Help me pick out a saw (new or used)

[White Pine]

I am a middle-aged homeowner with very few hours behind a gas-powered chainsaw. Lots and lots of yard work with and remodeling, so I am familiar with power tools, but not much tree felling. I have been reading up on all the different saws and options available. With so many options from which to choose, it becomes intoxicating. I go back and forth on what to buy. Should I just buy a cheap $100 Chinese throw-away saw, a new saw or a high quality used saw. I believe something between 5-60cc would be best.

I have am strongly leaning toward a high quality used chainsaw. I realize that Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, and Jonsered are all quality brands, which have their own pros and cons. However, given what is available used on CL and eBay, Stihl seems to have the most availability.

Even though I have been looking at Stihls, I STILL get CONFUSED by all the models new and old, consumer versus ranch and prosumer, C models, Non C models etc...

Can the experts chime in? Which model(s) Stihl ( old or newer ) I should be targeting to buy? I am willing to spend up to $500, with the notion that if I want to sell it, it can be sold easily and I will recoup most of my investment. For example, I have noticed lots of interest MS290s and 036s.

Does my logic make sense, or should I just pick up a new CS-590 at the Echo dealer next month during the 15% promotion?

 

[user 122190]

I have a ms290, and it is running very strong since 2012. I do cut about 10 cords a year, and the ms290 does most of it. My other saws get out for the really really big wood.

My ms290 runs 20" chisel full skip 3/8 pitch chains, that are very inexpensive (<$20). And there are so many parts out there that it is very inexpensive to keep going, if you were to abuse it.

 

[r black]

i also have a ms-290 a good saw, would do most all anyone will need in small wood .... however if i had to choose between the ms-290 and the echo cs 590 i would go 590 hands down ...just my 2.5 cents

 

[ammoaddict]

Echo 590 is the best bang for the buck. Not the lightest or fastest saw, but very reliable. Will last a homeowner a life time with proper care.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

 

[Woodanhor]

All echos meet your criteria and are commercial machines pick one that feels good in hand and in your size range

Best deal going imo if you can get while on sale too

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

The 0 model stihls eg 044 are older and not in production anymore.
In the 2000's they started making MS models eg MS440. MS stands for Motorsage which is German for "motor saw".
The newest 0 models were updated to MS models. 044 became ms440, 046 became ms460, 066 became ms660 etc etc.
The C models are even newer eg MS462c.
The C means the saw has an Mtronic carburetor which automatically tunes itself. This is quite a controversial design, some love it for its ease of use while others hate it because it's a mod-con.

For $500 I would try and find a good used MS261c or an MS460/MS461 if you can find one for that price.
An MS290 is grand too but its part of the farm and ranch range which are intermediate saws between homeowner saws for casual use and pro saws for frequent use. So if you plan on doing a LOT of cutting then you may want to consider a pro saw. But it's not essential.

 

[DND 9000]

The C means the saw has an Mtronic carburetor which automatically tunes itself.

The "C" means comfort feature and that can be different things, for example m-tronic.

 

[cuinrearview]

You're going to get opinions all over the map, but really they're not relevant until the opinion giver knows what your intended use is. No need to over or under buy here. How much wood do you intend to cut per year, roughly how often, and what is the average size you will be tackling? Types of trees would be helpful as well.

 

[svk]

I am a Husqvarna guy, but by far the best bang for the buck is the Echo 590. Can be had for under $400 bucks at any time and often you can find them for under $350.

I would never advise someone buy a Stihl 290 (or other saw in that family) because they are a complete bear to work on.

 

[White Pine]

All good points. I will likely use it for around the home and occasional tree felling for firewood of a few cords per year. I will maybe get 10 hours a year on it.

Based on the comments so far I am leaning toward the CS-590 or CS-620P. Is CS-620P worth the extra $$? I don't know. However, I do know that I might be always second-guessing myself if I had only spent an extra $150 over the CS-590.

I will head down to the dealer this weekend unless I stumble across a nice Ms261C for under $350.

 

[svk]

All good points. I will likely use it for around the home and occasional tree felling for firewood of a few cords per year. I will maybe get 10 hours a year on it.

Based on the comments so far I am leaning toward the CS-590 or CS-620P. Is CS-620P worth the extra $$? I don't know. However, I do know that I might be always second-guessing myself if I had only spent an extra $150 over the CS-590.

I will head down to the dealer this weekend unless I stumble across a nice Ms261C for under $350.

For the cutting it sounds like you will be doing, the extra $ aren't justified to step up to a 620 IMO. You could buy yourself a second bar either longer or shorter than the one that comes with it and a few spare chains and still be $$ ahead.

 

[TheDarkLordChinChin]

Yeah for what you are going to be cutting the CS-590 sounds like a good idea.

 

[cuinrearview]

Sounds like a 590 will get you started. Hang out here for a while though and you'll soon learn that it's too big and clunky for limbing, too small for felling, then you'll lay a big straight one on the ground and decide you'd like to have your own lumber from it...

 

[Eddie Southgate]

MS261 CM , buy it and you will love it . Buy a new one with an 18" bar . Our local dealer gets less than $600 new and I've seen them go in the high $400 range on ebay for a nice looking used one . I got mine with the RS chain and the standard green (RM ? ) chain and after using it with the RS the other chain may never get used . I'm 62 and have had my back broke three times and I can easily handle this saw .

 

[irhunter]

I will likely use it for around the home and occasional tree felling for firewood of a few cords per year. I will maybe get 10 hours a year on it.

This use, to me, just screams CS-490. Get it with an 18" bar.

No need for the extra weight of a 60cc saw.

Please also consider buying from a servicing dealer. This might mean driving a bit further; maybe paying a few bucks more (but, just "maybe"). The dealer can show you how to file the chain.

Roy

 

[dmb2613]

I hear people talking about how hard a 029, ms 290 and the like are to work on, They are some of the easiest saw going to work on, One of the few that you don't have to own a lot of special tools to rebuild. If the saw is clean I can rebuild one in under 2 hours from start to finish. I am sure I am not the sharpest tack in the box. But if you think they are hard to work on, I wouldn't want you working on any of my saws.
I guess it comes down to ford and Chevy, all in what you like

 

[sundance]

This use, to me, just screams CS-490. Get it with an 18" bar.

No need for the extra weight of a 60cc saw.

Please also consider buying from a servicing dealer. This might mean driving a bit further; maybe paying a few bucks more (but, just "maybe"). The dealer can show you how to file the chain.

Roy

This sounds like excellent advice. I like and own several smaller Echo saws. Used a 49cc Jonsereds as my main saw for 15 years. Never needed to cut something I couldn't. Bigger stuff certainly took longer than it would with a larger saw but it did the work.

I'd be leery of buying used at your experience level. Awful easy to buy someone else's problem. The bay in particular can lead to issues. Some outright shysters, lot's of folks who assume it's fine because it starts and runs. There can be a lot of issues and damage that would still let it start and run.

CS-490 at the local dealer during the 15% off sale sounds like a winner. Note that it will likely need tuned as they seem to come very lean from what I've read.

 

[user 122190]

I hear people talking about how hard a 029, ms 290 and the like are to work on, They are some of the easiest saw going to work on, One of the few that you don't have to own a lot of special tools to rebuild. If the saw is clean I can rebuild one in under 2 hours from start to finish. I am sure I am not the sharpest tack in the box. But if you think they are hard to work on, I wouldn't want you working on any of my saws.
I guess it comes down to ford and Chevy, all in what you like

Air filter, spark plug, fuel filter, chain maintenance, and the once annual thorough cleaning -- is all I ever have to do. Nothing hard about any of that. I plan to rebuild it, maybe in another 5+ years. A rebuild once every 15 years, who cares how hard it is?

 

[cuinrearview]

I hear people talking about how hard a 029, ms 290 and the like are to work on, They are some of the easiest saw going to work on, One of the few that you don't have to own a lot of special tools to rebuild. If the saw is clean I can rebuild one in under 2 hours from start to finish. I am sure I am not the sharpest tack in the box. But if you think they are hard to work on, I wouldn't want you working on any of my saws.
I guess it comes down to ford and Chevy, all in what you like

You're taking the context of the word "hard" all wrong David. What people mean is it's hard to put their time into rebuilding a saw only to end up with one that performs like a Stihl does. Anyone can rebuild one, it just takes the right kind of gumption to enjoy using it.

 

[Jwilliams]

My vote if for the 590 as well sold my stihls and bought a cs620 about 2-3 yrs ago and love it also have a cs400 and looking to buy a top handle 2511 in the near future. Can’t go wrong with the echo in my opinion