Poulan Junk

HighHeat22 · Feb 27, 2016

I purchased a Poulan Pro 18 inch 42cc for 99 bucks a couple of years ago and I must say what a piece of junk. Poulan should be ashamed to even put out such a bad product. The saying you get what you pay for is right on.

I have a Husky rancher for my bigger cuts and needed a smaller trim saw and saw the $99 deal and what a complete waste of money. I have tried every adjustment possible with this saw and it still runs like the junk it is. A neighbor bought a Poulan just before me and he says the same thing as me JUNK.

I will buy a smaller Husky when I see a deal on one. Husky is a real piece of equipment. I wanted to warn everyone.

Jon1270 · Feb 27, 2016

Keep in mind that Husqvarna owns Poulan and there is some overlap, i.e. a few of the smallest, cheapest homeowner-model Huskies are made by Poulan. Brand alone won't ensure you get a good product.

woodhog73 · Feb 27, 2016

Jon1270 said:
Keep in mind that Husqvarna owns Poulan and there is some overlap, i.e. a few of the smallest, cheapest homeowner-model Huskies are made by Poulan. Brand alone won't ensure you get a good product.

I heard that the smallest Husky and it's Jonsered version of the smallest husky are made at the factory that produces the poulan

The Poulan brand many years ago was a great professional saw. Long time ago.

AmbDrvr253 · Feb 27, 2016

I had a poulan pro for 1 season before it quit :mad:

Jan Pijpelink · Feb 27, 2016

I heard Poulan Pro was good, so I got one a few years ago. Bad decision. Got a Dolmar now.

colin.p · Feb 28, 2016

I've had my 4218 for around 6 years. It ran reasonable well until I bought my 455, then promptly started to give me problems. I am unable to adjust the carb enough to keep it running, or to start it hot (I figured it must just be ****** at me for getting another saw).

So I am going to sacrifice it to the repair gods and tear it apart this summer and use it to learn more about fixing my own stuff. If I get it running ok, then fine, if not oh well.

greg13 · Feb 28, 2016

If I am remembering correctly, some early huskys and Jonsered carried an Electrolux plate on them. It is possible that they are in bed with Poulan now too. Once a huge corperation like Electrolux gets involved the quality usually only goes in one direction.
Just look at the outdoor power equipment companies that have been bought by MTD. My nephew works for Ferris mower in the first meeting after they got bought it was detailed how they were going to "save money" (make it cheaper).

Jon1270 · Feb 28, 2016

colin.p said:
So I am going to sacrifice it to the repair gods and tear it apart this summer and use it to learn more about fixing my own stuff.

That's the way to go. An understanding of how it works might be the best thing it ever gives you.

bholler · Feb 28, 2016

I have had my 20" 50cc poulan pro for 5 or 6 years now with very few issues. Yeah i need to adjust the carp more than i would on a better saw. And the bar and chain that came with it where junk. But other than that it has been a good saw. Especially since i only paid $125 And i have cut at least 30 cords probably more with it

colin.p · Feb 28, 2016

greg13 said:
If I am remembering correctly, some early huskys and Jonsered carried an Electrolux plate on them. It is possible that they are in bed with Poulan now too. Once a huge corperation like Electrolux gets involved the quality usually only goes in one direction.
Just look at the outdoor power equipment companies that have been bought by MTD. My nephew works for Ferris mower in the first meeting after they got bought it was detailed how they were going to "save money" (make it cheaper).

I could very well be wrong, so don't quote me on this, but I seem to remember that Electrolux no longer owns Husqvarna. However, that really doesn't mean much now as Husky probably is owned by some other conglomerate who only looks at obscene profits at the expense of quality, especially at the lower end. But hey, that's life in our money mad world.

greg13 · Feb 28, 2016

colin.p said:
I could very well be wrong, so don't quote me on this, but I seem to remember that Electrolux no longer owns Husqvarna. However, that really doesn't mean much now as Husky probably is owned by some other conglomerate who only looks at obscene profits at the expense of quality, especially at the lower end. But hey, that's life in our money mad world.

I'm going back 20+ years, I seem to remember Husqvarna being sold, but I would almost bet that a few of the lower end models are made in a different factory.

Jan Pijpelink · Feb 28, 2016

colin.p said:
I could very well be wrong, so don't quote me on this, but I seem to remember that Electrolux no longer owns Husqvarna.

Correct, they spun off from Electrolux in 2006. Husky brands: Husqvarna, Gardena, McCulloch, PoulanPro, WeedEater, Flymo, Jonsered, Klippo, Diamant Boart, RedMax

DodgyNomad · Feb 29, 2016

I've run one of those Poulan Pro's a couple of years ago. It was so unbalanced, and had such strange harmonics, it was very unpleasant to use. Build quality was poor.

Once you've used well tuned pro saws, you hate to use cheapo saws. You can really feel the difference, and forget reliability.

woodhog73 · Feb 29, 2016

Jan Pijpelink said:
Correct, they spun off from Electrolux in 2006. Husky brands: Husqvarna, Gardena, McCulloch, PoulanPro, WeedEater, Flymo, Jonsered, Klippo, Diamant Boart, RedMax

I was thinking the same thing I thought it was earlier but guess not.

Both McCulloch and Poulan used to be great saws when they were on their own. I'm not sure what decisions Electrolux made to effect the Poulan and McCulloch brands and their entry into the entry level homeowner and box store markets. But go back 30 or 40 or more years and they were great tools well respected saws by pro users who make a living with a saw.

As of now, Husky has kept Jonsered a premium brand with their models being red versions of the orange Huskys. There are areas of the country where Jonsered still dominates the pro user market with dealer network and market share greater than Husky and Stihl, so for that reason I assume that's why husky has kept them a premium brand still sold by small dealers with a full pro line up.

I've never used a poulan pro. I've looked at them in the stores and they don't give any impression of quality. They look cheap but they don't cost much either. That said though if you take care of it and use it once in awhile for small stuff I don't see why it can't work for the person who wants an inexpensive tool to cut a few logs and small trees here and there.

Lcback · Feb 29, 2016

interesting, I have an old (15ish) Craftsman that seems to be a re branded Poulan. It was given to me two years ago, I could never keep it running and would have said the same thing last year. This year I dug into it, found the fuel line had gone bad and was sucking air from the top of the tank. Now it starts like a champ, and once warm no choke needed. Then i had the chain sharpened by a local guy and I couldn't be happier. I can sink the 18" bar into wet cherry and it will chew through it.

Now it probably was never run very hard, the guy that gave it to me didn't use it much, and when it stopped running well just handed it over.
It might be a piece of chit, but it cuts wood for me, and its free. So I'll keep using it.

bholler · Feb 29, 2016

DodgyNomad said:
Once you've used well tuned pro saws, you hate to use cheapo saws. You can really feel the difference, and forget reliability.

I have used a bunch of of different saws and while my poulan takes a little more tinkering with the carb i am very pleased with it over all. It has enough power and I find the balance better than my fathers stihl. His does have allot more power but mine has enough.

iamlucky13 · Mar 1, 2016

It's an ongoing trend for a major company or retailer to either buy out or contract with a brand with a well-established reputation for quality and convince them to make a low-cost product with their name on it in order to market to casual users who are familiar with the name.

Some companies then evolve or are turned into budget-only manufacturers, like Poulan. Some seem to successfully produce the low cost product and maintain their original market. John Deere comes to mind - making Briggs and Stratton (aka "John Deere branded", not "John Deere made") powered, stamped metal tractors with the same low-duty integrated axle-transmissions all the MTD-built brands and equivalents use hasn't killed off the market for their $3000+ Kawasaki powered, mostly-welded tractors with serviceable, heavy-duty transmissions.

One of the most interesting articles I read on this trend appears to now be a decade old. It's about Snapper and "The Man Who Said 'No' to Walmart."

Unfortunately, since then, Snapper has new leaders who changed their minds and said yes to Walmart, but for a while, they understood what was happening in the market and tried to fight it. I guess the general trend had too much momentum for a company the size of Snapper to resist, and they don't have an agricultural product line to help sustain their other distribution channels like Deere has.

Husqvarna and Echo are interesting, too, because Lowes and Home Depot seem to be letting them continue to sell their mid-grade tools without much compromise, and their higher end tools are still available from dealers.

Here's the Snapper article. It's a bit long, but I think a lot of the folks here will find it very interesting, despite being a decade old:
http://www.fastcompany.com/54763/man-who-said-no-wal-mart

woodhog73 · Mar 1, 2016

iamlucky13 said:
It's an ongoing trend for a major company or retailer to either buy out or contract with a brand with a well-established reputation for quality and convince them to make a low-cost product with their name on it in order to market to casual users who are familiar with the name.

Some companies then evolve or are turned into budget-only manufacturers, like Poulan. Some seem to successfully produce the low cost product and maintain their original market. John Deere comes to mind - making Briggs and Stratton (aka "John Deere branded", not "John Deere made") powered, stamped metal tractors roughly with the same low-duty integrated axle-transmissions all the MTD-built brands and equivalents use hasn't killed off the market for their $3000+ Kawasaki powered, mostly-welded tractors with serviceable, heavy-duty transmissions.

One of the most interesting articles I read on this trend appears to now be a decade old. It's about Snapper and "The Man Who Said 'No' to Walmart."

Unfortunately, since then, Snapper has new leaders who changed their minds and said yes to Walmart, but for a while, they understood what was happening in the market and tried to fight it. I guess the general trend had too much momentum for a company the size of Snapper to resist, and they don't have an agricultural product line to help sustain their other distribution channels like Deere has.

Husqvarna and Echo are interesting, too, because Lowes and Home Depot seem to be letting them continue to sell their mid-grade tools without much compromise, and their higher end tools are still available from dealers.

Here's the Snapper article. It's a bit long, but I think a lot of the folks here will find it very interesting, despite being a decade old:
http://www.fastcompany.com/54763/man-who-said-no-wal-mart

This is interesting.

I have heard that some small power dealers don't want to carry pro husky and pro Jonsered saws because I have heard that Husqvarna pushes them to carry the mowers and everything else they sell under their different brands.

Stihl has stayed away from big box store channels to sell their lower end stuff. I agree in that by doing so it helps protect the brand and keep it better known as a premium brand.

But then I see Stihl being sold at ACE hardware which is borderline " big box " in some sense , and many of those Ace stores probably just sell it because they see the dollar signs, and not because they want to sell it, and it doesn't mean they are equipped to properly service the products. I have seen stihl being sold in small mom and pop family owned appliance stores that sell refrigerators and washing machines. One room for the washing machines, the other for a bunch of homeowner grade Stihls. No different than a big box store except I guess because these stores are not big box stores and have small family ownership , Stihl must feels it's ok.

English BoB · Mar 1, 2016

HighHeat22 said:
I purchased a Poulan Pro 18 inch 42cc for 99 bucks a couple of years ago and I must say what a piece of junk. Poulan should be ashamed to even put out such a bad product. The saying you get what you pay for is right on.

I have a Husky rancher for my bigger cuts and needed a smaller trim saw and saw the $99 deal and what a complete waste of money. I have tried every adjustment possible with this saw and it still runs like the junk it is. A neighbor bought a Poulan just before me and he says the same thing as me JUNK.

I will buy a smaller Husky when I see a deal on one. Husky is a real piece of equipment. I wanted to warn everyone.

Yes you are correct.

bob

iamlucky13 · Mar 1, 2016

woodhog73 said:
But then I see Stihl being sold at ACE hardware which is borderline " big box " in some sense , and many of those Ace stores probably just sell it because they see the dollar signs, and not because they want to sell it, and it doesn't mean they are equipped to properly service the products.

I think most or all Ace stores are franchises, so an investor/owner buys into the Ace name and supply chain, but then has quite a bit of leeway in how they actually run the store.

So if an individual Ace store owner wants, it looks like they can also contract with Stihl to become a dealer.

As far as service - I'm guessing Stihl has some minimum standards for letting a store deal, to avoid sullying the brand or undercutting dealers who are actually dedicated to servicing what they sell - I suppose Ace dealers could tend towards the bare minimum, thinking of the saws as a bit of extra revenue on top of their hardware business and servicing an expensive skill set to maintain, while for a dedicated outdoor equipment dealer, saws and service are both part of their bread and butter.

woodhog73 · Mar 1, 2016

iamlucky13 said:
I think most or all Ace stores are franchises, so an investor/owner buys into the Ace name and supply chain, but then has quite a bit of leeway in how they actually run the store.

So if an individual Ace store owner wants, it looks like they can also contract with Stihl to become a dealer.

As far as service - I'm guessing Stihl has some minimum standards for letting a store deal, to avoid sullying the brand or undercutting dealers who are actually dedicated to servicing what they sell - I suppose Ace dealers could tend towards the bare minimum, thinking of the saws as a bit of extra revenue on top of their hardware business and servicing an expensive skill set to maintain, while for a dedicated outdoor equipment dealer, saws and service are both part of their bread and butter.

Yes I agree completely. Problem is some are better than others. Who knows what kind of advice you will get ? Or what kind of service ?

I buy my saws based on dealer not brand. I value their expertise plus I can test cut just about any saw before buying. They have demo saws and logs for test cutting.

I can't get that at Ace, atleast the ones I have seen carrying Stihl.

AmbDrvr253 · Mar 3, 2016

woodhog73 said:
Yes I agree completely. Problem is some are better than others. Who knows what kind of advice you will get ? Or what kind of service ?

I buy my saws based on dealer not brand. I value their expertise plus I can test cut just about any saw before buying. They have demo saws and logs for test cutting.

I can't get that at Ace, atleast the ones I have seen carrying Stihl.

Nor would you be likely to get that at Wal Mart.........LOL

StihlKicking · Mar 3, 2016

HighHeat22 said:
I purchased a Poulan Pro 18 inch 42cc for 99 bucks a couple of years ago and I must say what a piece of junk. Poulan should be ashamed to even put out such a bad product. The saying you get what you pay for is right on.

I have a Husky rancher for my bigger cuts and needed a smaller trim saw and saw the $99 deal and what a complete waste of money. I have tried every adjustment possible with this saw and it still runs like the junk it is. A neighbor bought a Poulan just before me and he says the same thing as me JUNK.

I will buy a smaller Husky when I see a deal on one. Husky is a real piece of equipment. I wanted to warn everyone.

Yep Poulan sux. That is all.

dougand3 · Mar 4, 2016

42cc Poulans have their place. Can be had for $68 refurb. You need to be handy with minor repairs because it's not cost effective to take to a mechanic. The carb should be tuned richer right out the box. Otherwise, the lean condition can score P&C. Opening the muffler a bit gives more power - but need to be able to tune richer. They ooze bar oil long after shutoff - put a towel underneath.
It's designed as an occasional use saw. That can be a problem. A guy trims some limbs, leaves ethanol fuel in saw, comes back 2 years later and saw runs like crap. Fuel lines and bulb are hard and cracked. Carb is gunky and diaphragms are stiff. Need to be able to replace fuel lines, bulb, pickup; clean carb and replace diaphragms (or just replace carb - AM ones are $15-$20).
The above problem can happen with a $500 346XP. But it will probably go to the dealer for repair and all is well. A $100 repair bill doesn't sting as much on a $500 saw.
I buy quite a few non runner Poulans for $5-10 and 80% of the time - fix the above problem and have a good runner. 20% of the time, I get burned with a scored P and/or C. Those get parted out because a $15 piston kit is too much $ for repair when refurbs are so cheap.

HighHeat22 · Mar 5, 2016

I used an old 80's craftsman for over 20 years and it was a decent saw. I loaned it to a friend and it was never the same. I even gave him mixed gas to use. I have no idea what he did. I will never loan my saws to anyone again. I heard back then that Poulan made craftsman I do not know if this was true.

My neighbor who bought his Poulan right before me even wrote Poulan telling them what a piece of JUNK they produced and never heard a word back. That's great customer service.

I love my Husky. I have a friend that works on the local county tree cutting crew and he said they switched from Stihl's to Husky's a few years back and have had little troubles. I know the great debate over Stihl's versus Husky's is a whole other story.

I have another friend that owns a tree cutting service and has used the same Husky's for over 20 years. He cut down a 60ft oak for me over the summer that was hanging over a rental property I bought and he used a 16 inch commercial Husky to do it and he went thru that tree like a beaver and only used 1 tank of gas. I have never seen a saw work like that he said it was a commercial brand and he paid $600.00 for it 20 years ago and has never had a problem with it. I was so impressed.

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