Stihl MS460 ignition warranty?

Tony Snyder · Jun 8, 2003

I'm working on a low hour (one bar, three chains)MS460 for a customer. It has a dead ignition unit. I don't sell Stihls.

I called the largest area dealer, they told me the ignition was warrantied but only if they done the work. They are $60 an hour on labor. They also told me it had to have been purchased there, but they took over the line a couple of years ago from their competitor that went broke.

Anyone have comment on this? How about it Stihltech? Is this Stihls policy?

I have seen the same dealer hand out grass trimmer shafts on warranty for users to install as long as they showed the broken one.

If Stihl won't make a warrantied part good, and won't warranty another dealers stuff doesn't this tarnish that sterling reputation; The very reason your pay the extra price in the first place.

PS The overall saw is out of warranty. The dealer went broke and the guy was apparently too inconvenienced to get it to another Stihl dealer. It's about 2 1/2 years old.

stihltech · Jun 8, 2003

ignition

It should be well within the warranty. The only thing I do ask if it is not my customer is to try and find their warranty slip. This just makes things sooo much easier to get the warranty through, and I have been burned by a couple of non=original owner saws.
Supposedly you can call Stihl and find out if it is the original owner, but that assumes that the selling dealer filled out the warranty slip and sent it in.

Don't always happen. That is why I keep my own record of saws sold.

Gypo Logger · Jun 8, 2003

I was told by a Stihl dealer that ignitions after 2003 are no longer warranted in Canada.
John

jokers · Jun 9, 2003

Same in the US of Eh John. Those modules aren`t cheap either.

Russ

Tony Snyder · Jun 9, 2003

I wonder why whether it is the original owner matters? Does something bad happen to an ignition when it falls into the hands of the second owner?

I'm highly biased but I just think Stihl spends too much time thinking up policies, and not enough refining the reliability and power to weight performance of their products.

stihltech · Jun 9, 2003

ignition warranty

Units bought after March 2003, the ignition module is warranteed for 2 years, parts and labor, and 5 years parts only to the original owner

Before that date, it is lifetime to the original owner, parts only. Parts and labor during the warranty period of the unit.

I am guilty of not charging the labor to a good customer. As to others, I will be more careful. You only eat one of those modules at 60 dollars plus.