HUSQVARNA SAWS SOLD AT LOWES

Thanks,
Bob

Part of this marketing arrangement stipulates only the non-pro models will be sold in Lowes and if you check you will not see any xp models. The prices in Lowes are also at or above what the same saw will cost you at a servicing dealer, so where would you buy given a choice? Unless you can do without dealer service, the choice is clear. And if you don`t need dealer service why not buy on-line from a place like Commercial Cutters Direct, Bailey`s, Alamia, Southwest Fastener, or Madsen`s where you will save a bunch of money.

Who can say where this box store marketing ploy will put Husky in ten years but there are a few significant differences between their plan and that of McCulloch and Homelite.

Buying from a dealer does not ensure that you will be serviced properly, in fact I wouldn`t give a pinch of sh!t for most dealers, especially the run of the mill Stihl dealer. Researching dealers is almost as important as shopping price for the average farm or homeowner saw purchaser.

It`s sad that every saw question has to degenerate to empty Stihl is great, let`s bash Husky rhetoric. Stihl and Husky Pro saws are the best you can buy, their consumer saws are aimed at less demanding users. There are some new players from Solo and Dolmar entering the field that look to be excellent quality with good performance and modern features but they lack good dealer support in most areas. I can say first hand that most Stihl consumer products are riding the coat tails of the saws that Stihl built it`s reputation on and that these products are overpriced. Some past and present Husky consumer products fall into the same category but it just so happens that the saws from the 340, 345, 350, 353, and the 359 are excelent saws for their intended purpose and in their price range. I think the 353 is the perfect firewood saw for anyone working in wood mostly less than 18". Excellent build quality at a fair price. It will last many years with normal care. BTW, the 353 and 359 are in a differnt build category than the others I mentioned, really top shelf.

Russ

That's interesting. I don't have a Lowes near me so I haven't seen 'em. I would guess that if the model numbers were the same, then they would be the same saws you would find at an official dealers. There is a possibility, of course, Husky has some kind of deal with Lowes to market special low end saws to consumers outside the normal dealerships. I hope that is not the case. That kind of strategic miscalculation was the beginning of the end for McCulloch some 20 or more years ago. They apparently thought there was a killing to be made in selling low end saws to weekenders and homeowners in boxes at discount stores. As soon as those purchasers needed any servicing, they would wind up running to the nearest McCulloch dealer. The dealers got mad enough at McCulloch over time because of it that they began dropping the line. The beginning of the end. McCulloch went from near the best to near the worst because of that. If they are still in business at all they no longer manufacture a pro saw, as far as I know.

Arguably, Husky is one of the two best saw manufacturer's in the world today. I certainly hope they don't botch it like McCulloch did. The dealers carry a full range of saws for homeowners, weekenders, farmers and pros. I would not think there was a need to market in the box stores but I am not Husky :o).

Rod

Yes, sad but true. I hated to see what was a great American company crash and burn because of their own incompetence and greed. I used to be a big fan of McCulloch. I still have four of their saws in various sizes. My favorite was the PM6 from about 1970. A great little 2 ci saw for trimming and firewood to six inches or so. I still use it occasionally because of it's light weight. But it was my last McCulloch. When I wanted to get a new, larger McCulloch in the '80s, I couldn't find a dealer anywhere. They were not in the yellow pages. Nowhere to be found. I went back to where I had bought the PM6 years previously and he told me the tale you correctly describe. He was a Jonsered dealer at that time and still is. My current high use saw is a Stihl. I love it. With the exception of the PM6, the other McCullochs that I have are just junkers. I will likely never start them again.

It appears that another great American saw company, Homelite, has gone down the tubes also and for a similar reason. I see where both McCulloch and Homelite are still kicking (at least by their websites) but they are limited to only a few low-end saws marketed through discount stores. Stihl and Husky have completely taken the non-homeowner market away from both of them.

Rod

Russ