Buying Advice My experience with Washington PA RK store

[benktsv]

About a month ago I considered buying RK55 in Rural King near Washington PA. Talking with the repair guys in the store, did not sway me one way or the other. But here is what did:
Around the same time, I bought a Stihl blower from the same store.
First day on the job site the blower would not start. Brought it back to the store and they said that it will be repaired within a day or two and I will get a call.
Two weeks later, no call. I went to the store and a person at the Stihl stand told me that their repair man said there was nothing wrong with the blower. They adjusted carburetor and it is better than new now.
I tried to start the blower right there and it would not start. I asked for replacement. The person called front desk and I hear the front desk is telling her that they would have to try to repair it again. I go to the front desk requesting replacement. The manager came and said that repair guys claimed that I flooded the carb on the blower, but they fixed it. OK, but here it does not start again and I did not even take it out of the store. After a long, senseless, argument they did replaced the blower.
So, will I take a chance on $32,000 tractor when the store can稚 handle a $300 blower? I think I will go with a real dealer.

 

[Roadworthy]

At the very least I'd hope the blower repairman isn't their moonlighting tractor mechanic.

 

[fatjay]

No RK around here, but my stihl dealer is shoddy at best. My stihl 170 chainsaw is hard to start on the best of days after numerious service calls. My husqvarna has been flawless since the day i bought it 8 years ago, second hand.

 

[Citydude]

My Stihl blower takes 5-6 pulls. It is annoying as heck.

My Stihl ms362 starts on the second pull.

 

[fried1765]

My Stihl blower takes 5-6 pulls. It is annoying as heck.

My Stihl ms362 starts on the second pull.

I have had a Stihl for 30 years!
Great saw, but OFTEN very hard to start.
My Still now sits quietly on the shelf.
I never need to mix fuel.
My 40V Greenworks saw starts every time...just need to push the on button!

 

[markie61]

My 40V Greenworks saw starts every time...just need to push the on button!

Same, except 80V tools. Still like my Husqvarna 372XP for going through >36" oaks though...

 

[kthompson]

I now have four Stihl products believe is all. Two saws from 3 to 4 years old and string trimmer on wheels about 2 years old and a leaf blower my father in law bought in the 90's. The first Stihl saw I bought they ended up replacing as it truly burnt up due to carburetor I think. Dealer said no warranty by Stihl for that but when I complained to Stihl they had dealership replace it. Another shop said the damage was a sign of too lean fuel mixture.

I like to totally learn how to start a Stihl saw and from a field called the shop and asked the owner please walk me through the process, since then have had very little issue doing so. Place on full choke and pull once or twice but never past when it gives first sound of wanting to start. Then either cut the choke off fully or at least to the sitting that is not full choke and mine have been faithful starting that way. They seem to flood very quickly on full choke an if they do for me best to set them down and find another tool or job for a few minutes. I do believe Stihl works better with higher octane gas than my other 2 cycle engines do. Had a dealership of to me all the major brands tell me the best fuel for two cycle engines is aviation fuel. He said they really need the octane of it and had a second dealer say about the same but no mention of aviation fuel.

 

[AndyMA]

I now have four Stihl products believe is all. Two saws from 3 to 4 years old and string trimmer on wheels about 2 years old and a leaf blower my father in law bought in the 90's. The first Stihl saw I bought they ended up replacing as it truly burnt up due to carburetor I think. Dealer said no warranty by Stihl for that but when I complained to Stihl they had dealership replace it. Another shop said the damage was a sign of too lean fuel mixture.

I like to totally learn how to start a Stihl saw and from a field called the shop and asked the owner please walk me through the process, since then have had very little issue doing so. Place on full choke and pull once or twice but never past when it gives first sound of wanting to start. Then either cut the choke off fully or at least to the sitting that is not full choke and mine have been faithful starting that way. They seem to flood very quickly on full choke an if they do for me best to set them down and find another tool or job for a few minutes. I do believe Stihl works better with higher octane gas than my other 2 cycle engines do. Had a dealership of to me all the major brands tell me the best fuel for two cycle engines is aviation fuel. He said they really need the octane of it and had a second dealer say about the same but no mention of aviation fuel.

I have about 6 Stihl Combitools, blowers & hedge trimmers. All are very easy to start. Small climbing Stihl chainsaw, easy to start. Had a large Stihl chainsaw, so hard to start I gave it away

Andy

 

[fried1765]

I now have four Stihl products believe is all. Two saws from 3 to 4 years old and string trimmer on wheels about 2 years old and a leaf blower my father in law bought in the 90's. The first Stihl saw I bought they ended up replacing as it truly burnt up due to carburetor I think. Dealer said no warranty by Stihl for that but when I complained to Stihl they had dealership replace it. Another shop said the damage was a sign of too lean fuel mixture.

I like to totally learn how to start a Stihl saw and from a field called the shop and asked the owner please walk me through the process, since then have had very little issue doing so. Place on full choke and pull once or twice but never past when it gives first sound of wanting to start. Then either cut the choke off fully or at least to the sitting that is not full choke and mine have been faithful starting that way. They seem to flood very quickly on full choke an if they do for me best to set them down and find another tool or job for a few minutes. I do believe Stihl works better with higher octane gas than my other 2 cycle engines do. Had a dealership of to me all the major brands tell me the best fuel for two cycle engines is aviation fuel. He said they really need the octane of it and had a second dealer say about the same but no mention of aviation fuel.

The "aviation fuel" is 100 octane Low Lead.
It works great, but the older I get the better I like voltage "fuel". Always starts, with the push of a button, and I don't need to drive to the airport to get it.

 

[Citydude]

The "aviation fuel" is 100 octane Low Lead.
It works great, but the older I get the better I like voltage "fuel". Always starts, with the push of a button, and I don't need to drive to the airport to get it.

You running a 24" inch bar on that button model?

 

[fried1765]

You running a 24" inch bar on that button model?

Nope.......
I climb trees with it.
Hard to do with a 24" bar....and dangerous too!

 

[Grumpycat]

I ordered a pistol from RKguns on Black Friday sale. Paid online, ship to store. Have purchased several firearms (elsewhere) over the years and had renewed carry permit within the past 12 months. Background check denied purchase. RK charged $65 restocking fee for an item that never left their sales counter.

Does anyone think RK stands a snowball's chance in Hades of making a sale of an RK74 and/or something smaller with a backhoe? Nope. I'll pay Kubota or John Deere prices first. That $65 being a good lesson in who RK is. Meanwhile neighbor is mowing my 200 acres, and trees that fall in my 300 acres just lay there for lack of a means to pull them out.

Took 3 months to clear things up with the FBI. None too happy with them because any reasonable person could determine multiple ways other than fingerprints that I was not the felon in their database. I have held a current Alabama driver's license since 1975. The felon was 1500 miles away. I held a DoD CAC and worked for defense contractor routinely visiting DoD sites during the felon's imprisonment. DoD had my fingerprints at least 30 years and 10 years prior. Clear case of anti-gun activists looking to find any excuse to issue a denial. Same first name, same last, same DOB but different place (why wasn't that enough?) But the FBI computer didn't have his middle name. So I got rejected.

 

[gunny0628]

Sounds like an honest mistake unless you’re a conspiracy theorist who thinks everyone in the world is out to get them.

It’s clearly listed in their return policy.

You make some pretty harsh statements against a company who has probably made policies because of its customers attempts to defraud them. It’s clearly outlined.

I always read a return or exchange policy before a make a purchase nowadays. It’s almost as important as reading the reviews.

As for the rest of RK - I don’t think I would blame the entire company on one of its policies.

As for customer service - there are some areas that need improvement there.

 

[fried1765]

I ordered a pistol from RKguns on Black Friday sale. Paid online, ship to store. Have purchased several firearms (elsewhere) over the years and had renewed carry permit within the past 12 months. Background check denied purchase. RK charged $65 restocking fee for an item that never left their sales counter.

Does anyone think RK stands a snowball's chance in Hades of making a sale of an RK74 and/or something smaller with a backhoe? Nope. I'll pay Kubota or John Deere prices first. That $65 being a good lesson in who RK is. Meanwhile neighbor is mowing my 200 acres, and trees that fall in my 300 acres just lay there for lack of a means to pull them out.

Took 3 months to clear things up with the FBI. None too happy with them because any reasonable person could determine multiple ways other than fingerprints that I was not the felon in their database. I have held a current Alabama driver's license since 1975. The felon was 1500 miles away. I held a DoD CAC and worked for defense contractor routinely visiting DoD sites during the felon's imprisonment. DoD had my fingerprints at least 30 years and 10 years prior. Clear case of anti-gun activists looking to find any excuse to issue a denial. Same first name, same last, same DOB but different place (why wasn't that enough?) But the FBI computer didn't have his middle name. So I got rejected.

If you show the RK store manager the corrected FBI information, they need to step up to the plate, and refund your $65.
If they do not,..... I completely agree with you!
Please let us know if this gets corrected!
If not.....No RK for me.....EVER!

 

[fried1765]

You running a 24" inch bar on that button model?

Nope!
At just a few weeks short of 80 years old, I would have absolutely no use for a 24" bar model