Pole-line Paul
ArboristSite Lurker
Here's the deal... I live in Canada and have been wanting to upgrade my current saw which is a Stihl 017. I only cut 2 cords a year at the moment but want to buy a saw which will last me a lifetime. Due to past back and wrist injuries, I need a saw that is both light and low-vib. Through reading countless threads on this forum, I have concluded that the 346 XP is the saw that would probably suit me best. I have visited both my local Stihl and Husqvarna dealers to handle both brands in the store and were not impressed by either of the dealers. The Stihl dealer didn't know the difference between any of his saws except for what he could read out of a catalogue. He told me that the 362 and 361 are identical because the cc's are the same. OK then.
Off to the Husky dealer I went, thinking I couldn't do much worse. Boy, was I wrong. This guy told me that all the Husky's had outboard clutches and that the 455 would be much better for cutting firewood because it had a 3/8 chain instead of the slower .325 on the 346XP. And, it had more cc. He also told me not to buy a Stihl 362 saw because it was only a semi-pro model. The last thing he told me before I walked out the door was that there was no difference in performance between the etech and non-etech 346XP. As a matter of fact it was downright impossible and he would know because he sells 300 saws a year and personally knows some lumberjacks!
The only thing that trip confirmed to me was that I really like the feel of the 346XP and that is defenitely the saw I want but certainly not from that dealer.
Are you starting to see my dilemma. With plenty of phone calls I managed to find a 346XP non-etech for $789 Canadian. I thought the price was nuts.
I think I found one in the US which would be a 4 hour drive for me to pick up for $499 US with an 18" bar. I just wouldn't have a warranty unless I drive back to the US. Does anyone think that I would actually need any warranty work in the first year except for really bad luck? I ask because I don't work on my own saws. $300 dollars is a huge amount of money to save so I'm thinking of taking the drive down.
Do you recommend this?
My wife is quite unhappy that I want a new saw when there are so many other important things that we need for the house. She's right but I WANT a new saw and I want a 346XP non-etech and they are disappearing quickly.
So, once again, any reason why I shouldn't go to the US to buy a saw.
Thanks in advance guys. I'm starting to understand CAD!!!
Off to the Husky dealer I went, thinking I couldn't do much worse. Boy, was I wrong. This guy told me that all the Husky's had outboard clutches and that the 455 would be much better for cutting firewood because it had a 3/8 chain instead of the slower .325 on the 346XP. And, it had more cc. He also told me not to buy a Stihl 362 saw because it was only a semi-pro model. The last thing he told me before I walked out the door was that there was no difference in performance between the etech and non-etech 346XP. As a matter of fact it was downright impossible and he would know because he sells 300 saws a year and personally knows some lumberjacks!
The only thing that trip confirmed to me was that I really like the feel of the 346XP and that is defenitely the saw I want but certainly not from that dealer.
Are you starting to see my dilemma. With plenty of phone calls I managed to find a 346XP non-etech for $789 Canadian. I thought the price was nuts.
I think I found one in the US which would be a 4 hour drive for me to pick up for $499 US with an 18" bar. I just wouldn't have a warranty unless I drive back to the US. Does anyone think that I would actually need any warranty work in the first year except for really bad luck? I ask because I don't work on my own saws. $300 dollars is a huge amount of money to save so I'm thinking of taking the drive down.
Do you recommend this?
My wife is quite unhappy that I want a new saw when there are so many other important things that we need for the house. She's right but I WANT a new saw and I want a 346XP non-etech and they are disappearing quickly.
So, once again, any reason why I shouldn't go to the US to buy a saw.
Thanks in advance guys. I'm starting to understand CAD!!!