Not really, just some lackluster ones. I knew it wasn't what I had hoped for when I saw the first pictures of it.
Of course it isn't a bad saw at all - just not what was expected of a new 43cc Husky xp. Its most positive assets is that it is lighter than the competition, and it does have an outboard clutch.
I'd have to say, the lackluster reports probably aren't coming from the kind of folk who would seriously consider spending their money on one anyway, certainly not buying one new at a dealers. There's no doubt about it, there's more that could have been stuffed into the saw in terms of features, but what it offers you sitting on the shelf, it delivers. It's light, it's easy to keep in good order in the field, spares availability is not a concern and the XPG version heats very well. That last bit is vitally important to me here in Finland during the winter. In terms of what's inside, I'm not very fussed to be honest, as long as it's made using good quality parts, which it is, the only thing I care is that it's reliable and gets the job done that I need it to do, and it does that admirably well. That's from a real world user, not a guy trying to justify a purchase after the fact!
On the whole japanese versus swedish thing, you might be surprised to learn that the quality of finish on the cast parts is noticeably superior on the 543 than it is on my 560. Hard to believe? I was surprised to see rough edges on the castings on the 560 crankcase and there's not a single casting imperfection on the little jap made 543. If you put aside the fact that the top cover doesn't really have the same lines and 'feel' as other offerings in the XP range and that the clutch cover is plastic (but to be quite honest, it's small and solidly made, without any flex when trying to detect some yesterday), any criticisms levelled are weak. That's coming from someone who is very critical of poor build quality in premium priced products in general.
Is it perfect? No. Until this saw had a few tanks of Aspen through it I was actually thinking I'd bought a real dud. Once it hit about 8 or 10 tanks the difference was like night and day. It was after I'd bought it at the dealer that I realised it wasn't a 'real' Husky and that really worried me. I had my doubts and I'll admit that. Reading up on it afterwards, others had reported similar concerns and fears. If it hadn't woken up with some early use, I'd be telling everyone to just take the extra weight and get a 550, but even without rev-boost and AT, the little 543 with a 13" bar is a gem to use. Folks mention the rubber AV as though that's something awful and a backwards step. Look at the figures and tell me how so. The antivibe works very well, so anything else said is purely academic and doesn't translate to the real world.
It shouldn't be ignored that you're also in for close enough to 800 euro for a 550 versus 525 euro for a 543 (over the counter prices, both non-heated, 13" B&C's, same Husqvarna main dealer) here in Finland, so who in their right mind would stump up an extra 275 euro or 300 US$ for AT and revboost if they don't actually need a 50cc saw? The 55 I have is a 'hack' saw, the 560 is my 'big' saw here and it's more than enough for this neck of the woods as you'll know. Adding a new 50 into the mix would be a waste of good money. I'd admit that I'd have thought twice if the difference was only 100 bucks but then I'd only be fooling myself with the 'bigger is better' mantra. A 40cc class saw was what I needed and that's what I bought.
Looking inside a saw as a tech-fan on the bench or on the IPL and criticising it's make-up is all well and good but in real life the priorities of a buyer (the guy who pays for the saw when new) are often wildly different to an enthusiast who picks it up a few years down the line on clearance or used. It may not be the most in demand model and who knows whether it will ever have much of a following amongst enthusiasts but anyone in the market for a solid little 40cc class saw that they can maintain themselves would be a fool to overlook it just because of what a bunch of guys on the internet think about it, especially when they've never even used the saw they're banging on about!
I might end up eating my words in time, but I don't think it'll be necessary. Hopefully anyone else sitting on the fence on this saw or looking at this thread however long in the future will be more comfortable viewing the 543 as a serious option. The naysayers often override the positive things people have to say about any product or service and in the case of the 543, I think that's a mistake.
