Author Topic: Poulan Pro Chainsaws (Read 3157 times)

diesel55 · « **on:** June 15, 2004, 02:20:34 pm »

Are Poulan Pro Chainsaws any good?

Hardball · « **Reply #1 on:** June 15, 2004, 04:47:58 pm »

Good for what? They're not as durable or have the power/weight ratio of Stihl/Husky, etc. but personally I've used Poulan for years for light work, limbing, pruning, etc.

They seem to always start, are very forgiving on the fuel/oil mix, and seem well designed. For a general homeowner/consumer type who's only using occasionally, I think they're decent saws.

Poulan is made by Electolux, which makes Husqvarna, if it matters and I think Poulan is the OEM for the Sears Craftsman saws.

SasquatchMan · « **Reply #2 on:** June 15, 2004, 07:09:30 pm »

I think Hardball is right... the Jonsered 2137(?) and the sears 42cc saw and the poulan pro 360 all look absolutely identical.

I was thinking about that sears saw, but bought a mid-line stihl and am I ever happy I did. The thing with poulans is that you can't necessarily get parts, and you're not generally dealing with a sales/service crowd that have any idea what they're doing.

You do hear lots of stories of guys who've gotten a million cords out of a $150 dollar Wild Thing, but you sure hear lots of stories about saws that never ran right, couldn't be serviced, and wound up dumped...

Frickman · « **Reply #3 on:** June 15, 2004, 07:21:31 pm »

I've heard more bad stories than good ones about Poulan. They might be made by the same company as Husky, and look the same, but they might not be made the same. To make up for the low price they may have lower quality parts, especially internal engine parts. Most of those discount saws have about 40 hours expected useful life built in to them. Stihl's, in comparison, are either 500 or 1000, depending on the model.

Welcome aboard there Diesel.

SasquatchMan · « **Reply #4 on:** June 15, 2004, 07:41:01 pm »

Frick, I wonder if you're a bit confused between "useful life" and the hours rating you see in the manual on a saw... the 40 hours rating on a poulan is an epa thing... that's how long they're guaranteed to perform at a certain standard.

That said, I assume 40 hours total is about right for a poulan.

Frickman · « **Reply #5 on:** June 15, 2004, 08:14:31 pm »

Sasquatch,
I mean actual useful life. A friend of mine who was in the mower business years ago saw this firsthand. He toured an MTD plant in Ohio. This plant made mowers under the MTD brand and for a dozen other store brands under contract. They'd run a different brand every day. The mowers all looked the same, but the quality of parts going into them is different. I'm not saying that Poulan is doing this, just that it is a common practice. I helped a friend a little at his auto parts store once, and he showed me how the cheap and premium parts all might look and fit the same , but the premium, lifetime parts were better made from the start.

A local Stihl dealer once called the newer Poulan, McCulloh(out of business), Homelite(them too), and other such saws "throwaway saws". You used them till they broke then threw them away. They were built to sell, not last.

Engineer · « **Reply #6 on:** June 15, 2004, 08:14:41 pm »

Good Lord, Frickman, I hope I get more than 500 hours outta my Stihls. I bet I've got well over a thousand on my 025 already.

Hope you meant something else.

Frickman · « **Reply #7 on:** June 15, 2004, 08:22:07 pm »

Engineer,
The smaller, consumer saws like your 025 are rated at 500, the pro models like the 046 at 1000. If you have 1000 on yours that is about right. The hour ratings are mostly for the internal parts, until you need a rebuild. With proper care a saw can lost a long time. The quality of fuel mix and clean air filters has alot to do with it.

The one thing Stihl does is under estimate the expected useful life of their machines. When they say 500 or 1000 hours they really mean minimum, the machines are built to last a really long time. The average homeowner cutting firewood might take 15 or 20 years to put in these kind of hours.

DanManofStihl · « **Reply #8 on:** June 16, 2004, 06:12:09 am »

I had a poulan wildthing and I about pulled my arm out of the socket trying to get that thing started the first time i would flood and I would have to take the plug out I got that thing running the first time after 6 hours worth of work on it after that it started after 10 through 15 pulls. It was worth less took it back to walmart and bought a stihl ms 290 never thought twice about the 290 great saw.

diesel55 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 16, 2004, 08:59:14 am »

Thanks for all the feedback on the saw. I eneded up talking to a local dealer with a good reputation for service and knowledge. He carries jonesred, dolmar, solo, and poulan pro. He told that the poulan pro and the poulan are 2 different animals. The poulan pro is the best value out there for consumer. If I wanted to go for a more commercial saw to get a "Big John" or a husqvarna(which he doesn't carry). He did try to sell me on a solo though. My dad purchased a solo 2 years ago and has had nothing, but problems with it. The dealer used to carry stihl a few years back, but dropped them because he said that there decent saws, but overrated. They just aren't doing much to update there saws anymore. The warranty is marginal. Now I am really confused. I have 40 acres in the mountains of Pa that some attention. In the past I have run pro macs and older homelites. Time to upgrade. Too heavy and beat up.
Anymore feedback?

David_c · « **Reply #10 on:** June 16, 2004, 12:50:02 pm »

if it where me and i was going to get a saw to work 40 acers i'd go with a good saw like husky or stihl or johnsered my preferance is husky. if you just want to cut small stuff i would get a 346xp bigger wood go with the 372xp jmo

Bruce_A · « **Reply #11 on:** June 16, 2004, 01:36:32 pm »

Not knowing what your wood is like, or your time frame, look for a good service center no matter which way you go. I have a stihl 044 and a 046 both set up with 32" bars so I don't have to bend over so much. Both are good saws for the west coast and both have only about a thousand hour on them. On some models of Jonsered and Husky some parts are interchangeable with each other.

rebocardo · « **Reply #12 on:** June 16, 2004, 01:38:28 pm »

> gotten a million cords out of a $150 dollar Wild Thing

I have gotten a lot more then 50 hours out of mine. It finally failed and the motor seized yesterday, with a month of warranty still left on it

Time to go get it repaired. If I can get another 100+ hours out of it I will be happy for the $139 I paid.

Engineer · « **Reply #13 on:** June 16, 2004, 03:15:07 pm »

diesel, if you have 40 acres in the mountains, and it needs "help" then any investment you make in a GOOD saw will pay for itself quickly. If I were in your shoes, I'd be looking at a Stihl MS361, or an equivalent Husky. (Am not familiar with the Husky line, but no doubt they're good saws - I just like Stihls.)

FWIW, I have an 025 and a MS390. The 025 is a great small saw for limbing and cleaning up, and dropping anything up to about a foot to 14" diameter. The MS390 is somewhat of a pig, being the largest "consumer grade" saw they make, and the power just isn't there, especially since it's a heavy saw. At some point, I'll dump the pig and get an MS280 or MS361. The pro saws are worth the money, and I don't believe that hooey about overrated. Most loggers in my area run either Stihls, Huskys or Dolmars. One guy has a couple Shindaiwas, but

.

Also, have heard many good things about the Dolmar 7900? Anyway, Bailey's has Makita version of the 7900 on sale right now for $570-something. Might be a good saw to look into.

SasquatchMan · « **Reply #14 on:** June 16, 2004, 04:28:24 pm »

I think your dealer is goofy if he's saying that PoulanPro is the best value for the money... god, for a few bucks more than the pp you can get a dolmar/makita 520... Like DanMan, I have a Stihl 290, and I think it's great... cuts circles around all the poulans, craftsmans, homelites and macs around here... and it's apparently the worst Stihl I could possibly have got.
Get a saw that's under 13 lbs, doesn't break your back or your budget, and you'll be really pleased, whatever brand you buy. I'm a stihl guy, simply cuz there's stihl dealers all around me, so support is there. If it was dolmar dealers, I'd be a dolmar guy.

diesel55 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 16, 2004, 07:19:15 pm »

Thanks guys for all the info. I am really starting to get into this chainsaw stuff....My wife thinks I'm nuts. Don't mean to step on the toes of the stihl followers. My dad is a stihl man too. He has had a 290 farmboss for years. I'm sure he'll being going back since his solo 651 has been a nightmare so far. Though people keep telling me there good saws. I think I am going to buy 2 two and see which one performs better. I think I will purchase husqvarna 55/359 in 20" and a stihl woodboss in 16-18. I don't think my dealer is goofy. Alot of the old time loggers and landscapers swear by this guy. He also has decided to start carrying husqvarna, since they gotten there parts problem straightened out these last couple of years, whatever that means? Most of the work I will be doing will be clearing out pine/hemlock and bucking cords of dead oak/maple. Once again thnaks.

james · « **Reply #16 on:** June 18, 2004, 04:18:27 pm »

iv got a husky 61 mid weight starts first or 2nd pull at the time i bought it i couldn't justify a pro saw just for cutting firewood etc... :-/

Tom · « **Reply #17 on:** June 18, 2004, 04:39:44 pm »

James,
Around here the Husky 61 is considered a pro saw. it has been used successfully but most of the pulpwooder's for years........ even me. Mine is 14 years old this year, or there abouts. I bout it in 1993 and it still does the job. It was replaced by Husky with a new model but I may never get a chance to try it. The 61 won't break.

james · « **Reply #18 on:** June 20, 2004, 05:46:50 pm »

actully the 2nd 61 iv had the 1st lasted 3 days

:'(cutting a black popular 28"butt nice undercut sound all the way thru finish the falling cut the danG thing did a 180 turn on the stump stepped off and satdown on the poor verry flat saw all in about 1/4 of a second never seen annything that big move that fast in all my life

poor little saw

davefrommd · « **Reply #19 on:** June 20, 2004, 06:53:58 pm »

If you are considering a poulan pro and didn't want to spend to much money take a look at the 295. I think consumer reports gave it some good ratings if I remember correctly.

I do however like stihl if I had one choice. With my stihl farm boss cutting along side my brother with him using my green older poulan with an 18" bar I usually cut through 2 or more logs before he is finished cutting through one. I did notice the stihl seemed to cut more logs up in a shorter period of time verses my older poulan. But I stihl like poulan chainsaws. dave

beenthere · « **Reply #20 on:** June 20, 2004, 08:23:13 pm »

dave..
Sure that your brother just isn't playin' a 'Tom Sawyer' on you, lettin' you think he is trying to race you through those logs?

Rancher · « **Reply #21 on:** June 22, 2004, 08:28:29 pm »

I'm another Dave that uses those so-called "throw away" saws. I've used them now for about 15 years. I keep them clean and keep them sharp and haven't had hardly any problems. I cut and sell about 100 cords of mostly pine and some aspen a year. The 3.3's both in the green and pro, an old 3400, 3700, and a 505 Pro.
A couple months ago I got a Hud-son mill so the chainsaws won't be cutting it all up for firewood.
A lot of buds get after me for using those cheap saws. All they do is make me money. Is that so bad?

Buzz-sawyer · « **Reply #22 on:** June 22, 2004, 08:58:36 pm »

Not bad at all...in any way bud!!!
Don

Stan · « **Reply #23 on:** June 22, 2004, 09:15:01 pm »

There is a Poulan Pro 210 sittin' on my back porch, the brake band wore out, and Poulan will only sell me the right half of the saw, not the needed part. It cost almost as much as a Husky 51. It won't start until you've given up, and refuses to idle. You can have it, if you'll come pick it up.

DanManofStihl · « **Reply #24 on:** June 24, 2004, 05:10:11 am »

Be sure to tell us how your new saws work out/ which brand lasted long

which brand of premix will you be running in the saw I like the amsoil oil racing oil or the amsoil premix i have heard good things about the mobile one oil.

diesel55 · « **Reply #25 on:** June 24, 2004, 08:28:45 am »

DanMan - I bought a rancher 55 and a farmboss 290, both in 18 in. I run 40:1 in both. I usually use pro-mix with fuel stabilizers. I'll dropping maples this weeked, actually. What part of Va are you from? I lived in Charlottesville area for 4 yrs. Miss it

Later

DonE911 · « **Reply #26 on:** June 28, 2004, 06:59:32 pm »

I'm not a Logger and I don't live in a state where fire wood is a must ... I'm a property owner that may put 3 hours a month on my saw. ( yearly average )

I have one of those Wild Thing Saws with a 20" bar. Not sure how long I've had it... but I bought it when they first came out as an impulse buy.

Now my best friend bought a place a few years ago that was just a huge mess and grown over badly... we cut about 20 construction dumpster full of pine,palm,oak both swamp and live, palmetto roots and citrus trees...

he bought a brand new Poulan Pro to do the job and it lasted about a week and died.(lemon) then he got a wild thing like mine and it last less than another week (lemon).... well he went out and got a Husky to finish up the job and he still has it. Not sure how his fight with Poulan came out.

My wild thing is still going great and all I do is put gas in it and clean the filter.... still has the same sparkplug in it. I know I got lucky and happened to miss grabbing a lemon off the shelf.

Will I buy another Poulan? Not a chance... even as just a property owner saw I'll buy a quaility saw next time out, but I aint sell'n the one I got either.

SasquatchMan · « **Reply #27 on:** June 28, 2004, 08:41:58 pm »

What finally made me buy a stihl and not a poulan was twofold - one, parts and service. Two was that I felt like the Stihl was less likely to break down in the woods. It's great to get your money's worth out of a tool, but driving an hour into the forest reserve and having a chainsaw cease to function just didn't make sense to me... the risk is not worth the up-front savings.

oldsaw · « **Reply #28 on:** June 29, 2004, 09:01:36 pm »

I'm pretty protective of my Homelites...but they are old and metal, not the later disposable plastic versions.

I really like my Super XL. Starts and runs well, far more power than some of the "disposable" saws a couple of friends have...I'm not naming names, but they start with "P". Not to shabby for a saw that is probably 30 years old or more. Just got a new bar for it, but the old one has still got a few hours on it yet. It has only let me down once, when the clutch nut spun loose and stripped the threads. Had to re-tap it, but sawing was done for the day...then it rained. Still have a big butternut I've got to get at...now it is in a "mini-swamp".

And my 150 Auto is a nice little saw too, BTW.

slowzuki · « **Reply #29 on:** June 30, 2004, 08:24:19 am »

To the guys with the Wildthings, don't you miss having anti-vibe? I know I can hardly stand to use my dad's old saw with no anti-vibe, hands go numb!
Ken

Dean Hylton · « **Reply #30 on:** June 30, 2004, 10:34:29 am »

I can give you a couple of reasons NOT to buy anything other than a Stihl or Husqvarna. I sell quality parts for chainsaws as a living. I buy saws every day of the week, strip them down, clean, sort, ship and so on. The price of a saw reflects many things: 1- service and support are not free. You pay for it up front. If your saw is cheap it is because there is no support. 2- resale value: I pay 25%-50% of original price for good used Stihls and Husqvarnas and up to 25% for non running hulks. Everything else you are lucky if I do not charge you to haul it off. This is because nobody spends $50/hr. for labor on a saw that only cost $116 at Walmart. They tie it to the end of a rope and use it for a boat anchor. If you just need a saw for occasional use then go and buy a good running used Stihl or Husqvarna. If all you do is use it once in a while and then decide you do not need it any more; then it is still worth what you paid for it provided you took care of it. You can not do that with any other saw. Saws are very much an investment. Always buy quality and take care of it and you will be rewarded.

DonE911 · « **Reply #31 on:** June 30, 2004, 08:01:50 pm »

slowsuki,

I have a Wild Thing and my hands do get numb if I run it constantly for hours. I don't use a saw like most people that live in a colder climate... the numbness isn't really an issue.

Now if I had to cut lots of firewood to keep the family warm ( instead of a nice pretty fire in the fireplace ) I would not be using it.

$116 from walmart ?? Is that all the Wild Thing cost these days?? I got mine from Lowes when they first came out.. I'm pretty sure is was about twice that cost then...

In my area I only know of one Stihl dealer and although there may be a Husky dealer locally I've not heard of them. My friend bought a Husky, but got it on a trip to North Florida so service in either case is quetionable although parts can be ordered over the www. and advice on fix'n is easy to come by right here.

DanManofStihl · « **Reply #32 on:** July 01, 2004, 07:52:54 pm »

Hay diesel 55 I live in chesapeake virginia almost in North Carolina.

rebocardo · « **Reply #33 on:** July 08, 2004, 09:42:47 am »

I have put well over 100 hours on the Poulan 2375 Wildthing, if not close to 200, rather gleefully because I was rather ticked off when you open a package and find "occasional" use and a 50 hour rating on the saw. If they had it on the OUTSIDE of the package you know many people would not buy it and it is deceptive.

I made back the purchase price with the first tree I cut down.

Since it died under warranty, though under very heavy use because I was using it about three hours straight splitting and cording sweetgum and oak, I was going to return it.

You know what, I love God too much to do it because it feels like I am cheating/stealing on the warranty and breaking the commandment about stealing. I guess this is the real reason I have waited one day before the warranty expires to return it.

So, for the people that wanted to know about how the warranty repairs went, I guess you will have to wait, sorry.

News:

Author Topic: Poulan Pro Chainsaws (Read 3157 times)

davefrommd