Why I will never buy Stihl again

[fpc310]

You are the one bringing "your business" to the internet, which is fine. So you must expect some opinions that may displease you.

I just don't hop on anyone's side without anything to go on, the other side's
version of this story would be much different, if we heard it here.
Without any data, all we have to go on is from what you have said.

So if you have some large holes in your story, that throws up some big flags
with us, like:

If you actually work 94 hours a week, you seem to be on this site about
30 hours this week alone, if not more. Don't you sleep?

I can handle the criticism . I understand it's easy to assume I was avoiding my original dealer for some big secret reason. Obviously not the case if I ended up back there. Hopefully I cleared that one up.

168 hours in a week - 94 hours of work - 30 hours on here leaves 44 hours in the week to sleep if I do nothing else . That's an average of about 6 hours per day of sleep. I would say that's about right.

 

[PB]

Did I like actually like do that? LOL

I do have one class of girls. They wear the same brown jumpsuits as the boys, and they are a trip, to say the least. Actually they are pretty normal kids, mostly. Just got in a little trouble, that's all. it could happen to anyone.

Just trying to like fit in by using like modern vernacular........:looser::crazy1:

I like totally know like what you are saying. Like.

 

[Austin1]

I just got back from leading a field trip with a bunch of college girls, and every other word was "like". I started counting, but gave up after there were more "like" than any other words combined.


Beer in 20 minutes when I get home.

I must be getting Old! I thought the word LIKE died with the 90'S. But After seeing some of the High School Girls around me( dam the Girls Never Looked Like That when I Was In School!) I am Glad My wife can pass for one! and She remembers the 80's too. I am 40 now and sometimes get asked for ID and the wife who is 29 and holding lol always get's asked (add
ten years to her age)

 

[Austin1]

Just like all threads here this is getting way off topic!
What was the original topic anyway? Something about how Stihls are old fashioned and cant compare to a Jred! LOL. Just yanking your Stihlheads chain. Someday say in the next 10 years you will have a saw that can compete against a Jred or Dolmar and will even be smother than a old Mac.opcorn:I just want to see how many will jump up and down and send insults.


Oh and not cost a Arm and a leg! Just for the Name, with No more dealer support than Buying a good old made in America Poulan at Canadian Tire!!!

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

Insult(s) sent!

 

[THALL10326]

Lead,

That's why ole Tommie's an introvert.

Joat

Waits a minute, whats that word mean, introvert. I've been called many things but I don't recall being called a introvert. Is that that somekind of God like human being, if so proceed on,:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Austin1]

Insult(s) sent!

LOL I was having some fun a troll if you will. A good Friend has a 361 and I must say it's a dam fine saw!! I just like to point out from my view with the Stihl dealers around here you ain't getting that Great support, better bring all the part numbers with you!
Good thing I know how to access the Stihl Canada dealer only parts look up but that's a secret.
I am not as dumb as I look! Also I know of a few really bad Husky Jred guy's around here! They don't want to help out anyone. I guess I am lucky I once asked about a side clutch cover for my poulan and the parts guy just went in the back and handed me it, said no charge.
It all boils down to the dealer some are great some are really no better than buying from a box store.
There's some that are great you don't mind spending that extra dollar for some trimmer line.
I am just saying not all Stihl dealers are better than a Poulan Dealer some are worse!
From reading here you got guy's like Tommy and lake really know there stuff actually T hall once sent me a PM about the 041 super air filter it was still available yet my local dealer was trying to tell me it was not! Even so I would have to wait a month before the part came in,
Okay my rant is over!

 

[Sawdustmaker]

Please post new thread when the problem with the saw is figured out. Reference this thread.

+1
Puh-leezze!!

 

[Austin1]

Waits a minute, whats that word mean, introvert. I've been called many things but I don't recall being called a introvert. Is that that somekind of God like human being, if so proceed on,:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

Let me just say over a year ago you sent me a PM about a 041 super air filter and it was available. I wish I had Stihl dealers and parts guy's like you around my area! Remember Not all dealers and shops are alike. Plus Most Stihl Dealers are no different than the Husk/Jred / Dolmar guy's.

 

[Fish]

I can handle the criticism . I understand it's easy to assume I was avoiding my original dealer for some big secret reason. Obviously not the case if I ended up back there. Hopefully I cleared that one up.

168 hours in a week - 94 hours of work - 30 hours on here leaves 44 hours in the week to sleep if I do nothing else . That's an average of about 6 hours per day of sleep. I would say that's about right.

I am not taking the dealer's side either, our industry is filled with folks that
it would be kind to call morons, like any other field.
I just got done fixing a Husqvarna 268 for a customer, he brought
it to me because I fixed his Stihl, he said the Husqvarna had a lot of work done on it, but was never right.

It had me stumped for a while, I did a leakdown test, swapped ignitions,
I didn't bother with the carb, because he said the local Husky dealer
put a new carb on it.

I finally figured it out, just had to step back and see the forest..........


It idled great, accelerated great, but when at full throttle, it ran rich, rough,
like it had a miss, or something, just odd, carb adjustments did nothing.

 

[teacherman]

Waits a minute, whats that word mean, introvert. I've been called many things but I don't recall being called a introvert. Is that that somekind of God like human being, if so proceed on,:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

Well Tommy, it's like this. YOU know what a pervert is? Well, all perverts hafta start somewhere, like introducing themselves to the world of perversion..... so an intro-vert is a pervert who is just getting started on his private little path to moral destruction. Hmm, seems to me ya been on that path a while, so maybe yer no longer an introvert........:greenchainsaw:

 

[teacherman]

I am not taking the dealer's side either, our industry is filled with folks that
it would be kind to call morons, like any other field.
I just got done fixing a Husqvarna 268 for a customer, he brought
it to me because I fixed his Stihl, he said the Husqvarna had a lot of work done on it, but was never right.

It had me stumped for a while, I did a leakdown test, swapped ignitions,
I didn't bother with the carb, because he said the local Husky dealer
put a new carb on it.

I finally figured it out, just had to step back and see the forest..........


It idled great, accelerated great, but when at full throttle, it ran rich, rough,
like it had a miss, or something, just odd, carb adjustments did nothing.

Well? Was it the wrong carb, clogged fuel line, or...........?

 

[slabmaster]

Does this mean the stockpile of oil that I have currently is no longer recommended?

I went in to a Stihl dealer today to get a rim sprocket for my 290 and he didn't have any in stock.That's pretty bad when you can't get a high wear item for your saw when you need it. I use a 3/8 7 tooth sprocket on mine as the spur sprocket that came on the saw was junk and wore out too fast , so i converted it.While i was there, i asked if he had any synthic oil and he told me Stihl doesn't recomend useing synthic oil .He also told me stihl doesn't make synthic oil.Seems Stihl should take a long hard look at who there dealers are.

 

[Maldeney]

Hello,

I have a Stihl MS 290 Farm Boss that is less than 1 year old. All things considered, this saw has been awesome..... until it stopped running.

Let me preface by saying that I am not new to 2-cycle engines and I've been using Stihl saws for at least a decade without any real problems with the equipment itself.

I had this 290 quit on me after cutting into 3 or so cords over a 2 day period. At first, it would only quit at idle. I originally suspected a carb problem on the low side since it would run fine on the high. Naturally I took the saw into the closest Stihl dealer / servicer since I am no intellicarb genius... AND it is still under warranty.

To my surprise, the dealer called back a few days later saying I had a seized valve. I was shocked. I was even more shocked when the dealer suggested this seizure was due to improper lubrication! I am most certainly the guy who has Stihl brand underwear along with my Stihl 2-cycle and bar oil. And wouldn't you know that I also mix 50:1 with always fresh higher octane fuel as well.

This is where I get even more mad. The dude at the dealer even suggested that maybe I used straight gas myself or loaned the saw out to someone who would use straight gas. First... nobody borrows a $400 saw from me. Second I know the difference between my Stihl mixture and other fuels. I asked them to investigate it, test the fuel, do anything at all. They would only suggest that it was improper lubrication and would not attempt to investigate it further. They told me to take it back where I bought it. Sorry, i thought I was at an authorized service center? Yeah.. I was. I told the owner of the shop, respectfully, that I would expect to hear from his Stihl territory manager if I were him. His response was "go ahead... he is a good friend of mine".

Naturally, I am nauseated at this point. My Pulan Pro toy saw lasted longer than this! I called the regional distributor and eventually got them to order a UPS pickup so they could investigate it properly to see if there is a defect of some kind. This is most certainly something I would expect the dealer / servicer to do in the first place, right? I guess not.

I understand there are some people out there who treat their equipment like dog crap. I am honestly not rich enough to treat a $400 saw like it is disposable. I personally don't like people suggesting I do without even an attempt to investigate.

To all of you Stihl service professionals out there: I would be angry that your peers conduct themselves in such a way. To the manufacturer, I would be ashamed that you would allow such people to represent you. If I am, by some crazy chance, running coleman lantern fuel in my saw, then I deserve to buy another one at my own expense. Otherwise, STIHL should be thinking hard about buying me a saw that works. Maybe... a Poulan Pro?

Either way, I will likely never buy another Stihl again after this experience. Even a new or repaired saw would only keep me from driving to the corporate offices to see this guy's dealership revoked and given to someone who is up for the job.

The 290 was the first Stihl chainsaw that I owned personally. We've used Stihl brands at my job(s) and that's where I have my experience with them. Granted, most of the Stihl equipment I've used before was before a lot of the EPA crap. Maybe that is the big difference.

We could go back and forth all day on why I ended up with the 361. Like I said before, I am not happy about it. The 290 was doing the job for me before it quit. The alternative was to blindly buy a Husqvarna that I know nothing about. I know nothing of their saws and even less about their dealers / servicers. I am well aware they don't need my charity. I am sure GM didn't need my charity either until more and more people started buying other brands. Life comes at you fast . Customer confidence and repeat business is kind of important to anyone who sells a product, right? Dealers won't buy more unless people like you and me move them off the shelf.

You should have had no trouble taking the saw to the nearest dealer, just like the website says. I can understand the sentiment behind your original post, given what you said that dealer told you. I would have had a fit. I think it is good you ended up with a 361. That saw will last as long as you want it to. If it turns out you do not get proper relief on the 290, you can likely get most of your money out of it by taking it apart and selling the parts on eBay. I don't know why, but the 290 is extremely highly valued on ebay. (of course you'd be competing with some people who've posted on this thread, but this is in some respects stihl a free country.......

As far as all the conflict arising here, I wonder if some of us have had our Midol today........... Whatever. My gosh, the guy posts with a story very relevant to AS, and it turns into a great thread, and some of you are acting like it is a personal vendetta or something. Take some Midol and try to keep it constructive. Please. or at least keep it funny...... if some people would laugh more, they wouldn't need the Midol.

Good luck getting relief on the 290. Hope you post the results of this little drama.

No I seem to have forgotten to take my midol today sorry.....

I am just trying to figure out what the whole story is from this thread. FPC has done to much flip flopping for me. He starts out completely PO about Stihl and their entire dealer network. Claiming that it was all Stihl's fault for a bad dealer. Talks about all the times he goes to his other dealer but not this time when it mattered. He had to have a saw because he probably needed to cut, understandable after two plus weeks of waiting, so all of a sudden he got a great deal that wasn't great after all it was just list price with a different bar and some oil? He also went from working 6 am to 6pm M-F to now working like 90+ hours a week? I mean come on he spins everyone up and I am not supposed to ask some questions about all the
holes in the story? I guess if your gonna tell the story then tell it the same the whole way through!

 

[Fish]

Well? Was it the wrong carb, clogged fuel line, or...........?

wrong carb, the dealer sold him a carb for the 268 k

 

[THALL10326]

Well Tommy, it's like this. YOU know what a pervert is? Well, all perverts hafta start somewhere, like introducing themselves to the world of perversion..... so an intro-vert is a pervert who is just getting started on his private little path to moral destruction. Hmm, seems to me ya been on that path a while, so maybe yer no longer an introvert........:greenchainsaw:

Awww so thats what that word means, hmmmmmm, glad we got that cleared up. I never considered lusting after and chasing a bevy of beauties being preverted. I mean think about it. You come home and see all them waiting out near the feed trough waiting for you, how could anyone resist,:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

Joat I told ya not to believe one word those sheep say, GRRRRRRRRR

 

[spacemule]

I think we need to start a fund to get Tom some psychological evaluation and treatment.

 

[ropensaddle]

They only need 100 to make a comparable saw. Better engineers in Sweden.

Yep that's because real saw men don't need gadgets like flippy caps and choke bs switch however they do need air injection

 

[THALL10326]

I think we need to start a fund to get Tom some psychological evaluation and treatment.

Of all the folks that would jump on that post I knew it would be you, hook , line and sinker, hehe

 

[2000ssm6]

Yep that's because real saw men don't need gadgets like flippy caps and choke bs switch however they do need air injection

Ya'll might have had it first but we perfected it.