Need help with first saw! New ms290 or Used 046

[taandctran]

I have a ms390 I bought used for $350. The saw was hardley used and it fits my needs well (m-i-l firewood and large yard clean up). I personaly can see my self running a saw much bigger for a long period of time. Maybe one day I will buy a larger saw but only to go with the ms390. As of right now the ms390 will handle everything I can throw at it with no problem!
Also my step dad has a 290 and he has cut some pretty good size trees with it.

 

[038Mag2NC]

Buy the 290 and forget this place ever exsisted...It will save you money and time...

 

[Donley]

There's a very nice 361 in our Tradin Post here.

jump on that before the 390 or the 046. And youd be set

 

[timberwolf]

Originally Posted by outdoorlivin247
Buy the 290 and forget this place ever exsisted...It will save you money and time...

LOL, don't listen to that, step on over to the dark side... Geta a 12mm piston pin 044 or a 440 and get a ported 046 cylinder on it. More power less weight. Then add an 880 and a 260. and a 361 to fill the gap. Maybe a classic 090 and a nice little top handle.

Just kidding.

If you know saws and can fix/maintain them you will likely do better picking up a good used but higher quality saw than a new more consumer grade saw. Also being a familiar saw user you will likely enjoy using it more. A lot of people are very happy with so-so saw models as they just have not ran much to compare them with.

If upgrading from an old worn out Homelite xl12 to a 290 stihl the user is likely going to think the 290 is one kicken saw, if they run a Stihl 460, 440 or even a 361 much it is not likely the 290 will be very impressive at all.

 

[smokinj]

Hey guys first post! I've been silently reading threads on here for some time. I'm buying my first saw and have a few questions. I'm basically using the saw for my own personal use (Firewood). I have a limited budget under 400.

I'm looking at a new Stihl ms290.

I also found a used 046 locally for the around the same price. I know the 046 is a much bigger saw. It's used and I dont know the history. I havent seen it yet but the guy says it runs great. I'm looking for some opinions.

Would you go for the bigger used pro saw that might need wrenching or the new warranted ms290?? Thanks!

046 if its running

 

[jus2fat]

Take a look at the 046. How does it look..little used or well worn?
Then ya gotta do a compression test on it...less than 150...I'd walk.
Pull muffler and look at piston and cylinder sides..any scratches...I'd walk.
Look for a white label with UL in a circle..at end of print..a year..prod. date.
If that is there, you can kinda guess by saw condition..how heavily used?
Bottom line...ya got the $$ for a NEW saw/with warranty!! Not "cherry"...I'd walk.
I kind of lean to you just buying the 290 with the warranty...especially as it will be your only saw.
290 is Stihl's best selling saw. Should hold value well??
Maybe get a pretty decent price if ya want to sell or trade to bigger later on??
Hey..if the 046 passes all tests i.e. "cherry" condition..I'd probably do it.
Otherwise..I'd go with the 290 and the warranty..especially with a dealer only 5 mins. away.
Dealers tend to service faster/better what they sell...if you get my drift.

J2F

 

[jd548esco72]

290 vs a 046?


if i could get a 046 for what a 290 costs i think i could make up my mind pretty darn quick on that one!

the 046 isn't that much more weight, far more power, gillions of new and used parts around, easy to work on, easy to start, better build quality--should i go on?

the ms 290 is an OK box store kind of saw. nothing great but nothing that sets it apart from the other saws of it's size. lots of plastic , not a lot of power in spite of being 57cc, parts are expensive if you can find them. i guess its main advantage is that it is new.

one good thing the 046 has is that if you get it and keep it in good shape it will still be worth something.

you could get the 046 run it for a year or two and likely sell it for what you got in it.

try that little trick with the 290.:greenchainsaw:

 

[Mastermind]

290 vs a 046?


if i could get a 046 for what a 290 costs i think i could make up my mind pretty darn quick on that one!

the 046 isn't that much more weight, far more power, gillions of new and used parts around, easy to work on, easy to start, better build quality--should i go on?

the ms 290 is an OK box store kind of saw. nothing great but nothing that sets it apart from the other saws of it's size. lots of plastic , not a lot of power in spite of being 57cc, parts are expensive if you can find them. i guess its main advantage is that it is new.

one good thing the 046 has is that if you get it and keep it in good shape it will still be worth something.

you could get the 046 run it for a year or two and likely sell it for what you got in it.

try that little trick with the 290.:greenchainsaw:

The man has made a good point...somebody rep him...I'm out of bullets

 

[mcshaner2k]

Thanks for all the input fellas.

I'm going to look at the 046 tomorrow. Ill do the compression test and see if he'll let me pull the muffler to check the cylinder walls. Ill also check for a build date. Other than cracks and the odveous is there anything else I should look out for?

He's the original owner and says its been well maintaned. I'm not going to take his word on that though.

 

[MS460WOODCHUCK]

Go for the 046 if it runs good. The 290 while it runs well is not very impressive at all for a saw that size. The 046 on the other hand is a power house with a 20'' bar and will run up to a 32'' if need be.

 

[nate cutter]

don't forget to get a pair of chaps $100 investment over $1000s in hospital bills

 

[Farm Kid2]

I just picked up a cherry 046 a couple weeks ago and really like it. However, it is noticeably heavier than my 036. Unless you are going to get into some pretty big wood, I bet you might like the 361 better? I'm partial to the pro saw construction and want to do the repairs myself, so I don't really consider new saws.

With the 046 and a sharp chain (even a safety chain in my case) you can cut through a 20-24" log in a flash. But, for smaller limbs it is serious overkill. I was very surprised at how noticeable the weight difference was.

Of course there is no perfect one-saw solution, but with the 046 I doubt you will ever feel like you want something bigger. It's pretty fun to see that much wood fly. I can't imagine what the bigger saws are like!

 

[sawinredneck]

REALLY? Is this what this site has become? A bunch of pussified little #####es that are scared to run a saw that has a real set of balls? WOW!

Dude, if the 046 runs and pulls good in the wood, it's no contest! The 290/310/390 series is a "decent" saw, the 046/460 is a saw with balls! You can go any where from a 16" (wasted time) to a 28" bar in good hard woods stock, never mind if you port it! I can run a 32" on Hedge with mine!
Get you a Stihl 180 or a Husky 350 to compliment it and be happy.
Man, don't miss out on this, it's not a choice! If it runs and pulls, the rebuild are nothing compared to the turd you call the 290!
Screw these pussies! Get the real deal! I am so disappointed by this site now!:jawdrop:

 

[SawJunkie]

I've got a 390. It was the first saw that I ever bought myself. Ran my Dad's 028 Wood Boss alot before that. I thought I was on top with the 390 and about that time I found this site and didn't post much but read a whole bunch. I ended up buying a new 440 because it was a "pro" saw, but mostly because like the others have said, I got corrupted here and just had to have one. No matter what you do your going to end with a pro model sooner or later, so I say get the 046 if it's nice and get it out of the way. I should mention that when I got my 390 I also looked at the 290, and asked myself why should I buy a saw that weighs the same as the more powerful model? More displacement trumped price for me.

 

[stihlboy]

i went from an 029S to an 066 mag
feels like the same weight but the 066 cuts circles around the 029

get the 046

 

[outdoorlivin247]

REALLY? Is this what this site has become? A bunch of pussified little #####es that are scared to run a saw that has a real set of balls? WOW!

Dude, if the 046 runs and pulls good in the wood, it's no contest! The 290/310/390 series is a "decent" saw, the 046/460 is a saw with balls! You can go any where from a 16" (wasted time) to a 28" bar in good hard woods stock, never mind if you port it! I can run a 32" on Hedge with mine!
Get you a Stihl 180 or a Husky 350 to compliment it and be happy.
Man, don't miss out on this, it's not a choice! If it runs and pulls, the rebuild are nothing compared to the turd you call the 290!
Screw these pussies! Get the real deal! I am so disappointed by this site now!:jawdrop:

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!....I have been calling all over PA trying to find a good clean one owner 046...

 

[jd548esco72]

not too long ago i had a 029 and a 044, i ran them cutting medium to large firewood type trees. to tell the truth the 029 didn't seem much lighter. the 044 though had way more power though.

the reason a 044 or 046 seems more heavy is it is often wearing a honking big bar which adds a bunch of weight.


now i still got the 044s and bought a ms440!

sold the other 290 i had after the 029 bit the big one and went to saw heaven--

haven't bought no more!

that should tell ya something!
:greenchainsaw:

 

[amateur cutter]

I own a muff modded 290 that does pretty well with RSC chain on a 16" bar. If it were me I'd grab that 046 in a hot minute if it's in good shape.
A C

 

[mcshaner2k]

Haha you guys rock!

I was kinda hoping I'd hear you all cheering on that 046.. I'm leaving in a few hours to check it out. Hopefully everything works out.

I decided that the consumer saw just isnt going to satisfy my thirst for a high quality powerhouse.

Two weeks ago I was holding that 290 in my hand thinking yeah this will probably do me fine but I need to shop around and research a bit before I pull the trigger. My dealer didnt have any pro saws so there was nothing to compare it to. I really wasn't impressed with its construction.

Ever since I was a kid I always enjoyed watching the race saw competitions on ESPN. I always thought they were awesome. Then I got to thinking, where do all these guys with hotrod saws hangout...

Then I found AS I'm glad I found this site. Actually its going to make my firewood cutting more fun. I'm very much a motorhead and would most likely found my way here sooner or later after buying a saw.

I would've had the wrong saw tho.. ha

 

[SkippyKtm]

REALLY? Is this what this site has become? A bunch of pussified little #####es that are scared to run a saw that has a real set of balls? WOW!

Dude, if the 046 runs and pulls good in the wood, it's no contest! The 290/310/390 series is a "decent" saw, the 046/460 is a saw with balls! You can go any where from a 16" (wasted time) to a 28" bar in good hard woods stock, never mind if you port it! I can run a 32" on Hedge with mine!
Get you a Stihl 180 or a Husky 350 to compliment it and be happy.
Man, don't miss out on this, it's not a choice! If it runs and pulls, the rebuild are nothing compared to the turd you call the 290!
Screw these pussies! Get the real deal! I am so disappointed by this site now!:jawdrop:

+1 :agree2: