I used a McCulloch 10-10-automatic for many years. The guy who I got parts from quit selling McCulloch when they went cheap and became available in the box stores, but he kept me in what parts I needed as long as he could. The last part I got for the thing was a chain brake through internet, which he couldn't do since he's Amish. While I was in the store, he told me I needed a Stihl.
I talked with him a bit, and he finally told me that I could buy a 290, take it home, run 2 tanks through it, and if that wasn't enough to convince me that I needed to keep it he would take it back and give me a full refund. He also said that after I used it a bit I would only use the McCulloch if I got the Stihl stuck in a tree.
He was right on both counts. I start the McCulloch once in a while jsut to keep it working, but have only needed it once. I kept the Stihl, have used it to clean up tops from in excess of 100 hardwood trees that become logs. The tops were cut for firewood and I'm on the 3rd bar for the saw. Other than bar, chain, and sprocket, the thing just runs.
Fresh gas is very important. The Amish guy sells the 2 cycle oil in the small bottles. He carries the big 2 1/2 gallon mix bottles, but he doesn't like to sell those to anyone except the logging crews, explaining that the small bottles assure that his customers are using fresher gas since they only mix a gallon at at time.