Stihl in big boxes

[mowerbrad]

Stihl is not sold in big box stores. The "big box" stores you are seeing them at are franchise stores, so each store is actually independantly owned. Its just like opening your own store, but you get the benefit of having the store name a nationally recognized company that people with "know"/recognize. It's not like Echo who has placed several of their products in Home Depot stores.

I know in my area we have a couple ACE hardware stores that carry Stihl.

[doublesharp]

Rural King is a family owned chain of farm stores in Illinois and Indiana, similar to a big box but better. Ammo on the shelves, not under lock and key, and live chickens for sale. They just started carrying Stihl and have a service dept for what they sell. I don't know if they will work on Stihl products purchased elsewhere but I bet not.

[cgaengineer]

Originally Posted by doublesharp

Rural King is a family owned chain of farm stores in Illinois and Indiana, similar to a big box but better. Ammo on the shelves, not under lock and key, and live chickens for sale. They just started carrying Stihl and have a service dept for what they sell. I don't know if they will work on Stihl products purchased elsewhere but I bet not.

If the want to stay a Stihl dealer they will work on Stihl equip from other stores.
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[kawasaki guy]

interesting

[exmarkman11]

All the ace hardwares around here(all owned by the same people, around 15 of them) carry stihl. Stihl does not only sell with independent servicing dealers! Not around here. Some of the stores service them. Most of them don't. They are supposed to at least send the stihl product that needs repaired to the ace hardware that works on them. This is fine, but annoying. One day I had two different stihl hedge trimmers that needed work. I took them to the local ace that sells stihl and they refused to work on them and didn't offer to take them to the ace that did. It made me so mad, I called the guy at stihl and complained. As far as I know they never did anything. I, however solved the problem. I sold both stihl hedge trimmers on eBay, and bought a new redmax at a REAL dealer. The redmax hedge trimmers are a lot better. I already used redmax string trimmers. I guess I'll be switching to blowers too.

[exmarkman11]

Stihl might as well sell at homedepot since they won't provide any real service. The thing that makes me mad, is that stihl always brags about only being sold by independent servicing dealers. And they don't sell at big box stores. Someone owning 15 ace hardwares and giving crappy service is hardly what I call independent. None of the good outdoor power equipment dealers sell stihl because the stupid ace hardwares are everywhere. So they all sell redmax or echo.

[lawnboy dan]

exactly!-i have to drive 15 miles to find the nearest sthil dealer and then i cant go in armed with the correct part # as i cant look it up on the internet.

[kawasaki guy]

radio shack? stihl? the shack here does not have them

[kawasaki guy]

Originally Posted by lawnboy dan

exactly!-i have to drive 15 miles to find the nearest sthil dealer and then i cant go in armed with the correct part # as i cant look it up on the internet.

the nearest to me is 10 miles, but they have great service.