saw choices and prices.

[glens]

Sapwood,

The dealer is "East Side Farm Equipment Sales".&nbsp; They're on the north side of the first road north of the 11 bypass around Monroe (I think it's County Road "D"), maybe a half mile east off of 69.&nbsp; You'll go by a landing some logger uses for processing firewood, and the the Deere dealer, both on the right.&nbsp; Tell Darin (actual spelling may be different) that "Glen, from Indiana" sent you, he's good folk (Darin, that is -- we all know about me :<tt>)</tt>.

I'd said their price list seemed different than the one the dealer I usually use back home has.&nbsp; I'd just recently checked on the price for the 066 ported front muffler cover back home but Darin sold me one for about 25% less without even dickering.

Glen

 

[Bill G]

Glens,

I went by that JD dealer but he was closed and I did not even know he was a Stihl dealer. I did check out the firewood processor. It was a little different than the ones down here. The Blockbuster processor is made abot 60 miles from here.

Sapwood

The dealer who I was with yesterday is in Burlington IA. He would be quite a drive from Freeport. The dealer I was referring to in Wisconsin was located 5 miles or so east of Potosi. I believ the name was Bluff Harbor Marine. When I pulled up he was working a boat in the driveway and I actually never went into the shop. We just talked outside. He gave me a rough quote on a 66 that seemed very good. If you are interested in checking him out send me an email and I will try to find more info.

Bill

 

[glens]

Bill G,

The JD dealer is on the right when heading east, the Stihl dealer is on the left a quarter mile or so further, across from the lumber yard.&nbsp; I'm not "for sure", but I don't think there's a Stihl sign up in front.&nbsp; He quoted me a price off the top of his head for an 066 which was about what I'd paid for mine back home as (what I think is) a very good deal.&nbsp; I'd believe it because the posted prices on most all the other saws are very good (I had to ask about the 066 because it wasn't listed).

Sapwood, fill up your gas tank before you come across the border.&nbsp; Wisconsin gas is about 30&cent; more a gallon for some reason...

Glen

 

[Sapwood]

Glens/Bill, Thanks for the info on the sw wisc. dealers. My son plays in a summer basketball league in Monroe every Thursday. Might slip up there early and check it out. Seems to me theres a decent bar out that way north of 11/69....so I won't be wasting my time even if I don't by a saw!

Standard practice to cross the line with a full tank. Wisconsin is a nice state but they tax the sh!t out of ya, and gas is no exception.

Sap

 

[vsteel]

I really apricate all of the good info, just a couple more questions. Is there much difference in how a Stihl vs Husky cut? for example, does one have more torque than the other? Does one vibrate less? either one a little more handy to use?

When I get the saw, and I need a part say in 10 years, is there one brand that will be a lot easier to get parts for than the other? I know the future is unknown, I just mean judging by past performance.

 

[jokers]

Hi vsteel, I`ll try to generically answer your question about the two brands.

Stihls used to be torquey compared to Husky, but no more. Any difference will be subtle, for example if you compare an ms260 to a 346xp, the 260 will have slightly less topend punch and very slightly more torque.

The Husky spring system is slightly more effective at damping vibrations however current Stihls are pretty good also. In many cases only a special machine can distinguish the difference.

Huskies and Stihls do balance differently, pick the one that feels best to you with the bar length you plan to use. If by "handier to use" you mean which brand is more field servicable such as cleaning air filters and so forth, it`s a toss up, but rest assured that you will be cleaning the Husky filter far less. Just that all models of Husky don`t have tooless access to the filter, but then many Sthils which have tooless access require a screwdriver to remove the filter.


The future is unknown but I don`t think you will have a problem getting parts for either brand.

Russ

 

[chainsawworld]

vsteel,
when i compare saws for cutting speed i try to get them as close in cc as i can. when comparing the 044 and the 372 it is easy because they are both 4.3.
saws are set up at factory recommendations. most times i will swap chains back and forth so differance in chains and bars get eliminated. same fuel, rim or sprocket and the wood is the same. most times i use 8x8 squared cants but some times for small cc saws i will use 6x6. to be fair, everything is as equal as possible.
each saw will make three cuts and i average the times.
here is an example of some times in 8x8 spruce:
stihl 044 2.99,2.91,2.81
husky 372xp 2.30,2.34,2.37
husky 372xpw 1.93,1.77,1.86
may not seem like much but when in compitetion 100th of a second could put you out. stihl is saying the 440 is putting out more power than the 044 so that comparision is coming soon.
here are the numbers comparing the same saw with a stock muffler and a walkerized muffler. this test was in tulip 8x8. the only change to the saw was the muffler. nothing was changed in the carb. the saw did pick up rpms at idle.
372xp stock muffler 2.12,2.17,2.27
372xp walkerized muffler 1.67,1.68,1.68
marty

 

[vsteel]

You were correct Jokers when I said handy I ment field service, airfiter and such.

 

[Striker]

Don't worry about whether you need a saw that big. Buy the one that has the best dealer support in your area and get the saw modded so that it runs like a striped rearended ape. Becareful buying of of the internet, some dealers won't do warranty work on a saw if they know you bought it off of the internet.

 

[woodho]

vsteel,
I bought my 372xp here in MA one the highest cost of living states. I looked on the internet and did some comparison shopping. When I was ready I took my stuff to the dealer and talked with him. I got my 372 for $620. Not the cheapest but I've got the dealer support and I didn't pay retail. You will love this saw, I have been predominantly a Stihl guy but tried the 372.
Since then I've bought a 346, 262, 394 and 357. This saw is just plain awesome. Good luck

Woodho

 

[vsteel]

Well I made my choice, I am going to get the 372XP. The 372 itsn't that much more than the 357 so why not step up. As why I am stepping over the Stihl saws, its the dealerships around here.

As many of you know I have a problem with my 029 stalling out. I was getting a carb kit to put in it. I go to my local stihl dealer and they give me the wrong one, ok accidents happen, I talk to them and they say sure they have one, sorry for the accident and come on in and they will fix me up. I go in and they show they have 5 listed on the computer but they can't find any of them. They offer to order one in for me, I say I need to get that saw going, just give me my money back, they do and I am on my way to the next dealership. I pull into the one I said I had my hopes up for as a stihl dealer, well I tell him what I need and he goes back and has no idea of one of 2 carb kits. I ask if he needs to know anything about the saw or the carb, I know the numbers and can tell him. He just goes in the back for 15 min and comes out with one. He says "I really hope this is the right one." I ask what is the difference, he repies I have no idea, you just have to go and try it out. It happened to be the correct one. hopefully I can go cut wood in the next couple of days and let you all know if the stalling problem is fixed.

I had also mentioned that I had the stalling problem on the 290, no one seems to have heard of that except you guys on the boards, funny how several have run into that though. All they can say is try new gas, beyond that they have no idea. (I had the saw in a few times when it was under warenty and they didn't know what to do, the would let it idle a while and it woudn't stall out so they said they don't see a problem, I would explain the conditions that it would happen in. they said they can't reproduce it so they can't do anything.)

Well after all of this I was driving home and I passed a farm store we have here. Kind of sell everything type of store, I had to stop in and pick up something and I knew they sold chainsaws so I went back and took a look. I go back to the saws and wow, they even have a 372 sitting there. I pick it up and take a feel of it (felt very simular to the 440 to me) when one of the sales men walks out and asked if I have questions. Well we get to chatting about the saw and he says want to go in back and fire it up? I am like sure, so we go back and try her out. (nice machine by the way.) He also made me laugh because I had not said anything about stihl but he mentioned, "yea we get a lot of people in who look at the stihl and can't stand the dealers, they are asses around here." I chuckeled and told him and had to agree. Long story short he was very enthusastic about the saws, and seemed to want to bend over backwards. (they have a few of these stores and they all sell husky and have an authorized husky mechanic for repairs.)

The only thing left is the price, but I still might get it from them, they had the 372 for 674.00 but the guy, without me asking, said he would throw in a gas can, 6 bottles of 2 stroke oil, a gallon jug of bar oil and a case. I didn't try and dicker the price right then because I knew I was not going to buy one right then anyway, so not sure how flexable they are. I have found my dealer though, I like these guys.

 

[Ryan Willock]

A GOOD dealer makes all the differance!! Glad you found one that you like!!

 

[buckwheat]

Sounds like you've found a good place to do business with. One thought, though. I've picked up cases for two of my saws and find that I rarely if ever use them. They take up a lot of room on the shelf in the garage and I usually just transport the saws with their scabbards. You might want to consider swapping the case for some extra chain loops.

 

[Ryan Willock]

Buckwheat brings up a good point, cases are a pain in the @#$%R@#$@@#!!!! I find it too cumbersom to have to dig a saw out of a case every time I need one! Also they take up too much space.

 

[bwalker]

Cases also will not fit a bar over 24".

 

[vsteel]

20 bucks would be cool, but I can get a saw delivered to my door for 589 like the one he has. So roughly 85 dollars I will dicker some. if he could meet me half way that would be good enough.

I didn't check out the cases to much, I don't care for them either, but I thought it was cool he would throw other stuff in.

I was thinking more along the lines of cheaper price and just not throw in all the other stuff. If I do that then I can ask what kind of oil to use, and should I use synthetic or not. ( just kidding, I have read the previous threads and thats why I mentioned that.)

 

[Ryan Willock]

If you order from a catologe don't forget to include shipping as part of the cost of the saw!! A lot of people forget about shipping, now on the other hand you won't have to pay sales tax.

 

[vsteel]

589 was including shipping.

 

[glens]

Ryan, I think most states have a "use tax" which is the same rate as the sales tax and for which the purchaser is liable.&nbsp; It's due for such situations as mail order equipment and supplies, and it's probably criminal to not pay it.&nbsp; Of course, "they" probably won't come after you or me, but that doesn't mean the can't or won't.

Glen

 

[Stumper]

Glens, Use taxes aren't sales taxes on mailorder purchases. I think that you will find that "use" is the excuse for an excise tax on rentals. In any case even if the blasted thieves ...er I mean tax collecting bureaucrats ..er like I was saying ...blasted thieves do say that an individual is liable for an excise on a mailordered item, failure to pay such would not be 'criminal'-it is a civil matter. FYI most states sales tax statutes have clauses excepting "occassional sales" so that vendors who are selling out of their normal State of operations aren't expected to collect it. The mailorder industry has fought (with plenty of grassroots help) to keep the blasted thieves' grubby paws out of both their and their customers pockets.