Stihl Carburetor Tool

[ricky86]

All right, how about some examples of inflated prices and labor?

[dboyd351]

Originally Posted by ricky86

All right, how about some examples of inflated prices and labor?

How about every 16 inch chain my Stihl dealer sells for a MS250 goes for $28-33. For all my other saws I can get Chains for $17-$25, and they are 18 inch and 20 inch chains. The Stihl chains aren't even a full 16 inches and cost 40% more.

How much does your dealership charge for a MS250 carb?
I got one online for $17.95 including shipping.

[ricky86]

What carb? OEM average is 25.00 Sounds like you got a carb that fits a MS250. If you bought a Windsor/Calton brand chain, Stihl chain is a least worth 100% more. Oregon only about 50. Good you got a deal. Lowballing whores. It ever happen in your line of work? Yes? One might think all landscapers are thieves No?

[IRRITECH]

Originally Posted by ricky86

What carb? OEM average is 25.00 Sounds like you got a carb that fits a MS250. If you bought a Windsor/Calton brand chain, Stihl chain is a least worth 100% more. Oregon only about 50. Good you got a deal. Lowballing whores. It ever happen in your line of work? Yes? One might think all landscapers are thieves No?

Well, it seems that the general public does think we are all thieves, but hey what are you going to do ?

Over inflated prices and labor? I don't know if its overinflated or not but we were quoted $200 to replace the carb on the above mentioned blower. Not worth it. Paid around $60 for the carb and fuel lines and did it myself. Same Dealer sold me a primer for $15.68, I bought the wrong one (black bottom) so I went to the ace nearest the house and paid $11.50. Returned the wrong part last week and was quoted the same price ($15.68) for the white bottom. The Walbro part 188-512-1 will fit the Br600 just fine and I can buy those in bulk (10) for $3.00 ea.

Maybe i'm just jewish, but all the secrecy, lack of easily available parts list, etc is frustrating.

Another example, Not too long ago I had to replace the throttle cable on an FS90/FC90 (dont remember) because it was frayed where it runs over the top of the carb. New cable comes with a protective sleeve to help prevent this problem. Obviously Stihl recognized that this was an problem and fixed it. Good for them, but why should I have to pay for that. Maybe not worth a general recall, but when the cable frays they should warranty that.

Anyway, just my opinion, and like I said, maybe I am just a cheap bastard.

[piston slapper]

Irritech....businesses don't stay in business if they don't make money...
No reason to trash the local dealer for his pricing...He has to buy parts from the OEM ...at prices set by the OEM..
He probably paid more for the primer than you bought it for when you shopped around.
.I really get a kick out of all guys that have a trailer full of eqpt and some accounts...and think they know more about business than Donald Trump...
The fact is....the reason most people pick a career in lawn maintenance...is because they don't want to have to pass a drug test ..or a background check...or of course if they are mexicans...
Until you have run a bricks and mortar business...and tried to make a profit while employing more than. 10 people...you will never comprehend the challenges and sacrifices that are a daily part of business...Until then...stay online and out of the stores...

[IRRITECH]

Originally Posted by piston slapper

Irritech....businesses don't stay in business if they don't make money...
No reason to trash the local dealer for his pricing...He has to buy parts from the OEM ...at prices set by the OEM..
He probably paid more for the primer than you bought it for when you shopped around.
.I really get a kick out of all guys that have a trailer full of eqpt and some accounts...and think they know more about business than Donald Trump...
The fact is....the reason most people pick a career in lawn maintenance...is because they don't want to have to pass a drug test ..or a background check...or of course if they are mexicans...
Until you have run a bricks and mortar business...and tried to make a profit while employing more than. 10 people...you will never comprehend the challenges and sacrifices that are a daily part of business...Until then...stay online and out of the stores...

You misread the post. I was not trashing the dealer, simply pointing out the total inconsistency of Stihl. When the suggested retail price is 33% cheaper than what I am being charged i get a bit aggravated. The lack of a parts list means that I have to take time to go by the dealer and order parts, and time is money. Think about a regular mechanic who had to go to napa everytime he needed a part, because only napa could sell the part and only napa knew what the part was.

On another note, most of these guys on here are so small they cannot afford a full time mechanic. Many companies do employ full time mechanics. Do you have a problem with them? This business is about the bottom line, which is getting smaller all the time. If we can do our own wrenching then there is more money for everyone, and when one brand in particular tries to keep me from doing that it ticks me off.

And I will do everything I can to stay online and out of the stores. Makes perfect financial sense to me.

[piston slapper]

It wouldn't be the first time I misread a post...
Seems to me...if you didn't like the way a company did business...you'd just move on to the next one..
Their business model must be working...they haven't run out of customers..and their factories are still pumping out new products everyday..
If I had a good product line...and by stifling any free information about my products...could maximize my profits...I would do it...
It just makes good business sense....
Just because you can wrench on your own eqpt...it doesn't make you a technician..
Be nice to us techs that dole out good info and advice everyday...asking nothing in return..

[ricky86]

Originally Posted by IRRITECH

Well, it seems that the general public does think we are all thieves, but hey what are you going to do ?

Over inflated prices and labor? I don't know if its overinflated or not but we were quoted $200 to replace the carb on the above mentioned blower. Not worth it. Paid around $60 for the carb and fuel lines and did it myself. Same Dealer sold me a primer for $15.68, I bought the wrong one (black bottom) so I went to the ace nearest the house and paid $11.50. Returned the wrong part last week and was quoted the same price ($15.68) for the white bottom. The Walbro part 188-512-1 will fit the Br600 just fine and I can buy those in bulk (10) for $3.00 ea.

Maybe i'm just jewish, but all the secrecy, lack of easily available parts list, etc is frustrating.

Another example, Not too long ago I had to replace the throttle cable on an FS90/FC90 (dont remember) because it was frayed where it runs over the top of the carb. New cable comes with a protective sleeve to help prevent this problem. Obviously Stihl recognized that this was an problem and fixed it. Good for them, but why should I have to pay for that. Maybe not worth a general recall, but when the cable frays they should warranty that.

Anyway, just my opinion, and like I said, maybe I am just a cheap bastard.

You bring up some valid points. Some parts, mostly vendor parts, are ....high. Some parts, are very reasonable. I will say one thing for them, NO other manufacturer puts their product through more refinements, over the models life than Stihl. The cable issue was a product improvement. It was far from a defect. Ever think how many cycles that cables been through. Some operators are constantly moving the throttle. Some not so much. All affects product life. As for online sales, I'm all for it not being avaiable. How would you like 1000 more L/S to desend on YOUR area. All depends what side of the fence you're on

[IRRITECH]

I guess we'll agree to disagree Ricky. In the last 5 years we have had 1000's of new lawn boys descend on us. Part of the reason we are now doing things ourselves that we would not have in the past. Even the big boys are playing the cheap game these days.

Example: 5 years ago Valley Crest held a portfolio bid at 1.2M, SKB took it away for 1M, someone else just took it from SKB for $800K.

If anyone is doing well in this junk it's got to be the dealers and mechanics, because a lot if these guys hardly know which end of the edger to hold.

Piston, I am nice, and appreciative of the info you , restro, and Ricky give out. I just don't suffer arrogant fools.

[ricky86]

Ok Agreed to disagree.