Possible price alert on Hitachi C10FSH. It worked for me!

[Jim O'Dell]

Many of you know I've been watching for an SCMS. I had narrowed my search to a good price on the Makita LS1013FL. It was been around $370.00 on Amazon last Spring, with a rebate from Makita in the form of a jobsite radio (combo charger I think). Lately it has been $475.00 on Amazon, they ran out, got one back in and it's at $499.00.
Last weekend, a guy in Dallas went through the Lowes on Inwood and saw some saws on sale. Both the 10" and 12" Hitachi SCMS units with laser were included. He bought the C10FSH for $210.00!! and reported on it at BT3Central. I spent Tuesday evening after work going to three different Lowes, 1 in Parker County where I work, and 2 in Tarrant county where I live. NO DICE. 449.00, but confirmed that the unit was a non stock item now. So this morning I call the Inwood store where the unit had been purchased. They were out. Surprise, surprise!! He confirmed the price (There is also a scanned copy of the receipt on BT3) and gave the locations of some other Dallas stores with some quantities. I called the Chalk Hill store on the west side of Dallas on I-30. They showed 4 in stock, 449. I mentioned the price at the Inwood store, and he said some stores close items out sooner than other stores do. I asked if he could talk to the tool manager and see if they could work with me on the price. He said "I am the tool manager". I said something like. Well, ok. Then he said, come see me, ask for JD, and I'll sell you one for that. I almost forgot to say "thank you" before hanging up the phone and jumping in the van to head over there. About a 80 mile round trip, but for $210.00, it was worth it.
I haven't even taken it out of the van yet!
So If you are interested in one, watch your local Lowes, talk to the Tool Manager, maybe you can get in on a sweet deal also! OH, and to top that off, Hitachi still has the free fixed base 2 1/4HP router as a rebate until 1/31/08, and 25/50/100 dollar rebates if you spend over 250/500/1000 dollars.
Well, now I need to watch for a good price on a better blade for this unit. That was another selling feature of the Makita. It comes with a blade that the users all say is very good.
Happy shopping! Jim.

[Dane Ball]

I googled reconditioned hitachi tools and found a site that sells only reconditioned hitachi power tools. I can't remember it right now but it is saved to my favorites at work. I bought the 12 CMS with lazor and double bevel for $183 no tax and free shiping. I was very pleased with it. I can't tell that it has ever been used. I also bought the 2 1/4 router kit with plung attachment for $96 and could not be happier. Just an idea if your in the market for hitachi.

[Wade Lippman]

I passed a Lowes tonight so I checked it out. Full price.
But I have never seen anything at a local Lowes for more than 10% off, ever.

[Glen Blanchard]

West Plano and Carrollton stores are getting full price. Darn.

[Jim O'Dell]

Glen, it would be worth calling the store and talking to the tool manager. Tell him/her that the Inwood store had a sign with them on sale last weekend at 210.00. If they say no, ask to speak to the Mgr. It makes no sense that one store in the city will sell them at that price but the others won't. I think the guy at the Chalk Hill store felt like he was going to lose a customer if he didn't pony up.
I've gone through some of the set up on mine. It cuts fairly nicely with the stock blade. Spews chips like nobody's business, but that's part of a miter saw. Even with the shop vac hooked up to the port. I'm going to have to start designing a mobile port for my multifunction wall soon so I can use this thing. May take the old Ryobi off it's stand and bolt this one down. At least while I make the one it will ultimately use.
I guess this will allow me to use the 200.00 HD gift card from my FIL for the OSS from HD. If I end up making building blocks for the 2 nephews like I hinted at, I'll need one.
Keep hunting! Jim.

[Mike Armstrong]

Yeah, If you're in the right store at the right time . . .

About a year ago, I was in there for something else and come on a Hitachi C12LCH for $180. Same thing, kinda of a one of kind close-out. Guess it pays to walk through the tool section whenever you're in the store.

Mike

[Mark Hultzapple]

Jim,
Do you have the Lowes item code for the saw? and where on the BT3 site is the copy of the receipt?

[randy street]

Here you go Mark

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=35907&page=2

Randy

[Al Garay]

Jim,

You are very lucky. I tried 3 Lowes in the Seattle area. They had them in stock and would not price match. The best I could do was 10%.

I will have to wait for the Makita 10" slider to have a deal I can't refuse.

[Jim O'Dell]

Jim,
Do you have the Lowes item code for the saw? and where on the BT3 site is the copy of the receipt?

Isn't that the way "deals" work? I guess I got lucky that the guy I talked to was willing to price match. I think it made a difference that it was another store in the same city. Like I mentioned, the 2 stores I went to over on this side of the Metroplex (within 38 miles) wouldn't budge either.

Jim,
Do you have the Lowes item code for the saw? and where on the BT3 site is the copy of the receipt?

I see Randy already pointed you the right direction, although I would have done this by PM or email. I'm afraid the direct link, since it is another forum, violates the TOS. Maybe it's ok since it directs you to the answer you asked.

Jim,

You are very lucky. I tried 3 Lowes in the Seattle area. They had them in stock and would not price match. The best I could do was 10%.

I will have to wait for the Makita 10" slider to have a deal I can't refuse.

Al, I had decided on the Makita, and would still rather have it , but this deal won out. The Hitachi was second on my list to the Makita. The 3 things I like about the Makita over the Hitachi are the bigger base seems more stable to me, especially when cutting short pieces, the slightly more comfortable (to me) handle, and the heavier duty motor (15 amp compared to the 12 amp on the Hitachi). Hitachi has the better warranty, possibly a very slight edge in fluid movement of the carriage, (but that could be the way the Makita hasn't been set up properly, though I've played with them at 3 different HDs) and the easiest blade change.
By getting this deal, I'm going to have the extra money for an OSS which I will need this year sometime and for material to build the 2 mobile stands I need to make. Otherwise, I'd be watching the net like a hawk for a deal on the Makita! I would have been willing to pay more for the Makita, but not over 2 times more. Jim.

[robert micley]

2-3 years ago amazon was practically giving tools away with 20-30 percent discounts and rebates on items over 100-500.those days are gone.their prices are nothing special except for the occassional discount.last year you could get a hitachi 10 inch cmsl for 330.00 and as you mentioned the makita for 375.00.since then i have not noticed any super deals.home depot and lowes have great deals on tools quite often but it varies from store to store and it is a matter of being lucky quite often.i just saw the rigid cordless 8 piece set for 299.00.this is usually 499.00.the tools i like to buy now like lei-nelson and festool never have great deals but occasional ten to 15 percent promotions.

[Don Bullock]

Congratulations Jim.

About this time last year Amazon had the Hitachi C10" SCMS with laser on sale for about what you paid. I believe it was $265, but I could be wrong. Deals like these do pop up from time to time. Fortunately for me I saw the deal posted here on Sawmill Creek and jumped on it. Less than an hour later it was gone.

[Dave Lehnert]

Glen, it would be worth calling the store and talking to the tool manager. Tell him/her that the Inwood store had a sign with them on sale last weekend at 210.00. If they say no, ask to speak to the Mgr. It makes no sense that one store in the city will sell them at that price but the others won't. I think the guy at the Chalk Hill store felt like he was going to lose a customer if he didn't pony up.
I've gone through some of the set up on mine. It cuts fairly nicely with the stock blade. Spews chips like nobody's business, but that's part of a miter saw. Even with the shop vac hooked up to the port. I'm going to have to start designing a mobile port for my multifunction wall soon so I can use this thing. May take the old Ryobi off it's stand and bolt this one down. At least while I make the one it will ultimately use.
I guess this will allow me to use the 200.00 HD gift card from my FIL for the OSS from HD. If I end up making building blocks for the 2 nephews like I hinted at, I'll need one.
Keep hunting! Jim.

If you think it’s not uncommon for a price to be different from one store to another you don’t keep track of pricing too well. I have to admit it’s part of my day job to keep track of such things. You would be surprised how an item can sell very well at one store and not sell at all at the store next exit down the highway.
A manager in a department will be given X amount of money to get rid of slow moving items. The reason you will see a saw discounted at one store but a router at the other.
Also any price match police will demand the discount selling store to have the item in stock.

[Jim O'Dell]

Well, I spent my fair share of years in retail selling stereo equipment for a then 85 million dollar a year company, and all 65 of our stores ran the same specials. If it was on sale at the Camp Bowie store in Ft Worth, it was also on the same price at the Belview store in St. Louis. Maybe it didn't sell as well in one as it did in the other, but you would find the same prices on the same equipment at all our stores. Now the price between us and Highland Appliance on the same item, yea that could be different, and yes we tracked all our competition as well, and adjusted our price if we were higher. Never let the competition out "sale" you. And that's why stores have 110% price guarantees. Just my experience. Jim.