Trading in saw question

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
DanManofStihl

DanManofStihl

ArboristSite Guru
Joined
Jul 21, 2004
Messages
800
Location
Virginia
I would defiently go for it if you only have to come up with $250.00 I have been pretty happy with my 361. I have had it for about 2 years and it has never let me down even though it always takes 6 pulls to get it started from cold. If I were you I would go back and get that saw and make it quick.
 
trek5900

trek5900

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
71
Location
Southwestern Indiana
Follow up to trade in.

My question to the dealer had been how much difference do you want. When I took my MS 270 in yesterday for him to look at he said oh I meant $250 credit for your saw.

No, there was not an exchange of angry words. I own my own business and know how easy it is for misunderstandings.

Here is the deal he offered. My saw plus $350 + 7 % sales tax. That would come out to about $375.

The MS 270 I might trade in has 2 chains and a Stihl case. The bar and both chains are in good shape. It is two years old with light use. It looks good.

The 361 he has - has a 20 inch bar. The retail price he is asking is $610.

If I were to say ok to your deal plus an extra chain and I keep my case, would that be a fair deal?

Thanks to all who responded. I do value your input. I am very well aware he has to make a profit or he isn't going to be around long. But I don't want to taken advantage of either.
 
Banshee

Banshee

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
1,584
Location
Indiana
I think 250 is a fair trade in on your saw. Keeping your case and getting an extra chain sounds fair too.
I do it.

I notice your just down the road from my home town of Petersburg Ind.
I would have graduated in 89 from Pike County HS if I hadn't move.
Great little area of the state you live in.
 
litefoot

litefoot

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Messages
2,402
Location
American West
I think if you want the 361, it's still a fair deal. You might get a little more selling it outright, but then the dealer's saving you from going through the hassle. But this clearly isn't the smoking deal it was. The 270 is a pretty good saw in it's own right. I might just keep it and find a used bigger saw for the $350. For the same money, you'd have 2 saws.
 
the westspartan

the westspartan

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
1,116
Location
Western New York
Still not a bad deal. But keeping the 270 is what I would probably do, and save my money for another saw. My only question is; where are you guys finding used 066/660 for $350? I spent a few months waiting for a deal like that on a big saw and finally broke down and bought a new 441 because the dealer made me a deal I couldn't refuse ($740) with a 25" bar.
 
Banshee

Banshee

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Apr 10, 2008
Messages
1,584
Location
Indiana
I guess saws are more expensive on the east coast. I got my 066 for 350 with extra new chain.

Sometimes you see good deals on here. I myself like to call dealers looking for tradeins.
So far this method has landed me a Husky 350 for 200, a 261 for 260, a 372 for 350, a 7900 for 375, an 044 for 300 and I found my 395xp for 400 on a dealer billboard. I found my 3120 on Craiglist.
I've gotten burned this way. I had to rebuilt my 372xp a few months after I got it, so I have 450 in it now, but it's was almost new looking.
And my 261 was junk, but the dealer replaced the carb and tuned it up for free.

Dealers are out there, but you have to find them. Like I mention call dealers leave your name and number with what your looking for. Put an ad in the "wanted" section of Craiglist.


Good luck.

BTW I do know were a 288 xp is, but I didn't look at it that close and it was fair shape. The orange had gotten dark too, (what makes a Husky do that?). I don't know what they wanted for it. I can check it out for you or anyone interested and give out their number.
 
Last edited:
DougNH

DougNH

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
477
Location
New England
If you already have a 460 and a 170, you have basically have four choices:

1) Trade in the 270 on the 361 (or sell the 270 yourself)
2) Keep the 270 and buy the 361 outright, but maybe not this week
3) Get something all-orange or red
4) Do nothing

Already having the bigger saw makes the decision less than urgent. My advice: crack open a frosty one and watch some football. (The Stihl dealer is closed today.) When you are least expecting it, a new one that you can't resist will fall into your truck. If you have to ponder and think about it.... probably not the right one.
 
Last edited:
the westspartan

the westspartan

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
1,116
Location
Western New York
If you already have a 460 and a 170, you have basically have four choices:

1) Trade in the 270 on the 361 (or sell the 270 yourself)
2) Keep the 270 and buy the 361 outright, but maybe not this week
3) Get something all-orange or red
4) Do nothing

Already having the bigger saw makes the decision less than urgent. My advice: crack open a frosty one and watch some football. (The Stihl dealer is closed today.) When you are least expecting it, a new one that you can't resist will fall into your truck. If you have to ponder and think about it.... probably not the right one.

Best advice I have heard yet!
 
trek5900

trek5900

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
71
Location
Southwestern Indiana
I think DougNH and Westspartan are spot on. What made me ask about trading in the 270 in the first place is that I think the saw is doggy. Compared to the 170 and the 460 I think the 270 underperforms. For a small saw I think the 170 works great. The 460 is also a good performing saw. I reach for the 170 and the 460 way before the 270.

Maybe I need to take a closer look at the 270. It has an 18 inch bar which it came with. Maybe that is too much bar. Of the 3 saws I own the 270 is also the hardest to start. I don't feel that the throttle response is as quick as with the other two saws. I have not touched the carb maybe it needs adjusted. The air cleaner is clean and the chain is sharp. I have an Oregon bench grinder and don't have any difficulty keeping chain sharp. I have extra chain for all my saws. And I am using the same fuel in all the saws.

The wife said if you want it buy the 361. Money really isn't an issue. But just because I can doesn't mean I should.

Subjectively, compared to the other two saws that I own I don't like the 270. The 361 looks like a good replacement based on the threads on AS.

I will probably stay with Stihl because there are several dealers in the area. I drive past one on my way to work everyday. The only other nearby dealer is an Echo dealer.

Thanks again for your input. I appreciate it.
 
litefoot

litefoot

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Messages
2,402
Location
American West
I guess I didn't know you already had a 460 and 170. There's nothing wrong with your line-up. I'd stick with it. There's got to be something wrong with the 270. Your throttle response might be helped by the L side adjustment on the carb, and the performance in wood might be improved by adjusting the H side. There's great info to be had here on carb adjustment.

But it seems like the 270 would be the saw you most want to use because of the decent power and weight.
 
Messenger

Messenger

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Dec 14, 2008
Messages
151
Location
USA
Check Carb Adjustment /Tuning !!

I guess I didn't know you already had a 460 and 170. There's nothing wrong with your line-up. I'd stick with it. There's got to be something wrong with the 270. Your throttle response might be helped by the L side adjustment on the carb, and the performance in wood might be improved by adjusting the H side. There's great info to be had here on carb adjustment.

But it seems like the 270 would be the saw you most want to use because of the decent power and weight.

*****************************

I agree w/Litefoot. Something doesn't sound right w/your 270. They shouldn't be hard starting. Simple L / H adjusts could be a nice cure.
Investigate this.
Seems like you should be reaching for the 270 1st!
Regards.
 
trek5900

trek5900

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
71
Location
Southwestern Indiana
*****************************

I agree w/Litefoot. Something doesn't sound right w/your 270. They shouldn't be hard starting. Simple L / H adjusts could be a nice cure.
Investigate this.
Seems like you should be reaching for the 270 1st!
Regards.

I took your advise and yes it did make a difference. I don't know why I had put this off. It was far easier than I had imagined. I had already checked the spark arrestor, changed the cold weather - warm weather setting. changed the spark plug and cleaned the filter. A very small adjustment made a big difference.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
 

Latest posts

Top