Trigger Man
Addicted to ArboristSite
I actually think the build quality is better on the ms 290 than the Dodge Intrepid, anyone ever change out a battery on one of those POS!:censored:
The "Dodge Intrepid" of chainsaws.
- Thread starter brad1000s
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It can't be much worse than a Chevy lumina or Monte Carlo.
bitzer
******** Timber Expert
No time to read this thread. The 290 sucks stock and sucks slightly less muff modded and ported. End of story.
rms61moparman
Addicted to ArboristSite
Now THERE is the kind of insightful, informed assessment that gives this site the sterling reputation it so richly deserves!
Mike
bitzer
******** Timber Expert
Now THERE is the kind of insightful, informed assessment that gives this site the sterling reputation it so richly deserves!
Mike
It is the truth though. I've got too many hours on one to deny it.
amateur cutter
ArboristSite Operative
Why yes, yes I have. Prolly a few dozen of em. Depending on what flat rate you use the job pays between .20 to .75 hrs. I've always thought it was absolute genius to require tire & panel removal to swap out a battery.
Keeps the average person stuck in the wal mart parking lot much longer, & is a really nice service call to make in the winter. Sooo...... let's see Intrepid/concorde batt. or work on my 290 clamshell? At least I can carry the saw into my heated shop. A C
bitzer
******** Timber Expert
Now THERE is the kind of insightful, informed assessment that gives this site the sterling reputation it so richly deserves!
Mike
Also MANY have MM the 290. Few have ported it. The clam makes it a pita to hit the transfers. I will claim an educated opinion here. I have ported too many clams.
rms61moparman
Addicted to ArboristSite
I would never try to deny that it is your opinion!
The thing many fail to realize around here is like a buddy of mine told me once about computers.
He said..."A Model T seems fast if you've never driven a V-8, and that V-8 seems fast if you've never driven a Corvette, and a Corvette is fast if you've never been in a Ferrari".
I can easily understand how a guy who has only used 36-40cc homeowner saws from the local "big box" store would think a 290 is a light sabre.
Just the same as I can see how guys that use really FAST saws like the 6400 and 262 think the 290 is a dog!
Mike
eyolf
Addicted to ArboristSite
I don't really know about the Dodge intrepid, but I run into an Omni years ago. Got it cheap, ran it forever, gave it to my mom when she needed a loaner while getting a new tranny in her "real" car, then refused to take it back. She gave it to the neighbor boy, who drove it another year, then gave it to his sister, who drove it for ANOTHER year, then the brother got it back and scrapped it out. By this time it was 20 years old and had about 250,000 miles on it; the only serious work on it was a valve job and timing belt at about 175K.
hateful little car, but it just ran and ran and ran until it got so rusty that driving it on dirt roads choked you out on dust.
I think we kinda feel that way about the 290/310/390 and will soon about the "consumer" Huskies. Hateful little saws. But they run and run and run.
hateful little car, but it just ran and ran and ran until it got so rusty that driving it on dirt roads choked you out on dust.
I think we kinda feel that way about the 290/310/390 and will soon about the "consumer" Huskies. Hateful little saws. But they run and run and run.
Now THERE is the kind of insightful, informed assessment that gives this site the sterling reputation it so richly deserves!
Mike
Well put, my friend.
Not sure how to chime in on this one. The guys that brag about their 290s are morons, and there's no cure for that. Those who like to unconditionally slam the 290 are pretty elitist if you ask me.
I'm one of the chuckleheads that own and love their 290. When I bought mine I was a first time saw buyer and had to trust my dealer's advice. It fit the pocketbook range and frankly has served me VERY well for the 10-12 cords I've cut each of the last 5 years.
While this saw model seems to elicit lots of opinion, the fact of the matter is they serve a certain price point and they don't achieve the sales record they do for no reason. It has been a wonderful tool and is my gateway drug for a bigger and better saw. I do know that I used my father in law's 025 for about 2 cords the first year and the step up to the 290 was justified. Now the step up to the 460 is the right thing to do for me. But if the 290 works for someone what's the point of slamming it?
I'm one of the chuckleheads that own and love their 290. When I bought mine I was a first time saw buyer and had to trust my dealer's advice. It fit the pocketbook range and frankly has served me VERY well for the 10-12 cords I've cut each of the last 5 years.
While this saw model seems to elicit lots of opinion, the fact of the matter is they serve a certain price point and they don't achieve the sales record they do for no reason. It has been a wonderful tool and is my gateway drug for a bigger and better saw. I do know that I used my father in law's 025 for about 2 cords the first year and the step up to the 290 was justified. Now the step up to the 460 is the right thing to do for me. But if the 290 works for someone what's the point of slamming it?
Sehr geehrter Herr RandyMac,
Ich möchte Sie gerne darauf hinweisen dass unsere MS290 Motorsäge der absoluten Renner ist in unsere Produktlinie, und dessen Qualität und Zuverlässigkeit sich während vielen Jahren bewehrt hat bei unsere Kunden.
Ihre Wortwahl ist in diesem Sinne fast treffend, weil die MS290 kann tatsächlich als die "Maytag Wischer Wunder Maschine" der Motorsägen genannt werden. Jeder Hausmann oder Brennholzer sollte darum eine haben. !
Ich wünsche Ihnen viel Wischvergnügen mit Ihre künftige 290.
Andreas Stihl.
translate
dear Mr RandyMac,
I would like to point out to you that the MS290 is indeed the top selling saw in our programm, and its quality and reliability has been proven during many years with our customers.
Your choice of words is almost appropriate, because the MS290 can be called almost 'the maytag wonder washing maschine" of chainsaws. Each houseman or firewood cutter should therefor own one.
I wish you a plenty of "wishing" pleasure with your future MS290 !
A.Stihl
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Anthony_Va.
XPW Fan Club
I personally don't get along with the "bragger" type. I think bragging excessively is annoying and childish. But most people I know who own 290s are regular good ole boys who cut firewood or clear brush, fencelines, etc.
These guys buy a 290 because they don't need a bigger saw or a PRO model. It's just the same with a Husky 455. Nothing wrong with these saws. There's a place for them in the world, hence the sales being to good on them.
Now anyone bragging on any saw excessively is just dumb to me, whether it's a 290 or an 880. Nothing to dawg the saw about, just the owner.
These guys buy a 290 because they don't need a bigger saw or a PRO model. It's just the same with a Husky 455. Nothing wrong with these saws. There's a place for them in the world, hence the sales being to good on them.
Now anyone bragging on any saw excessively is just dumb to me, whether it's a 290 or an 880. Nothing to dawg the saw about, just the owner.
Kogafortwo
ArboristSite Guru
2000ssm6
Stihl User
The wildthang would be more of a brother to the pos Intrepid. The 290 would be a Caddy when compared.
lambs
Stihl crazy after all these years
290s serve their purpose
I ran an 029 super for a few years. It was no speedster, but it got the job done. Last year I finally got tired of switching the grinder wheels back and forth to sharpen my .325 chains and decided to sell my 029. Got $25 more than I paid for it, added another $25 to the pot and bought a used 039. Neither saw is going to break any records, but I find them dead reliable and inexpensive to get into. I think that's why they're so popular. I probably put 30 hours on a saw in a season, primarily bucking wood. Yeah, they weigh more than they should, but it doesn't really matter if the weight is on the log half the time anyway.
Other than AS members, I don't know a soul who has tried to modify or rebuild them. I think homeowners just don't wear out a saw like that and are perfectly happy with what they have.
Still, with what I have learned here and from talking with a local tree service owner, I would never buy a new 290 / 390. For that kind of cash, I'd step up to a pro saw. And I am thinking a lot about 441's nowadays, although I know a guy with a 460 who is thinking about getting rid of his equipment due to health issues, and if I get a chance to buy his saw, I will.
I ran an 029 super for a few years. It was no speedster, but it got the job done. Last year I finally got tired of switching the grinder wheels back and forth to sharpen my .325 chains and decided to sell my 029. Got $25 more than I paid for it, added another $25 to the pot and bought a used 039. Neither saw is going to break any records, but I find them dead reliable and inexpensive to get into. I think that's why they're so popular. I probably put 30 hours on a saw in a season, primarily bucking wood. Yeah, they weigh more than they should, but it doesn't really matter if the weight is on the log half the time anyway.
Other than AS members, I don't know a soul who has tried to modify or rebuild them. I think homeowners just don't wear out a saw like that and are perfectly happy with what they have.
Still, with what I have learned here and from talking with a local tree service owner, I would never buy a new 290 / 390. For that kind of cash, I'd step up to a pro saw. And I am thinking a lot about 441's nowadays, although I know a guy with a 460 who is thinking about getting rid of his equipment due to health issues, and if I get a chance to buy his saw, I will.
If I see any Stihl at a cheap price I will buy it. That's the problem, no cheap Stihls. You can, however, find cheap Huskys. I've found a couple this year, very nice saws.
RandyMac
Stiff Member
I may have to switch to Russian, the invectives lose nothing in translation.
THALL10326
The Champ
Sehr geehrter Herr RandyMac,
Ich möchte Sie gerne darauf hinweisen dass unsere MS290 Motorsäge der absoluten Renner ist in unsere Produktlinie, und dessen Qualität und Zuverlässigkeit sich während vielen Jahren bewehrt hat bei unsere Kunden.
Ihre Wortwahl ist in diesem Sinne fast treffend, weil die MS290 kann tatsächlich als die "Maytag Wischer Wunder Maschine" der Motorsägen genannt werden. Jeder Hausmann oder Brennholzer sollte darum eine haben. !
Ich wünsche Ihnen viel Wischvergnügen mit Ihre künftige 290.
Andreas Stihl.
translate
dear Mr RandyMac,
I would like to point out to you that the MS290 is indeed the top selling saw in our programm, and its quality and reliability has been proven during many years with our customers.
Your choice of words is almost appropriate, because the MS290 can be called almost 'the maytag wonder washing maschine" of chainsaws. Each houseman or firewood cutter should therefor own one.
I wish you a plenty of "wishing" pleasure with your future MS290 !
A.Stihl
Huh, you are multi talented I see, I'll be dayumm. Still no soft southern accent so you play second fiddle to the great one, don't forget it,LOLOL
THALL10326
The Champ
The 290 was a genius of a idea for a saw. It did much more for Stihl than just sell chainsaws. Most folks that bought a 290 after running the junk at Sears did what, they came back and bought Stihl trimmers, blowers and so on. The 290 made Stihl so much money in other areas they wore a path to the bank toting the money, money used to build those pro saws that everyone on here seems to like..
