Shopping for a used stihl.

[Kevin*]

What do I need to look at when looking at used saws?
Been looking at this.
(broken link removed to http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/tls/3584450900.html)

 

[swagler85]

Wow that thing looks like its never been used. If you look and search through forums on here you will find numerous suggestions from people that regularly buy used saws. But that thing looks brand new! If its a good price I would go for it, 25" bar is a little more Thani would choose to run for daily use but nice to have around. 18-20 is great for reach and not having to bend over too much.

 

[MarylandGuy]

The Stihl MS362 is one of the newer generation saws. It is in the pro line of saws, meaning it is considerably easier to rebuild when needed. And it is constructed a little sturdier than some of the Stihl homeowner saws. Of course in a short time, the Stihl MS290 and 390 owners will come out of the woodwork saying the homeowner vs. the pro saw thing is purely a myth.

I'm not sure what a nearly new MS 362 goes for right now, but I assume a little below what retail would be for a new one. If you want a real chainsaw education, do a search for chainsaw forum and one of the first arborist sites will give you all the information you need on the saw. Just be careful, if you join that forum, you will become addicted to saws!

Long story short, that is a very good medium sized saw. It will cut just about anything, though a little heavy for limbs should you do a lot of that.

 

[MasterMech]

25" bar is a little more Thani would choose to run for daily use but nice to have around.​

I don't think they sell bars under 25" in the great Pacific Northwest.

the Stihl MS290 and 390 owners will come out of the woodwork saying the homeowner vs. the pro saw thing is purely a myth.​

Not here they won't.

What do I need to look at when looking at used saws?
Been looking at this.
(broken link removed to http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/tls/3584450900.html)

Sure is a pretty saw but $739.95 gets you a new one from a dealer.
(Edited that price once I saw it's the "R" model.)

Maybe if he comes down to $600 I'd bite.

MS362 is a winner for sure. In your area there should be a ton of MS361's, MS440's, MS441's, and MS460's for sale. Lots of them are ran hard and put away wet for sure but there are bound to be a few great deals as well.

What to look for?

Cosmetics - Are they acceptable to you? Check for obvious damage to handles, covers, and AV springs/buffers too.

Compression - do some homework on the model your looking at, typical psi readings are usually easily found all over the 'net. Otherwise the "hang it by the rope" trick will do in a pinch. (The saw should not fall for quite some time) If the owner is willing to let you pull the muffler cover, do it. Look at the piston/rings through the exhaust port. No scoring should be visible.

Cutting gear - Chain is somewhat clean and the bar rails are not burred. Fine sawdust burnt to the chain, a discolored bar (especially with blue edges), and deep burrs are signs that the saw may not be oiling properly and the operator definitely doesn't have a clue. Replacing a bar and chain can cost anywhere from $60-$100+ in most cases.

Sprocket/Clutch - No excessive wear on the sprocket or rim sprocket. Rim sprocket wear actually is no big deal $6-7 part. The clutch drum should not be discolored and should not have any "wobble" to it.

Air Filter - If you can, pull the air filter and peek inside the carb. If you see lots of wood dust, that dust could have created a lot of excess wear inside the engine. Clean is good.

 

[loadstarken]

That seller is always selling nice saws and other equipment that appears to be in good shape.
Do a search with his phone number and check out all of the stuff that he's selling.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Wow that thing looks like its never been used. If you look and search through forums on here you will find numerous suggestions from people that regularly buy used saws. But that thing looks brand new! If its a good price I would go for it, 25" bar is a little more Thani would choose to run for daily use but nice to have around. 18-20 is great for reach and not having to bend over too much.

24"-25" is standard here in God's country for 036/360/361/362

 

[mikefrommaine]

That seller is always selling nice saws and other equipment that appears to be in good shape.
Do a search with his phone number and check out all of the stuff that he's selling.

I looked at what he has for sale. In general his prices seem high. I never pay more than 1/2 of retail for used, no matter how nice. Usually I'm a buyer at 1/4 to 1/3 for something that will work and function like new.

But I'd like to know what he is using to clean and detail his saws. They are so clean it makes it harder to judge how much use they have see. I could make a lot of money on eBay buying and selling if I could make the saws look like that.

 

[Kevin*]

Thanks for all the great info guys, hopefully I can get me a nice saw soon.

 

[lukem]

I'd bite at $550.

 

[HittinSteel]

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/what-to-look-for-when-buying-a-used-saw.103824/

 

[BobUrban]

Nice looking saw for sure but seems pricy considering the cost of a new, off the shelf one from a dealer. My price point is always based on how I "feel" - am I happy with the deal regardless or will I have buyers remorse. No doubt you will find a slighlty better deal if you look hard enough right after a purchase but if you are happy, you are happy.

That said, I like to do my homework on almost everything over 2-300$ - just how I roll. Do a seach for all my QnA before I bought my NC30

For the record I just bought the equivelant used 036(I think it is equivelent?) Not quite as pretty as this one on the outside, but close and very clean as in "like new" or better on the inside with comp test and piston view. Mine came with a new 20" bar and chain and I paid about 1/2 his asking price. Does that matter?? Just a point of reference.

As part of the deal I also made a new aquaintence in my home town with a true "saw" guy. He called me today and ask how it was running. He said put some cutting on it and them call him so he can come over and make sure it is tuned well and teach me to tune it because I am basically breaking in a new saw - priceless for a guy who is not real small engine savvy.

 

[bogydave]

If I were to spend that much. I'd really consider just buying it new
Get the warranty & get to know the local dealer. May throw in a new chain or 2