Poulan Pro - Which 'newer' ones are good saws?

[jerrycmorrow]

opcorn:

 

[redunshee]

Have Poulans improved similarly in the last 5 years? They never used to have fanboys.

Calling me "ignorant" and an "idiot" is pretty strong language just because I have found this brand of saws to be poor quality.

Gregg and barney: you list in your signature that you have Stihl's and Husqvarna's. Are you really telling me that a Poulan can hold a candle to your 385XP (Gregg)?

You were way to general with your comment. The last five years I guess I would agree with you but to generalize is what caused the responses.
Bob

 

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

Maybe the people around my just buy crappy poulans at big hardware stores. /shrug

 

[jerrycmorrow]

I'm asking this in the general chainsaw forum because I'm not sure that many folks here spend much time in the Sticky: Poulan thread.

I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one who tends to not give Poulan Pros much attention when I run across them at flea markets, garage sales, pawn shops, etc. Kind of the same way people overlook the good 'transition' Macs because they look similar to the newer Macs.

It seems that some of the yellow & black PPs are actually well-made solid saws based on Jonsered/Partner designs (rebadged maybe?).

Maybe the people around my just buy crappy poulans at big hardware stores. /shrug

giving you the benefit of the doubt.
READ what the OP said. it appears he is trying to determine where/when the dividing line is between when poulans were good (which they undeniably were in the past; most of the older ones still rock) and when poulans were crap (what you now buy at big box stores is generally considered to be that; just like you said).
now having said that if i'm mistaken and you do indeed think that all poulans are crap then never mind. you would then be what others have already thought and said and will truly deserve all that will be coming your way. just sayin'.

 

[russhd1997]

opcorn:

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:

 

[Chris-PA]

I disagree even regarding new Poulans. Everyone is rich and nobody places any value on the money they pay for a saw? So if you can get a saw such as the 5020 or 4620, or even a Wild Thing, at maybe 1/3 or less of the price of an equivalent Husky or Stihl, and it's a capable, usable tool then that is "junk" and "crap"? Do you need to tune it and put on a good chain, and maybe give it a muffler mod? Sure, just like the expensive ones. Will you need to maintain it and keep the chain sharp? Yup. Do they use the same kinds of bars and chains as the big names? Yup.

You can certainly buy a used saw, but you are taking a financial risk, and it's also important to consider the costs of ongoing maintenance - Poulan parts are quite inexpensive and easy to get.

 

[Modifiedmark]

Where is Modified Mark when we need him ?

Oh I have been here laughing my hind end off. That was mostly after I looked up some of the Nit Wits other posts and found his main thrill was a MS660 with a 20" bar on it.

That told me all I needed to know about this joker and that "he is one of those guys".

You know that type, "I own a Stihl, its a big one and I only need it for firewood with a 20" bar, BUT I OWN A STIHL. :hmm3grin2orange:


I really tried to stay out of it though...

 

[barneyrb]

Oh I have been here laughing my hind end off. That was mostly after I looked up some of the Nit Wits other posts and found his main thrill was a MS660 with a 20" bar on it.

That told me all I needed to know about this joker and that "he is one of those guys".

You know that type, "I own a Stihl, its a big one and I only need it for firewood with a 20" bar, BUT I OWN A STIHL. :hmm3grin2orange:


I really tried to stay out of it though...

Here I was toting the load and you were in the background laughing at me, I know who my buddies are, don't worry my shoulders are wide and built to carry a load but damn you are getting heavy.

:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[Modifiedmark]

Here I was toting the load and you were in the background laughing at me, I know who my buddies are, don't worry my shoulders are wide and built to carry a load but damn you are getting heavy.

:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

Wrong, dont give me that, I was laughing WITH you. :hmm3grin2orange:

You were laughing at the nit wit as well.


Just for you though I'm going on a diet as a new years resolution. :msp_thumbsup:

 

[rms61moparman]

Maybe the people around my just buy crappy poulans at big hardware stores. /shrug

There are NO crappy Poulans!!!!!

There are Poulans that were designed and marketed to a certain niche.
That niche is actually the vast majority of suburban homeowners.

Now that being said, if you or one of your friends bought one of those saws and tried to do something with it that it was never meant to do, that isn't the fault of the saw or the design engineers.
If you bought a new Cadillac and tried to pull semi trailers with it, would it be a "crappy" car because you tore it up???:msp_mad:


Mike

 

[OhioGregg]

Have Poulans improved similarly in the last 5 years? They never used to have fanboys.

Calling me "ignorant" and an "idiot" is pretty strong language just because I have found this brand of saws to be poor quality.

Gregg and barney: you list in your signature that you have Stihl's and Husqvarna's. Are you really telling me that a Poulan can hold a candle to your 385XP (Gregg)?

Manic, Let me guess. Your a Stihl "fanboy". When I first found ArboristSite, one of the first posts I read while searching for Poulan info, was someone asking about a 3400 Poulan. The 1st. response was from a "Stihl Head" saying to not bother, its just a cheap box store piece of crap! Well, he obviously had no clue what he was talking about. And that was kinda the reaction I had to your statement.

We all have are favorite saws. I have no problem with that at all. One thing I have always tried to refrain from, was lambasting other saw company's models and such that I have no experience with. I know a guy that has a couple of 2375 Wildthings, thats all he cuts with, and cuts a lot of wood with them. They are good little saws for what they are, and if taken care of.

There are a whole slew of Poulans out there that would shock most younger fellas as to how good they are. As far as how a 385xp compares to a 5200 Poulan. In big wood, the 5200 will hang right with a 385xp. In small wood the newer higher rpm 385xp will probably be faster. Gotta remember, there is about 25-30 years difference in them.

Most of us "Poulan Guys" can get pretty short tempered when we see dumb-ass comments from folks that don't really know anything about them, start trashing them. There is nothing wrong with good natured ribbing amongst saw owners of different makes. But thats not what I saw in your post.


Gregg,

 

[promac850]

What an assclown...

When I ran my Craftsman, the gray one (Poulan made, comparable to a 3100/3300/3600, etc.) holy crap, it ran dang good considering it desperately needs some work. (didn't know that until after I ran it, it looked brand new inside and out) Since it wasn't running its best, I figure it needs a fuel line, impulse line, etc. small stuff like that to get it running real good.

There is nothing wrong with a Poulan. And you need to start watching the videos of AS members with their ported/muff modded/piped Wild Things... enough said regarding those...

My ported McCulloch Pro Mac 850 (82cc, and from a bygone era of old growth/second growth timber) would keep up with a 385XP(84.7cc) given they're both in a log big enough to keep 28" bars mostly to fully buried... as for small logs, the Husky would probably be faster, as Gregg mention, since the newer design allows for higher rpms. Again, there is well over 20 years of a difference between these two saws... so even with technology taken into account, these old saws will hold their own and sometimes even beat the newer ones when it comes to what they were made for, which is falling/cutting real big friggin' trees and logs...

Don't underestimate any saw. There will always be a saw faster than another saw. Someone is always working to top the last one. However... there still are old saws that still are very competitive and can humiliate newer saws... and some old saws actually easily whoop the newer ones, especially when it comes to doing what they were made for. The McCulloch 895, Homelite 1130G, Stihl 090G, Poulan 92, and any of the big old magnesium gear drives still are, in mine and many others' opinions, the kings of the old growth... and their smaller non gear drive saws are the kings of the old growth as well.

You should shut your yap and read sonny boy, you got a hell of a lot to learn here. Slow down on how much creamsickle kool-aid you drink as well... and start substituting other color kool-aids for the missing amount of creamsickle kool-aid until you like them...\



Shop Monkey over and out...

 

[homelitejim]

My Poulan 4900 is rated for a 36 inch bar.
Model Profile: 4900

Where as the Husky 390xp is only rated out to 28 inches.
HUSQVARNA 390 XP® - Chainsaws

I suppose you have not looked up the Poulan 6000.
Model Profile: S6000

 

[russhd1997]

I like Poulans and would love to have one of those S6000's to go with my Wild thing. The Maniac probably doesn't know that the S6000 is a green Dolmar. He probably doesn't like Dolmars either.

 

[redunshee]

Hmmm, guess we've heard the last from him!

 

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

Hmmm, guess we've heard the last from him!

You missed me didn't you. I don;t know how I get dragged into arguing with people I don't care about about stuff I don't care about.

*sigh*

now having said that if I’m mistaken and you do indeed think that all poulans are crap then never mind.

No. I am very open to saws that I have no experience with such as the 505, 5200, etc. I even researched them, and they look good on paper. I can't seem to find any dealers though that sell any Poulan over 50cc, so I could not compare prices or specs between what I would consider as a saw for myself. Apparently Husqvarna owns Poulan, and (correct me if I'm wrong) uses the Poulan name to sell their lower priced saws. Given this information, does Poulan have anything on the market right now, brand new that can be purchased brand new to compete with an MS260 or 385xp? Link me to where they are sold.

What I do have experience with is the big box saws (33cc to 46cc) that generally go for $99 to $240. These are the saws that are out there in the real world that you'll find in homeowners garages and on the shelves of every hardware store that sells chainsaws. People I know tend to bring me their saws if they have a problem. I am no expert mechanic by any means, but I am a good sharpener and can do basic troubleshooting. Based on my experience, I would not recommend buying saws such as these.

For all intents and purposes, the brand name Poulan is associated with these low end saws since these are the saws that are commonly sold and the saws that people commonly possess.

I disagree even regarding new Poulans. Everyone is rich and nobody places any value on the money they pay for a saw? So if you can get a saw such as the 5020 or 4620, or even a Wild Thing, at maybe 1/3 or less of the price of an equivalent Husky or Stihl, and it's a capable, usable tool then that is "junk" and "crap"? Do you need to tune it and put on a good chain, and maybe give it a muffler mod? Sure, just like the expensive ones. Will you need to maintain it and keep the chain sharp? Yup. Do they use the same kinds of bars and chains as the big names? Yup.

You can certainly buy a used saw, but you are taking a financial risk, and it's also important to consider the costs of ongoing maintenance - Poulan parts are quite inexpensive and easy to get.

I respect your opinion. Here's my opinion The 5020 will cost you $200. You could find a Stihl 28 Super in good condition for less than that. In either case, you have risk. Online reviews I've are strongly stacked against the Poulan lasting more than a few years of light use. My personally have dozens of friends and acquaintances with broken yet still new Poulans. The term “not worth repairing” is common. Flame me if you like (and you no doubt will) but I am speaking honestly about what I have seen and experienced I'm being kind not bringing up the Wild Thing.

The Poulans are not 1/3 of the price. They are 1/2 price at best if you compare consumer model to consumer model. I will grant you they are capable and usable, but they don't last long (look up reviews online if you don't believe me).

Oh I have been here laughing my hind end off. That was mostly after I looked up some of the Nit Wits other posts and found his main thrill was a MS660 with a 20" bar on it.

That told me all I needed to know about this joker and that "he is one of those guys".

You know that type, "I own a Stihl, its a big one and I only need it for firewood with a 20" bar, BUT I OWN A STIHL. :hmm3grin2orange:


I really tried to stay out of it though...

Just to clarify, I don't own big saws for a hobby. I own them to make a living. I usually only buy a new one when my old one wears out, so I don't have a large collection of chainsaws (only 6 that run maybe).

I'm not sure what you are getting at making fun of my 20” bar. This is an ideal bar length for firewood. I like using my biggest saw because it cuts faster.

There are NO crappy Poulans!!!!!

There are Poulans that were designed and marketed to a certain niche.
That niche is actually the vast majority of suburban homeowners.

Now that being said, if you or one of your friends bought one of those saws and tried to do something with it that it was never meant to do, that isn't the fault of the saw or the design engineers.
If you bought a new Cadillac and tried to pull semi trailers with it, would it be a "crappy" car because you tore it up???:msp_mad:

I demand that a chainsaw be capable of cutting wood reliably day after day without breaking down. Suburban homeowners, though they might only cut as much wood in a year as I cut in a day, also want a reliable saw.

Manic, Let me guess. Your a Stihl "fanboy".

I'm not the one getting my panties in a knot because someone said something bad about my favourite brand. I like not only Stihl, but Husqvarna, Jonsered, and Echo. My next saw might well be a Shindaiwa.

I'm not the one calling people names and getting all flustered.

The urban dictionary describes a “fanboy” as

An arrogant person who goes into an outburst every time something he likes is questioned. Fanboys usually accuse others of being fanboys.

I've given adequate respect to the “oldie” saws you brought up earlier which are no longer made.

When I first found ArboristSite, one of the first posts I read while searching for Poulan info, was someone asking about a 3400 Poulan. The 1st. response was from a "Stihl Head" saying to not bother, its just a cheap box store piece of crap! Well, he obviously had no clue what he was talking about. And that was kinda the reaction I had to your statement.

People often confuse the higher end Poulans with the low end Poulans which make up 99% of the Poulans in people's garages. The good quality Poulans are in fact so rare to see that this confusion is understandable.

I know a guy that has a couple of 2375 Wildthings, thats all he cuts with, and cuts a lot of wood with them. They are good little saws for what they are, and if taken care of.

Great, but why does he have a couple? Is he having trouble with them dying so he needs to replace them? What is “a lot” of wood for a Wild Thing? My old 38 Magnum (the first new saw I ever bought) cut probably 2000 cord before I replaced it. The guy that bought it is still running it to heat his home 8 years later.

There are a whole slew of Poulans out there that would shock most younger fellas as to how good they are. As far as how a 385xp compares to a 5200 Poulan. In big wood, the 5200 will hang right with a 385xp. In small wood the newer higher rpm 385xp will probably be faster. Gotta remember, there is about 25-30 years difference in them.

I have no reason to doubt that the 5200 is amazing. However, people that talk about the quality of Poulans are talking about the Poulan on the shelf at HomeDepot or Wal-Mart.

Most of us "Poulan Guys" can get pretty short tempered when we see dumb-ass comments from folks that don't really know anything about them, start trashing them. There is nothing wrong with good natured ribbing amongst saw owners of different makes. But thats not what I saw in your post.

In my post I told you what I thought about a product based on my experience If you asked me about Briggs and Stratton vs Honda, I would also tell you what I think.

And you need to start watching the videos of AS members with their ported/muff modded/piped Wild Things... enough said regarding those...

They are doing it as a joke. It's like putting 20” chrome rims and a powerful engine in a 1981 Volkswagen

You should shut your yap and read sonny boy, you got a hell of a lot to learn here. Slow down on how much creamsickle kool-aid you drink as well... and start substituting other color kool-aids for the missing amount of creamsickle kool-aid until you like them...\

I'm always willing to learn. That's why I spent some time reading about Poulan on the internet. All I'm seeing is complaints and regret about buying them (and I'm talking about the mass produced ones here).

I like Poulans and would love to have one of those S6000's to go with my Wild thing. The Maniac probably doesn't know that the S6000 is a green Dolmar. He probably doesn't like Dolmars either.

Nobody around me has a Dolmar, but I'd love to try one. Again, they don't make the it (the S6000) anymore. IT WAS DISCONTINUED IN 1981. This is typical of all the Poulans you guys like: THEY DON'T REPRESENT THE POULANS ACTUALLY SOLD ANYMORE.

This is the reality of what everyone carries around with them:

14 in. 33 cc Gas Chain Saw-P3314WS at The Home Depot

 

[diggers_dad]

Gregg, dad used to tell me never argue with an idiot, sooner or later you realize he enjoys it and if someone walks by they may not be able to tell the difference.

:hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

Very well said.

There are NO crappy Poulans!!!!!

There are Poulans that were designed and marketed to a certain niche.
That niche is actually the vast majority of suburban homeowners.

Now that being said, if you or one of your friends bought one of those saws and tried to do something with it that it was never meant to do, that isn't the fault of the saw or the design engineers.
If you bought a new Cadillac and tried to pull semi trailers with it, would it be a "crappy" car because you tore it up???:msp_mad:


Mike

Quite correct.



Just my 2 cents here, and I'm no pro, just a wood cutter and part-time two stroke hack. I started with a Poulan re-badged as a Craftsman. It was great for starting out with and still runs today (15 years later). It was a box-store saw and served me well. I now have, Stihls, a Shinny, Dolmars, etc, but I still love to work on the little clam-shell Poulans. They are a simple, inexpensive, and hardy design considering the market they are made for. The older "Pro" model Poulans are rock-solid work saws. The newer clam-shells are, as pointed out earlier, made for a niche market and do very well in it. Parts are cheap and they are FUN to mod. I have several and am teaching my (9 year old) son the basics of two stroke mechanics with some Poulans.

Keep yer chain sharp and be safe.

 

[redunshee]

You missed me didn't you. I don;t know how I get dragged into arguing with people I don't care about about stuff I don't care about.

*sigh*



No. I am very open to saws that I have no experience with such as the 505, 5200, etc. I even researched them, and they look good on paper. I can't seem to find any dealers though that sell any Poulan over 50cc, so I could not compare prices or specs between what I would consider as a saw for myself. Apparently Husqvarna owns Poulan, and (correct me if I'm wrong) uses the Poulan name to sell their lower priced saws. Given this information, does Poulan have anything on the market right now, brand new that can be purchased brand new to compete with an MS260 or 385xp? Link me to where they are sold.

What I do have experience with is the big box saws (33cc to 46cc) that generally go for $99 to $240. These are the saws that are out there in the real world that you'll find in homeowners garages and on the shelves of every hardware store that sells chainsaws. People I know tend to bring me their saws if they have a problem. I am no expert mechanic by any means, but I am a good sharpener and can do basic troubleshooting. Based on my experience, I would not recommend buying saws such as these.

For all intents and purposes, the brand name Poulan is associated with these low end saws since these are the saws that are commonly sold and the saws that people commonly possess.



I respect your opinion. Here's my opinion The 5020 will cost you $200. You could find a Stihl 28 Super in good condition for less than that. In either case, you have risk. Online reviews I've are strongly stacked against the Poulan lasting more than a few years of light use. My personally have dozens of friends and acquaintances with broken yet still new Poulans. The term “not worth repairing” is common. Flame me if you like (and you no doubt will) but I am speaking honestly about what I have seen and experienced I'm being kind not bringing up the Wild Thing.

The Poulans are not 1/3 of the price. They are 1/2 price at best if you compare consumer model to consumer model. I will grant you they are capable and usable, but they don't last long (look up reviews online if you don't believe me).



Just to clarify, I don't own big saws for a hobby. I own them to make a living. I usually only buy a new one when my old one wears out, so I don't have a large collection of chainsaws (only 6 that run maybe).

I'm not sure what you are getting at making fun of my 20” bar. This is an ideal bar length for firewood. I like using my biggest saw because it cuts faster.



I demand that a chainsaw be capable of cutting wood reliably day after day without breaking down. Suburban homeowners, though they might only cut as much wood in a year as I cut in a day, also want a reliable saw.



I'm not the one getting my panties in a knot because someone said something bad about my favourite brand. I like not only Stihl, but Husqvarna, Jonsered, and Echo. My next saw might well be a Shindaiwa.

I'm not the one calling people names and getting all flustered.

The urban dictionary describes a “fanboy” as

An arrogant person who goes into an outburst every time something he likes is questioned. Fanboys usually accuse others of being fanboys.

I've given adequate respect to the “oldie” saws you brought up earlier which are no longer made.



People often confuse the higher end Poulans with the low end Poulans which make up 99% of the Poulans in people's garages. The good quality Poulans are in fact so rare to see that this confusion is understandable.



Great, but why does he have a couple? Is he having trouble with them dying so he needs to replace them? What is “a lot” of wood for a Wild Thing? My old 38 Magnum (the first new saw I ever bought) cut probably 2000 cord before I replaced it. The guy that bought it is still running it to heat his home 8 years later.



I have no reason to doubt that the 5200 is amazing. However, people that talk about the quality of Poulans are talking about the Poulan on the shelf at HomeDepot or Wal-Mart.



In my post I told you what I thought about a product based on my experience If you asked me about Briggs and Stratton vs Honda, I would also tell you what I think.



They are doing it as a joke. It's like putting 20” chrome rims and a powerful engine in a 1981 Volkswagen



I'm always willing to learn. That's why I spent some time reading about Poulan on the internet. All I'm seeing is complaints and regret about buying them (and I'm talking about the mass produced ones here).



Nobody around me has a Dolmar, but I'd love to try one. Again, they don't make the it (the S6000) anymore. IT WAS DISCONTINUED IN 1981. This is typical of all the Poulans you guys like: THEY DON'T REPRESENT THE POULANS ACTUALLY SOLD ANYMORE.

This is the reality of what everyone carries around with them:

14 in. 33 cc Gas Chain Saw-P3314WS at The Home Depot

Points well presented but alas not what was asked. OP asked when the last good Poulan Pros were made, not if new Poulans were any good. You took it upon yourself to make a general comment about Poulans. Yup. The 038 magnum is a great saw but I doubt the MS 250 would cut 2000 cords of wood. Your talking professional vs. homwowner saws. I've seen many a 250, 170 etc. trashed early in life. Probably caused by too hard use or poor care.
The reality of "what everyone carries around with them" is "everyone" isn't going to buy a used 028 that will likely need work. This site doesn't comprise the "everyone" you categorize but individuals who "love" their saws and enjoy tinkering. You're simply preaching to the wrong audience.
Bob

 

[Chainsaw_Maniac]

redunshee: I agree that we are talking about different things and different audiences. I was just clarifying what I posted earlier.

 

[RandyMac]

redunshee: I agree that we are talking about different things and different audiences. I was just clarifying what I posted earlier.

You sure are a wordy ####er.