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Bill Bourbeau
November 21, 2010
chain saw quality
I purchased a Craftsman 18" chain saw in the fall 2 years ago. I paid app. $120.00. I didn't use it that fall but the sale was soooo good I couldn't pass it up. I did use it the following spring for a couple of hours and was pleased with it's ease of operation. In the fall I need to use again and on the third pull, the starter rope jammed up and would not release. I brought it to Sears for repair. It took two weeks to repair and cost $85.00. Now, remember, I used it for approximately two hours on rather small stuff (the largest being about 2.5-3"). Now, having finished my job with other tools, and because the saw sat again over the winter, it was now out of warrantee but still had been used only a couple hours. This past spring, I used the saw again for about two hours, cleaned it up and stored it. A few days ago I again took it out to clear some sumac and other brush in the back yard. Once again, on the third pull, the starter rope jammed. I took the cover off myself and found that a screw was too tight a got it to release quite easily. However, the recoil spring popped out and I could not get it back together. Now I face another $85.00 repair bill. Is there something wrong with this picture? Sears gave me no satisfaction whatsoever (after all it is out of warrantee). $160.00 to repair a saw that cost $120.00, was used for about four hours and still looks brand new is just too much. The old adage that "they don't make things like they used to" is just no comfort. I have always been a craftsman user (as were my dad and brothers) but because of the product quality (planned obsolescence) I am seriously considering never doing business with Sears again.
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