394XP Value

[motoroilmccall]

Alright, I have a 394XP, fairly old, runs excellent, but looks like a mangy dog. The pull cord has worn into the starter cover, and the plastic handle is rough, but everything works except the kill switch (you just pull the choke to kill it). The rear handle is missing a plastic cover, and the safety for the throttle trigger (the part on top of the handle). I put on some new Pro Safety Felling Dawgs, which are huge! And it has a brand new OEM clutch cover, chain brake, and handle assembly from Bailey's. The piston and jug look perfect, but the jug doesn't seem to bite the muffler bolts, I don't know if they did from the factory (I would assume so), but you have to wedge something between them to loosen the bolts. The decomp works perfectly, the AV mounts are all good, it fires on the first pull usually when its warm, and it has gobs of power. Nothing on it has been modified at all that I can see. Whats it worth? I paid $300 for it when it wasn't even running, and put at least $120 into it, plus a bit of time pulling it all apart and checking everything. I'd really like an 066 instead, simply for the side chain adjuster. I have to pull this thing off the mill every time I need to adjust the chain. Its a great felling saw, or a stump saw, and it'll pull a 48" bar with authority.

So what do you guys think price wise ?

 

[B_Turner]

Yours must be a little extra strong to pull a 48 inch bar with authority.....

Have you tried a 90 degree screwdriver (or modified allen key) to adjust the chain while on the mill?

 

[motoroilmccall]

Well, it'll pull the 48 without bogging out completely if you don't force it, but yeah, she pulls good.

The problem is on the mill (its my neighbors actually, but I get him wood, he builds me furniture in return) there is a bracket just about directly in front of the adjuster screw, so without an elastic screw driver you have to pull the whole saw out (or at least back a few inches) to get access to it. What a PITA .

 

[kevin j]

can you modify the bracket, or cut an access hole through it?
Probably not or it would have been obvious.....

 

[Zodiac45]

Not sure I follow on the muffler bolts? But to answer your question, you could probably get your money back out of it. $420 is it? Unfortunately flea-bayers put allot of stock in apearance, so you'll lose a bit there. Might be better to list it on the trading post here? I'd like a 394xp myself for milling but at the moment, I got too many other lepers needing attention. (brake lines on the car, Just spent $400 on my truck doing a timing belt and ignition module, etc...)

 

[motoroilmccall]

The muffler bolts have a head end that sits in between cooling fins on the jug, then it goes through the gasket and the muffler, and nuts hold everything together. Well when you try to tighten the muffler nuts, the bolts spin, so you have to wedge a screwdriver in between the jug fin and the bolt head to keep it from rotating. Not a big deal, just something I figured I'd mention. I think I'll list it here for $450, then if it doesn't sell in a few weeks I'll post it on fleabay. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[B_Turner]

IMO invest the 10 bucks and 30 seconds to put in a new switch before you go to sell it.

 

[Boleclimber]

If the saw is clean, and simply missing the parts you state I think you could get 300-400 for the saw. If scratched and dirty with the parts your missing I think it will be hard to get over 400 unless you put it on fleabay. International buyers will bid higher than U.S. buyers as our dollar is week and we purchase our saws at a lower price than other countrys, particularly europe. Your feedback score has a huge influence on the amount others will bid. I have noticed sellers with less than 100 positive feedbacks usually receive bids 25% less than seasoned sellers.

There are a few factors effecting the price you will receive. A clean low use 394/395 will sell for 500-600, a smart shopper will spend the extra money with the thought of a longer service life. Thus if a few clean saws show up when you post expect a lower bid on yours.


Consider the amount of use you received from the saw and determine if top dollar is necessary for a sale. You may be better off to dump the saw for 250-300 and consider the use as a reward to your maintenance investment. Paying top dollar for a non-running saw, repairing it and selling it for profit or breaking even is a very tough proposition.

 

[motoroilmccall]

Well as I said, everything works, except the switch, it has a bunch of new parts on it. The P&C are perfect, look as good as a factory hone, and it runs like a beast.

So its missing half a sticker, and a working stop switch. No big deal. I barely ran the saw, mostly because it was such a PITA to use with the mill my neighbor has. Therefore it was only used for felling and bucking, unless I really had to mill something up. I got maybe 40hrs use out of it. If I can't sell it for at least what I have into it I will just keep it, build a new mill from scrap parts I have kicking around, and use it on that mill. But I'm just hoping somebody has a good use for it.