# They're dropping like flies... The Axe falls on the MS250.



## MasterMech (Feb 5, 2013)

I really did not expect the MS290 and MS250 to go down before the MS170, MS180, and MS230 but it seems Papa Stihl has spoken and once the MS250 is gone from distribute/dealer inventory, it's gone forever.   RIP old friend. 

While the website doesn't list it yet, the transition to the MS251 should be seamless.  If you have to have a new MS250, make that phone call, now.

StihlHead - I can _see_ you typing!


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## Butcher (Feb 5, 2013)

Is that gospel?
I got 2 old 025's at work that have never been used for nuthin but cuttin roots, rocks and telephone lines for I dont know how many years with no service needed and thats why I bought a new 250 last summer to have bouncin around in the back of my truck at home. My local dealer told me that was his best selling saw. Maybe sthil aint gettin a chunk of money for repair parts for them?/


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## FrankMA (Feb 5, 2013)

WOW - Just picked up mine last week! I had been considering this purchase for some time and finally decided to go for it and be done with it. My dealer was saying the same thing, once they're in-house stock is gone they would not be getting anymore. Don't know if I got a deal or not but it was priced $40.00 less than DSRP.


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## MasterMech (Feb 5, 2013)

Butcher said:


> Is that gospel?
> I got 2 old 025's at work that have never been used for nuthin but cuttin roots, rocks and telephone lines for I dont know how many years with no service needed and thats why I bought a new 250 last summer to have bouncin around in the back of my truck at home. My local dealer told me that was his best selling saw. Maybe sthil aint gettin a chunk of money for repair parts for them?/


It's emissions driven.  Trust me, Stihl was selling a ton of them and the parts for them too.


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## MasterMech (Feb 5, 2013)

FrankMA said:


> WOW - Just picked up mine last week! I had been considering this purchase for some time and finally decided to go for it and be done with it. My dealer was saying the same thing, once they're in-house stock is gone they would not be getting anymore. Don't know if I got a deal or not but it was priced $40.00 less than DSRP.


That's pretty good for an MS250!  I don't know any dealers that have to discount models like the MS250 that sell pretty quickly even at DSRP.


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## FrankMA (Feb 5, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> That's pretty good for an MS250! I don't know any dealers that have to discount models like the MS250 that sell pretty quickly even at DSRP.


 
The MS250 with an 18" B&C shows a DSRP on the Stihl dealer website of $339.00 and I got mine for $299.00. My dealer also had the MS290 and a few other models listed as "on-sale" as well. Not sure if they're trying to move the old inventory or generate some sales during the depths of winter...


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## Boog (Feb 5, 2013)

Glad I got my 250C-BE last fall, when the CAD hoard is gone that puppy will be one of the core group still here.  Its going to be my "old age" saw, for when I'm too feeble to start and cut with anything else.  In the mean time I'm working my 024 and 026s on small stuff.


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## HittinSteel (Feb 5, 2013)

The last "value" in their homeowner line is gone.....


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## MasterMech (Feb 5, 2013)

Looks like the MS251 will be Strato and going to a single bar nut.   Hmm, good on the former, not so much on the latter.  The single stud design is probably more than adequate for the saws intended application but one of my favorite things about the MS250 was how well it performed and held up outside of it intended application of an occasional use "homeowner" saw.  Tough little saw it was.  Looks like displacement and HP are the same (45cc/3.0hp) so there should still be plenty of giddy-up but the saw has gained roughly a 1/2lb.  (10.6 vs 10.1lbs)  That's to be expected with the move to a strato engine I guess.

http://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Products/Chain-saws/Landowner-Chain-saws/21867-1572/MS-251.aspx


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## MasterMech (Feb 5, 2013)

HittinSteel said:


> The last "value" in their homeowner line is gone.....


 
Fear not, the 1123 series lives on with the MS230 but I'm sure it's days are numbered as well.


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## FrankMA (Feb 5, 2013)

That's a huge price difference from a DSRP of $339.00 for the MS250 to $789.00 for the MS251 - YIKES! I realize it's a different saw but WOW what a jump in price.

EDIT: Looks like that link is an Aussie Stihl website - that pricing kind of makes sense now.


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## missedbass (Feb 8, 2013)

the dealer told me that the 251 will be about 50 more.


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## MasterMech (Feb 8, 2013)

missedbass said:


> the dealer told me that the 251 will be about 50 more.


 
I think we're seeing a general price increase across the entire Stihl line-up.  None of the new saws in the mid-range or homeowner series have come close to the price points of their predecessors.


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## StihlHead (Feb 8, 2013)

MasterMech said:


> If you have to have a new MS250, make that phone call, now.
> 
> StihlHead - I can _see_ you typing!


 
There are a lot of 250s still on the shelves here. Cannot say it was my favorite saw, I had many of them (and 025s). For the $300 list price I would much rather have a nice used 260. There are stihl lots of 290s on the shelves here as well. I have not seen the 231 or the 251 or any information on them in an catalogs here, but they are listed on the Euro sites where they have been in use for some time now. And yes, the 230 is going away too.

The 231 and 251 are on the same new chassis, looking more or less like the 211. They both have strato air-injected engines. The plain models will have one bar nut like the 211. The 251 weighs about a half pound more than the 250 and has the same power (3 HP). The 251 UK models have a new round air filter, but I do not know what the US air filter will look like (may be more like the 211 which is similar to the 361). The power on the 231 is kicked up to 2.7 HP from 2.5 on the 231. The vibration on both the 231 and 251 is FAR better than on either the 230 and 250. 3.5 L/R for the 231 compared to 6.4/7.0 L/R for the 230, and 3.9 L/R for the 251 compared to 5.7/6.8 L/R for the 250. I imagine the price will jump as well. The 251 is over 500# in the UK (over $700 USD).

The 271 will have the same frame and design as the 291 and they will weigh the same, with the 291 having more power. The price of the 291 is so high that the 261 is a far better deal and better saw for not a lot more money.


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## MasterMech (Feb 8, 2013)

Be interesting to see if the 231/251 are mounted on springs or rubber.  My guess is springs?


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## StihlHead (Feb 8, 2013)

Looking at the ms231/251service manual that I downloaded for it, they have AV springs.

Also while the 231/251 look similar to the 171/181/211, the series are not the same. The engine housing, top handle and back handle are completely different. The 231 and 251 are more similar to the 271 and 291 saws from comparing the IPLs. They have the same type of round air filter, and they are all spring AV mounted.


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## TreePointer (Feb 9, 2013)

I'm all for keeping the weight down on these little saws, but I'll gladly trade some ounces for a better antivibration system.


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