Stihl 500i reviews and opinions

400 is listed at a RCH under 1100 now around here. Worth it to me for a saw that has 70cc power and handles like a 60cc. Mines ported and hauls a 25” double quick.

 

Couple months ago

 

18” is the biggest I’ve ran on my 362

 

In my experience, the 500i is a good saw, but it was definitely spendy. By the time I bought full wrap bars and a muffler mod, I was over 2k. It will pull a 32" full comp in honey locust better than a stock 660, I know that. I was also bucking 36" honey locust logs with that 32" bar on it's maiden voyage and wasn't disappointed by any means. I started using it with a 32" bar, but now it has a 28".

I like the saw, good power (only ported saw I've ran is a XS 394, so not a ton of ported saw experience) and lighter than my 461's, but it's just too pricey for me. I wish I'd have bought a couple more Makita 7900's for the same price I paid for the 500i.

Like Brad said, if I was only wanting 2 or 3 saws, I'd be OK with getting a 500i and pairing it with a smaller saw, but at the price, personally, a ported saw in the same class would be good too and might be cheaper.

 

I have ran a ported 500I. Pulls a 32 inch bar in Douglas fir in an impressive manner.

 

I have a (non-ported) 362 that is my go-to saw for most work and a 500i for the larger jobs. No issues with either one over the years, and they complement each other well. I had a 400 but sold that last year to Canadian border VT (great saw but it was an impulse buy and fell between the 362 and the 500 so it wasn't getting used).

 

Seems like it takes forever for my saws to run out of gas the last couple of years. I’m always ready for a break long before the saws are. As for bar length, I run a 28” bar, full comp, on my ms360 most of the time…stock with a muffler mod. I don’t try to cut 28” wood with it, just don’t like bending over any more. I have even put the 28” on my stock 4910 a few times. It pulls it just fine cutting the same wood you would normally cut with an 18”, but it is a little light in the oiling for my taste. The ms360 oils the 28” just fine.

 

I just purchased a 500i (I pushed my old 390 so hard you couldn't hold onto the handle without a glove and was told it was burnt up) and only have 4 full tanks through mine. I'm very pleased with it so far and I'm very happy with the purchase, would not go back. There are only stihl dealers in my area so I'm limited to them for all practical purposes. I researched this for years and some of those highlights are:

The majority of people who run them really like them, they're light and have a great top end.

It is a different animal. Bucking Billy Ray has a few videos on it where he knocked it hard at first, but he was essentially bypassing the engine management of the saw. You have to prime it, start, and let it adjust itself. I don't like adjusting and tweaking stuff constantly, so for me this is a good thing.

I could find the 661 cheaper but it is heavier and built with more of a bottom end. I've heard multiple people say and watched the 500i out run the 661 in softwood. I've found it easy to bind up in a cut but if I'm not being a dumbass it'll fly going straight and ran properly.

There's a lot of parts support in the area locally and online, almost every tree crew I know has at least one of not multiples.

I found a 500i that was at a dealer collecting dust for a while and they let it go out the door for $1500 all the other dealers were $1670. I couldn't pass that up and I don't regret it one bit, power to weight ratio is a thing and for me the 500i hit that sweet spot.

Ymmv

 

Personally I’d have dumped the 362 weights the same the 400 had more power and revs faster for limbing.

 

In my opinion the 500i is a good saw local tree guy has switched to all 500i’s now. I got him his first one before they were even available here. They’ve had zero running issues so far and only repairs have been self inflicted stuff. Think they have 6 now and one for parts because it got ran over.

 

I know that's what a lot of people would have done. However, the 400 was basically new and brought good money whereas the 362 is older and wouldn't have brought much. At the time, that was more of my focus than the power of the saw.

 

Sounds like you made the best decision for you

 

l

 

What’s a 362 costing?

 

Looks like $750.00

 

I see you can read. Good job bud.

 

Barely, but thanks for the positive encouragement.