Manitou
Tree Service
I recently bought a new 500i w/ 32” Stihl ES Light.050 3/8 skip tooth full chisel chain(I would have liked 28” but it was a deal.). I ran 5 tanks of fuel through it, had to push oiler pin in and open oiler to max to properly oil b/c. I have since been playing w/ it against some of my other saws. Running it against a 288xp OEM rebuild,set up w/ 32” bar and same chain, I found the 500i WILL NOT compete. The 288xp has way more torque; the 500i’s power band is at wide open, but did not cut any faster than the 288. For the same amount of cutting though, the 500i burned less than 1/2 the fuel the 288 did. The weight is night and day difference and the 500i’s AV really surprised me. I feel it’s a great saw, but I won’t ever get rid of the 288 for it. In my opinion, it fits in a faller’s saw catagory and performs like one.