I did a bad thing....

you might be called a "saw hoarder". Looks like they a well cared for. So you are just "eccentric" .

 

Are you sure your not thinking of hokie94 ?

 

Good stuff. I'm thinking of buying an orange version.

 

Yep thats who I am thinking of!

 

I just love the way it looks just sweet. Me thinks i gota have one to be a date mate to my 372

 

I know I'm the minority here but I actually prefer the orange. As far as the 572 goes, my love affair with autotune is coming to an end. My 550 and 562 both run great, but the fact that modules are sold unprogrammed and I can't program them myself by buying the cable and downloading the firmware annoys me. If I buy a 372 now I'm almost guaranteed to have parts available for many years due to its popularity and I can fix it myself. Lets face it, I'm a firewood cutter and unless I crush a saw it takes me a while to wear out a pro saw. My cars rely heavily on computers, much more so than a saw but due to laws passed like forcing odbII standards I can fix them myself.

 

You may be on to something there. When Auto Tune first came around, my thoughts were very favorable, nowI dont know quite where to stand.....................

 

I think the technology is a good idea, but I would like to see it opened up a bit to allow end users and independent shops work on them. I'm just not interested in paying someone to fix a saw not because I can't but because I can't get into the website to access the software. I'm guessing this is less of an issue with pros that get a couple of years out of a saw and then replace them because they are beat.

Sorry for the thread hijack...

 

Autotune is not a good thing for me. Let's face it, they flat out run and run hard. But, without the ability to truly work on them, what do we have? We have a saw that works great until it doesn't, then you have to take it to the dealer to get them to fix it, With the ability to work on the old saw, they are simply superior.

If you look at my saws, you will see some faded plastic, a crack here or there, chipped decals, etc... They look old. But, not one of them are old inside. One is brand spanking new. Doesn't have 5 hours on it. Both have replaced OEM bottom ends and various degrees of top end work to build the saw I wanted. Both will flat out scald the dog too.

I recently scored up my 385XP top end experimenting and, less than $120 later and a little bit of work on my end, it is back running as strong as it ever has. My 372 was little more expensive building from the ground up as I bought it smack wore out but, I have a brand new saw mechanically. I can take both apart and fix them if I need be for little money versus the cost of maintaining a new auto tune saw.

I just don't like the idea of not being able to work on them. I'm not a Guru but, I can make them run very well. Guys like Mastermind and such can build you a dependable work saw that will be far cheaper to operate over the course of the saws life and, will likely out perform them hands down as well. I just see no benefit to owning one for myself. That could change if the public is made available to the programming software. But, isn't likely to for now. As the companies have you exactly where they want you when you buy one. God Bless

 

All that and my local Husqvarna dealer thinks that with continued tightening of EPA regs and all that most outdoor power equip will be going the electronic route.

 

Yep, it's coming. God Bless

 

My 2 saws with autotune have been flawless so I haven't had to replace anything as of yet but I assume the cost to program the module is built into the price of the part. It will guarantee no aftermarket parts with anything that has firmware.

I do have a question though-is the firmware encoded with the saws serial number making them saw specific or can the part be swapped between different 550xp's for example without reprogramming?

I think the tech is a great idea and I have no issue with needing a laptop to work on my saw but I would like it to be opened up to allow end users to work on them a bit easier. If I replace a raid card in a server it needs updated firmware too but I just hop on dell's website, type in my serial number and download it. I'm not a dell reseller and I don't work for them.

Here is an idea-how about an led on the saw letting you know that autotune is at its adaptation limit and is going to blow up because of a likely air leak unless you stop using it and fix it. Or put it in a limp mode like your car. The saw knows when it can't adjust any more-it should tell us.

 

Didnt still have a red light coil?

 

Yes. That was just a rev limit indicator.

 

Still cool. You know if its four stroking or just the coil limiting it.

 

My uncle has a bunch of saws. A bunch. His pride and joy is an 066 Red Light Special. Equipped with a 28 inch Oregon bar that has never cut it's first piece of wood. I'm serious. It has a brand new chain and a new bar cover too. It sets atop his saw shelves, pad locked with a 1/2 inch steel cable to I-bolts screwed into his concrete shop floor. He keeps all his saws clean and wiped off after use but, that Red Light special sparkles.

He has a stable of desirable saws. He is slowly transitioning to Husqvarna. No matter, they will all leave there before that one does. I just think it is funny. However, I don't pick on him much about it as he is my mechanic. And, still teaching me things on how to work on these saws.

PS: I love these dang emojicons.

God Bless fellas.