Stihl MS 290

[TeeMan]

Found what I believe is a good deal on a Stihl MS 290 for $250. It has a 20" bar on it, low hours that was just used to cut weekend firewood, two new spare chains and seller is local and only selling because they sold the land he used to cut firewood on. Seems too good to pass up, so we are meeting at lunch today. I'll be using it in a similar capacity, a couple months out of the year to cut firewood with. Thoughts?

 

[jd548esco]

the 290 is an OK saw , it is rather large and it's output ain't all that high, it reliability is pretty good for a box store saw . durability is about avg.

if it was me i would put another $150 with that and get a NEW echo 590 timber-wolf

i had a 029 super a few years ago --it is supposed to be the best of that line as far as power goes.

the echo 590 is much better--

the 290 is also a clam shell case which a lot of people don't like much. when my 029 had a epic fail i gave it away rather than mess with it.

today i would probably have fixed it with a AM engine kit. the popular rebuild for the 028/290 today is put in the 390 kit --


$250 sounds high to me-- but i am old and remember when prices were far more reasonable. so that may be an OK price --now if it was a o44/440 i would be running to the bank--lol

the ms290 is one of them "good enough" saws . but it ain't in the same class as say a ms440 as it is not a true "pro" class saw.

the MS290s have plentiful parts supply from the AM and used saws --they sold them by the millions years ago and now lots of them are in the spare parts bin.

the 026 people like it a lot better-- it is a small pro saw.

i generally tend to stick with the full pro level stuff with stihl and stay away from their "homeowner" class products.

the 029/ms290 is in that farm and ranch class product. so it competes with the husky 450 and other box store saws.

the 290 does have a good bar on it-- you got to allow for that some-- stihl bars are $$$

 

[Cope1024]

The MS290 is a better saw than most here give it credit for, and it is not a box store saw. I think it's a great deal for your circumstances considering the condition and what you get with the deal. I've had mine for six years and the only upkeep was changing the fuel filter and a spark plug. You can do a muffler mod on it easily.


Here is a recent post on the value of the MS290.

http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/price-for-a-dcent-quality-stock-ms290.278900/

 

[jd548esco]

it came in a box and was from a box store-- now tell me HOW a 290 ain't a box store saw?

and it is still a clam-shell --when have you seen a clam-shell pro saw? name ONE?

i suppose one of those plastic crankcase jobs might be worse-- or does the 290 have a plastic crankcase too??

its been a few years since the 290 super bit the big one i can't remember if it had a plastic crankcase or not? which one was it that kept catching on fire and melting in the clutch???

 

[Cope1024]

it came in a box and was from a box store-- now tell me HOW a 290 ain't a box store saw?

and it is still a clam-shell --when have you seen a clam-shell pro saw? name ONE?

i suppose one of those plastic crankcase jobs might be worse-- or does the 290 have a plastic crankcase too??

its been a few years since the 290 super bit the big one i can't remember if it had a plastic crankcase or not? which one was it that kept catching on fire and melting in the clutch???

Where did the OP indicate the saw came from a box store? The pro saws come in a box too, but as far as box store sales go, you're confusing Stihl with Echo and Husqvarna, they're sold at Home Depot and Lowe's. Not saying the 290 is a pro saw, but for what the OP wants to do, it's just fine.

 

[jd548esco]

MY 029 super came from a box store , it even had the box store sticker on it and a call number for warranty .

the 290 damn sure ain't a pro saw--that for sure.

Where did the OP indicate the saw came from a box store? The pro saws come in a box too, but as far as box store sales go, you're confusing Stihl with Echo and Husqvarna, they're sold at Home Depot and Lowe's. Not saying the 290 is a pro saw, but for what the OP wants to do, it's just fine.

 

[Cope1024]

MY 029 super came from a box store , it even had the box store sticker on it and a call number for warranty .

the 290 damn sure ain't a pro saw--that for sure.

That's funny, which store? I agree on the non-pro, but it's all the saw a lot of people need. Before I found this site, it was all I needed but now I have an MS362C-M. It's a good thing I'm not on any car forums.

 

[TeeMan]

I am not looking specifically for a pro saw, just a bigger saw than my 42cc Husky is for firewood cutting a couple of months a year. This will not be a saw run on a weekly basis or anything like that. Stihl's are not sold in box stores to my knowledge such as Echo and Husky are (although if I were in market for one of those brands "new" I would go thru a dealer for service and warranty work). Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Cope1024]

As I said in one of my other posts, I am extremely happy with my MS 290, and your deal will be hard to beat.

 

[Greg Perryman]

Its heavy and underpowered. Got rid of mine and bought a 028 Woodboss , it cuts circles around that 029 and lighter to boot.

 

[Greg Perryman]

Have you checked with your Stihl dealer on used saws? The pro-saws are expensive, but a good used one taken care of previously can be had at a descent price.

 

[TeeMan]

No the local normally does not sell used saws.

 

[RedOctobyr]

I just bought an MS290 myself. There were some around here for $225-250. I got mine for $150, which also got me a Husqvarna 51 powerhead (which is missing the chainbrake assembly, sadly). Neither would stay running; the MS290 has an 18" Stihl bar, but needs a chain.

I put a new fuel line on the MS290 (not needed, I think), then cleaned the carb, and it seems to run nicely now. I only need a saw for suburban homeowner use: dealing with the occasional tree that falls down. So I'm hoping it will be sufficient for my needs (the muffler mod will apparently increase the power noticeably, if you want more performance). As long as it works when I need it, that is the main thing, for me.

Mine doesn't look as nice as that one, and didn't have the spare chains. So $250 would be decent for around here, from what I've seen.

 

[a. palmer jr.]

You don't need a pro saw to cut occasional firewood. The 290 isn't the optimum saw but will do fine for it's intended purpose. They do not have a plastic crankcase, I have one apart in my shop right now, it has an aluminum cap which bolts to the cylinder and bolts into a plastic cradle. Actually I know a few guys who cut wood that would love to have a 290. I had a load of wood hauled to me last year when I got low on wood and they were using Plastic Poulan saws like the Wild Thing to cut their wood. You gotta start somewhere I guess.

 

[fearofpavement]

I have or have had over 25 of this series of saw (Stihl 1127) and they are an ideal saw for the purposes you stated. $250 is an ok price if the saw is in as good of condition as it appears in the not so great picture. 56cc is plenty for ordinary occasional tree cutting and tens of thousands of these are in daily use by tree services. An easy to do muffler mod will make a noticeable difference in power but most are used stock.

 

[GPX433Todd]

That's funny, which store? I agree on the non-pro, but it's all the saw a lot of people need. Before I found this site, it was all I needed but now I have an MS362C-M. It's a good thing I'm not on any car forums.

Stihl® looking for the receipt, half a day later...

 

[DexterDay]

MY 029 super came from a box store , it even had the box store sticker on it and a call number for warranty .

the 290 damn sure ain't a pro saw--that for sure.

A saw does not need to be a Pro Saw to cut firewood. The MS 290 and Husq 455/460 Rancher are some of the best selling saws out there.

That's funny, which store? I agree on the non-pro, but it's all the saw a lot of people need. Before I found this site, it was all I needed but now I have an MS362C-M. It's a good thing I'm not on any car forums.

I agree. A Stihl can only come from a dealer. Even a homeowner model.

 

[TeeMan]

I met the guy at lunch and it is a clean saw. It fired right up. I also started it late in the evening and it fired right up. I will get to test drive it tomorrow on an oak that fell with the recent storm we had pass through our area on Monday. I am pretty sure it will handle my current needs and not having a lot of money invested in this saw will allow me to search for something larger if needed...actually I don't have any money invested in this saw seeing as I won $300 on the craps table the other night at the casino!

 

[Cope1024]

Saw safe and let us know how it went.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Have you checked with your Stihl dealer on used saws? The pro-saws are expensive, but a good used one taken care of previously can be had at a decent price.

Agreed, and the more that we tell people this, the higher the price goes for a used 028 AVS. Stihl should never have discontinued the 028 series. They had a winner and got greedy.

I'm really not criticizing you as much as I am bragging that I own three of them. Luckily, I got mine for about $160 apiece and worked on them. Easy to fix up, they all run like bandits and another one that I sold last year I'd like to buy back.