Ok chainsaw fans, here we go. An un biased educated opinion.
1. In NZ and AUS, echo offer a 5 year warranty. This is not a factory warranty, but offered as 2 + 3. The importer / distributor wears the 3 year balance as a tactic to increase unit sales. The factory warranty on echo for consumer use is 2 years, same as stihl and husky. As the distributors for stihl / husky are factory owned, they have a universal sales plan. indepentant importers such as the ones in NZ and AUS can do as they please to try and get you to buy the product... the factory has nothing to do with the extra 3 years.
2.
Kioritz (Echo) are a japanese based manufacturer who put millions of dollars into refinement (note - not R&D!!!). The warranty cost on echo products for importers / distributors are relatively low because the japanese dont try new things, they copy other ideas and refine them to a point of near perfection (but always many many years later due to copywright laws).
3. It is because of point 2, that you can pick up a 346 xp (49cc) husky, and absolutly blitz a CS6702 (67cc) echo. While the durability of the jap stuff can go the distance because they continuosly improve on 1 idea, the latest, coolest, and more powerfull gear will continue to come from Europe.
4. At the end of the day, a pro user will go wear out a stihl, husky, or echo in the same amount of time. The problem is, stihl and husky have the cool advanced stuff and a pro with an echo will take twice as long on the job as a pro with the europe gear. An the echo man will also spend twice as much on fuel...
There, I have said it. Crucify me if you will, but thats that.