Thread: Considering a new Stihl chansaw

I recently killed my old chainsaw by having the condenser mount break of the head f the engine so its no longer worth fixing. Looking at getting a better quality saw such as a Stihl or Husqvarna. So a couple of questions for those of you that have used these.

The new Stihl have a "No tool chain tensioner." It looks a bit plasticy but also looks to be easy to use. Has anyone used one of these? Are they good or am I better off with the normal (two bolts and flathead adjusters)
http://www.stihl.co.nz/STIHL-Product...251-C-BEQ.aspx or http://www.stihl.co.nz/STIHL-Product...72/MS-251.aspx

Also I know Stihl is like the Tikka of Chainsaws. Everyone seems to say "its the one to get. I know Husqvarna are good too, what about Solo? Salesman tells me they are easily on par with Stihl etc but not a brand I have heard of.

Finally the big one....The 18 and 20 inch saws I am looking at all seem to be around $1000. Are they really 4x better than a $250 one? I can get a similar sized one for $219, in fact I could get three to wear out and a fourth for parts, all brand new, for the same money. How much of this is in the name? I am happy to buy a good saw, but it is a considerable amount of money I am shelling out.

of all brands i just bought a morrison (made in china) fires up first or 2nd pull, has an american made chain and cost 350ish. i used to have huskys and echo's but this works just as well

Stihl built its name on german built quality and parts availabliliy for at least 20 years. Now only the bigger saws are german made.
What are called consumer ones are assembled all over, and are nowhere as tough.
Solo are a good wellknown name so is oleo mac, and of course huski. For that bar length ld look at a 55-65 cc motor. The mistake most people make is to put too bigger bar on.
You dont have to pay big dollars just for a brand name to get a good piece of kit.

Following, got a 16" Husky that just isn't big enough for the work I'm doing now.

@timattalon if you can, find a new stihl ms250 you will get them under $800 and a good saw

The husky 562xp that was listed recently is good buying, awesome saw

Originally Posted by MSL

The husky 562xp that was listed recently is good buying, awesome saw

They are I use one for work but I don't think he wants to spend that much on a saw

$900 for a saw with less than a full day on it, magnesium crankcase, lightweight, more power, faster chain speed, I’d buy that over a $1000 woodboss.

i brought a ms362 from cash converters for $800. had so little use the muffler hadnt even discoloured yet! If you can wait for a good quality second hand one then i say that is the way.
that easy tensioner is probably gonna give you trouble. keep it simple.
my saw is a beast and a was a bargin.

The cheap stuff will let you down if It’s worked hard,general wood cleaning/trimming will be fine
Hard firewood work will kill them, mostly oil pumps can’t handle it then trying to buy bits is next to impossible

Go with Stihl, I had one in a storage unit for 13 years, chucked some gas in it. Shook the fck out of it and it fired second pull.
Got a newer MS250 and rate that well, the easy starts great for when your running round on roof framing or taking out an old macrocarpa from the top down.

Love my Husky Rancher 455. Never let me down. Seems smoother than mate’s Stihl of similar size.

I use a husky at work for general work, scrub cutting, fencing and firewood it has the easy tensioner on it. It was great at the start when scrub cutting and chain came of etc, easy to adjust with no tools BUT now it is a piece of shit and iam for ever having to re tension the chain. Also at work we brought a stihl 242c commercial saw 16" bar 2nd hand from cash converters for about $700 what a nice saw about $1300 NEW.

Toyota,honda,tikka and stihl cant go wrong

Originally Posted by bigbear

Toyota,honda,tikka and stihl cant go wrong

You were going well till you mentioned "Tikka"