Today I Owned a MS361...For 10 Minutes

[Circle B MN]

So I came into a little bit of money today, and wanted to upgrade my MS290 to a MS361. The local small town rental store is the Stihl dealer in town, so I stopped by. They had a 361 on the shelf for what I considered a good price. I'll take it. Paid for the saw, and they put gas and oil in it and wanted to start it before I left to make sure it was good to go. Here is where life got interesting.

The new guy fuels up my saw and heads out back, I follow. He procedes to attempt to start my new saw by placing it on the rough concrete pad behind the shop, and ripping it. He's dancing around like he's trying to make it rain, while my saw is getting shredded. I brush it off, as the first scuff is always the worst.

So it doesn't start. I give a few rips for good measure, nothing. The regular guy comes out and rips on it some more andt hen takes it inside for testing. Saw has spark. Rips some more, nothing. Opens the gas tank and looks in..sniffs..pour it out on the bench..FULL OF WATER.!!

I still can't believe it myself, but it did in fact happen. Why in the world would you have a red can marked "SAW GAS" full of water..?

Full refund on the spot, and I'll get another somewhere else.

 

[husky362]

:jawdrop: that is just wrong

 

[Circle B MN]

I struggle still to comprehend it. Tomorrow I'll check out another dealer south of me, perhaps with better luck.

 

[avalancher]

Does make you wonder though, doesnt it? I always keep my water in rain barrels.
Maybe a disgruntled employee?

 

[wkpoor]

Seems like a pattern was developing there. Why would you need to plant it on the pad to start it in the first place? I know of places like that. They can be bad news from the moment you walk in.

 

[husky455rancher]

wow:jawdrop:

 

[custom8726]

Should have bought it for cost.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

dang
my dealer didnt do anything for my ms250 ( and they are an elite dealer) just handed it over no oil no nothing.. had to ask for the bar cover....
I may try another dealer.. the reason I went to that dealer it was the same dealer I bouth my bobcat and kubota tractors.... go figure

 

[husky455rancher]

the 2 saw i bought each time i got oil, scabbard, extra chain full tank of gas, scrench and manual. though i had to ask for the e3xtra chain on the last one.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

Things happen for a reason, something good for you will come from it.

Posts like this make me so glad I'm in the middle of many excellent close by dealers for all brands. With the competition for the business, they have to treat you right.

The real shame is that saw is probably sitting back on the shelf without any service.

Credit them for giving you a refund and not a lot of BS.

Good Luck &Take Care

 

[avalancher]

I wish we had a good dealer around here. For Husky we have the local Western Auto, and they never have the parts that I need. They even had to order an air filter for my 372.
for Stihl we have the local Hardware shop, they dont seem to have a clue as to what they are selling and they dont service anything. I bought my stihl brushcutter there, and minutes after I got in home the coil went out. had to bring it back to them, they had to send it out for repair. I wanted to just get a coil under warranty and be back to cutting brush, but they said no dice, couldnt do it. Took me three weeks to get my brush cutter back. I have no idea where they sent it out to.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I am in shock. I would report this dealer to Stihl at their website immediately. This dealer ought to have his license to sell any Stihl product jerked by the parent company. That's just plain disgusting.

Let it be known that my dealer agrees with me after I told him this story. Holy Cow! :censored:

 

[spike60]

I am in shock. I would report this dealer to Stihl at their website immediately. This dealer ought to have his license to sell any Stihl product jerked by the parent company. That's just plain disgusting.

Let it be known that my dealer agrees with me after I told him this story. Holy Cow! :censored:

Geez, that's a bit harsh, ain't it?

Something like that doesn't happen by accident; some moron did that deliberately.

I agree with avalancher's idea about a disgruntled employee. Either that or a jerk with a sick sense of humor.

 

[outdoortype]

Way too harsh

Geez, that's a bit harsh, ain't it?

Something like that doesn't happen by accident; some moron did that deliberately.

I agree with avalancher's idea about a disgruntled employee. Either that or a jerk with a sick sense of humor.

I agree with Spike. The guy that sold you the saw didn't dump water in that saw deliberately! At least he attempted to start the saw before it left the store. He probably didn't think twice about laying it on the concrete because it's made to used in the woods in anyway.

 

[cornraker]

why would you say that? i keep all my drinking water in small red gas cans in my fridge.... but seriuosly that is totally unprofessional by them guys. go find a new dealer

 

[Zackman1801]

im sure he didnt do it on purpose, that would be two things completely stupid on his part to dump water in it and try to start it, and extremely bad for business. but i do agree that maybe your money would be better spent at another dealer. im really lucky though because the dealer near my house is extremely friendly and he understands what you need since he used to work in the woods when he was younger, and goes out of his way to get it for you. every time ive bought at saw from him ive gotten a file and sometimes and extra chain if the chain has been filed down more than half way. plus he always has great deals on saws all the time. although dont let the bad experience soil you, the MS361 is an awesome saw, ive spent alot of time behind one and i really do like them alot.

 

[cabinman]

Honestly

im sure he didnt do it on purpose, that would be two things completely stupid on his part to dump water in it and try to start it, and extremely bad for business. but i do agree that maybe your money would be better spent at another dealer. im really lucky though because the dealer near my house is extremely friendly and he understands what you need since he used to work in the woods when he was younger, and goes out of his way to get it for you. every time ive bought at saw from him ive gotten a file and sometimes and extra chain if the chain has been filed down more than half way. plus he always has great deals on saws all the time. although dont let the bad experience soil you, the MS361 is an awesome saw, ive spent alot of time behind one and i really do like them alot.

Often times the dumb dealer is the best,....The smarter guy is going to F,U, evertime he can,..If u think water in the gas can is a reason to go shoping some where else, You deserve to get F//.ED,...small town guyes are the best,.....Eric

 

[Patrick62]

concrete...

I know that it isn't acceptable to drop start :jawdrop:
They could have used a board or something.

Water in the fuel is shameful.

-Pat

 

[Fuzly]

Try a different dealer if you're not comfortable with that one, there's plenty around in most areas. I don't think he put water in the gas on purpose, but you would think the gas can is something they use often enough that they would notice. I don't know.

My dealer would have started it up for you (drop started too) and let you try it on some of the big maple rounds behind the shop.

There are other dealers closer to my house, at one the guys acted half pissed off when I went in there to buy some stuff, like I'm bothering them. That was two years ago, the last time I set foot in the place.

The other one is a Ace Hardware. Good building supplies place, mediocre saw dealer.

 

[Zackman1801]

the way he made it sound there was no fuel at all. just water.

Cabinman,
i agree with you and disagree at the same time. i do thing that buying from a smarter dealer can have its hazards but going into a store and buying anything from a total moron is worse. lets say you buy a used saw that appears to be in good condition it may have problems that you couldent see and that the dealer didnt bother to check or dosent know how to check for.
Also i dont think that its fair to be saying that smart guys who sell chainsaws will rip you off. the dealer in my town in incredibly knowledgeable with all types of saws and small engines and he has been the best person i have ever done business with, he has always helped me with problems, and done things to make sure i was impressed with my saws and other items. Plus if you do happen to have a problem with the saw down the road who do you send it to? the moron that you bought it from and hope that he can do the work? or somewhere else to another dealer who knows how far away that you dont know or do business with and hope for the best? its just not smart to deal with people who know little about the business that they have decided to start, i know ive dealt with a few. i will say that its not good, for anyone.