Buying Saws

[thompson1600]

Do you prefer to buy New saws or Used saws?

Just wondering what you guys do. New saws are nice but a used saw is cheaper. I like working on the saws too, so I guess I prefer to buy used.

Tom

 

[Lawn Masters]

I would like to be able to afford a new saw once in a while, but I usually buy them used. Just more fun to work on a saw and then see what you did right and wrong to me.

 

[tony marks]

im the same way.. but if i was in buisiness,where a dozen or more saws were going to be used exeryday.. id do the research and buy a known quality ,new.. id also find a dealer that made my work top priority,and pretty much let him keepum rite..

 

[chainsawworld]

i'll buy both. when i hear a saw out-cuts another saw i will try to get one to run my tests. one example was the shindiawa 488. someone said will by far out-cut the stihl 026. nice saw but not exactly true.
when a new saw hits the market i try to get my hands on it right away. one example of that was the husky 357. when i called i was asked how i heard about them. he said they have not even hit the market yet. i got one of the first and it had problems. the tank could not vent as fast as it burned off fuel. they added a vented gas cap. when working close to the ground, debris would get stuck in the vents on the cap and hold the vent open. gas would leak out through the ports.
the most important thing is spend within your limits.
no matter what you buy get some training and protect yourself. any saw will cut you.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Seems to me that it also might depend on the urgency. If you are real busy and need a saw ( provided that the funds are there ) then a new saw might be your best bet. On the other hand, good used saws seem to pop up when you least expect it. Sometimes it is a deal that you can't pass up!

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

Who the heck would buy a used saw? Yuck!

 

[Husky372]

i hate used equipment. your allways taking a risk your getting something someone else did'nt take care of.

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

I see great minds think alike. Now if some would only come here, we'd know what they think.

Seriously, for me buying a new tool gives great satisfaction, in addition to the things Brian mentioned. Used tools sounds like used underwear to me.

 

[rahtreelimbs]

Originally posted by Mike Maas
Who the heck would buy a used saw? Yuck!

The used saws that I am referring to are the exception saws. The few that I bought from Jeff S. were pre-owned but never put into wood. The saws were like new and have been running great. I definitely wouldn't buy some POS that looked like it was dragged behind a truck.

 

[glens]

I hear Rich is expert at buying saws, so his opinion carries more than average weight with me.

Glen

 

[sedanman]

Most of my saws were used when I got them. I only got burned bad once. The money I saved buying used more than made up for the piston I had to buy to fix the "great running" Sachs Dolmar 119 (which DOES run great.......................now)

 

[buckwheat]

This is a very thought provoking question... my experience with used saws is 50:50. The used saws that I should not have bought were procured when I didn't know any better. The used saws that I bought that have worked out were great deals that saved me hundreds of dollars had I purchased new.

My experience with new saws is the same. I bought an 029 because that is where the dealer steered me, not thinking that was where his best margin was. The saw worked fine, but it didn't take long to realize that it wasn't what I needed. My eBay special 3450 impresses me more everytime I use it, and I paid $100 less than what the box store is charging.

I think I gotta go with Rocky though. If I were making a living with my saws, I'd go new. As you get experienced, you get a feel for the good deals, whether new or used, but with new you have the warrantee to fall back on if things don't work out.

 

[a_lopa]

everything im my tree equipment except my 46 magnums are second hand, my harness,spurs i got from someone that used them once. new things i buy are rope,caribiners,chains,bars,stump teeth.the best thing about having been in trees a while is being able to spot a good buy.

 

[DaveCA]

Huge gloat here

Used saws are a risk OK.
here's a short story of my 028AV Super

 

[DaveCA]

Hmmm, what's this? bad news?

 

[DaveCA]

Oh my!!!
Maybe good news here.

 

[DaveCA]

nearly new

 

[DaveCA]

old stuff here

 

[DaveCA]

a little cleaning

 

[DaveCA]

a few dollars for this filter