as is

 

[grizz55chev]

I think the dealer is right, I'll give you 100$ for it as is

I'll go $125+ the ride, and i'm mostly a Stihl guy.

 

[lone wolf]

Opportunistic crooks!

 

[GilksTreeFelling]

find a new dealer. straight gassed is the old stand by to sell you expensive repairs. i cant tell you what recourse you have with that dealer. i would pay the hour labour to diagnose the saw so as to not burn a bridge. brign the saw home and replace the coil or take it to another reputable shop for a second opinion. and the 372 is absoluty NOT a throw away saw. hell i ran mine daily for 7 years before trading it in and still got 80% of retail value on trade in from my husqvarna dealer

 

[LogSawyer74]

I'd take the necessary tools and a flashlight and remove the muffler right there in the shop. If you are correct, somebody got some 'splainin to do....

 

[lone wolf]

I'd take the necessary tools and a flashlight and remove the muffler right there in the shop. If you are correct, somebody got some 'splainin to do....

Great idea .

 

[Silmaril]

So what ended up happening?

 

[NeSurfcaster]

That's why if I can't fix it I'll send it to a reputable builder from here or other forums. The shops around here aren't too good even tho some have been around forever.

 

[Ck0461]

I’d ask how they determined the piston was scored. Also ask what the compression #’s are. I’d bet the answer is “low” and they didn’t even test it. I’d get my saw back and tell them to shove it.

I picked up a fine 365 special with a similar story, my buddy was more than happy to get $75 out of a parts saw. I was surprised to find the p/c in fine shape. Pulled the spark arrester off(clogged) and it’s still cutting wood. I did offer to sell it back to my friend, but he was done with junk husqies and bought a farm boss.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

Shops and dealer have to make a profit too and this is one way they do it. No body cares about reputation. You can buy 4 Farmer Tec for under $800 including shipping. Yeah you are kind of an Idiot but then who does not do dumb stuff at least some of the time. As you say they are throw away saws so do not get too upset with what ever you do. They can be put together in under four hours and they cut pretty darn good. I recently had an experience with one where as a brand new saw ran 30 seconds and quit. So I assumed that a piece of debris got into the carb but no. So I thought a seal let go or the case gasket slipped but after a tear down nothing wrong put an after market carb on it two weeks ago and is purring. I bought the saw six or eight months ago, but never put gas in it. So I knew any dealer would say buy a new one. Thanks

 

[Mad Professor]

Why has the original poster not updated this thread?

 

[Silmaril]

Why has the original poster not updated this thread?

It might be that the shop wasn't lying.
We are an honest dealer and have things like this happen occasionally. We certainly wouldn't have said a saw like that is "garbage" but I remember not long ago someone brought in a saw with no spark. Well before we waste our time and the customer's money we did a compression test and found it was about 25 lbs under what the minimum was with some scoring. Could it have ran? Maybe, pretty darn unlikely though. I know I wouldn't want to invest $100 into a $300 saw with only a very small chance of it working and even then, how much longer would it have worked? The customer was upset and couldn't understand how no spark turned in to no good but we tried our best to explain it. In our case, the saw would not have been worth rebuilding. In Union Mike's scenario, we don't know what condition the saw was in. Sure it was a 372xp but it could have been whooped out. Owners of equipment are usually the last ones to admit when something is indeed garbage.