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I purchased an MS170 several years ago for small jobs around the house and cabin. I have maybe 10 plus hours on it. It stopped oiling the chain, so I took it to a dealer to be repaired. He suggested buying a new saw, as the necessary repairs would be approximately $170.00. The labels are still on the saw and it could stand on a shelf for new. I contacted Stihl about it and haven't heard a word.
I doubt if I will ever purchase another Stihl product.

What brand would you consider buying since it won't be Stihl?

lawn mower fanatic said:

What brand would you consider buying since it won't be Stihl?
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this is exactly why i am worried about buying a stihl.

hrvata said:

I purchased an MS170 several years ago for small jobs around the house and cabin. I have maybe 10 plus hours on it. It stopped oiling the chain, so I took it to a dealer to be repaired. He suggested buying a new saw, as the necessary repairs would be approximately $170.00. The labels are still on the saw and it could stand on a shelf for new. I contacted Stihl about it and haven't heard a word.
I doubt if I will ever purchase another Stihl product.

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I run the MS-180 in my business, have for a couple of years and have never had an Issue with it, it has been a great saw. If you want it fixed I'd just buy the parts and fix it myself, half to three quarters of his quote is labor.

Ric said:

I run the MS-180 in my business, have for a couple of years and have never had an Issue with it, it has been a great saw. If you want it fixed I'd just buy the parts and fix it myself, half to three quarters of his quote is labor.

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very true. but not alot of people have the know how to fix it. this is why i like the old chainsaws where you had to pump the oil out of the thing. it didnt break as much. one of my homelites has the pump on it and the automatic oiling. i guess they were trying out the auto oiling and said if it breaks then they can just use the pump!:laughing: or somebody added it on? but i have heard that with a lot of stihl saws, that they are hard to start and they dont like to oil.

I'll bet that the saw has been allowed to sit around with old ethanol fuel in it. Used very little, air filter never cleaned and then went to a repair shop that does not sell Stihl. $170 I would not have it repaired there. Sounds to me that a carb rebuild, tank cleaning, new fuel lines are in order, along with a little customer education are in order.

!70 Dollars to repair the saw dosen't sound that unreasonable. This is one of the reasons I don't like working on chainsaws. Someone buys a new chainsaw for around a 150 dollars and for some unknowen reson thinks it can be fixed for a little to nothing. I have a stihl MS210C in my shop now that the customer thinks the same way with no spark and a pluged carburetor. It takes more then a 5 min. quick adjustment to get them runing again. I don't know what the labor rate is by you but around here its up to 70 dollars per hour. Yes it is better just to buy another saw unless you can fix it yourself.

Our labor rate is $70 and at that rate to repair that saw the mechanic would have close to 2 hours of labor. A carb for that saw runs roughly $35 and with new lines and 45 minutes of cleaning, I feel that you should have just under $100 in it. Yes could find something major wrong, but we've all had that happen. Our saw guy is good (50 years experience on saws) and repairs an average of 25 saws a week, plus sharpens and makes up all the chains. That's why I say go to a different mechanic, but I guess with my experience I'm a little jaded.

Rivets said:

Our labor rate is $70 and at that rate to repair that saw the mechanic would have close to 2 hours of labor. A carb for that saw runs roughly $35 and with new lines and 45 minutes of cleaning, I feel that you should have just under $100 in it. Yes could find something major wrong, but we've all had that happen. Our saw guy is good (50 years experience on saws) and repairs an average of 25 saws a week, plus sharpens and makes up all the chains. That's why I say go to a different mechanic, but I guess with my experience I'm a little jaded.

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25 saws a week X's 52 whats a lot of saws in a year. He does a lot of saws and it sounds like the person to go to because he knows them and can make money on them. I get one or two a year and would just prefer 0. On top of that I just never see 35 dollar carburetors. I would take it you are talking retail and if so what does he pay for it and still make money. We are both guessing as to what this 170 dollars is all about?? I have been in this pricing debate on this forum before and it just seem someone can have everything fixed for next to nothing. I say that is the place to go. I have been in the repair business for over 60 years and found you can always give your work away for next to nothing but that doesn't pay the bills. I am sure you don't work for nothing.

I should probably qualify that. May not all be saws, could be blowers, trimmers, etc. We sell Echo and Stihl. Carbs today have decreased drastically in price compared to just 10 years ago. On some of the 2 cycles our price is as low as $22.85. It has gotten to the point where many times it is cheaper to replace than repair and save labor costs. As you know a really good mechanic can save the customer money while making money, which is why we are known as the place to get your unit repaired or purchase a new one. Never really broke it down, but I'm guessing that the average bill is $75, so that is not giving very much away. Hope this answers your question, but I know it will only keep the debate fueled.

Yes I was looking on E-Bay with shiping 20.00 dollars for a carburetor. I am going to bow out on this because I repair so very few chainsaws . Also I buy retail and buy from local dealers and not going to price them just to prove I am wrong.

I've added my opinion and going to say bye on this one also.

Op said that his saw wasn't oiling the chain!!! Could be just remove the chain and bar and clean, reinstall same!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing:

Mad Mackie said:

Op said that his saw wasn't oiling the chain!!! Could be just remove the chain and bar and clean, reinstall same!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing:

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maybe a bad oil pump? So we can add another dollar three eighty?

Plus tax??