We own a Stihl 08s(21 inch bar) which my father bought over 45 years ago. It's running perfectly, very reliable, starting easily, and has decent torque but the vibrations and weight are a killer for extended use on our farm.
We don't cut timber for a living, only cut trees for firewood which have fallen due to storms, which we have a lot of in recent years.
We have a mixture of hard/softwood. I plan to run a full chisel chain on the new saw.
The 08s is a 56cc saw, the powerhead weighs 8.4kg dry.
I'd like a professional saw with a 20 inch bar, with more torque/RPM compared to our 08s, for faster cutting.
I might also buy a 25 inch bar for occasional use on larger trunks, and reduce lower back strain. I would like to stick with Stihl.
Note: we also own a Stihl MS231 for cleaning and cutting small branches
Here are my current candidates;
1. Stihl MS362 c-m (59cc, 5.6 kg, 4.8hp) €990 / £823
2. Stihl MS400 c-m (67cc, 5.8 kg, 5.4hp) €1160 / £965
3. Stihl MS462 c-m (72cc, 6 kg, 6hp) €1295 / £1075
My dad is siding with the MS362 because it's the cheapest of the 3, but i'm siding with the 400/462 for the extra power/torque.
If you had to choose between those 3, which and why?
