New or used?

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I just purchased a used MS361 for $350 this afternoon, he posted it on CL and I was the first to catch it. Said he needed some funds for xmas, and decided to sell his more expensive saw. Its had 5 tanks of fuel ran through it, I would rate it 8.5 out of 10, (he rated it a 9.0), but I am pretty picky, scuff on the handle, the bottom is perfect. Should make me a good extra saw so I can give me 029 a rest every once in awhile. It has a 18" bar on it now, and I will probably go with a 20" like I have on my 029.

me thinks you have that backwards. i thought my echo was going to get a rest every now and then when i got the 361. the echo has hardly been used since!:cheers:
 
me thinks you have that backwards. i thought my echo was going to get a rest every now and then when i got the 361. the echo has hardly been used since!:cheers:

Yeah that might be true, it looks to be a little lighter and more power, heck I may never use that 029 again :(

Guess I better go edit my sig.
 
All my saws are used and I catch crap sometimes from a friend of mine. Saying I should have brought new. That I was buying someone else's problems.
I have had some problems, but over all my saws have been very reliable.
Plus I have around 3000 in all my saws. That's with extra chain, bars, and the cost of work in fixing my used saw problems.
I would have paid 5000 to 5500 had I brought all them new. So I've saved 2000 plus dollars.
I don't think I will ever buy a new saw. Just too many good used saws out there.
A another friend of mine just brought a new Husky 450. So I think this is going to be a good test of new or used.
So what's is everyone's view in this? New or used?
the 6 I have now were all used come to think of it never had a new one
 
Who sells a good runner?

Hi folks,
I will never sell a good runner.

But I shot a good 110i in the net.

http://g.imageshack.us/img246/mg2135bf0.jpg/1/

I get something like hunting fever by bidding for a parts saw on flee-bay.

As a commercial user I would only buy brand new equipment. (for the warranty and the tax savings).
Everyday a ignoramus gets up and sells a runner and this one you have to find.

One day I was the stupid and I shot a box of trash. The chance is less than 50%.
I bought my big saw new at the dealer.

Cheers
 
I usually buy new and try to keep them looking that way. In fact my husky 350 is still NIB. I dont like my guns or saws scratched.
 
I prefer to buy used because you can often buy a saw that was only used a handful of times for a fraction of what it would cost new.
I bought my CS-520 used for $300 and it doesnt even look like its been used. The bar has just some very light paint scuffs and there is almost no exhaust residue on the muffler.
If I had bought that saw from an Echo dealer, Id bet it would have cost me at least $450.
In the case of my 021, I traded a pizza over for it.
In both cases, no issues and I spent a lot less money than I would have if I had bought new.
Buying used is a risk, but as long as it looks to be in overall good shape, I dont think you have much to worry about.
If you are buying from Ebay, you have to make sure its from a reputable seller. If the seller doesnt have much feedback or if their rating isnt at least 99%, Id be very cautious.
Theres really no sense in buying new when theres plenty of good used saws on Ebay and Craigslist for a fraction of what a new saw would cost.
Not that theres anything wrong with buying new. At least that way you know the saw hasnt been abused, but no all of us can afford to go out and spend $500-$800 on a new saw.
 
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I'll buy either, most of the time if I get tired of waiting on a good used deal I'll just get mad and buy new but most of mine are used.

I have a friend that's the same way except that he can't afford to buy a pair of shoes new much less a saw so I'll just remind him that he's broke as hell and can't even pay attention which reminds me, he still owes me $200...
 
All my saws are used and I catch crap sometimes from a friend of mine. Saying I should have brought new. That I was buying someone else's problems.
I have had some problems, but over all my saws have been very reliable

I too have caught crap from a co-worker about buying used or using "those old dinosauar saws" (c'mon, a Husky L65 is not THAT old!). He wants to get a MS 361 in the worst way and also said buying new is better than buying used. But when I had problems with my brand new saw, I was told by a friend to go to the saw shop he goes to and bought a bigger used saw from there. And it has been very reliable. But the other 2 used saws I have bought, only one has been a good buy. I got a Husky 61 from a different co-worker that wouldn't fire. Turns out it had spark but no compression and a Jonsered top cover slapped on it and good 20" bar and chain for $30. But even after cylnder honeing and a new piston, it is still sucking too much air and has been sitting in pieces. The other one is a 288xp from ebay for $200 from a seller with a good feedback rating. It just needed a fuel line, carb kit and sparkplug. It needs some more carb adjustments and maybe a new recoil spring, but so far has been a good saw. I guess when you buy used, if you don't buy it from a trustworthy source, like a reputable shop, ask questions. But I will never buy another new saw from a big box store again. Only from a from a dealer where someone can anwser your questions, not point to the sales flyers.

Husqvarna: 137, 61 (in pieces-yet) L65, 288xp, 2100CD
McCulloch: Mac 2-10 (won't stay running-rainy day project)
 
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I'd go both ways if the new one was a bargain. I agree wholeheartedly with most posters who say they would buy new for work and used for fiddling with. I'd be upset if my saws weren't reliable and crapped out while cutting firewood but its pretty easy to get used ones back on their feet and as reliable as a new one so thats what I do.
 
I have both new and used, the new ones get used very little and the used ones get rebuilt and then used a lot. For example 2 Stihl 044`s and 2 MS 440`s plus a complete parts saw with a broken crank thrown in for good measure, paid 300 Cdn. for the lot. I kept a running total on the parts that I had to buy to rebuild the four running saws and that cost me another $466. I stripped each one down and replaced the bearings, seals and gaskets and whatever little pieces that seemed worn like oil pump drives and clutch springs. For a total of $766. I have four really good working saws and if my math is correct each one cost me $191.50. Now new MS 440`s cost around $1100. here and I own two new ones that I don`t run much. The used ones get run every chance I get to take them out. The picts were taken inside the shop on a dark rainy day so they are a little dark.
FD7A7A56.jpg


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CE7B2063.jpg
 
I prefer to buy used because you can often buy a saw that was only used a handful of times for a fraction of what it would cost new.
I bought my CS-520 used for $300 and it doesnt even look like its been used. The bar has just some very light paint scuffs and there is almost no exhaust residue on the muffler.
If I had bought that saw from an Echo dealer, Id bet it would have cost me at least $450.
In the case of my 021, I traded a pizza over for it.
In both cases, no issues and I spent a lot less money than I would have if I had bought new.
Buying used is a risk, but as long as it looks to be in overall good shape, I dont think you have much to worry about.
If you are buying from Ebay, you have to make sure its from a reputable seller. If the seller doesnt have much feedback or if their rating isnt at least 99%, Id be very cautious.
Theres really no sense in buying new when theres plenty of good used saws on Ebay and Craigslist for a fraction of what a new saw would cost.
Not that theres anything wrong with buying new. At least that way you know the saw hasnt been abused, but no all of us can afford to go out and spend $500-$800 on a new saw.

What kind of pizza did you trade?:greenchainsaw:
 
never bought a new saw , they look nice on the shelf ,plus i need to tinker with something and saws are a whole lot easier to hide from the wife when i bring them home
 
My 260 was new because I was new to saws. I had found AS already, but didn't trust myself to buy a first saw used because I didn't know about working on them. But after I got a little confidence on running and maintaining the 260, I wanted a bigger saw and could not afford a new 440, so used was the way for me...actually it turned out to be a rebuild on a 044. From now on, I think it'll be used saws. Especially cause I only cut firewood. As others have already mentioned, if I earned my living with a saw, it would be new.

Kevin
 

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