Stihl MS 362 C-M vs Stihl MS 400 C-M
Tinted cells mark the better figure on that row alone: more engine, longer bar, lighter, cheaper. A lighter weight is only a win on the same basis.
What owners like and complain about
Stihl MS 362 C-M
- Pro magnesium construction that's fully rebuildable — a keep-for-decades saw, unlike the clamshell farm models
- M-Tronic auto-tunes for altitude, temperature, and fuel quality with no carburetor adjustments
- 3.5 kW from a 12.3 lb powerhead — same carry weight as an MS 271 with roughly 35% more power
- Repeatedly praised on forums as the ideal size for all-day firewood cutting
- HD2 filtration and spring AV system built for professional daily hours
- Runs 16"-25" bars, covering everything from limbing to moderate felling
- Owners report it feels underpowered with a 20" bar buried in large hardwood — the 462 gap is real
- Price has climbed past $1,100, double a Farm Boss and within sight of the MS 400/462
- No meaningful online retailer review aggregate — pro saws sell through dealers, so ratings are thin
- Professional use carries only a 1-year warranty
- At 12.3 lbs it's no lighter than the farm saws, so the upgrade is all in power and durability, not carry weight
Stihl MS 400 C-M
- 4.0 kW from 66.8cc at 12.7 lb — out-powers the heavier MS 391 and out-pulls the MS 362 C-M
- Magnesium piston is 25% lighter than aluminium, which is what lets it accelerate like a smaller saw
- M-Tronic on this platform is the version owners consider sorted
- HD2 air filter plus pre-separation stretches cleaning intervals through full days in dusty felling
- Rated for 16" to 25" bars, so one saw covers felling and bucking
- $1,250 — $410 more than an MS 391 of similar displacement
- Long-term durability of the magnesium piston is genuinely unproven; owners say so openly
- M-Tronic faults still need a dealer diagnostic tool, not a screwdriver
- 3-month warranty if you earn money with it under Stihl's 2026 policy