Husqvarna 350 , 359 or 460?

[magiriano]

Husqvarna 350 , 346 xp, 359 or 460?

Hello people,
As you can see I am a new member in a great dilemma :
Although I worked in TX extensively with a Stihl chainsaw I now bought an acreage in Romania and I heat the house with firewood.
I also need a good chainsaw for building, framing,clearing out the trees,etc.Something light,fast,with a 16-18'' blade and tuff as nails.
Since in Romania any decent technology cost twice as in the civilized world,and customer service is crappy,there`s very thin chances of having decent repairs done or the warranty actually respected.I usually buy all my vehicles and tools in Germany, however,due to the high Euro and low US dollar it`s a better buy in the US.That brings me to the other problem,if the chainsaw is made in the EU (Sweden) there`s no duty taxes.
So, no Stihl for me, I have my choices limited to Husqvarna.Any suggestions what`s the best buy for the buck? Never had one Husqvarna before and while I first leaned towards the 345/350, reading the reviews on this forum about the 359 made me very curious.
Also,like most men out there I like moooooore power,so the 460 sounds great, however it seems heavy,and,on a construction site the plastic crankcase especially around Romanian workers (worst tool keepers I ever met http://www.arboristsite.com/images/smilies/Saiyananim.gif) makes me uneasy.
So,any sugestions, HUSQVARNA fans ?

 

[maccall]

Welcome to the site!

The 350 has a solid reputation for quality and performance, so it might be the best bang for your buck. However, if you are concerned about the plastic crank case on the 460, do note that the 350 is plastic too.

As you say, the 460 is mostly considered plastic and heavy, and that's pretty much all we heard of it here. I do not recall anybody actually owning one. Maybe they just don't dare to admit owning one...

The 359 is built like a professional saw, and has the highest power output of the three. It's also reputedly a good candidate for muffler modding as it has spare horses to wake up.

If your first priority is power output and expected lifetime I'd say get the 359. If price is equally important, get the 350.

I myself, do feel a strong, and somewhat strange, attraction for the 2159, the 359's redheaded twin sister...

 

[magiriano]

Husqvarna

The shipping alone will cost me 90 to 120 $US plus the bribe to the custom(they got that down to a science over here,an "attention" is expected if not demanded so I might just as well spend the money on a good one that will last me a few years.What about the 346 xp/xpg ?

 

[SawTroll]

The 359 is heavier than advertised, actually about as the 460 for weight, and I think it has too little power for the weight.

Skip all you listed, and take the Dolmar 5100S, or the new 50cc 346xp. They are bargain priced in the US, vs in Europe, and sounds ideal for what you need.

 

[magiriano]

Is Dolmar made in the EU?

I thought Dolmar is made in the US and,unless I wanna pay twice for a chainsaw,I need to stick with Husqvarna,since is made in Sweden (EU)therefore no Duty taxes.........

 

[SawTroll]

I thought Dolmar is made in the US and,unless I wanna pay twice for a chainsaw,I need to stick with Husqvarna,since is made in Sweden (EU)therefore no Duty taxes.........

The Dolmars are made in Germany, so there should be no problem.

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

I have the 346 and the 359....both good saws. The 359 really woke right up after the simple muffler mod. Noisy but strong! Either are good choices.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t292/20TrAnSaM00/chain saw/P8020227.jpg

 

[magiriano]

I guess it`s between 350 and 460......

Can`t seem to find anywone that ships to Romania and have anything other than the 350 at $325+$90 S&H ,455 Rancher - $350 +$95 or the 460 at $395 + $95 S&H .........
I`ll keep on looking tho...

 

[MAG58]

I have a 2159 (no Cat) and I like it pretty well

 

[Airecon]

That's a cool looking backpack setup. Do you use it to clear trails? I contacted a local forest area about voulnteering to clear hiking trails. They won't let you use a chainsaw- I don't know about a string trimmer. Then I asked could you use an ATV as a utility vehicle to ride the trail and carry your tools- they don't allow that either. A chainsaw and string trimmer sure would save a lot of work and speed things up. They must think people will cut down big trees or maybe its the noise, but you have fishing boats blasting along the lake close to the trails. I can't see that the noise would be a problem.

 

[wanab]

the 359 is the best of the bunch listed. i dont think the 350 would take the beating you describe. its built of thin plastic. the 460 will cut nice but is heavy for its power/all day use.

 

[peter399]

I'd recommend you a NE 346XP / 2153 or 357XP/2156 (the latter ones if you intend to run 18" bar).

359, 2159 is not a bad saw either but I think it requires that you do the muffler to get the extra power.

A wildcard: Any chance they sell 262XP in Romania? I think they are still sold in Russia... The 362XP is almost as good.
Or why not a 365 if you find one? But then, why not a 372/2171 ? It's the chainsaw addiction....

 

[Vibes]

I can't vouch for the 350, but I wouldn't hesitate to get a J-RED 2150[ its red headed sister]. I have owned one for 4 years and it has taken on everything its been fed. I just cut 18'' sugarmaple with it and it didn't burp.
16'' bar sharp chain. This little saw always impresses me. As far as its plastic, I dropped it off the back of my truck onto the pavement and it only cracked the chainbreak handle. Bent the bar. I replaced it with a Husky 350 handle. Starts 2nd or 3rd pull every time.

 

[maccall]

This thread is old, and the OP is since a few weeks the happy and satisfied owner of a 45cc 346XP.

 

[SawTroll]

This thread is old, and the OP is since a few weeks the happy and satisfied owner of a 45cc 346XP.

LOL - I though of informing about that - but didn't.....

 

[wanab]

LMAO!

congrats!