Another EBAY Saw - pretty good? Rip-Off?? Comments please.

[Greenthorn]

My neighbor, who I'll call Jim - yes this is his name, bought this saw off of ebay, brought over to me because he was having problems getting the air filter cover on and asked for some help. First look and I saw a screw-cap oil plug and a tool less gas cap. I said is it a parts saw?-(my mistake) He wanted to know why I ask? Need I say anymore...I think he paid too much for a saw (around $300)that was pieced together. Now I will have to admitt, I am not the brightest bulb setting on a three way switch, but is there anyway to tell by serial numbers on the parts of this saw if they are all original? I surely did not know off Stihl making a screw oil and tool less gas cap combo. I told him to email seller and ask if he replaced gas tank - seller email back, and this is an exact quote.

"Wow, you know I would think that having a tooless gas cap would be a
benefit..Since I bought that cap from a dealer, after I lost the one that
came with it...Didnt really think that someone would come to that conclusion
of a new tank being put on(which I am sure it hasent)"

I told Jim if he's happy with the saw what does it matter - I did not tell him he paid too much - I do think he did though. After I showed him the same exact saw I bought at a yard sale...I did not have the heart to tell him what I paid for it. Which by the way I now have running! Yipp-ayh!

So what do you all think, should Jim pursue this interogation from the seller.
If anybody know if there is a site that lists serial numbers with saw, please let me know. Thanks. Oh and by the way, the saw he got runs just as good as mine.
Jay

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

The caps are not interchangeable. You can't just go to the dealer and buy a new cap to put on an old style tank. An old tank takes the old, screw-in caps. A new tank tank takes the flip-up caps. Now, changing a tank doesn't mean that it's automatically a parts saw. It may have just been a broken handle or a cracked tank and it was swapped out. But likely yes, on ebay, it's a rebuilt saw.

I say to Jim to just let it go. It sounds like the seller is either a liar or is clueless or both. Jim just sounds like he has no idea about saws. Trying to dispute all of this would just be a nightmare. If it runs, and Jim is happy, let him be happy. Jim is what makes ebay a seller's market.

Have I asked you yet where in IN you're from? I'm from Leavenworth, and then Plymouth.

Jeff

 

[Fish]

Post the link to the e-bay auction so we can see it.

 

[Greenthorn]

Have to ask him ebay page, I think he got last week and it is a 260 pro.
I'm in Toyota country - Near Princeton Indiana.
I will get pictures and more info on saw later. Had to edit..I spelled Toyota wrong!

 

[tek9tim]

Yeah, like Jeff said, it could just have been replaced due to breakage. Of course you can't get the old style tanks from dealers anymore (ok, I'm just assuming this. Any saw that I've seen get the tank replaced on came back with the new style cap) So it could be legitimate. But his story is about as real as pro wrestling. Unless the tank had been replaced before he owned it...

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

...is about as real as pro wrestling.

Huh? You mean....it's not....real?

 

[Greenthorn]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150067553927&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:11

 

[SawTroll]

At least he "gained" .3 hp over the 3.2 hp advertised in the auction, by getting an older saw......:taped:

Anyway, the pic of the underside of the saw should have told him that it had seen a fair amount or use (or skidding around).

...and the seller did state that it was an 026 (not a 260), so he probably covered himsef pretty good.....:bang: :bang: :bang:

 

[TimberPig]

If the saw is really as clean as it looks in the pictures, I'd say the tank has simply been replaced. It doesn't look like too bad of a unit from what the pictures show. $300 is a bit high, but that's the risk you take with eBay.

The seller seems like he's a bit of a doofus and doesn't really understand saws too well, but I wouldn't say he ripped your friend off.

Since Jim is happy and the saw seems to run well, I'd let it go. He chose to bid that high and got a functional running saw, which is about as good as you can do on eBay most of the time.

 

[RiverRat2]

If its got good compression, oils good, runs good, and dont leak,,,, with the new bar and chain, he did not get hurt, @ least it is a pro style saw,,,, maybe he did not get a good a deal as you did,,, but it looks like a decent saw for 275 total,,,, better than payin 375 for an ms290 or 400 + tax for a 310 with lots of plastic,,,,,

just my .o2

 

[SawTroll]

...The seller seems like he's a bit of a doofus and doesn't really understand saws too well, but I wouldn't say he ripped your friend off.
.....

I agree!

 

[motosierra]

Stick it in the wood and see if it cuts....

 

[Greenthorn]

Yes I agree, the saw does scream, so I don't think I would be that worried about it, one thing I did see in auction ad was stated "tool less oil and gas caps", so really he could send it back if he wanted, but I don't think I would after running it myself - it sounded and cut good in IMO. Stihl I would like to find out... is there any way a person can look up serial numbers to id parts and products, any help would be appreciated.

 

[gasman]

I'd vote for letting sleeping dogs lie. Sounds like its as good as you would hope for from ebay. Curiosity killed the cat.

 

[oldsaw]

My 066 is kind of a mutt, but it flat out cuts. Run it hard for going on 4 years, mostly milling until recently. Don't knock a mutt if someone did it right. If they didn't do it right, well, different story.

Your buddy didn't get a "deal", but seems like a nice saw.

Mark