Stihl vs. Dolmar

[Sledge&Wedge]

I am quoting Stihl MSRP pricing which is what many dealers are charging. The Dolmar pricing reflects what dealers are actually charging. People could bring up the MS 310 which is very close in HP to the 5100 but is not considered a pro saw. The numbers for the MS 310 are: 4.0HP 13# $430.

Not for nothing you are quoting two very different prices. That is a bais comparison if you ask me because I know for a fact that certain dealers are asking well below list for all of the Stihl saws you list. You could easily shave $30-60 off each of those prices of the Stihls.

Not where I live!

MSRP for all Stihl's except that dog of a 290.

Everything else is MSRP, and I visited 3 dealers!

I'm new to the forum but have been looking for a new saw as well, I was curious, why is the 290 considered a dog? It's one of the models I am considering, along with the 310 which I can get for $365 having been a good customer of a local dealer. I'd also mention that here in southern CT, the best price I can find on the dolmar PS 5001 is $425 with most in my area around 460-495 8-/ . So I wonder how prevalent the price point of $400 is for the dolmar. I was leaning toward the 290 which I could get for $325, but the dog description has me curious? any thoughts would be appreciated.
Regards

The price I quoted for the Dolmars is valid anywhere in the US, plus shipping which is generally less than tax. Another sight for chainsaw reviews is arboristsite.com You will hear many complaints about Stihl and Husky over there. That sight has a great trading post, not many Dolmars advertised though. Plenty of adds that say “Wanted Dolmar model **** will pay top dollar” Stihl adds read “Stihl saw for free, will wrap in $5 bills and ship to you for free” LOL
Regards

That sounds great, I hope I'm not prying by asking where you are finding this price? (Often shipping is less than the local fee + tax)

 

[carbon neutral]

I am quoting Stihl MSRP pricing which is what many dealers are charging. The Dolmar pricing reflects what dealers are actually charging. People could bring up the MS 310 which is very close in HP to the 5100 but is not considered a pro saw. The numbers for the MS 310 are: 4.0HP 13# $430.

Not for nothing you are quoting two very different prices. That is a bais comparison if you ask me because I know for a fact that certain dealers are asking well below list for all of the Stihl saws you list. You could easily shave $30-60 off each of those prices of the Stihls.

Not where I live!

MSRP for all Stihl's except that dog of a 290.

Everything else is MSRP, and I visited 3 dealers!

I'm new to the forum but have been looking for a new saw as well, I was curious, why is the 290 considered a dog? It's one of the models I am considering, along with the 310 which I can get for $365 having been a good customer of a local dealer. I'd also mention that here in southern CT, the best price I can find on the dolmar PS 5001 is $425 with most in my area around 460-495 8-/ . So I wonder how prevalent the price point of $400 is for the dolmar. I was leaning toward the 290 which I could get for $325, but the dog description has me curious? any thoughts would be appreciated.
Regards

The price I quoted for the Dolmars is valid anywhere in the US, plus shipping which is generally less than tax. Another sight for chainsaw reviews is arboristsite.com You will hear many complaints about Stihl and Husky over there. That sight has a great trading post, not many Dolmars advertised though. Plenty of adds that say “Wanted Dolmar model **** will pay top dollar” Stihl adds read “Stihl saw for free, will wrap in $5 bills and ship to you for free” LOL
Regards

That sounds great, I hope I'm not prying by asking where you are finding this price? (Often shipping is less than the local fee + tax)

PM me.

 

[smokinj]

I see tons of Dolmar dealers around Central Indiana.

Yes i also look at there site and there is one on my way to work so i drove by it this morning,its a res. house!

 

[carbon neutral]

I see tons of Dolmar dealers around Central Indiana.

Yes i also look at there site and there is one on my way to work so i drove by it this morning,its a res. house!

So what the guy may be a retired forrester just trying to stay busy. Maybe his garage is a machine shop, his head is full of information, and his basement loaded with spare parts. The guy I bought my saw from certainly didn't have a spotless show room but when it came to the nuts and bolts of saws he knew a hell of a lot.

 

[smokinj]

I see tons of Dolmar dealers around Central Indiana.

Yes i also look at there site and there is one on my way to work so i drove by it this morning,its a res. house!

So what the guy may be a retired forrester just trying to stay busy. Maybe his garage is a machine shop, his head is full of information, and his basement loaded with spare parts. The guy I bought my saw certainly didn't have a spotless show room but when it came to the nuts and bolts of saws he knew a hell of a lot.

I was hopping for the same thing no such luck ,but thanks for the PMA!

 

[carbon neutral]

I see tons of Dolmar dealers around Central Indiana.

Yes i also look at there site and there is one on my way to work so i drove by it this morning,its a res. house!

So what the guy may be a retired forrester just trying to stay busy. Maybe his garage is a machine shop, his head is full of information, and his basement loaded with spare parts. The guy I bought my saw certainly didn't have a spotless show room but when it came to the nuts and bolts of saws he knew a hell of a lot.

I was hopping for the same thing no such luck ,but thanks for the PMA!

No problem YOU are better off with a $tihl anyway.

 

[burntime]

I own a stihl 029 super, good saw, not a pro saw but I do not use it for a living. I was drooling over a 361 but decieded to just keep mine... the stihl dealers in my area are full list, I am looking at a leaf blower by stihl because of the reliability. If I could buy another brand that is just as good for a few hundred less I would jump at it. Sometimes the name gets more attention then the tool! Dolmer sounds like it is a viable option, sometimes people think that their (saw, stove, truck) is the best, my saw is 8 years old and in that time a lot changes. I say cut logs if you got em, the rest of you burn kindling :lol:

 

[JustWood]

Saws ,splitters,and stoves are "once a lifetime " purchases ,for the most part for the average homeowner. I expect anything firewood related or alternative energy related will, for now ,on be, full list+.

 

[Backroads]

The price I quoted for the Dolmars is valid anywhere in the US, plus shipping which is generally less than tax. Another sight for chainsaw reviews is arboristsite.com You will hear many complaints about Stihl and Husky over there. That sight has a great trading post, not many Dolmars advertised though. Plenty of adds that say “Wanted Dolmar model **** will pay top dollar” Stihl adds read “Stihl saw for free, will wrap in $5 bills and ship to you for free” LOL
Regards

Still...No thanks. I'll drive down to my local FAMILY owned shop and support my community. And if something goes wrong with my saw which you proclaim is such junk. Then the guys I know face to face will gladly take care of me. So far after a couple dozen tanks through my saw I have 0 complaints. And if you find me a Stihl for free send it on over and I'd be glad to take it off your hands. ;-)

 

[beagler]

I paid $340 for a MS290 the other day, and I very carefully thought about purchasing the Dolmar PS510. I only had $350 to work with. I can not go over budget. For the money, the Stihl seemed to offer more power than the Dolmar. I seriously considered the Dolmar, but as I previously stated, a $50 price hike in two weeks is just plain nuts. Also, if I need any service or parts, I will have to drive 45 minutes to one hour to the nearest Dolmar dealer. My Stihl cut walnut and oak very easily yesterday. I am very happy with my purchase.

 

[woodconvert]

I paid $340 for a MS290 the other day, and I very carefully thought about purchasing the Dolmar PS510. I only had $350 to work with. I can not go over budget. For the money, the Stihl seemed to offer more power than the Dolmar. I seriously considered the Dolmar, but as I previously stated, a $50 price hike in two weeks is just plain nuts. Also, if I need any service or parts, I will have to drive 45 minutes to one hour to the nearest Dolmar dealer. My Stihl cut walnut and oak very easily yesterday. I am very happy with my purchase.

"Power" is something that, comparing head to head is tough to do. Yeah, peak hp is good to know but what's more important is where it makes that power. Does it make that peak hp screaming with no load or does it make it 2/3's the way through the bower band?. It makes a big difference how a saw...or any other impliment performs.

 

[JayD]

"Power" is something that, comparing head to head is tough to do. Yeah, peak hp is good to know but what's more important is where it makes that power. Does it make that peak hp screaming with no load or does it make it 2/3's the way through the bower band?. It makes a big difference how a saw...or any other impliment performs.[/quote] True but a chain saw is designed to run wide open not 1/2 or 3/4 throttle so it's making all it's HP at wide open. Think On or Off

 

[woodconvert]

"Power" is something that, comparing head to head is tough to do. Yeah, peak hp is good to know but what's more important is where it makes that power. Does it make that peak hp screaming with no load or does it make it 2/3's the way through the bower band?. It makes a big difference how a saw...or any other impliment performs.

True but a chain saw is designed to run wide open not 1/2 or 3/4 throttle so it's making all it's HP at wide open. Think On or Off[/quote]

Wide open or not does not tell you where the saw makes it's power. Yes, they are made to run wide open but some have more hp/torqe at lower rpm's and running wide open under no load is different than running wide open under load. If your saw makes 5hp running wide open under no load (peak hp) it's probably not making that same hp under load at a lower rpm.

 

[Outdoorsman]

Back to the original topic,

I'm luckier than many here, 2 Dolmar dealers within 30 min. of my home & 4 Stihl dealers & 2 Husky dealers all within 30 min.

I own none of the newer Huskys, but do have both Stihl & Dolmar & I've run the Husky 346XP.

All of mine are pro series saws, Stihl 260 & 460 saws and the Dolmar 5100. All are very fine saws. But if I'd tried the Dolmar first, I'd own no Stihls. This is not due to the Dolmars "blowing away" the Stihl 260 as some will tell you it will, it won't though the 5100 is faster, but hardly a blow away situation in my book. However when cost is factored in, for the dollars spent the 5100 is clearly the best bang for the bucks.

The 5100 can be bought, brand new with 18" bar & 3/8 chain for $380.00 from my local dealer I deal with. The Stihl 260 at my Stihl dealer will cost you $460.00 with 16" bar & your choice of .325 or 3/8 chain. And while the Stihl is IMO the better choice for a purely limbing saw, for limbs up to 7", due to it being about 3/4 lb. lighter when both saws are fully fueled and ready to cut. In limbs of less than 7" it's just not enough wood for the Dolmar to really show a strong advantage from it's greater power. But in wood from 7-14" the Dolmar's greater power makes it's slightly greater weight VERY worth having as in these larger cuts it walks away from the 260. If I had to let one go I'd sell the 260.

With just a mild woods porting job I expect a 5100 could match a stock Stihl 360 and I'm well aware of how a 360 cuts as my FIL has one & I've run it a good bit.

I believe a Dolmar 5100 to be the best 50cc saw made to date by anyone.

 

[TMonter]

The 346XP NE is actually pretty close to the 5100S. It's a bit more of a limbing saw but has the lower end grunt the MS260 lacks.

 

[polaris]

Gee, I've heated /cut using my farm boss for almost a decade with no problems. I am really glad I never knew my saw was such a pos or I would have had real trouble with it. I did notice that on the History channel show"axe men" They sure use a lot of Sthil's to make their livings, but what would a lumberjack know about saws?

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Polaris- who called a Stihl a POS? Several said they thought Dolmar was better value. That doesn't make Stihl a bad saw, unless you're touchy about such things.

(I'm a Stihl owner)

 

[TMonter]

I did notice that on the History channel show"axe men” They sure use a lot of Sthil’s to make their livings, but what would a lumberjack know about saws?

I saw a lot of huskies as well. The saw of choice is more regional than anything else.

 

[savageactor7]

^Right...they're both make excellent good saws I suppose it would depend on which dealer you're closest to.

 

[carbon neutral]

Gee, I've heated /cut using my farm boss for almost a decade with no problems. I am really glad I never knew my saw was such a pos or I would have had real trouble with it. I did notice that on the History channel show"axe men" They sure use a lot of Sthil's to make their livings, but what would a lumberjack know about saws?

I don't think anyone said Stihl is a POS. Having run Husky, Stihl, and Dolmar I am now very pro Dolmar. I won't go into my numerous reasons again, however if you read the whole thread even I recommended, in this case to go with the 290 over the 510. My personal choice would be the 5100 but that was out of the price range. I do believe Stihl is a good product just over priced or said another way not as good a value as the offerings from Dolmar. I should note I hadn't heard of Dolmar until I started to read reviews on this and the arborist site. I read the reviews with an open mind and decided to give Dolamr a try and I am happy I did.

 

[FLASHMAN]

I'm new to the forum but have been looking for a new saw as well, I was curious, why is the 290 considered a dog? It's one of the models I am considering, along with the 310 which I can get for $365 having been a good customer of a local dealer. I'd also mention that here in southern CT, the best price I can find on the dolmar PS 5001 is $425 with most in my area around 460-495 8-/ . So I wonder how prevalent the price point of $400 is for the dolmar. I was leaning toward the 290 which I could get for $325, but the dog description has me curious? any thoughts would be appreciated.
Regards

I can't believe dealers are bumping the price of the 5100s to $460-$495....even $425 is high. I paid $379.00 back in May and my Dealer has only bumped the price to $399.00 which is still good.
Your asking about the MS290.....Well go handle it and then handle the 5100s. The 290's big, bulky and has got alot of plastic where the 5100s has an aluminum body (including the bar oil chamber) and is more the size and weight of my Craftsman.

WoodButcher

I'm Butcher's bro-in-law, and I must say, as much as I love my Stihl (I run the MS660), I'd never buy the 290... He has that Dolmar, and it's a GREAT saw... For the money, in that size range, I don't think you can beat that Dolmar... His saw RIPS...

 

[carbon neutral]

I'm new to the forum but have been looking for a new saw as well, I was curious, why is the 290 considered a dog? It's one of the models I am considering, along with the 310 which I can get for $365 having been a good customer of a local dealer. I'd also mention that here in southern CT, the best price I can find on the dolmar PS 5001 is $425 with most in my area around 460-495 8-/ . So I wonder how prevalent the price point of $400 is for the dolmar. I was leaning toward the 290 which I could get for $325, but the dog description has me curious? any thoughts would be appreciated.
Regards

I can't believe dealers are bumping the price of the 5100s to $460-$495....even $425 is high. I paid $379.00 back in May and my Dealer has only bumped the price to $399.00 which is still good.
Your asking about the MS290.....Well go handle it and then handle the 5100s. The 290's big, bulky and has got alot of plastic where the 5100s has an aluminum body (including the bar oil chamber) and is more the size and weight of my Craftsman.

WoodButcher

I'm Butcher's bro-in-law, and I must say, as much as I love my Stihl (I run the MS660), I'd never buy the 290... He has that Dolmar, and it's a GREAT saw... For the money, in that size range, I don't think you can beat that Dolmar... His saw RIPS...

I think it is a mute point now, he already bought the 290. I would like to know if you have ever run the 7900 and what you think of it as opposed to the ms660. The 7900 is pretty much right between the 460 and 660 by power rating.

 

[Sledge&Wedge]

I'm new to the forum but have been looking for a new saw as well, I was curious, why is the 290 considered a dog? It's one of the models I am considering, along with the 310 which I can get for $365 having been a good customer of a local dealer. I'd also mention that here in southern CT, the best price I can find on the dolmar PS 5001 is $425 with most in my area around 460-495 8-/ . So I wonder how prevalent the price point of $400 is for the dolmar. I was leaning toward the 290 which I could get for $325, but the dog description has me curious? any thoughts would be appreciated.
Regards

I can't believe dealers are bumping the price of the 5100s to $460-$495....even $425 is high. I paid $379.00 back in May and my Dealer has only bumped the price to $399.00 which is still good.
Your asking about the MS290.....Well go handle it and then handle the 5100s. The 290's big, bulky and has got alot of plastic where the 5100s has an aluminum body (including the bar oil chamber) and is more the size and weight of my Craftsman.

WoodButcher

I'm Butcher's bro-in-law, and I must say, as much as I love my Stihl (I run the MS660), I'd never buy the 290... He has that Dolmar, and it's a GREAT saw... For the money, in that size range, I don't think you can beat that Dolmar... His saw RIPS...

I think it is a mute point now, he already bought the 290. I would like to know if you have ever run the 7900 and what you think of it as opposed to the ms660. The 7900 is pretty much right between the 460 and 660 by power rating.

In reference to myself, I have yet to purchase, but I do think I'm going with the 310 this weekend, which in my specific situation I'll get $65 cheaper with a free chain or two. If I lived closer to northeastern CT (that dealer with the good $ is about 1 hour 40 away from me) I probably would go with the 5100S. I'm sure I'd be happy with either though.

 

[FLASHMAN]

I'm new to the forum but have been looking for a new saw as well, I was curious, why is the 290 considered a dog? It's one of the models I am considering, along with the 310 which I can get for $365 having been a good customer of a local dealer. I'd also mention that here in southern CT, the best price I can find on the dolmar PS 5001 is $425 with most in my area around 460-495 8-/ . So I wonder how prevalent the price point of $400 is for the dolmar. I was leaning toward the 290 which I could get for $325, but the dog description has me curious? any thoughts would be appreciated.
Regards

I can't believe dealers are bumping the price of the 5100s to $460-$495....even $425 is high. I paid $379.00 back in May and my Dealer has only bumped the price to $399.00 which is still good.
Your asking about the MS290.....Well go handle it and then handle the 5100s. The 290's big, bulky and has got alot of plastic where the 5100s has an aluminum body (including the bar oil chamber) and is more the size and weight of my Craftsman.

WoodButcher

I'm Butcher's bro-in-law, and I must say, as much as I love my Stihl (I run the MS660), I'd never buy the 290... He has that Dolmar, and it's a GREAT saw... For the money, in that size range, I don't think you can beat that Dolmar... His saw RIPS...

I think it is a mute point now, he already bought the 290. I would like to know if you have ever run the 7900 and what you think of it as opposed to the ms660. The 7900 is pretty much right between the 460 and 660 by power rating.

I have never run a 7900, but I did look closely at them at Butcher's dealer. As you pointed out in one of your posts, the 7900 is almost a direct comparison, (in terms of power), with the MS650 (another saw I wouldn't buy). I did do a lot of research before buying my saw, and it basically came down to the deal I got. I bought a pre-owned 660. Now to the nitty-gritty:

I knew I wanted to have a bigger saw, not only to say I had one, but to make sure there would never be a job too big for me and butcher to handle between us. We cut roughly 16 cords a year, plus the occasional partially lightning-felled giant spruce like the one that damn near crushed my truck the other day. I digress...

If I was going to go with a Dolmar, I'd have to go all the way up to the PS-9010 to get a saw that compares to the 660, and even then, the Dolmar is both heavier (17.4 compared to 16.5) AND less powerful (6.9 BHP compared to 7.0BHP) than my 660. Combine that with the fact that Dolmar, being a relatively new, (in this country anyways), and less known brand, there are hardly ANY used ones out there for sale, especially in that size range.

As I said in my previous post, if I were to buy a saw in that smaller size range, I'd probably end up with the Dolmar 5100. It has more BHP than the 290, AND it's damn near a full pound lighter. There is also something to be said for local, quality service and support, which I'd have with either saw, as I have a really good Stihl dealer nearby, (a crappy one too, but I don't go to them), and Butcher's Dolmar dealer, they are excellent, and very knowledgable. For me, it just made sense to go with the Stihl, and if I had the same choice to make over again, I'd make the same one. I LOVE my saw.

 

[jeff6443]

I have an echo cs 440 . It may be Echo junk but so far not .Im havent cut much kinda afraid of chain saw s cut in the morning . drink a few after no power tools split by hand