I have heard of guys buying used saws and having great experiences, but from what I have seen so far it just doesn't seem worth it. I have a Husqvarna 51 right now that I use for all my cutting needs and was looking at something a little bigger and newer (either the MS291 or 455 Rancher). For the past couple weeks I have been looking at craigslist, ebay, ect and all the saws for sale seem to be absolutely beat and are still going for 80% of the new price. It hardly seems worth saving $100 to get a saw that has taken such a beating. Is it me or are the people buying that junk crazy? It looks like I'd be better off waiting for a sale and snagging one. Maybe the right deal just hasn't come along yet. Thanks for the input.
Used saws seem like a waste...
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Ebay is high priced for farm or pro saws. CL is better deal but you gotta luck into one. You could make your Husky 51 into a 55 with a new 55 cylinder and piston.
Jon1270
Minister of Fire
They're not all bad deals, by a long shot, but you're up against stiff competition to get one of the few good ones.
On eBay you're bidding against a national market, so you're not going to get a great deal unless you are lucky enough to be the first to find an item listed Buy-It-Now for a low price.
On Craigslist, you're up against people like me. For the last year or so I've made a hobby of buying, cleaning up, repairing and reselling saws. I have an app on my smartphone that dings me within half an hour when a new chainsaw listing appears that fits my search criteria, and I've gotten pretty good at assessing condition and value on the basis of the sellers' bad cell phone pictures. The vast majority of saws listed on Craigslist are overpriced. It's a race to get to the few that aren't. I'm quite mechanically inclined, and have gotten good at spotting a lot of mechanical problems, and have also developed a sense of how much those problems will cost to fix. There are others like me in my city, so I feel lucky when I get there first.
I've gotten a bunch of very good deals over the last year, but only two of them were on saws that were mechanically near-perfect. The rest were on saws that needed varying amounts of work. So if my record is any guide, and if you're looking for a saw that doesn't need any immediate repairs, then you'll be able to buy one about every 6 months. The easier-to-find deals will be for saws that are broken but require only minor repairs that the seller either doesn't understand or doesn't want to deal with.
If you aren't prepared to work on saws yourself, you're probably better off paying for new or for a saw reconditioned by someone reputable, rather than spending your time bargain hunting.
On eBay you're bidding against a national market, so you're not going to get a great deal unless you are lucky enough to be the first to find an item listed Buy-It-Now for a low price.
On Craigslist, you're up against people like me. For the last year or so I've made a hobby of buying, cleaning up, repairing and reselling saws. I have an app on my smartphone that dings me within half an hour when a new chainsaw listing appears that fits my search criteria, and I've gotten pretty good at assessing condition and value on the basis of the sellers' bad cell phone pictures. The vast majority of saws listed on Craigslist are overpriced. It's a race to get to the few that aren't. I'm quite mechanically inclined, and have gotten good at spotting a lot of mechanical problems, and have also developed a sense of how much those problems will cost to fix. There are others like me in my city, so I feel lucky when I get there first.
I've gotten a bunch of very good deals over the last year, but only two of them were on saws that were mechanically near-perfect. The rest were on saws that needed varying amounts of work. So if my record is any guide, and if you're looking for a saw that doesn't need any immediate repairs, then you'll be able to buy one about every 6 months. The easier-to-find deals will be for saws that are broken but require only minor repairs that the seller either doesn't understand or doesn't want to deal with.
If you aren't prepared to work on saws yourself, you're probably better off paying for new or for a saw reconditioned by someone reputable, rather than spending your time bargain hunting.
Ram 1500 with an axe...
Minister of Fire
I figured ebay was kind of a wash because of the competition on top of shipping costs further negating any savings. But it's funny you mentioned your hobby because I did notice quite of few guys that seemed to be flipping saws on craigslist. Guys flipping saws and pawnshop sales make up most of the listings around me. I'm not in a huge rush to purchase so I will likely continue looking for a while, but in the end if I have to bite the bullet and buy new it won't be the end of the world. Thanks for the advice.
On a side note I should probably hit up some garage sales this spring, you never know
On a side note I should probably hit up some garage sales this spring, you never know
jatoxico
Minister of Fire
I bought a reconditioned husky but you're right, the 450+ series saws are not very steeply discounted. There are some folks here and elsewhere that sell saws. Can't speak from experience but they have good reputations around here as stand up guys from what I understand. Maybe that's the way to go.
Jon1270
Minister of Fire
Probably worth mentioning that the good deals I've gotten were almost all on professional models rather than popular consumer models like the 455. I can't help but wonder whether there's more competition for homeowner-grade saws than for pro saws, because more people are familiar with them. I've bought a 260, 034 Super, 036, 036 Pro, 361 and even an 064, each for much less than the prices typically asked for a 290 or 455. It really helps to have a familiarity with the product lines and model numbers of saws that are no longer on store shelves.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
You beat me to it. There's not much discounting a 290 or 455. The folks selling those saws look at the prices fetched by used PRO saws, and don't realize that what they have isn't the same thing. So, they're out there asking the same price as a used MS36x or 036 Pro for their homeowner saw.
If you're looking at homeowner / ranch saws, just buy new. It's usually only the pro models where there's enough difference between used and new pricing to make it worth dealing with used equipment.
But it's funny you mentioned your hobby because I did notice quite of few guys that seemed to be flipping saws on craigslist. Guys flipping saws and pawnshop sales make up most of the listings around me. On a side note I should probably hit up some garage sales this spring, you never know
There's a lot flipping of just about everything around here on Craigslist. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It seems around here the better stuff is being sold on CL rather than yard sales. For the most part we've gave up on going to yard sales.
OT: With the exception of yesterday as far as yard sales. We were driving to the local seed supplier and there sat a Apple Mac tower, the big silver aluminum one, on a table at a yard sale, well that had to be checked out. It was a G5 Dual Processor, a later model G5, but we couldn't turn it down for $40. Clean as whistle and had a power cord, KB and Mouse. Hooked up a flat panel monitor up to it and away she went, sounds like a wind tunnel though with it's big dual fans.
Mike Fromme
Burning Hunk
I watch cl for good deals on anything. The best deals are found during the 'offseason.' Snowblowers in August or chainsaws during mud season.
This year I picked up a 346xp and a stihl 044 from different sellers for $100 each... Two of the best pro grade saws ever made for half the cost of a throw away box store saw.
This year I picked up a 346xp and a stihl 044 from different sellers for $100 each... Two of the best pro grade saws ever made for half the cost of a throw away box store saw.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Wow! I gotta start watching CL better! 044's go $400 - $500 in saw shops around here... when you can find one.
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
One of my buddies just told me he is selling his 360 w/ 20" bar, needs rebuilt. I might just have to buy that and rebuild it depending on the price. My CAD has me looking for a 250/260 but I might not be able to turn this down. I've been looking on CL without much luck
I didn't even consider that maybe I was looking for the wrong saws to get a solid discount on. I plan to give a look at the pro saws. To be honest I don't really know the difference between the farm/ranch and pro saws so it looks like I haven't done my homework
That is a nice deal. I'm a huge mac guy (on my 2009 MBP right now). The G5 is a solid set up, a little bit outdated but they still look great and macs always seem to perform far after they are outdated. For $40 you couldn't go wrong.
Jon1270
Minister of Fire
Generally the models targeted at professionals have higher power:weight ratios, are designed for easy repair (rather than easy factory assembly), better anti-vibration, and are often more durable, i.e. they're meant to be used a lot and to be repaired when they break. Lower-end saws are designed for less-frequent use and to be relatively disposable. That's not to say there aren't excellent non-pro saws, because there are.
Some shorthand tricks to know what you're looking at:
With Stihl if the third digit of the model number (older saws) or the second digit (newer saws) is an even number, or if the handle is white then it's generally a professional-grade saw. Odd numbers in those positions low to mid-grade saws.
With Husqvarna, the pro models have XP tacked onto the end of the model number, but it's also worth noting that the differences between Husky's pro and non-pro saws are sometimes (not always) pretty small.
Some shorthand tricks to know what you're looking at:
With Stihl if the third digit of the model number (older saws) or the second digit (newer saws) is an even number, or if the handle is white then it's generally a professional-grade saw. Odd numbers in those positions low to mid-grade saws.
With Husqvarna, the pro models have XP tacked onto the end of the model number, but it's also worth noting that the differences between Husky's pro and non-pro saws are sometimes (not always) pretty small.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Won't even comment on Husqvarna, but with Stihl the distinction is simple and clear:
Pro saw = vertically split case
Farm & ranch or homeowner saw = clamshell case
This is the only consistent distinction I know, as I believe they've broken their even numbering "rule" on some models, and there's more than one example of them not following the white handle = pro saw rule in the past.
Why would you (a homeowner) want to own a pro grade saw? In reality, a farm/ranch saw will probably outlive any firewood cutter. The reason I bought pro saws is only one: power to weight ratio. Check the power to weight ratio on the 064, and try to find anything even CLOSE in a farm/ranch saw. Not going to happen.
Other reasons (read "excuses") are resale value, ease of repair, etc. IMO, people use these excuses to justify their purchase, but I suspect the instances where any of those factors really pays off are few and far between.
I am one of those guys that buys nothing but used saws. Sometimes the magnesium cases need welding from a crack or a piece broken out and I can repair that. I like working on them and I like buying them cheap. The only saw I bought new was one of my first saws and that was a 455 rancher. I did not even get a full tank thru it before I tore it completely apart to modify it a little. It is part of the hobby for me. I have never sold a saw by the way, what I buy I usually keep so I am not a saw flipper.
Chicken Farmer
Burning Hunk
I recently bought a new Stihl 660 Mag. I had been watching CL and the local saws shops (I am fortunate to have several really nice old school saw shops close). What I found was that even if a large saw came up for sale, it was either trashed or the seller wanted a premium. I finally made the decision to spend the money on a new saw. One of the saw shops had a previous year model left over 660. I got the saw, the 36" bar, and 3 chains out the door for $1000. Judging from the other prices I had seen, and the used prices for large saws, or the cost to refurbish an older big bore saw, I couldn't see not buying the new saw. I've also had good luck with used units. I picked up my 034 from the same saw shop several years ago. It has been a very good saw. I guess my suggestion is to determine what exactly you need in a saw and consider cost of new versus used/refurb. For me, it made sense to buy the new big saw and it also made sense to pick up the used 034. I had Pro-Mac 10-10 for years but it was getting tired. I am currently mid rebuild on a 440 mag. I picked it up cheap, so it makes sense to absorb the cost of rebuild for that saw.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I lucked out with my 064. Happened to stop at the saw shop on the right day, when someone dropped it off. An older saw for sure, but pretty clean, and what appears to be very low overall hours. The shop had already started pulling it apart for their obligatory cleaning, filters, plug, tuning, etc. I bought it for $500 with three RS chains, and brandy new Tsumura Total 28" sprocket tip bar, and a 3-month warranty. Not a steal, but definitely a good price for an 85cc pro saw that will last me many years.
My 036 Pro was a similarly fair price, but not a steal. I paid $400 for what was supposed to be an "almost never even used" saw, from a seller on ebay with long history and 100% feedback. When I received it, I found the saw itself was indeed brand-spankin' new, almost looked like NOS. But the bar and chains were completely trashed. Talked with the seller, who told me it was used only once, but that was for cutting roots of a stump out of the ground. I told him it needed a new bar and chains, and he refunded me $100, so I was $300 into the saw. I threw a new 20" Windsor Speed Tip bar on the saw, I picked up cheap, and I already had miles of 20" RS chains, so I was good to go. Essentially new 036 Pro for less than half the cost of a new MS362.
My 036 Pro was a similarly fair price, but not a steal. I paid $400 for what was supposed to be an "almost never even used" saw, from a seller on ebay with long history and 100% feedback. When I received it, I found the saw itself was indeed brand-spankin' new, almost looked like NOS. But the bar and chains were completely trashed. Talked with the seller, who told me it was used only once, but that was for cutting roots of a stump out of the ground. I told him it needed a new bar and chains, and he refunded me $100, so I was $300 into the saw. I threw a new 20" Windsor Speed Tip bar on the saw, I picked up cheap, and I already had miles of 20" RS chains, so I was good to go. Essentially new 036 Pro for less than half the cost of a new MS362.
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A couple of years ago, I bought a Stihl Farm Boss with 20" bar for $300 with a case and Stihl hard hat. The saw looked almost new, and has run great.
Same year I picked up a Stihl back pack blower for $150. It looked well used, and needed a couple of plastic tube parts, but it has run great since I bought it.
Both of these were from CL.
Same year I picked up a Stihl back pack blower for $150. It looked well used, and needed a couple of plastic tube parts, but it has run great since I bought it.
Both of these were from CL.
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
You are right, it hasn't.
There are deals to be had, but you have to be patient and not overpay. A lot of folks think their saw is comparable to new but is beat up. You can find a few that are low hours, well maintained for a good price. I have seen a few good deals on CL and ebay, but you have to look and look and look......
Most of the time, but every once in a while you will find a deal. I saw an 066 on Ebay for $500 and all looked well. The only reason I didn't buy it is because I snagged one off of CL for $400 the day before.
Because a member of this forum named Joful told me how great his 064 was compared to my 290, and he was right
The 066 stretched it's legs this weekend, WOW what a saw. I have relegated the 290 to limbing and small tree work (under 14") with a 16" bar. The big boy will handle all the hard work from now on.
D8Chumley
Minister of Fire
My buddy has an 066 w/36" bar in his arsenal. I ran it for a few minutes when we were cutting up a big ash in my yard 2 yrs ago. That thing is a beast, like a boat motor with a chain and bar on it!
bobdog2o02
Minister of Fire
066 is a big boy saw. I'm not familiar with stihl products but a 92 CC saw will definitely do WORK.
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