Wild thing review

[deerehunter]

$5

Just recently bought one with a case for $5 from a coworkers garage sale sight unseen. Received the saw and found I couldnt pull it over (locked up) and it had a broken handle. Started disassembling the saw and found the recoil had one wind out of the spool and was making the saw seem to be seized. rewound the recoil, ordered a new handle from TSC for $10 (which came in Husqvaurna packaging!!! and now have a saw that I use where I dont want my 361 to go. Long story short, I was the first guy to make fun of these saws but now that I have one to beat on, I love it.

 

[KRP]

Get a 30lp chain from Baileys and you will be even happier.

 

[joecool85]

I think it would be interesting if someone here who is really good at working on saws and maintaining them would buy a new wild thing, take care of it, use it and see how long it really would last. I think most people who get those saws don't understand how to use them and take care of them and that may explain a lot of our hatred of them. JJuday

After I tuned mine out so it wasn't running lean it's been a good saw. I've only cut ~3 cords of wood with it so far though, but it has also seen deconstruction duty (had to cut a 8' x 20' deck into small pieces, only had a car at the time to bring it to the dump). I wouldn't use it every day, but for a backup saw or for someone just running it occasionally its fine.

 

[KRP]

I agree. Most homeowners will buy the Wildthing for a small job they don't want to pay a Tree Service for. Once they are done they put it back in the case and may not use it for a year or two. When they need it, the gas is bad, carb is gummed and fuel lines are rotted. They are now angry it won't start, take it for repair and are shocked that the labor and parts to repair it are close to the original saw cost. They put it in a garage sale, buy a new big box "disposable" saw and the cycle continues. I scour the local garage sales for these castaways. I have provided my relatives with several poulans, show them how to store it, and when I visit I have a saw to run when they need my help cutting wood.

 

[joecool85]

I agree. Most homeowners will buy the Wildthing for a small job they don't want to pay a Tree Service for. Once they are done they put it back in the case and may not use it for a year or two. When they need it, the gas is bad, carb is gummed and fuel lines are rotted. They are now angry it won't start, take it for repair and are shocked that the labor and parts to repair it are close to the original saw cost. They put it in a garage sale, buy a new big box "disposable" saw and the cycle continues. I scour the local garage sales for these castaways. I have provided my relatives with several poulans, show them how to store it, and when I visit I have a saw to run when they need my help cutting wood.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[JPP]

Poulan is a good saw while you wait for a Great saw.

Yup
I always liked my Poulan, it did the job perfectly when the job was small.
My needs got bigger, and I moved up the chainsaw ladder.
I gave my Poulan away, it is still running good for the person I gave it to.
Always starts right up.

 

[rms61moparman]

They are the best $99.00 brand new with warranty saw you can buy.
And they are perfect for their INTENDED use. The truth is, MOST suburban homeowners will not cut as much wood in a lifetime as some of us will cut in a weekend.
Given any care at all a Wildthing will last the average subdivision Joe a lifetime and then some.

We in this group tend to hold our saws to a VERY high standard, and rightfully so.
It would be as fiscally irresponsible for us to buy a new Wildthing every month as it would for "Mr. Average Homeowner" to spend $600.00 on a tool that he will use MAYBE 8 hours in his lifetime.
Yes there will be a lot higher value to his estate when he dies with a "pro" saw, but if he took the difference in capital outlay and bankrolled it over the period of 25-30 years it would FAR exceed the value of the saw.

Someone mentioned the fact that through ignorance or neglect, the next time Joe Homeowner goes to use his Wildthing it will be gummed up and be a throwaway.
Would a Stihl, Husky or Dolmar fare any better given the same treatment???

I guess I'm just weird but I like them all, and I think they all have their place.


Mike

 

[Kenskip1]

Space, I enjoy reading some good quality fact based fiction from time to time from unbiased, well informed, and well mannered, personnel like yourself. I would like to meat the author!Take it easy Rex, Ken

 

[04ultra]

There were pallets full of referb Wild thingys at HOBO in Milwaukee last year for $ 80.00..










I should have bought a pallet full ......Not!!!
.

 

[Modifiedmark]

There were pallets full of referb Wild thingys at HOBO in Milwaukee last year for $ 80.00..










I should have bought a pallet full ......Not!!!
.

Come on now, with your track record on dissin the Wild Thing I expected something better then that.

 

[brinkwolf]

Well if you read my sig you will see I have one. It was my first saw and it is so old that it was the model before they started using an actual mechanical chain break arm, mine has an arm mounted by two screws to the bar (I guess to protect your hand). It has been used over the years to cut up downed trees and to take down one pretty good sized oak tree(I didn't do this it was loaned out). It used to give me fits on starting everytime but only on the first time. Once started for the day it would start everytime till the next time you went to use it. Well the last time i had tried to use it, it pissed me off so bad I finally bought a new saw. Well I cleaned it up and figured to keep it for a loaner but now the thing fires on the second pull everytime(after the first chocked pull). I guess the little thing got jealous of all the saws I have been bringing home and now I don't want to get rid of it. It does still look new except for the scared up bar from the loaning to cut down the big oak tree. Also mine is 42cc not 40cc. I think they get a worse rep then they deserve for the money you pay for them. Hell if you want a pro saw then just buy one and don't expect pro quality for under a $100.00. Let's please stop the Wild Thing Bashing!!!!!:greenchainsaw:

 

[BarkBuster20]

some people on here gave me a slight itch to go pick up a wildthing and see if i could wear it out in less than a week.

 

[BarkBuster20]

i think i would rather have a craftsman chainsaw than a poulan wildthang. buddy of mine has i believe a 45cc craftsman and he has cut say, 15 cord with it. still goin strong. box saws arent for me though i just gave away a little 32cc poulan "pro"

although i guess i must stick my foot in my mouth, the poulan i just gave away my uncle had cut 15 cord with it, but it leaked bar oil and needed new sproket. so i guess they have durability. if i was buying a tiny saw i would just buy the 170 from stihl though they rip.

 

[Wow]

I think we have a contender for the "best" 40cc saw.

http://www.epinions.com/review/Poulan_Wild_Thing_2375/content_44045733508

While reading this I could not imagine a woman was actually writing this. It sounds like a Sales Rep in drag. But I'm thinking IF there really is a Lady THAT CHAINSAW SAVY why haven't we met. I'll bet she'd do back flips after using an Echo cs 490. Maybe by now she's discovered Echo. However since I was gifted a Poulan Wild Thing, which I don't need but couldn't pass up because its 16 years old with rotted fuel lines but clean enough to give the impression it was hardly used before the previous owner passed away. So any positive thing about the WT is welcomed. IF this review is truly by a woman she's gotta be a super chick. Good day.

 

[Huskybill]

Gave one to my kid new about 25 years ago running on 34:1 super m maxima it’s still running today.

 

[KASH]

The local hardware store got one back guy bought it straight gassed it and brought it back for refund.The owner of the store gave it to me.I put some oil in the cylinder wrenched her over made a carb adjusting tool and it runs pretty good .I have lots of older pro saws but this is good to take on the trails on my trapline to cut the odd tree.
Who cares how long it lasts think about this in 1965 a man working in the paper mill made 3.00 an hour a cheap piece of junk chain saw cost 165.00 at Canadian Tire so he worked 54 hours to buy it.
Today a guy in the paper mill makes 40.00 an hour a Wild Thing costs 139.00 so he works 4.5 hours to buy it.
it doesnt matter our average guy will have a cheap saw or an expensive saw screwed up in a couple years.Better to buy a new cheapie when the next tornado hits.

 

[Krazo]

I had one that ran like a champ for about a year until one day it turned into a hard starter and would not stay running. Still had good compression. After reading a few threads on the site it probably could have been fixed pretty easily. $100 dollars from K-mart. Good power but definitely not the Poulan my grandpa sold in his saw shop from the 70's. I'll give it 3 out of a 5 Star review.

 

[OM617YOTA]

I and a friend burned up three of the Craftsman variety Wild Thing. I was a dumb young kid and his idea of tuning was to lean it out as much as you dare. When a saw burned up in a year, well that's just how long a saw lasts. A saw that still ran the next season was a REALLY good saw.

I know better now. If I come across another Poulan at a yard sale, I may grab it as a spare.