394xp vs 395xp in 2025

[6bt]

Hi all, bought my first husky over the weekend. A 1990 288xp. Seems to be a real strong old saw. One of my next purchases will be a 95 cc husky. Locally there's a pretty clean 394xp for $550. Is there any reason I shouldn't snag it, or should I just hold out for a 395xp with better parts availability? It looks like a 395 top end could be thrown on a 394 with the correct parts?

I realize there are more modern designs but I like the 80s-2000s saws.

I'm just a hobbyist/collector/firewood guy.

 

[fleethirte]

There is older thread that discusses the differences between them.
But I would say a good 394 for 500$ seems like a good deal

 

[Bob Hedgecutter]

Depends on the previous life lead by the 394, if it is a bare powerhead or comes with bars and chains, its intended use and amount of use by yourself once bought.
If it is well used, just the powerhead and you need it for a LOT of big timber cutting- 395 is where I would be looking as they are still being made in some parts of the World- so still a current model.
If the 394 is pristine, comes with a couple of big bars, several chains and will see occasional use by yourself, but smaller saws will do the bulk of the work and you have a spare $500- maybe its a good buy.

 

[TBurt2168]

394’s are plenty of fun to run eat anything you throw at it Recently rebuilt a few never had trouble finding parts for them online or from my local dealer. Cylinders and carbs can be troublesome to find but most everything else wasn’t a problem. If it fires up and runs with good compression 500$ isn’t a bad price seen a few beat up units go for over 700$ in my area recently . I’ve basically stopped using my 3120 on my mill to use a 394 because of how much lighter it is.

 

[Jason Pitcher]

Parts for the 394 are hard to find. Learned that the hard way. However you could convert it to a 395 later on.