Seems a good price. But if you needed warranty work you'd need to ship it back or find a dealer willing to work on it. The J-red dealer in my area will not do warranty work on saws bought over the internet.
Good point. Jonsered's distributor, Tilton Equipment Co., has their internet policy posted on their site.
Dave......Like you, I like the J-Reds also. As SawTroll mentioned, the 2186 is pretty much a 385xp in Red and Black guise. Not too long ago I picked up a 2186WH at Spike's shop. Only has about 4 tanks through it as this will be my primary saw for bucking next years firewood over the coming winter months. So far, I can report the following:
Husky/Jred -Air Injection/Turbo: It works. This is probably a topic for another thread, but owning a 390xpg also and comparing both starter covers side by side, I could swear that the Jred setup (louvres) has more surface area to allow for air ingestion. Would love to hear others' comments concerning this.
While not broken in yet, the 2186 has plenty of power (currently fitted with a 30" Total bar).
IMO, what really sets the 385xp/2186 apart from other saws in this class are the details. Consider the following:
According to the IPL, there are four different filters (depending on model) you can outfit this saw with. Personally, I have come to like the 44 micron (yellow) filter. VERY easy to clean. Try them and see which one works best for your application.
I have come to appreciate those rubber inserts on the rear handle. Small detail, but nonetheless it's there.
Carb is a Tilly HS296A and the carb area layout is deep, simple, and spacious.
Though I have not tried them, the IPL has a listing for optional FIRM AV springs. The stock ones feel fine and certainly don't have a "spongy" feeling, but I'd like to give the firm one's a try and see how it affects vibration isolation.
All in all, the 2186 is more than a capable performer. try one at your local dealer or GTG. I don't think you will be disappointed.
Almost forgot.......It certainly is one of the coolest looking saws on the planet.:hmm3grin2orange:
Now.....the 390XP. Thats a different story. Look for an in-depth review shortly.