Makita DCS500/45

One job wonder – Ignition coil failed, dealer would not do any thing, bought another coil, failed again. $700 for a load of crap, in my opinion. Show details

Good quality saw – Initial thoughts. A bit heavy for a 50cc saw. Especially compared to my 026. I thought it would have more power than it has, even for a stock 50cc saw. But it has only had 3 tanks so far. Should loosen up a bit and gain some more compression/power after a dozen tanks Very Quiet. I like the 3/8 standard chain. Amazing build quality. (German… Read more

Dolmar). Great anti vibe. I thought the pivot teeth could be bigger as I felt that the body of the saw was rubbing up against logs too easily. Good on fuel for the amount it holds. Started easily hot or cold and runs flawlesly

Has been a problem – Similar to other reviews Starts when cold has great power and a very nice chainsaw to handle but after one tank of fuel it has reduced power when I increase the throttle it stalls and continues to do that. I had it serviced and it still happens. I brought it from total tools Kilsyth and they are great sending it to makita for service with no hassles. Will let you know how it goes.  Show details

Definitely not impressed – I too found that this saw was very hard to start. My friend asked me to cut up a large gum tree that blew over in a storm and I thought it would be a good test for it. This was only a new saw and was on its fourth tank of fuel from brand new. I started cutting up the tree and it was a big job and went through two tanks of fuel and bar oil and… Read more

on the third tank of fuel it died and would not start.

I couldn't figure out what the problem was so I put it in to get fixed at my local Makita dealer and told them that it was still under warranty.They pulled it down and found the rings and piston and bore were all stuffed and contacted Makita who accused me of running it without oil in the fuel (which was complete rubbish)as my Kawasaki Brushcutter shares the same fuel container and it has done a hundred times more work than this machine.

So I have been told I have to take it up with Makita which I will do.

The only way I will own another Makita is if they replace this one, but if I have a choice I would rather have my money back and buy a more reliable brand.

Good when going – Cuts well for around 10 minutes and dies. Used to go till it ran out of fuel. Refill the fuel and bar oil tank. It won't restart until cold. Wife has named it tankful ray and wants me to buy another stihl like her 039. On a farm, life is hard enough without unreliable equipment.

Hard to start Won't run properly, no power – I've had this chainsaw for 3 months now & cannot get it to run. I've had it to a small motor mechanic & he couldn't tune it. It takes at least 20 pulls to get it started & when it does start it has no power. It is run in , 6 tanks of fuel. I've tuned it according to the book but still no joy. My previous chainsaw is a McCulloch Timber bear 30… Read more

years old. When I bought it I tuned it & haven't touched it since, fantastic old saw just a bit heavy (10kg+).

I'll be taking it back to the dealer soon & if there is a favorable outcome I will reflect it by adding to this review.

So this is my experience so far. :(

Reasonable saw but problems – The saw cuts well but after 25 cubic metres of firewood the ignition coil failed just after the warranty expired. Parts are expensive and hard to source. Next saw will be a Stihl.

Best Chainsaw I have ever used – Before I say anything else I can't comment on the lifespan or durability of this saw. Chainsaws really last too long for that, I have checked spare part prices and any repairs seem to be pretty reasonable at the moment. I just ordered all of the service and maintenance filters that I need which were pretty cheap so the total cost of ownership on… Read more

this saw is excellent at the moment. I wanted a Stihl but couldn't afford one, best luck ever!

First, I have used both Stihl and Huskvarna small saws (40-50cc) for both felling and cutting for firewood and I probably have 200 hours of use on each brand. The Makita DCS 500 is not just a bit better, its a lot better. Firstly, the saw handles as easily on it's side as it does in a regular cutting position. It is really well balanced so getting your felling notches right is a breeze. It has loads of power for the 18" bar so it cuts smoothly and cleanly. Even though it feels a little heavy in your hands, once it is in wood cutting it's so smooth it feels weightless. The anti vibration is the best I have ever experienced.

The plastic on the saw is thick and rugged with a really solid feel to it so the chain brake, the trigger etc are really satisfying to use. It has a quick start switch that springs from off to start automatically which is a fantastic feature as you never leave the saw running when you don't need it, its so easy to start it again. It's such a well thought out saw there is nothing in the cutting design I would want changed. The saw is smooth and rounded which helps stop it from catching on fine branches as you move around. I cut for 3 hours today and felled around 100 regrowth trees from 100mm to 250mm diameter without the saw annoying me once. Flawless. Balanced, powerful, smooth and weightless. Seems stingy with bar oil, hard to see bar oil level when refilling.