Mark Kaufman

Review of Sohars/Rcpw Inc

Seven years ago, when I'd FINALLY had enough of th...

Seven years ago, when I'd FINALLY had enough of the 2-years-if-I'm-lucky-lifespan leaf blowers, I decided to get one of those ugly (Yes, Virginia, the color scheme IS ugly, but becomes beautiful with product use!) orange and white blowers all the landscapers seemed to be using. I found Sohar's to be the *closest Stihl dealer to where I lived. So I popped in, scoped out the blowers, picked one that I thought would be about 110% of the blower I need (nailed it) and have been using it ever since without doing any of the service that s called for. As to be expected, it was no longer running like it should. Every past autumn, when I m done with yard cleanup and have the time to take it to Sohar s I plan to but never do. But this spring, as snow was melting, I remembered. When I got to the service counter, I asked the man helping me to check when I bought it, because I couldn t remember. When he told me it was seven years ago, I laughed at the realization of how poorly I treated this blower, yet how well it still treated me. After seven years (that translates to about 4.5 Craftsman lifetimes), this blower was still running NEARLY like new. Well, it s there, FINALLY. When I first bought it, the people there were VERY helpful. But having had decades in retail, I spot things others might not. You ll encounter it ANYWHERE a superior product is sold or serviced. There s what I like to call a velvet smugness that comes from knowing that you re vending something special. And since it isn t the least bit rude, I think it s cool, appropriate, and justified. Actually, there s a single, more encompassing word for this. It s confidence. (For the sake of full disclosure, I had it when I was in the high-end audio business.) *It turns out, there s a Stihl dealer closer than Sohar s. But until Sohar s gives me a good reason to NOT get my business, they ll get my business.