Stihl ms 362 vs Echo 620P

[CoreyB]

The 362 I handles while shopping for a 60cc saw felt almost toyish. The echo felt really good the better closers dealer has dolmar so that is what I ended up going. But wouldn't have a second thought to pick up a 620 for a great saw.

 

[Banshee365]

I love how any ECHO thread becomes a pissing match. Husqvarna,Stihl,Echo they all cut just fine. Go to a dealer and pick up both saws see which one feels better in your hands that's the one you will enjoy running more. When my 590 was out being ported I ran a 359 and an 036 in its place both borrowed. I enjoyed both saws. Sharp chain good mix and a good tune after that all that matters is are you happy with the saw you picked.

No pissing match at all. I admire the Stihl and Huksy's as well. I just had to pick which one I wanted to buy and am listing the reasons that I made the decision that I did. If all 3 were the same price the decision would have been much more difficult.

 

[SAWMIKAZE]

Haven't run the Echo, but I really like my strato MS362.

I like my strato better than the mtronic model. Maybe that's just me. My 362 is smooooth, has great throttle response and plenty of torque. The mtronic one I ran didn't seem to have the same torque and maybe didn't rev as quick, idkw.

If I bought another 60cc saw I would be looking at Stihl and Dolmar. Possibly Echo, except nobody even takes Echo chainsaws seriously around here...

The mtronic model is a strato as well..

 

[sapman]

I do appreciate all the input. My local Echo dealer's price for the 620P is only $40 less than the 362. Did find another further away for like $140 less. Planning to look closer at the 362 tomorrow and see how it feels compared to the 620 I saw last week.

The Stihl dealer has kept my 25 year old 025 working well, with quick turnaround times, so that's a big consideration for me. Wish they sold Echo. Might be an easier decision.

 

[Banshee365]

I do appreciate all the input. My local Echo dealer's price for the 620P is only $40 less than the 362. Did find another further away for like $140 less. Planning to look closer at the 362 tomorrow and see how it feels compared to the 620 I saw last week.

The Stihl dealer has kept my 25 year old 025 working well, with quick turnaround times, so that's a big consideration for me. Wish they sold Echo. Might be an easier decision.

What are they asking for the 620p and with what size bar? $659? Many dealers catalogs are showing that as the MSRP but the price is actually $100 less than that. Tell that dealer you got the high quote from to price match what Echo wants them selling the saw for. It's right on their website. The catalog doesn't match the most accurate current price on the 620p. I had this same issue buying mine but the dealer was cool and said he would change it in his catalog too.

 

[user 149785]

I just priced a 620 pw at my local dealer yesterday for 579$ 620p for 559$ both w/20

 

[Banshee365]

I posted a few photos of my 620p on page 105 of the mega-thread if anyone wants to see one taken down: http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/15-echo-cs620pw-information.278407/page-105

 

[GrassGuerilla]

I've had phenomenal luck with anything Echo in years of grass service and lawn care. Saws, trimmers, blowers you name it. Very solid build quality and service life. No, the parts network isnt as good as Stihl for local parts availability. That said, I can Oder parts for Echo and have them delivered to my door. Try that with Stihl.

If your going to keep it and use it long term the Echo will likely be the better value, and a damn fine tool. If you expect to sell it in a year or two and buy new again, the Stihl will hold its value better. Both will cut wood. Another thing not mentioned so far is simplicity. Echo stuff is almost always a clean, simple, serviceable design. There is nothing fancy, nothing electronic, and few proprietary tools needed (actually none that I know of) to keep one in service. Can't say that about Stihl or Husky anymore. The average joe that lives in a rural area can generally do whatever he needs to do to fix anything Echo. Not so easily said about auto tune or mtronic stuff. Echos slogan should be "it just works". Some of us still appreciate simple.

 

[old 040]

I'm pretty pumped on the deals I got on both a 620PW and A 600SX a while back, I still feel these are some of the best currant saws available regardless of price......

 

[Big Block]

I vote for the 620 p so easy to work on if you ever have too. A t27 and your scrench will damn need dismantle the whole thing. And.......I know I'm a broken record but base gasket delete limit tab delete and muffler mod that ******! And they are flat out mean.

 

[Khntr85]

For $40 more I would be getting the 362...

 

[jd548esco72]

get the 6100---lol

 

[user 149785]

now I'm gonna have to buy a 620 !!

 

[PFDGary]

I suggest checking Echo's Promotions page for best pricing <http://www.echo-usa.com/Promotions/One-Day-Sale> I believe each dealer gets a day. I bought my 620p in early May in Maine at a dealer and saved $100 (total was $466.) Price was marked down 20% from the MSRP, and the dealer was great, I paid over the phone a couple of days prior to their "One-Day Promotion Sale" and picked up at my convenience. Great dealer, great service, great saw.

 

[Matt Hogden]

I'm pretty pumped on the deals I got on both a 620PW and A 600SX a while back, I still feel these are some of the best currant saws available regardless of price......View attachment 575100

Hey what d you think of the Shindaiwa 600sx?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[holeycow]

Reviving this;

In the meanwhile I bought a new Echo 590...about a month ago. This was a purchase based entirely on reviews and reports on the web. And from threads such as this. I paid 400 + tax Canadian on a sale.

Today I finally cut some wood with it. I limbed and bucked 4 beetle-killed jack-pine blow-downs. They varied from about 12” to 20”. There’s still about 2 feet of snow here, so it was decent exercise walking up and down the trees and trudging through the snow. I was kind-of excited to run this saw, so I just couldn’t wait any longer for the snow to melt down.

Anyway, once I played with the settings a bit I had it running pretty good, maybe not quite optimal, but pretty darn good. I had pulled the limiter caps previously, so I had it running pretty rich. I richened some more and then leaned it until it seemed close. It’s hard to discern the edge of fourstroking with this saw. When it’s four stroking hard it is gutless. As you lean it, it gains lots of power, but almost completely loses the strong four stroke feel/sound, for me at least. I will learn the saw shortly.

Starts good, idles and accelerates decently, oils good. Re-starts with one little pull. Nice.

The saw is fairly torquey, but obviously not as strong as my ms362. It has workmanlike power. Effective, but linear and maybe a bit flat. It doesn’t bear down and pull like any of my other saws, which are all “pro” models and I guess are ported as such. Keep in mind this was its first tank of fuel after a couple of idling and cool down sessions done a while ago.

This Echo is kind-of buzzy. Not so bad when running it, but the tingle stayed with me for a while afterwards. It seems a similar frequency and result as my Jonny 590’s from the mid to late 80’s. I never used to notice that stuff much. Now I do.

The saw handles nicely and feels pretty good to roll around. It feels solid overall.

This Echo is different from my other saws. It feels less refined in both antivibe and power delivery. It does feel nice to run though. Workmanlike. Utilitarian. Effective.

It has the potential to grow on me.

I think I got what I paid for, and am surely not disappointed as long as Echo’s reputation for durability stands true. I think it will.

I expected a premium “farm and ranch” type saw. I think that’s what I got.

One man’s early, perhaps even premature opinion...

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I had a ms362 2012 model standard carb....I only sold it because I got a 461 and I know use the 50cc and 70cc plan....

As far as the 362...It was reliable as an east wing hammer.....-10----90 degrees, started and ran like a champ.....the saws AV was great, super smooth......mine wore a 20" always, I cut hardwood, maybe you could run a 25" with skip, but I didn't want to try it!!!

I hear a lot about echo....we have echo blowers at work that have been beat to hell, had diesel ran in them, etc and they still run....my only question is will the echo saws last as long as the Stihl....I am by no means saying they can't, just wondering!!!

Lastly, pick both up, a lot of times this will seal the deal in which one you get....when you plan on using a saw a lot, hownit feels does come into play...

My buddy runs 25" full comp on his 2 362s. I ran one several days last week on the deck limb stuff that couldn't run through the delimber.
Wasn't quite as much giddy up as the 460 I've been running all winter with 24" bar but wasn't bad. My 362 has an 18", probably going to put a 24".

 

[James Miller]

Reviving this;

In the meanwhile I bought a new Echo 590...about a month ago. This was a purchase based entirely on reviews and reports on the web. And from threads such as this. I paid 400 + tax Canadian on a sale.

Today I finally cut some wood with it. I limbed and bucked 4 beetle-killed jack-pine blow-downs. They varied from about 12” to 20”. There’s still about 2 feet of snow here, so it was decent exercise walking up and down the trees and trudging through the snow. I was kind-of excited to run this saw, so I just couldn’t wait any longer for the snow to melt down.

Anyway, once I played with the settings a bit I had it running pretty good, maybe not quite optimal, but pretty darn good. I had pulled the limiter caps previously, so I had it running pretty rich. I richened some more and then leaned it until it seemed close. It’s hard to discern the edge of fourstroking with this saw. When it’s four stroking hard it is gutless. As you lean it, it gains lots of power, but almost completely loses the strong four stroke feel/sound, for me at least. I will learn the saw shortly.

Starts good, idles and accelerates decently, oils good. Re-starts with one little pull. Nice.

The saw is fairly torquey, but obviously not as strong as my ms362. It has workmanlike power. Effective, but linear and maybe a bit flat. It doesn’t bear down and pull like any of my other saws, which are all “pro” models and I guess are ported as such. Keep in mind this was its first tank of fuel after a couple of idling and cool down sessions done a while ago.

This Echo is kind-of buzzy. Not so bad when running it, but the tingle stayed with me for a while afterwards. It seems a similar frequency and result as my Jonny 590’s from the mid to late 80’s. I never used to notice that stuff much. Now I do.

The saw handles nicely and feels pretty good to roll around. It feels solid overall.

This Echo is different from my other saws. It feels less refined in both antivibe and power delivery. It does feel nice to run though. Workmanlike. Utilitarian. Effective.

It has the potential to grow on me.

I think I got what I paid for, and am surely not disappointed as long as Echo’s reputation for durability stands true. I think it will.

I expected a premium “farm and ranch” type saw. I think that’s what I got.

One man’s early, perhaps even premature opinion...

Give it 8-10 tanks to loosen up they take awhile to show there full potential. I agree not as refined as the stihl or husky pro saws. But for the price it's a well built saw.

 

[holeycow]

Not as refined as the Dolmars either.

It needs better antivibe and more power to be held in the same regard.

 

[Tex68w]

I wanted to buy into the Echo lineup simply due to their price and simplicity, there are a lot of dealers in my area as well. After running one however (father has a 501), my opinion changed. The janky kill/run toggle switch bothered me and the lack of any anti-vibe was noticeable to my hands after a few minutes. I think they are excellent saws for the money, but in no way are they as refined or as well built or designed as the big two. I would have liked to have tried a Jonsered and a Dolmar before committing to Stihl, but the lack of dealers in my area probably would have turned me off from them as well.