Echo 5 year consumer warranty, NOT

asylum575 · Sep 30, 2008

I bought an Echo CS-370 chainsaw in January 2008. I've been using it to clear my property of smaller trees and some trimming. The chain brake became stuck and I brought it into the dealer for a look. He called me up and told me it was ready for pickup and the bill was $120. I asked about the 5 year warranty it came with and was told that the chainbrake wasn't covered due to it being burned out. They said that the saw should be turned off after engaging the brake and that I must have throttled it up to burn it out. I explained I'm the only user of the saw and occassionally I set the saw down while on and the brake engaged while I feed limbs through my chipper and I was under the impression that was when the brake should be engaged. I contacted Echo-USA and got the same answer from them.
Do I pick up a saw that I never got an estimate for and pay $120 or for the same price pick up a Craftsman/Poulon saw which is a disposable saw. If the warranty didn't kick in for my first problem, what's the point.

wushaw · Sep 30, 2008

It is like brake pads on a vehicle, they are a wear item and not warrantied.

ultrarunner · Sep 30, 2008

I was planning to buy the same saw because of the 5 year Warranty... touted as the best consumer warranty in the industry...

I glanced over the warranty and did not find the brake as a named exclusion.

http://echo-usa.custhelp.com/cgi-bi...p_tbl=9&p_id=107&p_created=1174069760&p_olh=0

Most Consumer Protection statutes require an estimate authorization to begin chargeable repairs and approval to exceed approved estimate.

I believe you are within your rights to request return of the saw in the same condition as you left it in the absence of your approval for billable services.

The only new car I have purchased included brakes, wipers, battery, fluid changes, etc., for 4 years or 50,000 miles. The only exclusions are tires (Covered under Tire Mfg Warranty) alignment after 1000 miles and cosmetic defects after 1 year.

kennyd · Sep 30, 2008

Do I pick up a saw that I never got an estimate for and pay $120 or for the same price pick up a Craftsman/Poulon saw which is a disposable saw. If the warranty didn't kick in for my first problem, what's the point.

You will be VERY unhappy with a $120 Crapsman/Pullem-100-times-to-start chain saw. Suck it up and get your saw back.

asylum575 · Sep 30, 2008

You're right about the crapsman. I'm just disappointed in it wearing out so quickly. I only returned it to the dealer because I thought it was under warranty. Had I known it wasn't covered I would have replaced it myself. A chain brake assembly is about $50 complete and easy to install. It comes as a complete assembly, so you just have to snap it on to the brake handle housing.

What's more annoying is I need my saw this weekend. That doesn't even give me a cooling off period.

kennyd · Sep 30, 2008

I understand your frustration! I think your problem is more with the dealer though than Echo. He should have let you know up front or at least called you. Have you tried talking to a manager and see if they will give you some leeway on the labor portion of the bill?

coobie · Sep 30, 2008

asylum575 said:
You're right about the crapsman. I'm just disappointed in it wearing out so quickly. I only returned it to the dealer because I thought it was under warranty. Had I known it wasn't covered I would have replaced it myself. A chain brake assembly is about $50 complete and easy to install. It comes as a complete assembly, so you just have to snap it on to the brake handle housing.

What's more annoying is I need my saw this weekend. That doesn't even give me a cooling off period.

I think it would be time for a new dealer and I would also contact Echos main office.coobie

montanaman · Oct 1, 2008

My policy is pretty simple. I have a minimum of up to $30 to check something out. It is only fair for me to get paid for taking my time to check something out, and rarely do I charge the $30, if something is found to not be worth fixing. As a dealer, I wouldn't ever do a repair in the range of that price without talking to the customer first.

Also, if you actually were using the chain brake like it is designed to be used, and had problems with it, warranty should cover it. I do know that there are many times that a consumer doesn't understand how a chain brake works, and in many cases they don't know they exist. I have fixed five saws over the phone this year by telling people to take the chain brake off!!!!

If you were just engaging it when the chain wasn't moving and setting the saw on the ground, and taking it off before cutting again, and it failed, then I wouldn't even want the saw!!

asylum575 · Oct 1, 2008

I understand the Chain brake is a wear item and I've been thinking back how I used it. The worst I did was set it down for a while as I fed limbs to my chipper. I think I let it run as much as ten minutes like that. I still don't think it should wear out like that. They suggested I was goosing the throttle with the brake engaged. That didn't happen. Now I'll be reluctant to set the brake when I get it back.

montanaman · Oct 1, 2008

On a new Stihl, you can goose the throttle all you want with the chain brake on and all you are going to do is build up a ton of heat in the clutch.. The clutch drum will not move in the chain brake band, period. If you are able to get the clutch drum to turn in the brake band, then how is it supposed to help when it's needed??

I need to go look at how the Echo chain brake works but I have to tell you that I see almost zero problems on the Stihl chain brakes.

Ken