New 346XP by Husqvarna!

[THALL10326]

Found this press release (in Swedish only):

http://www.newsdesk.se/pressroom/husqvarna/pressrelease/view/152486

It says power increase 0,2 kW. I first said 0,2hp but it will actually be 0,27hp so closer to 3,7hp than 3,6 hp, if that is true. For your information collection Troll

Good job Peter. Even Sawtroll sometimes does not know the specs but he does know them 99.99999% of the time, that I can tell you. Good job, its rare you catch ole SawTroll not knowing the exact specs...

 

[peter399]

I think the key to high sales in the US is to put old reliable and mature technology
on the market. Americans in general don't seem to like product development.
I think several big Swedish companies have been a little bit too fast launching new products. It's deeply rooted in the American culture.
Take a car for example. Americans (at least in Texas) drive cars like Ford F250. A European guy would never ever ever buy a F250. It lacks the Adaptive Cruise Control, Passive Kayless Entry, On Board Diagnosis System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, further it has a V8 and huge fuel consumption.

Motorcycles: Here, you don't drive a Harley unless you
are a criminal. Why drive a V2 1100cc vibrating monster with merely 60hp when you can buy a smooth running Honda/Yamaha with 180hp?

One can almost think that the less technology, the better. That could be the answer to the MS290 sales. The average American has the following setup: F250, Harley and MS290 My summary would be that cultural differences have a higher influence on sales than performace and art of engineering (260 vs 346).

 

[peter399]

Then you can discuss what is the best. I think that you Americans are happier than we are and that maust in some way be the meaning of this life

 

[SawTroll]

The 260 might be a nice, reliable saw, but by todays standards its bit long in the tooth/outdated, not to mention expensive.
If Stihl replaced the 290 with the 260 and sold it to that market/price I think it would be a great move.

That is exactly what they have been doing here for at least some years with the basic 260, they call it the 260Farmboss, and sell it at about the same price as the Husky 350.......

There are no 290s or 310s offered here, the 390 is another "farmboss".

 

[bwalker]

I think the key to high sales in the US is to put old reliable and mature technology
on the market. Americans in general don't seem to like product development.
I think several big Swedish companies have been a little bit too fast launching new products. It's deeply rooted in the American culture.
Take a car for example. Americans (at least in Texas) drive cars like Ford F250. A European guy would never ever ever buy a F250. It lacks the Adaptive Cruise Control, Passive Kayless Entry, On Board Diagnosis System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, further it has a V8 and huge fuel consumption.

Motorcycles: Here, you don't drive a Harley unless you
are a criminal. Why drive a V2 1100cc vibrating monster with merely 60hp when you can buy a smooth running Honda/Yamaha with 180hp?

One can almost think that the less technology, the better. That could be the answer to the MS290 sales. The average American has the following setup: F250, Harley and MS290 My summary would be that cultural differences have a higher influence on sales than performace and art of engineering (260 vs 346).

Sounds like a lot of sterotypical BS.
For one a F-250 can be ordered out as nice or nicer than your cars with all of the option you have listed save the tire pressure device, which I am unsure of. The technology involved is just as advanced as well.
The reason that you dont see f-250 in Sweden is because A. you live in a socialist, entitlement society and very few people could afford them B. Your gas taxes(see A.) artificially inflate the prices of your fuel to the point opperating one would be cost prohibitive.

The reason the 260 enjoys high sales in the US is that it is Stihls 50cc pro saw, which is a popular size. Stihls sells the most saws in the USA. Hence its no stretch to see why the 260 has high sales. The 290 enjoys high sales because it is fairly cheap and homeowners buy them based on the reputation of Stihls pro saws and the Stihl name.
If Poulan made a pro level saw the bested its Stihl competitor in every way and sold it as a homowner saw for a cheaper price Stihl would still outsell them based on perception and name recognition.

 

[Lakeside53]

I think the key to high sales in the US is to put old reliable and mature technology
on the market. Americans in general don't seem to like product development.
I think several big Swedish companies have been a little bit too fast launching new products. It's deeply rooted in the American culture.
Take a car for example. Americans (at least in Texas) drive cars like Ford F250. A European guy would never ever ever buy a F250. It lacks the Adaptive Cruise Control, Passive Kayless Entry, On Board Diagnosis System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, further it has a V8 and huge fuel consumption.

Motorcycles: Here, you don't drive a Harley unless you
are a criminal. Why drive a V2 1100cc vibrating monster with merely 60hp when you can buy a smooth running Honda/Yamaha with 180hp?

One can almost think that the less technology, the better. That could be the answer to the MS290 sales. The average American has the following setup: F250, Harley and MS290 My summary would be that cultural differences have a higher influence on sales than performace and art of engineering (260 vs 346).

Peter - You must be getting most of your info from old TV reruns. Maybe you need to get off your butt and get over here to check out the county and culture(s) before you try to tell us what we drive and why.... and in any case you are so far off the mark I'm not even going to go there...


The bikes: I see about a 1000 Hondas, Yamahas, etc for every Harley...

As for saws... The only people that seem to give a damn about the "technology" are on AS, and a couple of other unmentionable sites. It's rare for a customer to ever ask me about performance, weight or technology... good or bad, old or new, and if they do it's usually a geek homeowner that just got educated on the internet and googled an AS thread by mistake.

 

[manual]

Peter is not to far off track.
I own Two 3/4 ton trucks, A Harley, But mostly Husqvarna Saws.

How else am I going to haul wood, or my Tractor.

The only people that don't give a damn about "technology" is those who buy old Stihl designs.

 

[rb_in_va]

Then you can discuss what is the best. I think that you Americans are happier than we are and that maust in some way be the meaning of this life

How many times have you been to the US?

 

[rb_in_va]

It's rare for a customer to ever ask me about performance, weight or technology... good or bad, old or new, and if they do it's usually a geek homeowner that just got educated on the internet and googled an AS thread by mistake.

Or on purpose.

 

[Cedarkerf]

Well I don't have a Harley. I would like to make a cool Harley saw tho. My motorcycles have been a husky 360fallowed by a Honda cr 250 and a 750 f.
Gotta say I love the wife's 260 pro. I don't know if its because i run 044 and bigger most of the time but it doent vibrate feels very lite and easy to use. So why go searching for another saw that size. If you are sensitive to vibration from a 260 a person probably shouldn't own anything bigger than a 180. I will concede the air filter is a retarded design.

 

[Lakeside53]

Or on purpose.

Then they stay and become members:jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:

 

[bwalker]

The only people that don't give a damn about "technology" is those who buy old Stihl designs.

And Harleys,lol.

 

[Woodie]

I think the key to high sales in the US is to put old reliable and mature technology on the market. Americans in general don't seem to like product development.

I think several big Swedish companies have been a little bit too fast launching new products. It's deeply rooted in the American culture.
Take a car for example. Americans (at least in Texas) drive cars like Ford F250. A European guy would never ever ever buy a F250. It lacks the Adaptive Cruise Control, Passive Kayless Entry, On Board Diagnosis System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, further it has a V8 and huge fuel consumption.

All right, I usually agree with you Peter, and I agree that the 346 is a better saw in most all respects than the 260.

That said, I vehemently disagree with you on the vehicles.

First things first...I'd like to point out that the only major vehicle manufacturers in Sweden are owned by Ford and GM here in the States.

Secondly, you are comparing apples to oranges with your vehicle choices. An F-250, made by the company I work for, is not about things like keyless entry. It's about being able to tow 7 1/2 tons...roughly four Volvos plus trailer. It's about being able to carry, in the vehicle, a payload of over 3,000 lbs, roughly the weight of a small Volvo.

How many of your Volvos and Saabs have an integrated brake controller for towing? Or a snow-plow package? Or an integrated power take-off? Low-range 4-wheel drive?

An F-250 is driven by working people who have a need to haul and tow. Someone like that is usually not troubled by the ignominy of having to twist a key in the ignition.

 

[manual]

Both of mine have cruise control, power windows, A/C.

Key less entry ? Hmmmmm I never take the keys out, so that would be key less entry.

 

[manual]

And Harleys,lol.

Atleast Harley has upgraded all there products in the last 20 years.

 

[RiverRat2]

How about it Peter?????

Both of mine have cruise control, power windows, A/C.

Key less entry ? Hmmmmm I never take the keys out, so that would be key less entry.

All up in your Binndy!!!!!!!!

 

[SawTroll]

... How many of your Volvos and Saabs have an integrated brake controller for towing? Or a snow-plow package? Or an integrated power take-off? Low-range 4-wheel drive? ...

Our Volvo 945 T+ is a bit old (1994 - but nothing wrong with it), and it surely doesn't have any of those features, or the stuff Peter mentioned, just a semi-stiff diff on the rear axle (helps a lot though).

I wouldn't mind a F250, even with our petrol prices.......:greenchainsaw:

 

[Steve128]

Incredible Insight!

I think the key to high sales in the US is to put old reliable and mature technology
on the market. Americans in general don't seem to like product development.
I think several big Swedish companies have been a little bit too fast launching new products. It's deeply rooted in the American culture.
Take a car for example. Americans (at least in Texas) drive cars like Ford F250. A European guy would never ever ever buy a F250. It lacks the Adaptive Cruise Control, Passive Kayless Entry, On Board Diagnosis System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, further it has a V8 and huge fuel consumption.

Motorcycles: Here, you don't drive a Harley unless you
are a criminal. Why drive a V2 1100cc vibrating monster with merely 60hp when you can buy a smooth running Honda/Yamaha with 180hp?

One can almost think that the less technology, the better. That could be the answer to the MS290 sales. The average American has the following setup: F250, Harley and MS290 My summary would be that cultural differences have a higher influence on sales than performace and art of engineering (260 vs 346).

stupid is as stupid does (google it)

 

[spike60]

I think the key to high sales in the US is to put old reliable and mature technology
on the market. Americans in general don't seem to like product development.
I think several big Swedish companies have been a little bit too fast launching new products. It's deeply rooted in the American culture.
Take a car for example. Americans (at least in Texas) drive cars like Ford F250. A European guy would never ever ever buy a F250. It lacks the Adaptive Cruise Control, Passive Kayless Entry, On Board Diagnosis System, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, further it has a V8 and huge fuel consumption.

Motorcycles: Here, you don't drive a Harley unless you
are a criminal. Why drive a V2 1100cc vibrating monster with merely 60hp when you can buy a smooth running Honda/Yamaha with 180hp?

One can almost think that the less technology, the better. That could be the answer to the MS290 sales. The average American has the following setup: F250, Harley and MS290 My summary would be that cultural differences have a higher influence on sales than performace and art of engineering (260 vs 346).

Peter;

I can take the time to reply to your ignorant euro-centric post here, or I can go downstairs and enjoy my breakfast.

I'm hungry.

 

[peter399]

Peter;

I can take the time to reply to your ignorant euro-centric post here, or I can go downstairs and enjoy my breakfast.

I'm hungry.

Hi Spike!

How was breakfast? Pancakes with syrup? Just kidding…
Of course there is much irony in my previous post. I'm not trying to be euro-centric but I sure find this type of discussions with Americans very amusing, can’t deny that.

I still think it’s very different from market to market what people buy it that it must be some strong connection to the country and people living there. I have work with product development at Volvo Trucks who is also the owner of Mack Trucks.
If you compare the Volvo with the Mack, anybody can see there is a huge difference.
In the US, it’s merely impossible to sell a truck with the engine below the cabin. There must be a hood, otherwise zero sales. Gear selector shorter than 3 feet? forget it…I also think chainsaw users are quite conservative when it comes to new products. Look at all the judgments of the 575 and 441 before people have even tried them. 260 and 290 are far from best in their classes but still people buy them.