Stihl 038 AV Super?

[BrianK]

Hi folks,
I currently have a Stihl MS250 with a 16" bar. It is a great little saw and should work fine for a large portion of my upcoming needs. (We just installed a Fireview this winter. I haven't cut wood in years but when I was a teen we heated my parents' house with a Buderus wood boiler, and used a big old Husky with a 24" bar.)

However, a local tree service is going to be calling when they have free wood available, and there will be times when I think I might need a bigger saw for some trunks.

I guess I have two questions: Would it be worth buying an 18" bar for the MS250, or should I just invest in another saw?

For instance, locally on Craigslist there is a Stihl 038 AV Super electronic quickstop with 20" Bar for $250.

Any thoughts on the Stihl 038s? Keep looking?

 

[amateur cutter]

That's a very nice sized saw for what you're going to be doing I think, you'll like the power & cut speed. $ 250.00 is at the very top of what I'd pay for it though. If it's clean with good compression & a strong runner it would be a nice companion to the 250 for a good 2 saw plan. A C

Edit: I think the super is 72cc

 

[BrianK]

That's a very nice sized saw for what you're going to be doing I think, you'll like the power & cut speed. $ 250.00 is at the very top of what I'd pay for it though. If it's clean with good compression & a strong runner it would be a nice companion to the 250 for a good 2 saw plan. A C

Edit: I think the super is 72cc

Thanks. That's a lot of saw then. I don't know if our old Husky was even that big.

I emailed the owner, they replied with more photos:

It is in very good working order. Has a brand new bar and the chain is freshly sharpened. Not sure of age. Runs well.

 

[MasterMech]

038AVS is a mean firewood saw. $250 for a clean example seems fair. Hard to get good running 70cc Stihls for $250. I'd leave the MS250 with the 16".

 

[BrianK]

038AVS is a mean firewood saw. $250 for a clean example seems fair. Hard to get good running 70cc Stihls for $250. I'd leave the MS250 with the 16".

Our local Stihl shop has the MS 290 Farm Boss for $399 with a 20" bar. So I'm trying to choose between the used 038AVS for $250 and a Farm Boss for $389. Any recommendation?

 

[JustWood]

038 is a killer little saw. It wood have to be absolutely MINT for me to consider $250.I'd offer $150 or less.
Keep in mind that saw is prolly 15+ years old from the looks of certain parts I see on it.

 

[BrianK]

038 is a killer little saw. It wood have to be absolutely MINT for me to consider $250.I'd offer $150 or less.
Keep in mind that saw is prolly 15+ years old from the looks of certain parts I see on it.

The owner is asking $250 firm, and says it is from the mid 1980s. I think its a bit too much for a saw that old.

I think I'll go with my gut instinct and buy the new Farm Boss (which has a new saw warranty, as I have no background tinkering with chainsaws).

I've yet to read anything negative about the Farm Boss, so I don't think i can go wrong there, and our local Stihl dealer is just two blocks from my house.

 

[JustWood]

The owner is asking $250 firm, and says it is from the mid 1980s. I think its a bit too much for a saw that old.

I think I'll go with my gut instinct and buy the new Farm Boss (which has a new saw warranty, as I have no background tinkering with chainsaws).

I've yet to read anything negative about the Farm Boss, so I don't think i can go wrong there, and our local Stihl dealer is just two blocks from my house.

I think you're on the right track.Go with your gut.

 

[Jags]

What size of bar are you ultimately looking at running?

 

[BrianK]

What size of bar are you ultimately looking at running?

I want to be able to run a 20" bar. The MS250 has a 16" bar and can handle most of the small to medium stuff. If I "need" anything bigger than what the Farm Boss with a 20" bar can cut, I'll probably just walk away from it. (Prudence is the better part of valor?)

Of course, my dad still has the big old Husky with the 24" bar, still running after 3 decades, so in a pinch I could barrow it if I "need" a bigger bar.

 

[Jags]

The 290 will run the 20" without a problem, but that is it. Food for thought is that most people that run a two saw program widen the range more than 4". Something like a 16-18" saw and then something that would go from 20-25" range (or even bigger, depending on the person).

 

[Angelo C]

I'ld be looking for a 460/046 if it were me. Not that there is anything wrong with the 038. it would have to be a "magnum" for $250 though. 250 is a great little saw. I'ld like to be slightly bigger with a shorter bar if I had a choice as a "two saw" plan.

 

[BrianK]

The 290 will run the 20" without a problem, but that is it. Food for thought is that most people that run a two saw program widen the range more than 4". Something like a 16-18" saw and then something that would go from 20-25" range (or even bigger, depending on the person).

Can the 038AV Super run a 22 or 24" bar?

I'm probably not running a typical two saw program. I plan on teaching my 15 year old son how to use a chainsaw with the MS250, while running the larger saw myself. He can do the smaller work while I tackle the bigger stuff, hopefully. Though limbing and cutting up smaller stuff might not be the ideal task work for him to learn on.

 

[BrianK]

I stopped at the Stihl shop on the way home and they made an offer I couldn't refuse. Picked up the MS290 Farm Boss with 20" bar for $360 plus tax. Had enough cash left in the pocket to grab a pair of Stihl chaps and a 6 pack of the silver Stihl oil for which they added a second year to the Stihl warranty.

They also made a great offer on a MS311 but I wanted to walk out of there with the chaps and didn't have enough cash for both.

Thanks for everyone' input! I think the Farm Boss with the 20" bar will serve my needs well for the foreseeable future.

 

[MasterMech]

Glad to hear about the deal on the new saw but I'd still rather have a 038 vs. a 290. 70+cc vs 55cc. Yeah that 038 would've run a 24" bar with power to spare.

 

[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

I am from Pittsburgh and have seen the same add for the saw. They also show an 028 for 150 so I inquired about it on the 18th if they measure the compression. They said they did not but it was rebuilt and thought no need because it started right up.... Normally those saws don't last long in the area and I kinda forgot about so I email them back and told them I would give 75 bux because it was rebuilt and who knows what was used and who did. I would buy the saw and rebuild it myself becuase I know what was used and that it was done right! Well, instead of giving a counter offer they used alot of profanity and insulted me. I was not condescending or cocky in anyway and that was what I got. I figured they would have some measure of civility but...Here is link:

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/grd/2906343895.html