Damn shame as my 2245 is probably the saw that has surprised me the most. I would honestly sell one of my Dolmar 5105's or a 346XP before i sold this 2245. I can tell almost no difference between it and my kinda stock 346XPNE. Clutch setup is no different to any other outboard Husky i have ever used so I don't get what the OP meant. I have so many hours on mine now that it is not funny. Not a single thing has gone wrong or needed fixing. Shame we could not get this resolved and show the OP that this is a bloody decent saw. BTW $400 for a 500P is highway robbery, but then again it was a Stihl dealer.
My BNIB 590 timberwolf cost me less than that delivered to me here in Australia.
I have even cut Blackwood with my little 2245 many times. Blackwood is an Australian species that is a bloody tough wood to cut. Tougher than many Eucalyptus species. It is very heavy and weighs basically the same when dried for 2-3 years as it does when it is green. It can and will bend the leading edge of a chain if it is not filed at correct angles or if using a cheaper no name brand chain.
Should have been using a much bigger saw for this, 65-70cc. Was tired at the end of the day so i was still using the 2245 with 16" bar and full chisel for this 18-22" trunk. Ate it right up. Sure a bigger cc saw would have been faster cutting and not as hard working, but the 2245 did not bog or quit until every last piece was cut up. Don't push it too hard on the dogs and just let it cut. Very impressed with how it handled wood this size.