The most "Overrated" saw you own/owned ?

[kingOFgEEEks]

044.

I have a 12 MM. My 50cc Dolmar just about keeps up with it.

All I've done to it is a mild muff mod and re-ring it with new Cabers. It should have more torque than a 50cc saw, but it's unfortunately much closer than it should be...

 

[cus_deluxe]

Biggest turd I've ever run, Stihl 038mag. 72cc of pure disappointment.

Thats funny!!

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

I'm not sure if this fits the "overrated" category or not but it is very disappointing.

The 2014 550XP at my work. Been a great little screamer up till about a year and a half ago it began giving us "no-start" issues. All of us who run the saws at my work know the hot start procedure. I did tell the boss we should take it in for a firmware update a year and a half ago when it first started happening but he is a procrastinator and on top of that the cheap doinks wont switch over to Ethanol free fuel in our pump. Finally took it in for a firmware check/update recently only to get word back that the piston and cylinder are pretty badly scored and in need of replacement. Not sure of the cause yet. But that's my story for a disappointing saw.

 

[Tor R]

I'm not sure if this fits the "overrated" category or not but it is very disappointing.

The 2014 550XP at my work. Been a great little screamer up till about a year and a half ago it began giving us "no-start" issues. All of us who run the saws at my work know the hot start procedure. I did tell the boss we should take it in for a firmware update a year and a half ago when it first started happening but he is a procrastinator and on top of that the cheap doinks wont switch over to Ethanol free fuel in our pump. Finally took it in for a firmware check/update recently only to get word back that the piston and cylinder are pretty badly scored and in need of replacement. Not sure of the cause yet. But that's my story for a disappointing saw.

sadly there are many of those 550 and 560 class saw who doesnt last many hours.
I dont buy them 5xx babies as second hand saws due all their issues.
Them 5xx is dang nice saws, when they work.

 

[Cut4fun]

The 262 with the mahle top I had.

The one with K&S cyl lived up to the hype though.

 

[huskyboy]

Stock ms290. Judging by craigslist prices they command.... overrated. There tolerable after a muffler mod, but difficult to work on.

 

[Johnmn]

Them 5xx is dang nice saws, when they work.

Agreed

 

[cus_deluxe]

The 262 with the mahle top I had.

The one with K&S cyl lived up to the hype though.

Yep

 

[Wood Doctor]

Stock ms290. Judging by Craigslist prices they command.... overrated. They are tolerable after a muffler mod, but difficult to work on.

Agreed. The 290 was no improvement to the 029 and may have performed even worse. Both were too heavy and had less power than the 028 Super. Stihl discontinued the wrong saw.

 

[XP_Slinger]

We are all picky bastids...lol!!!!!

 

[Dustin4185]

The first one that popped into my head was ms362. I was really disappointed after hearing all the rave reviews and then owning a few. Just didn't have the power it was hyped up to have. Maybe one day I will get to run one that's been ported. Then maybe it will be different.


Steven

I have a MMWS 362. It still doesn't impress me much. It is definitely better than stock, but not the gains of other saws I have had Randy port. Him and I have had the discussion of gains on the 362. He says it will wake up after quite a few tanks. His 261s are another animal.

 

[Terry Syd]

Stock ms290. Judging by craigslist prices they command.... overrated.

And Stihl sold heaps of these saws from the MS029-390. I read about what a POS they were, but it wasn't until I ended up owning one that I had an appreciation of the distaste for them.

Who designed those things? An airfilter way too small, so they put on a snorkel to try and compensate and gave it the marketing spin as an "intelli-carb" (intelligent?)

Then there was the high quality German engineering that led to the fine tolerances that gave it a factory ignition timing between 23.5 and 28.5 degrees - depending upon what day of the week and the weather.

The same EPA compromised carb for a 54cc 029 to a 64cc 039. No problem, just change max revs from 13,000 for the 029 to 12,500 for the 039 - nobody will notice.

And the construction, what a mess to work on. It's like they wanted to make it too difficult to work on so people will never fix them (which with the 'hot spot' cast into cylinder helped ensure). With all the complex construction and use of plastics you would have thought they would have cleverly managed to make the saw lighter - but it is an overweight pig - clever guys, very clever.

Everybody should own one at least once in their life so that they can appreciate other saws.

 

[maulhead]

Ms500i

 

[Warped5]

The first one that popped into my head was ms362. I was really disappointed after hearing all the rave reviews and then owning a few. Just didn't have the power it was hyped up to have. Maybe one day I will get to run one that's been ported. Then maybe it will be different.

090,070

Agree with both .... all the samples I ever ran were pigs.

 

[cowroy]

Without a doubt 346xp. I was so glad when I ran a good ported ms261 and we could all say RIP 346xp! I still want a ported 261, or maybe a 241 now that they’re out.

 

[huskyboy]

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

Can't disagree with the contempt for the ms290. We have a pair at work that were bought several years ago because they were relatively cheap. NOBODY uses them... When they do run, they punch way below their class in my experience. I understand that they aren't "pro" models, but no offense Stihl Bros, they are turds. Our OE 346xp spanks em in every way. They sit on a shelf collecting dust

I too have noticed some pretty insane prices for them on FB and CL. What's up with that?? Definitely fits the overrated criterea in that respect

 

[maulhead]

You waiting for mustang mikes most over rated saw, before you tell us yours?

 

[Stump Shot]

@Wolverine beat me to the punch line on this one, had a 038 MAGNUM, what a joke, needed a helper to carry the damn thing and when you finally did hoist over a log it was like really, that's it? When is the MAGNUM part going to kick in? Absolutely the worst pile of crap saw ever shoved onto modern humanity. I believe this to be the saw that spawned all the boat anchor jokes, except this one ain't no joke, it really would make a better boat anchor. I weighed it in at near twenty pounds without bar and chain, so, it'll hold a fairly large vessel. Would also make a good wheel chock for a log skidder with its immense size and bulk. It would take a pretty good grade not to hold.

 

[maulhead]

No love for a 038 mag?

I ran a ported 038 mag at a charity cut a few years ago swapped the guy cutting next to me, a ported ms440, he gave me his ported 038 mag. We each ran a tank, threw each-others saws.

I liked it enough, I bought the next one I found a deal on....do I like a 038 mag, as much as my 1128's? No, but still a neat older saw, IMHO.