Poulan Pro Chainsaws

[diesel55]

Are Poulan Pro Chainsaws any good?

[Hardball]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

>  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  8)  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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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. :D

[james]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[Stan]

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]

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