500I gets my vote. Buy once, cry once. Like Hermio wrote, use it, take care of it, and if you decide to part with it....
Talk me (homeowner) into or out of new saw
- Thread starter javadog
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Is the grant only available to buy a new saw or is it a grant towards getting the work done? Don't know how it works?! If it's the latter it would cover a pretty comprehensive refurb of the 360 I'd have thought and once done should be more than capable of the job! If it's the former then the grant and selling your 360 might go half way to an ms400 or a bit more towards an Echo if they're cheaper. In UK here and echos aren't any cheaper than equivalent Stihls really.
Did you get the new ms400 yet?
You know you want it so just go buy it.
You know you want it so just go buy it.
Michael E
ArboristSite Lurker
Getting 20 years of service out of any piece of equipment is not bad. The fact that people still insist you get a tune up and keep going tells you a lot about Stihl quality and parts availabilty. I would suggest you get that MS400 and use it for the next 20 years.
Unless you're going to learn how to fix saws, you will want a really competent dealer not too far away. There are a lot of hundred-dollar-per-hour ****s pretending to be saw mechanics, so it's not like you can just walk into any authorized repair place and not find a moron behind the counter. If you want another Stihl, make sure you can get to a good Stihl dealer or repair shop pretty quickly.
Concerning Echo, I got a Timberwolf and thought it was a horrible saw until I got the straight dope on maintaining and running it. The Echo repair places around here are slow or staffed with people who have trouble tying their shoes, and I had a hard time getting good information on the web so I could do things myself, but now that I have a few clues, the saw is great. The guts are pretty much like a pro saw. The carb's main jet is a problem, but you might not care, and if you do, it probably means you're the kind of person who can replace it.
I don't know anything about Stihls. I tried to buy one at the nearest dealer, but they didn't know anything about their products, so I drove to a Husqvarna place and bought a 562XP.
My feeling about saws, after 7 years of living on a farm and dealing with a zillion fallen oaks, is that a land owner needs 1) a cordless pole saw for 85% of the work, 2) a light, overpowered 16" saw for cutting stuff up to 10 inches, and 3) a very strong 20"-minimum saw for the things he will hate doing with a 16" saw.
Saw Suppliers gave me a really nice deal on an Echo because I am in a disaster zone.
Concerning Echo, I got a Timberwolf and thought it was a horrible saw until I got the straight dope on maintaining and running it. The Echo repair places around here are slow or staffed with people who have trouble tying their shoes, and I had a hard time getting good information on the web so I could do things myself, but now that I have a few clues, the saw is great. The guts are pretty much like a pro saw. The carb's main jet is a problem, but you might not care, and if you do, it probably means you're the kind of person who can replace it.
I don't know anything about Stihls. I tried to buy one at the nearest dealer, but they didn't know anything about their products, so I drove to a Husqvarna place and bought a 562XP.
My feeling about saws, after 7 years of living on a farm and dealing with a zillion fallen oaks, is that a land owner needs 1) a cordless pole saw for 85% of the work, 2) a light, overpowered 16" saw for cutting stuff up to 10 inches, and 3) a very strong 20"-minimum saw for the things he will hate doing with a 16" saw.
Saw Suppliers gave me a really nice deal on an Echo because I am in a disaster zone.
javadog
New Member
Well, the plot in this saga has thickened. I saw wisdom in good advice in all the posts in this thread. In the end I went to the dealer last Friday and bought one of their 400 saws. I thought, even if this is somewhat of a bad decision, I have made many costly bad decisions that have been way way far worse than buying a chain saw (usually involving lawyers, wedding rings, real estate agents, or some combination thereof) . Anyway, there have been two developments today that changes the picture quite a bit. One, after fixing the oiler and putting on a new bar and chain on the 360, plus adjusting the chain tension correctly, I was very impressed with how well it did today. It ran great, after the usual few minutes of fiddling and operator error to get it started.
The second thing is that I was informed by my neighbor that she contacted Samaritan's Purse, a Christian disaster relief organization, and that they would be able and willing to come out and saw our downed trees for us. Sounds too good to be true, but even if they were able to buck the oak tree trunk into
moveable sections that would be an immense help.
So I am left with the decision whether to look into returning the 400, since I haven't even started it, did any sort of break in stuff with it, or cut anything with it to see how awesome it was. I'll have to wait until next week to get ahold of the salesman at the dealer to see what happens next .
The second thing is that I was informed by my neighbor that she contacted Samaritan's Purse, a Christian disaster relief organization, and that they would be able and willing to come out and saw our downed trees for us. Sounds too good to be true, but even if they were able to buck the oak tree trunk into
moveable sections that would be an immense help.
So I am left with the decision whether to look into returning the 400, since I haven't even started it, did any sort of break in stuff with it, or cut anything with it to see how awesome it was. I'll have to wait until next week to get ahold of the salesman at the dealer to see what happens next .
Paul, sounds like my area as far as Stihl techs and dealers. The best one got flooded out several years ago and just couldn't recover. The local ones now, have trouble putting on their shoes , let alone tying the laces. The only one decent is 30 miles away. Father was fair, his son took over and has a holier than thou attitude. My neighbor owns a local Agway / Stihl sales. I try only to buy oil from him as his son also took over. Very common to see items for sale with three price stickers overlapping.
I'm fortunate that my 361 ,probably 20 + years old is still running great. The 500I , so far ok.....
As you say Paul, get great support, but sometimes almost impossible.
You’ve answered your own question:
Reasons to Return:
1. The 360 works great and is reliable.
2. You have support for anything oversized.
3. You already have a solid backup saw
Reasons to Keep:
1. …
It’s easy to overlook older saws and think newer models are just better. However, you’ll soon realize that isn’t true. Most new saws have limited ignition coils, non-adjustable carburetors, and expensive replacement parts. They’re lighter and therefore weaker too.
There’s a good reason the saws from around the turn of the century are still going strong and loved by many. It was the golden era: light, strong, easy to work on, and with parts that are readily available. Older models were heavy and sluggish, while newer ones are thin, flimsy, weak, restricted and often non adjustable.
You probably won’t see a 500i still running in 20 years, if you can even get parts for it then. The cost of an injector is about $600, and half that for a fuel pump—you can’t change a diaphragm. The housing is weak, and good luck trying to work on it without Stihl’s diagnostic software, which costs around $2,000 if you can even find it.
If you take care of your 360, it could still be running strong in 20 years with just a little TLC, servicing, and a carb kit—all of which you can do yourself.
Crushed my 361 that I had for 15 years. 
Replaced with a 400CM.
Both run the same chain and 20" bar. 400CM is noticeably better at keeping chain sepeed with a buried bar. Setting cost aside, I'm very pleased with having it as a replacement for the 361.
Replaced with a 400CM.
Both run the same chain and 20" bar. 400CM is noticeably better at keeping chain sepeed with a buried bar. Setting cost aside, I'm very pleased with having it as a replacement for the 361.
Sell the 360 and keep the 400. There no more or less issues with the mtronic system then a std carb. There's no reason to think it wouldn't last 20 years of light use, or parts won't be available. The limited coil on the 400 is bs too, and doesn't matter to someone not porting the saw.
Must be an Agway thing. I went into one in the next state east of you near my home. Couple of guys there knew nothing about the Stihl's on the wall. Another guy acted like I was wasting his time. After talking to the service department I wouldn't trust them to put a set of Lego's together.
Sidecarflip
Addicted to ArboristSite
Saws run about forever with proper care and proper fuel and oil ratio's. Me, I prefer canned fuel but then I don't run them everyday either. My 45+ year old 028 runs just fine but it needs the isolastic rubbers replaced which I just ordered and will install. Rubber does deteriorate after so many years, like fuel and impulse lines do (did those last year).
I like having at least 2 saws on the ready in case I do something stupid and need to cut a stuck saw out of a pinch.
If I were you, I'd get an Echo and keep what you have. Echo's are quality, Japanese designed saws, I have 2 myself and I'll never buy another overpriced Stihl.
I don't consider any medium size saw to be a major purchase, nit like an overpriced car or truck.
Whatever you get, buy an extra loop so when the one on the saw gets dull you can change it out and keep cutting and learn how to PROPERLY dress a dull loop and set the rakers as well.
There is nothing worse than pushing a dull loop and it's hard on the powerhead as well.
I like having at least 2 saws on the ready in case I do something stupid and need to cut a stuck saw out of a pinch.
If I were you, I'd get an Echo and keep what you have. Echo's are quality, Japanese designed saws, I have 2 myself and I'll never buy another overpriced Stihl.
I don't consider any medium size saw to be a major purchase, nit like an overpriced car or truck.
Whatever you get, buy an extra loop so when the one on the saw gets dull you can change it out and keep cutting and learn how to PROPERLY dress a dull loop and set the rakers as well.
There is nothing worse than pushing a dull loop and it's hard on the powerhead as well.
Hermio
Addicted to ArboristSite
Ditto on the pole saw. But I don't really see the need for 2 gas saws when I have the 500i, as it is light enough for all my work. If the bar gets pinched, I have 2 options: 1) I have a few other bars and plenty of chain, so I can just remove the powerhead from the bar. 2) I have an 18" Kobalt cordless that I use for quick jobs where fueling up and starting my Stihl would be more bother than it's worth., It can serve as a "rescue" saw.
Sidecarflip
Addicted to ArboristSite
I bought a Bauer 20 volt pole saw (comes with an Oregon loop and bar) for 45 bucks (bare tool only as I have lots of Bauer 20 volt packs) and it works just fine. Likes the 5 AH packs best. In fact I have many Bauer 20 volt tools and none have ever puked on me yet..,.
Having multiple saws " if feasible " is the way to go.
Rotate them and it cuts wear and tear in half.
I would NEVER tell anyone not to buy another saw.
Rotate them and it cuts wear and tear in half.
I would NEVER tell anyone not to buy another saw.
Hermio
Addicted to ArboristSite
On saw longevity: I have heard from one dealer that consumer saws have engines designed for about 25-50 operating hours. Pro saws are designed to last longer, of course, but I doubt any would last 20 years if used every day for 4 hours or more. I know a local timber buyer/sawmill operator who cuts thousands of trees per year. He normally uses Jonsereds but last time I saw him he was using a Husqvarna 572XP. He told me he gets about 5 years out of them. I have seen some glowing reviews of the 500i written by pro loggers. Time will tell how long they last. But for a pro, productivity is probably more important than longevity; how much is their time worth? For me, as a tree farm/hardwood forest owner who uses a saw for timber stand improvement and for about 6 cords of firewood per year, I have no doubt that my saw will last 20 years or more, and at my age, that means it will likely outlast me.
Hmmm, maybe with the really cheap saws.
I've got well over 50 hours on a Echo CS 310 limbing for my brother's logging and tree trimming business.
It's not buried in the big stuff though.
Agree on the pro saws......had an 028 and 036 that were dinosaurs.
Tom wouldn't know, he's never used a saw long enough to wear one out.
How did you get in here? SECURITY!
You really think you need to swing a saw full time for 5 years to have an idea of reliability?
I repair them for comercial maintenance crews, landscapers and get work sent my way by one of the largest Stihl shops in our state.
