346xp or 550xp

[cosworth]

ok fellas I'm looking for a small saw which one to go for?I want something reliable that i can fix my self,

[Chris Sheppard]

Think you might struggle to find a new 346 now.

 

I've got one of the first 550's and it's never been any trouble as yet.

[cosworth]

Think you might struggle to find a new 346 now.

 

I've got one of the first 550's and it's never been any trouble as yet.

 

I found a place selling new ones must be old stock thou,

[Petemate390xp]

go with the 550xp

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

I'm not sayin' nuffin !!!

[WoodED]

I'm not sayin' nuffin !!!

 

haha nor am i

[teepeeat]

correct me if I'm wrong, but the newer 550 has electronics involved which needs to be plugged in to a computor for certain things like your car, so complete DIY maintenance means go for the 346 if you can find one

[Chris Sheppard]

I'm not sayin' nuffin !!!

 

haha nor am i

 

Neither of you need to - you're both wrong

 

correct me if I'm wrong, but the newer 550 has electronics involved which needs to be plugged in to a computor for certain things like your car, so complete DIY maintenance means go for the 346 if you can find one

 

Nope, pretty sure you're correct. But, from my limited understanding, all it's doing is effectively tweaking the H&L screws from time to time on it's own. Not saying I like the idea but kind of have to get used to it, bit like cars really.

[Coletti]

I have the 550 and from what I've done so far I cant fault it, it spent a little time adjusting while I was running it in but it's never skipped a beat since, great saw in my opinion. Only regret is that I got the 550 and not the 560.

[computeruser]

The 346xp as the edge on simplicity - pull and trim the carb limiter tabs so you have full adjustment range back, pop off the muffler and open up the exhaust outlet with a die grinder, put everything back together and you've got a great runner of a saw. No computers, probably no catalytic converter muffler (though you can easily ditch that for an earlier non-cat muffler), and a real carb with adjustments. Hard to beat that!