Chainsaw shopping again... any thoughts on a Husqvarna 562XP or Stihl MS290?

[tripledog]

I am no lumberjack, but I am looking for a commercial quality saw that will last for several years. I heat with wood only, and I cut between 25 - 40 face cord a year. After researching the Husky 562XP and the Stihl MS290, I am confident that either saw will meet my needs. I am leaning toward the Husky, but I found a used MS290 that is like new and would be about $300 cheaper than the new Husqvarna. If anyone owns a 562XP or an MS290, I would like to hear how you like them.

[trike savior]

Stihl is by far the best money can buy. Its what the pros use and I have weeks behind a Stihl farm boss. As long as you can keep the chain out of the dirt and sharp, they hate wood worse than anything else. It was my boss' and I have used many others. I recently bought my dad a Stihl leaf blower and was talking to guys at hardware store and local small engine shop. Apparently they are discontinuing the ms290 (farm boss) for a new model, believe he said it will be the ms291. Either way it has me thinking of ordering one quick.

Can't go wrong buying used either. Their warranty is awesome but chances are you will not need to use it. They last forever if you take care of them.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

I have several Husqvarna saws, 3 of them are pro-grade. I have a 346xp, 357xp, and a 372xpw. All are awesome at what they do. I am not going to get into the Ford v Chevy bashing contest. Both Stihl and Husky make terrific saws.

But to compare a new 562xp to a Farm Boss isn't really a fair comparison, it's apples and oranges. The Farm Boss is somewhat more comparable to a Husky 455 or 460 Rancher, but the Farm Boss is a step above performance-wise. The 526xp has replaced the 357xp and is supposed to be a real screamer, even more so than the 357 was. And being that I own a 357xp I can tell you it is quite the saw.

If you are looking mainly for durability, I would definitely take the Stihl Farm Boss over the Husqvarna Rancher line if you are comparing similar line saws. But if you want higher performance along with that durability, I would get that 562xp. I would put my 357xp up against a Farm Boss any old day of the week for speed and power. The 562 would be that much nastier.

Again, not saying Husky is superior to Stihl on every comparable model.. Both make great saws. But I would hardly call a 562xp compared to a Farm Boss a fair comparison. They are not in the same category.

[wisconsinite]

I have a jonsered, love it. A few loggers have told me they will easily outlast a stihl or husky. My uncle has logged since he was a kid, that's the only saw he will buy. They're spendy, though.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

I have a jonsered, love it. A few loggers have told me they will easily outlast a stihl or husky. My uncle has logged since he was a kid, that's the only saw he will buy. They're spendy, though.

You do know that Jonsered and Husky are related as Chevy is to GMC right?

[wisconsinite]

Yeah, as i understand husky bought them out a few years ago. Good point, by now they might be the same saw just red instead of orange.

[hoosierlogger]

I use Stihl I have 5 MS 660's. I have only had one have major issues. It needs crank bearings. But I have had that saw for about 6 years and cut probably 4,000,000 board feet of timber with it.

The guy I work with everyday uses husky. He has a 562. It is a fast revving lil sucker. The electronic controlled carb and the anti vibe system on it is amazing. He uses a 24" bar on it and it pulls it good for the size of a saw it is. Would I buy one? Not to cut timber with, but yes for firewood.

I would bite the bullet and but the Stihl MS310 with a 24" bar and 3/8" pitch chain. You might not see the need for a 24" bar on a firewood saw, but the longer bar is easier on your back since you dont have to bend over to cut stuff that is lying on the ground (if you are in the neighborhood of 5'6" or less). Also get the 3/8" chain for the larger teeth. You can get the skiptooth version of it as well (not as many teeth to sharpen).

If you dont want to spring for the 310 just make sure to get one with 3/8" chain. I can sell you chain cheaper than the stores. I buy it in 100' rolls and have well over 400' in the garage.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Yeah, as i understand husky bought them out a few years ago. Good point, by now they might be the same saw just red instead of orange.

Been more than a few years. They have been sister companies for a long time.

I have an old Husky 35 from the early 90's, its the exact same saw as a Jonny 361. They go back to the 80's..

But I digress....

[Flyingw]

My vote is for the Stihl. I bought an MS240 (I think) after the tornado in 2010 and I spent 4 solid months cutting wood. It performed beautifully. No regrets

[tri again]

Forget the name but stihl around 800$. 361m? i forget
New, brand new, back to the dealer 5x, hideous cold start issue.
and the sob's would warm it up before GF would go pick it up.

Actually had to threaten to put it on ebay for '50 bucks, no reserve'
to get the attention of the Pac NW district mgr guy who was ready to hand deliver me a new one and start it from cold in front of me.

Like the heated grips. but dumped it like a hot potato.
Local dealer took my trusty ol' stihl of 20 years and condemned it to sell me this new one.

LOVE my stihl 260.
Love 'em but do NOT trust the dealers.
Get bulletproof paperwork and loaner saw if it does need to go back.

As with anything, I suppose. extended warranty and on and on.

[leevarnado]

i bought the rancher 460 a couple years ago,never had any problems,switch to a shorter bar (20) and its a beast.

[tripledog]

A lot of good info here guys, thanks! I am learning with each reply. I am 5' 11", and I have used my 55 Rancher with an 18" bar for well over 10 years. It is still a great saw, but it is getting tired. I like the shorter bar for getting in cramped areas, and my back has been able to endure the added bending that a shorter bar requires. I don't fell many trees, I just follow a few loggers around and (with the landowner's permission) help clean up the tops. I very seldom cut anything bigger than 2 feet in diameter, so a 20" bar on my new saw should be adequate for me. If my new saw serves me nearly as well as my 55 Rancher has, I will be very pleased.

[captainweezy]

Just bought a stihl ms 250 with 18 inch bar. Love it. Just be sure to use good gas from the get go. I actually use stihls moto mix. It's expensive but worth it.

[Motorgidd]

I like both Husqvarna and Stihl... We have a Stihl MS391 and I have ran the ms290, both are great saws. I would lean toward the Stihl, but one thing I like about the Husqvarna over the Stihl is that it has an adjustable oiler for the chain.
Quality gas and oil is a must!

[petesatc]

Stihl for me .....i bought a farm boss 10 years ago, cut big ass tree's with it.....never had a problem.....

[fabiodriven]

I hear a lot of reputable people say Stihl is the best. My opinion differs, but my comparison isn't exactly fair. I too heat with wood and only wood.

I bought a Stihl MS250 a few years ago with an 18" bar. It always ran well but the chain never seemed like it got enough oil and you couldn't turn up the oil pump. I seized the chain twice I think. Also, the chain would dull if you looked at it funny and the bar would wear out at the drop of a hat. It would slow down cutting and then start going sideways until it got jammed. Because of these characteristics I had two bars and three chains that went with the saw everywhere. I realize this saw is a homeowner's saw and nothing great anyways.

After that though, I didn't want another Stihl. I bought my Husky 576XP with a 28" bar and it's been great. One of the guys from here I ride with is a logger and he told me the thing was, and I quote, a "lemon" after I bought it. He told me that multiple times afterwards as well but would never tell me why it was a lemon. So far I've not had one issue with it at all, but I'm a homeowner. Maybe whatever issues he's talking about come after putting it to real use commercially, or maybe he's full of shite. I then bought my little 16" Husky, I forget the model but someone on here had a thread going (Scootertrash?) about a killer deal on these little Husky's and I grabbed one because my 576 is too big for a lot of stuff around the yard. I can tell you this in complete confidence- My little Husky I have now is twice the saw my MS250 was. It just eats. I've never had any issues with the bar and chain, or anything else for that matter. And it cost $140 and my Stihl was over $300.

That's what I got. :-)

[Dirtcrasher]

John, what was the NIB saw in Tinas' estate sale? Wasn't it about half price?? Still in the box??

I told Dan about it but I guess he wants ONE specific model.

She still has stuff, maybe this weekend I can go again, your welcome to come!!

[BleedRed]

Don't really know if you want new or used but I offer a suggestion looking for a used Stihl 260 pro for sale in your area. Would be a good match to what you're looking for.

Edit: also known as a 261 now.

[fabiodriven]

John, what was the NIB saw in Tinas' estate sale? Wasn't it about half price?? Still in the box??

That was a big boy. I forget what that was now, but it was about double my 576. The 576 is like 77 cc's or something? This one was 120 or 150 cc's or something like that. 36" bar. It was a Husky that was a few years old, but brand new in the box. I think they were asking $900 for just the power head, brand new in the box. They claimed just the power unit sold for $1400.

Steve got a good saw too. An old McColloch before they went to junk. The guy had about 8 of them, all mint.

[hoosierlogger]

John that sounds like the husky 3120. That is the biggest saw husky makes.

[atc007]

My Dad was a homelite man. Yep,,slow,,,,,,,,,but SURE lol. Grandpa bought a new Stihl 026 in ??? 87,88? WOW, I never knew a chain could spin that fast!! I cut 3 logs to Dads one. I then bought a well used 028,loved it too. I bought Dad a new MS 360? I think? It's the pro saw. HATE IT. All the issues Fabio described above. It isn't exactly garbage. But it DAMN SURE isn't a $600+ Saw! My next will be another flavor. I also have a brand new straight shaft weed eater I bought new from Stihl. After 3 months,would not start cold. Cleaned the carb,same,finally had to rebuild the carb. Not impressed at all! I have a good friend who logs for a living. Him,his Dad, 2 Brothers and one Uncle. NOTHING but Stihl in their trucks..To each their own I guess.But they also like Yamahas,Internationals and Fords lol... Hopefully whatever flavor you choose,you get a good one.Obviously,,sizing the saw and bar to the JOBS you'll be doing will be the most important part here.

[fabiodriven]

John that sounds like the husky 3120. That is the biggest saw husky makes.

Yep, that's the one Greg.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

There definitely is a difference in the lines of saws offered by both brands. They both offer basic "homeowner" saws, a mid-grade line and of course the pro-grade lines.

Make sure you compare apples to apples Tripledog.

You can buy a brand new Husky Rancher 455 for what, about $450?? It has virtually the same size engine as my 357xp, but my 357xp has ALOT more power and features. One big difference in basic construction is the lesser Husky's have plastic crankcases. You can easily see by removing the bar oil reservoir cap. If it is orange plastic at the fill hole you know what you got. The XP's are shiny magnesium. I bought a Husky 350 a few years back and had problems with it leaking it's bar oil out when sitting in my garage. Turned out to be a hairline crack in the oil tank, which is integral with the crankcase. My dealer gave me full retail credit for the saw as I had only run about 5 tanks of fuel through it before noticing this issue. At that point I decided plastic crankcases were not for me and rolled that credit into a new 346xp and didn't look back. Aside form the engine performance, that crankcase is the most significant difference between pro-grade and most of the lesser grades, at least with Husky.

Last I knew, there are a couple of the larger Husky "landowner" grade saws that have magnesium crankcases. Husky has had it's share of issues with the plastic crank cases. Good friend of mine bought a brand new 460 Rancher and it puked out all of the bar oil the dealer pout in for the pre-sale ops check before he even ran it one time! Stay away from models with plastic crankcases.

John, I think your friend was mistaken about your 576xp. The 575xp preceded your 576 and that saw did have alot of problems. The 576 was introduced as the re-worked 575 with the issues it had worked out. I have not heard of alot of problems with the 576 like you have. But when I bought my 372xpw, I was choosing between that and the 576. I went with the 372 because the 576 had just come out and I had heard of all the issues the 575 had. I didn't want to be a guinea pig. LOVE my 372! :D It flat rips!

[hoosierlogger]

Yep, that's the one Greg.
I'll give them $500 for that 3120 if it runs. I am interested if I can get a good deal on it.

[trike savior]

for Stihl's, one thing the guy at the small engine shop said was to make sure the place you buy it sets it up. the carb is not adjusted at the factory and is supposed to be done by the dealer. he said he gets a lot of new stihl's come through the shop that were bought at hardware store down the street. they were not adjusted when sold and people had a hard time starting them. you are also supposed to re-adjust after so many hours use. I have been going to this shop since I was a kid for go kart parts and would have bought from him but he did not have in stock. so I had to purchase from hardware store down the road. they did not have in stock there so I had to go to another one of their locations which actually had a service department. Guy behind the counter did adjust the carb but nowhere near proper. I got it home and adjusted it myself and has run like a top since.

I am sure most of you adjust and take care of your equipment as well but just throwing this info out there.

My dad has homelite saw as well. had to cut a 2' wide apple tree stump off at ground. took forever. think I could have done quicker with a bow saw.

[fabiodriven]

I'll give them $500 for that 3120 if it runs. I am interested if I can get a good deal on it.

I'll see what I can do as far as getting in touch with them about that. Steve may have better luck than me as I believe he's been in touch with them more than I have lately. Also, I got off Facebook almost a month ago and that was the best way of getting in touch with them. I can assure you it runs. It's brand new in the box.

That's some good info on the plastic crank cases. I wouldn't want an air compressor with a plastic crank case, never mind any sort of internal combustion engine at all. That's just completely shameful.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

I'll see what I can do as far as getting in touch with them about that. Steve may have better luck than me as I believe he's been in touch with them more than I have lately. Also, I got off Facebook almost a month ago and that was the best way of getting in touch with them. I can assure you it runs. It's brand new in the box.

That's some good info on the plastic crank cases. I wouldn't want an air compressor with a plastic crank case, never mind any sort of internal combustion engine at all. That's just completely shameful.

I would suspect that's a big part of the reason the homeowner grade saws are significantly less money than the XP's. Plastic is much cheaper from molding to finished case than the magnesium.

[hoosierlogger]

I'll see what I can do as far as getting in touch with them about that. Steve may have better luck than me as I believe he's been in touch with them more than I have lately. Also, I got off Facebook almost a month ago and that was the best way of getting in touch with them. I can assure you it runs. It's brand new in the box. ok, if they dont bite on that offer, find out what their bottom dollar is. I am a motivated buyer not just a tire kicker. Shipping is needed too. 47834

[tripledog]

Thanks again, guys! Finally, a thread I didn't kill, lol. I actually DID buy a 460 Rancher a few months back, but promptly returned it. I never even started it. Here I was anticipating a substantial upgrade, but the 460 couldn't put a patch on the arse of my old 55 Rancher (which has a magnesium crankcase and metal carb linkage, NOT plastic) as far as build quality is concerned. I think Husky's current Rancher models are a collaborative effort between Playskool and Fisher Price. $500 is a lot of coin for a plastic saw. Pretty sure I will end up with the 562XP; $575 with a 20" bar delivered to my door seems like a pretty decent deal.

[tri again]

I appreciate the info on chain, skip tooth etc.
We've gotten logtruck loads of blowdown, all the same diameter
which we've use for building they were all so straight and perfect tapers.
After digging through quite a few with my old saw, a neighbor made me a few skip tooth chisel point chains and it was a whole new world for cutting speed.

Most of the otc, aka over the counter chains are
anti vibration and anti kickback affectionately know as anti cut around here.

Guess ya gotta be more careful but like they say, a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one.
Jonsereds, as I recall, seem to be narrower and maybe gyroscope and balance better for climbing.
For my needs? I want the no bs, extended warranty, loaner saw etc etc.

Not recommending but I like the old HF deals...not necessarily the saws,
Factory refurbshed saws, 90 day warranty, return to STORE for another one.

If I had a house to build or a few more logtrucks and friends to help?
I'd get a couple HF saws and let them have at it.

My stihl 260 darn near sleeps under my bed and is never put away empty, but perfect in case I need to run out in the middle of the night in a storm to cut friends out of trouble.
If that one ever gives me trouble, I don't know what I'd replace it with.

Probably just search key this thread and flip a coin. Lots of good info here.
Thanks everyone.

[wisconsinite]

Has anyone ever used an echo? There is a small one at the local dealer i was looking at for the wife. Any good?

[fabiodriven]

Has anyone ever used an echo? There is a small one at the local dealer i was looking at for the wife. Any good?

I'd like to know this as well. I have always been under the impression that Echo is as good as Stihl or Husky, but I've never experienced one first hand. From what I've noticed, are a lot of Echo saws smaller? I don't think I've ever seen a commercial grade Echo.

[tripledog]

Has anyone ever used an echo? There is a small one at the local dealer i was looking at for the wife. Any good?

One of my friends has an Echo with a 16" bar. Although the specific model escapes me, he absolutely loves it. It is a smaller saw, but it is a force to be reckoned with!

[wisconsinite]

I'd like to know this as well. I have always been under the impression that Echo is as good as Stihl or Husky, but I've never experienced one first hand. From what I've noticed, are a lot of Echo saws smaller? I don't think I've ever seen a commercial grade Echo.
I know they make some bigger saws, i don't know if they make a commercial grade though.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Forgot to mention Dolmar. They make a good pro-grade saw as well.

My father in law has a 60-some cc Dolmar he bought a couple years ago. I used it and its a well built and good running saw

[hoosierlogger]

I have an echo CS 6700. It's hard to say the quality because I received it used, and had to repair it. It is no steel or husky. A few things I do like about it, it has an oil adjustment, idle speed adjustment on the outside of the saw. And a manual oiler for additional oil. The Euler adjustment and I don't adjustment required no tools and is readily accessible. The only reason I can figure that they are on there, is because they require so much adjustment. I know mine sure does.

I don't consider them a prograde saw. The new model echo saws carry a five year consumer warranty and two year professional warranty.

[czac]

I love my 290... the thing just rips! Never used the Husky you mention but I know I loved my little husky 18" till it started running ruff and I learned that the piston was scored like crazy! lol 3 years it lasted, the stihl is about 5 years old and runs mint!!

[czac]

might I also suggest staying above the 50cc mark... if your cutting a lot of wood, the extra power comes in handy, esp. if you don't sharpen your chains all the time or carry a couple extras...lol ever try to cut maple with a dull chain on a small saw? Its not fun!

[Yamada]

Any Shindaiwa fan here. We own 4 shindaiwa saw on the farm. 488, 575 Professional, 577 and 757C. The 757C and the 577 are over 10 years old, and the we replaced the 488 for a new one 7 years ago. The 488 is great for cutting small tree and the 757c is a real beast. It is my uncle saw and you know when he start it. It just bury the other saw with sound and wood :lol:
We also bought a husky, can't remember the number, 4 years ago. The carb already been rebuilt, hard to start, The top handle screws made hole in th oil tank because the screw were too long, batched it with epoxy because the crankcase is $250.
Next saw I'll buy will be a used shindaiwa or a new stihl.

[hoosierlogger]

might I also suggest staying above the 50cc mark... if your cutting a lot of wood, the extra power comes in handy, esp. if you don't sharpen your chains all the time or carry a couple extras...lol ever try to cut maple with a dull chain on a small saw? Its not fun!

Most of the time what causes saws to get scored pistons and cylinders is a combination of bad gas, dull chain, and over revving the engine.

[czac]

Most of the time what causes saws to get scored pistons and cylinders is a combination of bad gas, dull chain, and over revving the engine.

see? cutting with a small saw and a dull chain! lol,lol,lol... that's probably why it scored. It still runs, it just wont idle... but it still runs. Im gonna hone it out and put a piston in it some day.

[atc007]

Any Shindaiwa fan here. We own 4 shindaiwa saw on the farm. 488, 575 Professional, 577 and 757C. The 757C and the 577 are over 10 years old, and the we replaced the 488 for a new one 7 years ago. The 488 is great for cutting small tree and the 757c is a real beast. It is my uncle saw and you know when he start it. It just bury the other saw with sound and wood :lol:
We also bought a husky, can't remember the number, 4 years ago. The carb already been rebuilt, hard to start, The top handle screws made hole in th oil tank because the screw were too long, batched it with epoxy because the crankcase is $250.
Next saw I'll buy will be a used shindaiwa or a new stihl.

Lol, I was gonna mention them,but most haven't even heard of them. When I was in tech school, we had the priviledge of sitting in on their NE dealer meeting at our campus. To say I was beyond impressed would have been an understatement. No internet back then,,,,,imagine THAT ! No dealers around us, I told Dad about them,but we couldn't find a place to buy. I have a very nice one down at the shop I paid $20 for at a garage sale this summer. Full pro grade case,3 new chains,needs the carb cleaned. I cannot WAIT to weild that badboy around some.

[Motorgidd]

Has anyone ever used an echo? There is a small one at the local dealer i was looking at for the wife. Any good?

I have ran an Echo CS-370 and a CS-600P quite a bit, they have been great saws. I dont own them... A buddy of mine owns them and I borrow them from time to time. I use the 370 quite often to cut down young sapplings and smaller trees in our woods at the farm... its small and light yet has plenty of power. He has owned the 370 for about five years and no problems. The 600P for about 2 years and no problems. I still prefer my Stihl but the Echo's are a nice saw in my opinoin.

http://www.echo-usa.com/products/chain-saws/cs-370

http://www.echo-usa.com/Products/Chain-Saws/CS-600P

[maxdallasfan]

I got my dad the Poulan Pro walmart special 5 years ago. He owns a Christmas Tree farm. Keep it oiled and the chain sharp like a razor, and it'll last a long time.

[fabiodriven]

Yeah those Poulin's are great for slicing birthday cakes and such. Just no ice cream cake with those.

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Most of the time what causes saws to get scored pistons and cylinders is a combination of bad gas, dull chain, and over revving the engine.

I was going to say... NO chainsaw cuts worth a popcorn fart with a whooped chain...over 50cc or not. LOL! All the bigger CC's get ya is higher chances of breaking the chain and all the fun and excitement that goes along with it and everything you mentioned!

[whyzee]

If you are cutting that much firewood I would seriously consider the Stihl MS 362 ( full skip tooth chain and 22" bar ). Echo and poulan are disposable junk.

[kb0nly]

I don't the Poulan can even cut a birthday cake... Maybe... But you might die of hunger first. I despise them. I like to call them Pullins instead, cause to get them started you pull and pull and pull and pull and pull....

I have a Mini Mac that i use for limbing and small jobs, works great nice light saw, and a Stihl MS290 with a 18" bar. I have some other bars for it but the 18" is my everyday use. I didn't care for the chain it came with though, just cut slower than molasses this time of year. So i bought some more aggressive chains for it, not the homeowner anti kickback wimpy chains. I can cut like butter now, just set the saw on the log and let it do its job for the most part.

Husqvarna are pretty good saws, i ran one for a day once, i will say one thing about them, it was a lot heavier than my Stihl saw and the vibration from it definitely left me with arm and hand pain and fatigue by the end of the day compared to what i am used to cutting all day with my MS290.

[wisconsinite]

When i first started heating with wood, i bought a brand new poo-lan "pro" at fleet farm for around $165. I thought, sure, it won't last as long as a better name saw, but it's cheap! When it craps out, i'll just buy a new one!
Then i got the jonsered ( it's an older 2054 turbo, and it was free!) and couldn't believe i had actually cut up about 20 cords of wood with the poulan. What a difference.

[trizilla]

i havnt read through the whole post but have seen mention of Echo. i work at a very large lawn and garden dealership, we sell Echo, Cub Cadet, Mahindra (sub compact/compact tractors), Yanmar (compact tractors), Kymco utv, and Bennche utv.


from my expierence the Echo's are top of the line saws. they have a wide range of product in the saw market to fit most people's needs. our shop has carried Echo handhelds for 3 yrs now and have had great success. 2 yr commercial, 5 yr residential warranty, but i would be really surprised if you ended up needing it.

we have sold around 50 saws and not one has came back needing any work. in fact, other than changing 1 string trimmer head, i havn't had to do any warranty work to any of our Echo products sold.

[hillbilly 200x]

http://www.dolmarpowerproducts.com/productcatalog/chain_saws_gasoline/ps-5105_h/index.htm I know this is my own .02 but i wouldn't buy a stihl or husqvarna you couldn't even payed me to. I own a small engine repaire shop and have seen more new stihl and husqvarna in the last 4 years then the dolmars I sell. A lot of my customers are selling off the stihl and buying the dolmars i don't see a lot of newer husqvarna. The 5105 is an amazing saw and it can really handle it's own. Also it's one of the only 50 cc saws that has an actual engine that is rubber mounted. (The engine isn't part of the gas tank or oil tank). I have set a few of them up to run 30 inch bars. It's prices but you get what you pay for now a days

check the link out you maybe surprised

[kb0nly]

My local shop says he sees a lot of Stihl saws too, generally due to poor maintenance, operator error, or buying it at the local auto parts store or the big box hardware stores where they don't set them up. He has yet to see a single saw come over the front counter though that was a Stihl bought at our local dealer counter in the Runnings Fleet & Farm store, thats because they take em out of the box and run them, each and every one of them, before they go in the hands of the buyer. Not to mention they actually teach the buyer a thing or two as well.

But all brands have their lemons, there is no discounting that. And all brands have their lazy owners that don't do the maintenance. Can't discount that either.

I have only had my Stihl for a couple years now, bought it in the surge of cleanup when the tornado got us in 2011. But every time i use it i clean it, oil it, adjust everything, etc. And its always ready to go like an old reliable pair of shoes by the door.

[tripledog]

WOOHOO! I should have a brand spanking new Stihl MS362 within a week's time.