Stihl / Echo worth money over Poulan?

[dotshouse]

Hello,

I'm looking to buy a new chain saw, 16" - 18". Had just planned on going to Home Depot or Lowes and picking up one. They both carry Poulan, Echo and / or Husqvarna. I stopped by a local little repair shop to see if they could identify the older one I currently have so I asked their advice. They strongly suggested Stihl or Echo and advised to stay away from Poulan. None of the big places carry Stihl but I'm sure I could find a local dealer. I did see the Echo's run $50 + more for each size and seems a little more for the Husqvarna's. Is that the general consensus? I know it depends on the situation as well, I don't plan on becoming a lumber jack but I did just move to a place, just under 5 acres and have about 50 to 60 medium size trees to take down.

Thanks

 

[GASoline71]

What kind of "older" saw do you have?

Any saw is better than the current line up of Poulans... Echo has their niche, but I have never ran one so I will not comment.

Just remember... ya get what ya pay for...

Gary

 

[andrewspens]

The poulans will work...but

A poulan will definately work, but plan on buying 20-30 of them to get those 50-60 trees down. Add a few more if you want to cut stovelengths. Stihl, Husky and Echo are all hands down better than a wild thingy. How do you want to run?
Poulan---Pinto
Echo---turbocharged Honda
Stihl/Husky/Jonsered---top fuel dragster

 

[maccall]

A poulan will definately work, but plan on buying 20-30 of them to get those 50-60 trees down. Add a few more if you want to cut stovelengths. Stihl, Husky and Echo are all hands down better than a wild thingy. How do you want to run?
Poulan---Pinto
Echo---turbocharged Honda
Stihl/Husky/Jonsered---top fuel dragster

That's about it!

The good thing with better-than-Poulan-saws is that if they break there is spare parts to buy and they are worth getting repaired.

See if you can find a real chainsawdealer instead, it pays to buy from them if you are buying for the first time.

And keep in mind that the two smallest saws from Jonsered and Husqvarna respectively are also Poulans, so don't buy anyone smaller than 2141/340 of those brands.

 

[Fish]

Actually all of the Husqvarnas are Poulans, they just ship them over to Europe to dip them in Orange, so If you have a complaint with a Husqvarna
or a Poulan, you can chat with the same techs, they will tell you it was
caused by bad gas................................................

 

[PA Plumber]

Actually all of the Husqvarnas are Poulans, they just ship them over to Europe to dip them in Orange, so If you have a complaint with a Husqvarna
or a Poulan, you can chat with the same techs, they will tell you it was
caused by bad gas................................................

Ouch!!

I have bad gas sometimes. :fart: Never affected how my saws ran, though.

 

[computeruser]

Welcome to the site and congrats on your land purchase!

I would strongly encourage you to skip ANY of the box store saws. Husqvarna, Stihl, Dolmar, Echo, Solo, Emak/Efco/JD/CubCadet/whatever they are now, these are the saws to look at, and a good, trustworthy dealer is the place to find it if you're new to saws.

The old addage about getting what you pay for is true, but here's the catch: with the Poulan/Homelite/McCulloch/TroyBilt/Craftsman saws, you may actually end up with NOTHING but a broken piece of trash rather than just a lesser, semi-capable saw.

The $300-500 you spend now will pay you back with years of satisfying, reliable service, and will still be going strong many trees later.

 

[PA Plumber]

A belated, "Welcome to the site."

Just from the little you have mentioned, I would guess a saw in the 40cc to 50cc class would serve you well.

 

[Cut4fun]

Just personnel opinion here. I would stay away from any plastic cased clamshell designed saw, being stihl, husky or poulan. I would get at least a magnesium cased saw with the bolted on cylinder to the case. Poulan only has one saw still being sold at tractor supply stores (that I know of) with this configuration and it is the Poulan 330 with 54cc's non-epa muffler with a 22" b+c for $279. It is a fine homeowner saw, the 22" bar is to long for hardwoods IMO, but works great in softer woods. I have owned 2 of this style myself.
Stihl, Husky, Dolmar I would say go talk to your local dealer. .
I would just stay away from the plastic cased (resin) clam shelled stuff.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

I strongly suggest ECHO.

But dont get it from a box store, go to a dealer.

Take a look at the CS-520, 20" bar and chain, well balanced, good power, EASY TO START, and it wont totally demolish your wallet.

Im pretty sure all the new poulan Wild Things are strato-charged...thats not a good thing, and I recently had a BAD experience with 2 NEW poulan PRO saws. So I wont suggest Poulan anymore.

Stihl is good, EXPENSIVE AS ALL HELL...but good.

Husky...Well Ive only used a 395XP...which is a giant monster...so I cant comment on the smaller saws, other than the 55 Rancher..

 

[Cut4fun]

Red are these the two you bought? Poulan Pro PP4620 AVX saws. Plastic cased clam shelled designed stuff that I haven't heard a good word about yet. The last Poulans with plastic cases that I have seen spoken good about was the 220's and 260's. The newer stuff hasnt been up to par.

 

[KMB]

I would get at least a magnesium cased saw with the bolted on cylinder to the case. Poulan only has one saw still being sold at tractor supply stores (that I know of) with this configuration and it is the Poulan 330 with 54cc's non-epa muffler with a 22" b+c for $279.

Just for curiosity's sake, how did you find out that certain newer Poulans were of the "magnesium cases with a bolted on cylinder" design? By tearing it down to see how it was put together, from their website, or CSCC?

Kevin

 

[SawTroll]

Actually all of the Husqvarnas are Poulans, they just ship them over to Europe to dip them in Orange, so If you have a complaint with a Husqvarna
or a Poulan, you can chat with the same techs, they will tell you it was
caused by bad gas................................................

Total BS, don't confuse new members that way!!!! :fart: :sword:

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Red are these the two you bought? Poulan Pro PP4620 AVX saws. Plastic cased clam shelled designed stuff that I haven't heard a good word about yet. The last Poulans with plastic cases that I have seen spoken good about was the 220's and 260's. The newer stuff hasnt been up to par.

Thats the ones.

On one, The "elastic pull" cushioning system ripped apart and jammed the recoil all up.

The 2nd one refused to oil at all, then it puked all the oil out a busted oiler housing.

400 dollars worth of saws...not worth the boxes they were shipped in.

But as Ive said a dozen Times already, I LOVE my Wild Thing. Yes its plastic...but it starts on 1-2 pulls, Idles great, lightweight, perfect with the 18" bar.

But mine is not the new strato-charged version, I broke it in with a rich setting, and use synthetic oil ONLY, with a 32:1 mix. It still looks like brand new, I clean it every time I use it.

 

[Cut4fun]

Just for curiosity's sake, how did you find out that certain newer Poulans were of the "magnesium cases with a bolted on cylinder" design? By tearing it down to see how it was put together, from their website, or CSCC?

Kevin

Only 1 new poulan I know of and it is of the old discontinued design from what I am hearing before the EPA muffler stuff. The 330 I last looked at still had the 2 piece muffler that you could open and just pull baffle out or to cut out the small tube to exhaust port. Has fully adjustable carb after pulling the limiters with needle nose pliers also.
I owned them and never new of plastic (resin) cased saws till I came here. I may have bought stock older poulans at one time for my homeowner use 3750,330,305,2000,1800, and a XX but at least they had magnesium cases and bolt on cylinders and not the plastic cased clam shell crap. Bought one 220 plastic cased poulan out of curiosity and it turned out to be a very good dependable working saw for a 38cc saw. No complaints whatsoever.
Just look at the bottom of a chainsaw you think is plastic cased and look for the 4 bolts going through the bottom holding the clam shell cylinder around the crank and pulling it all together as one if you cant tell Magnesium from plastic (resin) cased.
Hope this helped or answered your question.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

The Echo saws, while not on the same playing field as Stihl and Husky in the performance dept., offer a good solid saw that will last.........as long as the owner/operator does his part!!!

 

[Just Mow]

Actually all of the Husqvarnas are Poulans, they just ship them over to Europe to dip them in Orange, so If you have a complaint with a Husqvarna
or a Poulan, you can chat with the same techs, they will tell you it was
caused by bad gas................................................

+1

 

[Just Mow]

I strongly suggest ECHO.

But dont get it from a box store, go to a dealer.

Take a look at the CS-520, 20" bar and chain, well balanced, good power, EASY TO START, and it wont totally demolish your wallet.

Im pretty sure all the new poulan Wild Things are strato-charged...thats not a good thing, and I recently had a BAD experience with 2 NEW poulan PRO saws. So I wont suggest Poulan anymore.

Stihl is good, EXPENSIVE AS ALL HELL...but good.

Husky...Well Ive only used a 395XP...which is a giant monster...so I cant comment on the smaller saws, other than the 55 Rancher..

Echo saws suck, they have no power and vibrate to pieces. Who in their right mind would put the air cleaner on the front of their climbing saw.

Just get a Stihl and be done with it. You won't be let down.

 

[2000ssm6]

The Echo saws, while not on the same playing field as Stihl and Husky in the performance dept., offer a good solid saw that will last.........as long as the owner/operator does his part!!!

Yeah, what he said!

Also buy from a dealer if you need help down the road.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Echo saws suck, they have no power and vibrate to pieces. Who in their right mind would put the air cleaner on the front of their climbing saw.

Just get a Stihl and be done with it. You won't be let down.

That may be the case............but every Echo tophandle I have seen used hasn't quit because of a front mounted air filter.


They are still a good value for the money!!!