Anybody have one ,have expirence with one?

Dealt with many different brands of chainsaws and the Poulan is JUNK.imo

Yep. Daughter brought one home new in the box from a garage sale. Paid ten bucks. She got taken.


Not what I would but for the farm but if you are going to limb a tree every other year that I will do you fine.

Stihl, Husky or my favorite, a Dolmar will stand you a whole lot better.

I don't know about them being junk. I bought one a few years back and it cranked and ran very well. I eventually let it set up and the priming bulb deteriorated but with that replaced I'll bet it will still run well. I paid about $125 new for it.

I agree with you on this one. for really light casual work thy do OK.

Bad luck with the one I bought ~20 years ago. Junk.

Spend the dough on a Husky and don't look back IMHO.

Mr. Coleman-- I'm certain that some folks have had good luck with them but overall it would not be what I'd suggest when looking for a good saw. I'm glad yours does a good job for you since there's few things more frustrating than needing a chainsaw and not being able to get the dang thing started.

Scott--- I would agree 100% with your assessment.

Heck for a middle of the road saw that won't cost a lot I'd prefer a Craftsman over Poulan any day.

Not much. I stopped in a Wichita Lowes last year to go to the bathroom and there was one on the end of an aisle discounted to $50, IIRC. I bought it on a whim and when I got home noticed that the oil and gas cap were gone, hence the price. Fortunately, a guy who used to have his own small engine repair before he got called up for the Sandbox was working in the local farmstore. He gave me a couple so I was good to go. Somebody ripped off his shop and that's why he was working in the farm store instead of for himself. Pretty freaking low to rip off a guy defending his country. Anyway, I've only used it once but so far, so good. I've got a Husqvarna and a Sacs Dolmar for heavier use. Scott is right IMO. Dolmar is my favorite overall too. If the Poulan is cheap enough, it might be okay for a couple of years of trimming. I got it for light work.

Did you get the wild thing??? It's the purple and green one.


I'm a strict husquavarna owner from a 394 xpg to my 335 xpt's with 12 saws in the middle. Poulan is alright I guess for the common houshold, but the joke around here is...... When you go to start one, you gunna be poulan and poulan until you wear yourself out....

$40 more you can buy an orange one.

He's probably got one of those old green ones before the comercialization era, those are not bad.

Cry once buy quality and it will last your life damn near. stihl, jonsered, husqvarna.

Poulan = junk

There is a reason wal-mart sells them.

The older Poulans were good saws. My dad had and ran one for years, including some pretty heavy cutting. The new ones aren't worth the money. I'm a Stihl or Husky guy. I haven't tried the Dolmar saws but Scott says such good things, I'm tempted to try one. My current Husky 61 Rancher tackled a 38", 100+ft. tall spruce a couple weeks back, without even slowing down. Not bad for a $35 garage sale saw.

It's worth the extra money for a good saw.

I'd add Echo to that list.

Fixed it for you!

Repeat after me: S-T-I-H-L.

Yep. We had a freak snow/ice/wind storm one March that came from the east many years ago where I live. Prevailing winds are from the west and the trees/mostly pines were down everywhere. All the big box stores sold out of chainsaws the next day. I talked to the sales guy at Lowes and he said most of the ones they sold came back in a few days burned up and broke. You can't run those saws hard like you can a Stihl.

Anyone remember the commercials where they would have guys pause in their work, slap the chainsaw affectionately, and then mispronounce Poulan?

How about the McCollough commercials with the beavers? "Wow! Look at those teeth!"

Craftsman saws are made by Poulan. The older saws were decent. Some of the small Husquvara's were made by Poulan also. Most of the homeowner saws are built cheap. I have a Husky 288 for big jobs and a CS56 John Deere made by some company in Italy for a small trim saw, which is a great saw. Alot of peple with little knowledge of operating or maintaining a saw tear them up fairly quick.

They're bet suited for very occasional use around a yard. If your buying a saw to cut any ammount of wood, or even just for personal firewood useage, move up to a better saw. I had a cheap MacCoulough for 15 years and for what I used it for, it was okay. Last year, it finally wouldn't start any more so I bought a reconditioned Poulan at Sears to fill the same role. So far, it's run just fine. I hold no disillusions that it's a great , or even a very good saw. All I ask of it is to start when I want to clean up storm damage or maybe brushing out a trail for deer season.

For a great all around saw for small work the Stihl ms 180 works awesome, Super light and inexpensive. I call it my Turkey carver.

For larger work a Stihl 390 fits the bill well. Larry

I have had 3. One I owned new until the clutch went out after about three years. Then someone gave me one about 6 months old, same problem, clutch destroyed while he owned it. The current one I have is fine but I've only owned it a year and I don't cut much with it.

I would rather have a Stihl or Husky. However, at my current property, I just needed something to cut up the occasional tree limb or dead tree (we have a few trees and the neighbors have a large maple that occasionally drops a limb into our yard.) I couldn't justify spending more than the $80-100 I spent for this one at Sears when it was on sale and I had a 10% off coupon.

I noticed with all of them that the pulling start issue seemed to be related to the factory carb settings. Fixing the fuel mixture really helped them all out.

Dad has a Stihl that is, conservatively, 30 years old and still running great.

poulan might work good as a non functional movie prop or as a non functional hands on safety training prop (like the rubber coated M16's we had in bootcamp)



^^^^this^^^^

I use Stihl, but I good Electric Poulan thats good for 100 feet.

I don't pretend that I'm in the logging bidness. I just needed a saw for some immediate job and picked this one. It did the job very well. I've not tried to run it in several years. I inherited a Husky when my brother died and it's a great saw but I hardly ever use it.
I needed some big pines cut down that were dying and close to the shop. I paid a tree service to cut them down because he had insurance in case one fell on the shop.

I just need something to cut some wood for the smoker,and for the firepit. I dont have a fireplace. In a previous life,I was actually a logger.
I i needed a real tool for work,id get a stihl,or a husky,jonserud.this is mostly a toy.

Wife bought me a Sears (Poulan) about 8 years ago, and it lasted about three months and then wouldn't start. I wound up buying a brand new carb for it, and for light limb work and small trees, it's been fine ever since. For heavy use, stay away.

For real saws, I've been using Pioneers since my grandfather put one in my hands in 1972. The damn things just won't break. I have them from 1200A's (58cc) to P61 (98cc)

I'll agree with the Stihl, Husky, Dolmar, Echo comments.
I bought a new old stock Husky 372XPW when we bought this farm last summer, and it's an animal.

I have a Poulan and it works. It is ok for light work but don't even think about real heavy jobs like sectioning 24 inch trunk trees for firewood.

They sure ain't what they used to be. First chain saw I ever ran was an all cast iron Poulan. Lord was it heavy.

I have 2 Poulans. 1 small Woodshark and a larger one I forget the model #. Both work fine and the Woodshark is 15 years old. I believe the newer Poulan chainsaws are actually made by Husqvarna now but I am not 100% sure. FWIW I use mine every year to cut firewood to help heat my home.

Most problems with any tool powered by a small engine is how they are maintained.

Craftsman saws and Poulan saws are one and the same. Craftsman is made by Poulan.

I don't use anything but Stihls. Switched and got me a 455 ranch husqvarna two years ago and really like it.

Poulans are made in Nashville, Arkansas. They make Craftsman, Poulans, some Huskys, and another brand or two I can't remember in the same plant.

They are allegedly made to different standards depending upon the price point and specs of the different brands.

I've got a 46cc Poulan that I use for dropping and bucking small oaks and maples. It works adequately. It actually starts just fine. I get more problems when it's run for an extended period. I run it in long bucking sessions and sometimes I don't sharpen/swap chains often enough.

Stihl and huskies are good saws but until you spend the big bucks to go with their professional lines you are getting things like plastic crankcases and the cylinder sleeves are held in place with plastic tabs. My Dolmar is the same size as the Stihl Farmboss but is professional grade all the way through with a real steel crankcase. It is also lighter, higher RPM and torque. So to go with the better made Pro quality saw I paid $40 more that the Farmboss.

Give them a look and you will not be sorry. I just cannot see spending $400 on Husky or Stihl and getting way less valye.

If your looking for a less expensive saw, I'd go Echo before anything else.

The lower end Stihl are crap for what you pay. They make great pro saws, same with Husky IMO.

If you want or have need for more saw than Echo makes, the Dolmar/Makita 64cc saws are great.

Got dad's Stihl 028 WoodBoss that he purchased back in the 70's. Used it this past Saturday to make quick work of a oak that had fallen in mom's back yard. Still cuts like a champ.

Agree- Dolmar's if you have service near you, Husky XP (562XP is a great saw), or Stihl Professional (a 362 might fit the bill perfectly)
Go to a place they have ALL the pro models on display so you can handle them and get a good feel of the weight.
Buy a pro series and you've bought your last one. Buy one at the box stores and you'll buy another one.

Excellent advice! Go to a saw shop and talk to the guys (or in one case I know the lady) who work on the saws. They will tell it straight.

The old Stehls and Huskies were great saws and will last for as long as you will be around to use one but todays saws are not the same story.

I cheated and bought my Dolmar from the HomeDepot rental counter.

I knew the guy, he picked out a nice used one for about $200 Got a new bar and chain as well.

If you ever wear it out, you can go nuts with the 84cc jug and piston kit. I think it's about a hundred bucks. Mucho power.

S-T-I-H-L

there is no way your going to beat the dealership network, if you ever did need a part.

And there is no way your going to beat the overall quality.

My current first go-to saws are a MS-660 and an MS-361 with simple performance modifications. (open up the muffler a little)

Running 16" - 36" bars there is not much you can imagine that your can't get done in short order.

Poulan's are for people that really don't want a chainsaw...
Mine went in the trash years ago

This...

Yes. The only thing I don't like about Dolmars is they ain't made here, as far as I know. My Dolmar is my Dad's old one that he got over thirty years ago. Before that it was a litany of David Bradley's, Homelite and McCulloch stuff that just wasn't much good. The Sachs was the first "real" chainsaw we had and it was a cutting mofo. For many years it laid up in the shed because some dufus at the small engine place said it wasn't worth fixing. Then here two or three years back I taken it down to a friend of mine who is now working on stuff, sharpening saws, etc. He got it up and running pretty good. It is a bit hard to keep idling, but is fine for a backup saw to my ten-year-old Husky. Between them I can do some cutting, let me assure you. Now I've got the little Poulan too and I expect it will be okay for the very limited use I have planned for it.

The thing I like about Sachs is that with Husky and Stihl you've got all these different grades of saws to wade through with one made here and one there, etc. Sachs just makes different hp saws with different sized bars, etc. As far as I know, they're all professional grade, so I don't have to worry about quality between models. Just choose your power and bar and you're gtg with Sachs.

I've run Poulans, their most basic 16" bar models for over 25 years. The first couple were grey versions sold under the Sears trademark. They are what they are for only $100 and a few more even today.

Over that time I upgraded to a 'real' chainsaw, an 036 Stihl. I thought it would be useful when we began working on this cabin:



It's three-side log construction. (That means every log is ripped and edged. Many people use a mill to do it.) The Stihl pooped after the first log. I used the little Poulan, knowing it wouldn't last long. Over two summers, the Poulan ripped and edged every remaining log in the structure.

I don't understand people who badmouth Poulans but proclaim low end better names to be better values. Poulans aren't great saws. Two identical models may have different quirks, but starting and running has never been an issue for me in running over half a dozen of them. I intentionally buy them for the lack of investment involved. Mostly they are used for getting firewood. That involves either sleds or boats. I don't really care to pound an investment grade chainsaw on a heavy wood-hauling sled over our usually rough winter trails, or subject it to seawater that blows over the bow and sloshes over everything. Cheap chainsaws are perfect for this type of use. The most basic Poulans have been very serviceable. Are they what I prefer for reducing the log pile to chunks? No, but they can do it.

Shindaiwa.....is a real saw. #488.....a good tool should last a lifetime.

If you buy one at wall mart you will get junk. If you buy a profesional one at a farm dealer it will be the best one you ever had. the lite ones are no better than the other lite weight junk wall mart sells.

I think the one I built that cabin with was a 'reconditioned' item purchased through Sportsman's Guide. Mostly I just buy through Walmart or Amazon. Perhaps I've been lucky, or perhaps I am simply gifted to be smarter than the tools I use. A Poulan would be perfect for smoker wood/fire pit details.

Poulan is crap, go with a Stihl or Husky. My Poulan didn't last me 1/2 a season before it died on me. I'm going on my 3rd season with my Husky 353 and all i've done is replace the chain on it.

I bought one about 15 years ago for a camp saw when I was on a very tight budget. Didn't want something expensive sitting in the bed of the truck, and just didn't need much for collecting camp wood / truck saw. It has bounced around the back of the truck for god only knows how many miles, and collected many a cord of camp wood. Paid $100 for it. I think I got my money out of it! Never had a single problem with it outside of the occassional stubborn starting streak when it was hot out and after it had run a while and then shut down.

Am looking at replacing it this year. It served me well, but I do plan on upgrading to a more "serious" saw this time.

And I have a $29 Tasco Whitetail Hunter on my .300 Win Mag..It just won't break so I can put a proper scope on it..

My point being,there is a reason that most loggers use Stihl chainsaws on the landing..It is where the most abuse occurs and the least experienced using them.

I have the small Poulan and the small Stihl along with 3 other Stihls..I can take my baby Stihl and cut cords of wood,and I have..The Poulan gets yard work only.

My choice for falling timber on my own is and has always been the Husky.I had two new Huskies and a Stihl back-up.I sold the Huskies and now only have 4 Stihls.

A Poulan will be either an ecxceptable saw or your worst headache,mostly the latter in my experience.

Jayco

I got one as a gift two years ago. I am not a logger or even a good tree man. Don't want to be and my health would not even begin to allow for such a thing. For what I need it to do i.e. cutting some firewood for camping and deer or elk camp a couple of times per year it does fine. Don't need more or better for this use, kind of like the Bushnell scope on my 22WMR rifle. Would not put that piece of junk scope on my serious big game guns but for gopher blasting it is quite nice. Wouldn't take a Poulan chainsaw out for a day of tree felling or topping etc but for what it is designed to do and be it is fine. Mine has started easily so far, but I keep a can of Ether around at all times for ANY reluctant motors.

My 028 SuperWoodBoss is going into it's 24th year of keeping us warm and cozy all winter and our drive\road through the woods clear. Bought it new @ $349.00
I have purchased 3 fuel filters and one air filter over the past 23+ years for it. It has never seen the inside of a repair shop.

That older Stihl will probably last you your lifetime. The newer ones will not.

I expect my new Dolmar will last me my lifetime but then I am 62 so that may be cheating.

Intersting! I got lucky 15yrs ago I guess because my Craftsman has never missed a beat. I dropped a 100'+ 40" diameter fir in a pinch about 14yrs ago with it.

Stihl is my go to saw and has been for some time.

Come on over, I will convert you.

I am not to keen on the newer Stihls. Bought a nice used 021 couple years back when my son was old enough to start helping. I know it is a smaller saw, but it just isn't the same in other respects either.

Having worked near the industry for a number of years I have watched the progression of saws ht the top of the list and then slide down the line. I remember when the McCulloch was the bull of the woods and considered the best Pro saw then have it drop to near the bottom. I have not seen a new one for years. It is the same with the Stihl and Huskies. They were the top and then the been counters start demanding cuts in cost and down they go. The both make good saws in the Pro line but the average home owner wood burner will never pay the big dollars for the pro series and thus he will buy a inferior saw. You have an older one, keep it and spent the bucks to keep it in good shape. Only feed it mid octane gas for Chevron or Shell, use a goos 2 cycle oil and always run Seafoam. They will last. I also recommend a saw tool box wit at least one extra chain. File to keep it harp, spare spark plug and air filter, bar grease gun, plastic falling wedges, and gloves. Then you will be ready to go.

I bought a Poulan in 2000 and fought starting it for about 3 years untill it finaly wouldn't start. I bought a small Huskvarna from Farm & Fleet. Great saw. I just wish I had bought a Huskvarna to begin with. No more Poulan for me.

Ernie

Ouch that sounds like work.

I'd love to bring the family over and have the privledge of meeting your beautiful crew. Hopefully this summer we'll make it work. Right now we're getting ready to take the kids on a disney cruise, then my sweety and I are taking a four night jaunt to Vegas then going up to Vancouver Island to my pards beach cabin then over to the Cliff House on Whidbey (where we were married), football camp and then football 6 days a week, etc...etc. We like to stay busy and travel...expose the kids to the world and open doors to new friendships. I look forward to meeting you all and will make it happen.

I also had a great laugh over my morning joe with your post about the Gal from Boulder. Good stuff my friend!

Be back a little later...taking my bride out for a seafood cobb salad.

Name a time and you will be welcomed here. Even if you leave the saw at home.

Having used my brother's McCullough and Homelite to clear a building site (on 3-1/2 steep Wa. acres), if again faced w/ that much work, I could easily rationalize (if not afford) buying a professional saw from Stihl. I'd first look for a good used one.

Recently, when a huge pine began leaning heavily on my socal shop, I chose to do the removal, myself, rather than hiring it out. So I bought the Poulan Pro 18" 4 hp electric, for around $70, figuring I could always get most of my money back once the job was completed. All the climbing and cutting was challenging, for this 68 year-old, so I did the work in spurts, whenever I had the energy, stripping the limbs and branches out of the tree, individually, to avoid damaging the shop it overhung. I could not just drop the tree or its parts, but had to rig many of the larger limbs in order to lower them safely.

This little saw has so vastly outperformed my expectations that I have decided to keep it.

I have the old green one I got from my late uncle's estate. I use it as a backup to my Stihl.
When we had the storms last year, the recoil spring blew up in my stihl and I put the old green poulan to work. Sounded like a hornet on crack and didn't miss a beat. Old is good sometimes.

I bought a 20" Poulan about 5 years ago. If I can keep the $1.65 bar adjustment from breaking I can use the saw all day. If not, then I have to stop, replace the $1.65 piece and start again. Other than that one piece It has been a good saw. I bought an 18" Husqvarna the other day. We'll see how it will do.

Alan

It's three-side log construction. (That means every log is ripped and edged. Many people use a mill to do it.) The Stihl pooped after the first log. I used the little Poulan, knowing it wouldn't last long. Over two summers, the Poulan ripped and edged every remaining log in the structure.
[/quote]

Oh, to be in a place where there were trees suitable to make a cabin like that.

Alan

my saw shop in town pushes the "echo" brand....the little 14" one i got for the wife () is lite wt starts easy weights less that the "varna's".......burning 10 cords a year .but if u want to man up go buy the 488.. http://www.epinions.com/reviews/Shindaiwa_488

i got a little .09 stil to... works fine ....the "no tool" chain remove/ajust part..... is the ticket.

btw ; u want to kill a chain saw quick? run it cuting wood when its COLD outside the set that HOT sob in a snow bank. just a few times like that and u will be looking for a new saw....

The best saw to get is the one that you have a dealer/ parts/ repair shop near by. The mega store cheapo's are throw aways, and the biggies cost more. To each their own....

But to be happy get the one that suits your needs. Mega store ones(craftsman,poulan, low end husqies [136/141]) good for light house hold use and once in a while tree removal.

Husquavarna, stihl, echo used for tree removal and constant wood cutting(alot of dealers and parts for these around).

High end saws like Dolmar, Jonsered and some others are the lincolns of cutting.... they cost more and run great but if you don't have a service/parts shop around you will be down longer than you want.

My Dolmar dealer is a long time established full service shop and is 12 miles from here. . If he does not have a part is is an overnight thing from the nearest factory parts warehouse. I think it is ID.

BTW. My pro quality Dolmar was $440. List on the Stihl Farmboss was $400 and it is not pro quality.

Mine I bought used back in around 77 or 78, still going, replaced the chain, fuel line and one starter rope, put on a new pulley, and have a new bar to put on eventually.
Still running.

My Sachs dealer went out of business, but its OK because I killed two of them. My P-59 Pioneer just won't stop, but it is heavy, too heavy for my son, but I love the fact I never have to bend over using it.

My 044 got stolen - for which there should be the death penalty.

My son cut wood all summer a couple years ago with my little coast to coast 12" Mac, I never saw a group of kids work harder cutting firewood.

He was saving for a bigger saw, but I picked up a Poulan at Homie Depot so he could keep making an extra buck or two - he uses it to cut alder firewood and the blowdowns, fir mostly but some bull pine too. It is still filling his truck up, so i guess it will more than pay for itself.

My buddy has a 031 (I think) that he is to crippled to run, and I am trying to find the right trading material to get it from him.

I like to keep a few small saws around to mix with the real workhorses. It is just silly taking the Pioneer along to Elk camp.

If I had a local dealer near by thats the brand I'd have.

Smack your nuts with a hammer instead, and thank me later.

I bought a polan pro saw and used it for ten years cutting appx 10 cords of wood a year. it always started on the first pull and never gave me any trouble until my SIL ran over it with a skid loader.

Ouch! that would finish one off, ...however...

A Stihl would have seen the skid loader coming, started itself, and cut said skid loader in half prior to its demise. Ask any Stihl faithful; he'll tell ya'...

My brother in law has a john deere chainsaw he bought when i was still in school. 31 years ago.still starts and runs great.

The guy my Dad bought ours from died quite a few years back. They had his sale and the guy that works on them now, bought all his stuff. He lives in the little town 4 1/2 miles south of me. He's a dealer for Dolmar too. Next saw I buy will probably be not only a Dolmar, but from him.

The Dolmars are great saws, but in comparison a little heavier than Husky, and slightly or comparable to Stihl in weight model by model. When looking for my new 70-80cc saw, I would have bought a 7900 Dolmar had their been service nearby. They are a great saw with a great reputation.

I agree with Scott. My Dolmar rocks! In a 50CC level, it's a real winner compared to what Stihl has to offer in the same price range.

i used to run a makita (dolmar) 6401 28 " bar skip chain til i blew my shoulder out

full comp chain is a chain with a full complement of cutters

skip chain skips a extra link between cutters


advantages

less cutters to sharpen
allows for a bigger bar on a smaller motor less strain on saw

this saw is just a 64 cc it can run a full comp chain i prefer a skip runs a lot better

Full, semi skip and full skip all have advantages in different cutting situations.

I am running full comp right now in the mixed hardwoods and softwoods we are cutting.

My buddy has a Poulan Wildthing and another has a Craftsman (same thing). They don't impress me at all. Then again my cheap saw is a Stihl 021 w/14" b&c and my good saws are two Husky's, a New Edition 346XP w/16" b&c and a 365 Special w/20" b&c. All three are great saws.

Another friend has a Dolmar PS-5100. It's a really nice saw too. However, the closest dealer is 45 minutes away. We have to drive past 6 or 7 Stihl and Husky dealers and a few Jonsered (Husky's with different color and hand guard angles) dealers to get there. Just not worth it to me. Just my $.02, YMMV.

NYH1.

I noticed last nite-a puddle of bar oil under my 021??

Been using a Stihl farm boss for 20 years without any problems

you get what you pay for. a $99 saw for $99. real light duty. mine runs good and cuts good but it won't take a beating. very casual homeowner use. my stihl which cost 4 times as much is 10 times the saw.

Scott, I ran Dolmar 7900's in the woods for two winters logging. They are not in the same league as say a stihl 044,046,066 or a Husky 372,385.
There dealer nework also blows in much of the US. Get a Stihl or Husky pro saw and dont look back IMO.

Pros are the way to go. But I make $15456 a year and spent $9600 on my part of the mortgage. A new saw is not in my future. My full service Dolmar dealer is just down the road. I will keep my Dolmar and I think it will last me until they plant me.

Took the little poo-lan out and cut a few trees down tonite.Ran like shiet,chain came off a couple times in the first hour.
After while ,it ran pretty well,I could set it down,and leave it run,and it would idle by itself,without the chain moving,for an extended period.
gonna start cutting a few trees down a week at my friends place.
I got ethanol free premix,and a gallon of bar oil.

They are just right for a canoe anchor.

I have the 42cc model. You can pick them up barely used for $50-$100. I've had it for 5 years and put about a gallon per year. No trouble yet. I just picked up a Stihl MS440 used, so I may just run that.

Bought a new Poulan Pro 18" maybe 7 or 8 years ago. Supply house I dealt with, had 'em for around $160 w/case. Wanted a new light weight saw w/case to throw in the truck, when I headed for the cabin.

Had Homelites since the 70s. One still starts/runs fine (14" 150 Automatic), but no cases for them, plus the little bastard needs a new gas cap seal. Also have a Stihl 250 that I bought about 4 years ago.

Anyway, the Poulan works like a champ and has lasted far longer than I thought it would. Especially since I gave it to the cousin that looks after my cabin, several years ago. After his 30 year old Stihl finally bit the dust. He's worn out about a dozen chains on the Poulan since then, still works fine.

So yeah, it's a cheap POS, but it's worked long and hard for the $160 I paid for it and has probably cut over 30 cords of firewood. And it's still one of the easiest-starting chainsaws I've ever used.

Mine from 1991 (bought new) was hard to start, then would stall once it got hot and be impossible to start. Several trips back to the dealer gave no satisfaction. I suspect it needed a new carb right from the get-go.