Any good saws from "box" stores?

[motti]

I was just thinking about it. Are there any good saws currently being made/sold that are available in the "box" stores today? (not going to mention names, but you know the ones - giant retailers that compete to be the cheapest price) Most have the current models by Poulan, and McCulloch, but there's a few small Echos and Craftsman. What do you guys think of these? Do we need to go to saw shops to get decent saws?

 

[Lawn Masters]

craftsman saws and poulan = CRAP. same for the modern McCullochs. Echo's are great saws, considering they're tough to kill.

I'd personally visit a dealer for a decent quality saw.

 

[spacemule]

I was in Lowe's the other day, and they had in stock the 350, 353, and 455 Rancher saws. Home depot carries the smaller Echos.

 

[GASoline71]

No. opcorn:

Gary

 

[Jonsered Rep]

Dealer

I am an ex big box employee. I have always been the dealers champion. You will most always get better service and build a better after the sale relationship at a dealer.
Back to the subject Echo is a wonderful saw that can be purchased at a hd but i am not a big fan of using echo for pro work unless it is there top handle model. Husky can be found at lowes for now at least. I am pretty sure that i saw in a issue of OPE that they were planning on leaving lowes. But the poulan wild things the pros and the homelights are not nearly the quality they used to be and i would not purchase them if i had a free gift card.

 

[Freakingstang]

some stores I have seen carry the Husky 359.

Home depot rental stores can sell you a brand new Makita DCS 6401 (dolmar 6400), but they have to order it.

I thought I remember seeing some saws at sears, but don't remember which husky saws they carried.

Most of the bigger, better saws, are not stock by chain stores for liability reasons.

Kinda like, you don't need a AK47 to take out a squirrel....

 

[pitkas]

Looks like Lowes is dropping husqvarna, or it could be the other way around.

 

[stihlatit]

Lotsa good for nothing ones. Unless you fire it up twice a year.

 

[Jonsered Rep]

Correct me if you think i am wrong

The word in my area is that Husky is pushing too much onto there shops. thats how i have done real well with Jonsered. Also i have the Tilton family name and reputation to help too. The main complaints i hear are That they will buy the saw while at lowes while making another purchase or just because it is more convenient and that Huskey requires a dealer to carry the whole line of products one of every saw and some yard equipment. for some dealers that is an amazing amount of overhead. and some saws are not big movers in some markets. Not too many people in New Orleans are gonna need a 80+cc saw but a dealer in the middle of Arkansas may sell 10-15 a yr. but Husky makes them carry it anyway. I am not a Husky rep and all this may not be true but its what other people in the market pass on to me.

 

[motti]

Looks like Lowes is dropping husqvarna, or it could be the other way around.

Really?? Wow. What will the store replace them with?


I forgot to mention that some of the stores do carry Husky. Those don't count. :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[TwoTurboVolvos]

Sears sells the Husky 455.
Ron

 

[Marco]

Poulan 3450, 54cc, really at its best with a 16 or 18 inch bar, not the 20. I have had and ran quite a few different variations of these things, first was a 3000 that I still have, still have a 335 I'll run against the King of Chainsaws model in this class. Have had and sold/long term borrowed a Craftsman, (2) 335 Predators, 330, 380's (miss the 380 lots ) and a few others I have forgotten about. Out of maybe ten that I have had, only one needed a new cylinder in its life, never had oil pump trouble, always had spark, have better than some other brands antivibe mounts. It would be the only boxstore saw I would consider bringing home other than a Makita or Husky. Biggest problem is they are set to lean from the factory and nobody is smart enough to fatten them up.

 

[Bill G]

I was just thinking about it. Are there any good saws currently being made/sold that are available in the "box" stores today? ............................

I guess I see you question a bit differently than some. If you are asking if the big box stores sell quality saws than my answer is yes. I will not get into a debate of Husky-Stihl-Jred-Makita. The box stores here have sold all but of course Stihl. As for the other lines they will sell all models up to the 3120 Husky. Yes they sell quality saws. Now if you question is do the service quality saws then no they do not. They sell them not service them. I can buy a new 3120 from the box store but they will not service it nor stock parts for it. Obviously the local dealer will if I buy from him.

Bill

 

[McCullough]

Around here Mills Fleet Farm and Tractor Supply carries certain Husqvarna models, although they are more expensive than prices quotes from major online Husq dealers - the 455 Rancher was like $80 more at Mills Fleet Farm + the cost of 2 free chains from the online store. Although if you time it right you might be able to knock some extra dollars off at Mills Fleet Farm: (a) Wait until they have a sale & (b) Sign up for store credit card and you get 10% off first purchase. Of course you have to pay sales tax also at a store.

 

[motti]

No, your answer was good. I was looking for any thoughts on the subject, I guess. I was just thinking that the new McCullochs are nowhere near as good as the old metal ones, and the same goes for the Poulans. I hear so much about the Poulans being inexpensive, and I see boat loads of them for sale, all over the place. Makes me really wonder about quality, and longevity.

I understand that retail stores aren't set up to do repairs, or carry parts, so you have to go to a saw store. But if you have to go to a saw store anyways...... might as well buy a different brand of saw.

 

[GASoline71]

There are some that have bought "box store" saws and had good luck with them. But I believe they are few and far between. The old addage of "Ya get what ya pay for..." rings true here.

Poulans make a really cool green doorstop!

Gary

 

[motti]

Poulans make a really cool green doorstop!

I love my green metal doorstops! They run great.

 

[Marco]

Poulan did make a run of Wildthings in blaze orange camo if you want to use one as a neat looking doorstop. I am not fond of the "Wildthing" series and I am a Poulan dealer, I will admit it is a overweight gutless wonder. 295 series is fairly decent, biggest problem is bonehead operators. 3450/330....... well shucks it's like my old man says when he makes a batch of liver and onions "you don't like it, fine, more for me"

 

[Justsaws]

Poulan did make a run of Wildthings in blaze orange camo if you want to use one as a neat looking doorstop. I am not fond of the "Wildthing" series and I am a Poulan dealer, I will admit it is a overweight gutless wonder. 295 series is fairly decent, biggest problem is bonehead operators. 3450/330....... well shucks it's like my old man says when he makes a batch of liver and onions "you don't like it, fine, more for me"

Sears around here carry smaller Husky's, Poulan Craftsman's and Jung feng Craftsman's. Lowe's carries roughly the same line some with different names and colors. Home Depot almost the same just swap Echo for Husky. Small hardware stores do not seem to carry any. Odd lots carries "re-conditioned" Poulan's ( 295's=$125.99) and Homelites with regularity. Out of the group available the larger Poulan's and Echo's are the value leader's. I do not see the inventory flying off the shelf except at Sear's. They sell a lot of saws. For a lot of people these saws are all the quality that they need and the price fits their attitude. If you take care these saws they can last a long time. I like the 295. I think that quality is relative to expectation and understanding.

 

[046]

our local Lowes carries Husky 359 on the shelves.

that's the best saw I've seen offered by a box store