ebay & chainsaws...newbie question

[TwoTurboVolvos]

I've been looking at saws on ebay...then a thought came to mind...How hard is it to "fraud" a saw? I mean, is it possible to put an 038 Magnum cosmetics on an 029 saw and sell it as such? How hard is it to do so? Are the plastics/covers all compatable?
Ron

 

[Lawn Masters]

on a Stihl, to find out if it is really the model claimed to be, request a serial number, typically, they will contain Stihl's unique 4 digit model code that is assigned to specific series saws. I must look, but there is someone on another forum with a list of which code is what series saw.

 

[Lakeside53]

on a Stihl, to find out if it is really the model claimed to be, request a serial number, typically, they will contain Stihl's unique 4 digit model code that is assigned to specific series saws. I must look, but there is someone on another forum with a list of which code is what series saw.

Sorry, serial numbers don't contain model specific information. If you have the entire serial number you can email stihl and ask them to look it up, or, maybe a dealer can do it if it's been registered in the USA.

I believe the original question is most likely "029 dressed up to look like an 039" (038 is an entirely different saw). Very easy to do as both saws look physically the same (just change the top tag on the units prior to decomp valve) and very hard to detect without looking at model specific details like the diameter of the bore.

Sometimes the current owner (or ebay reseller, or pawn shop) will make an honest mistake - he may have bought it as an 039 but the prior owner has broken the handle and changed it for one from an 029. Same in reverse - I've seen more than one '029" that was actually an 039 with 029 handle/tag. I got caught when buying an 075 that turned out to be an 051. I've even bought a few things on ebay that were labled wrong, but I knew that and the seller didn't.....

 

[tek9tim]

Yeah, it's nice to get to know all the little differences between saws that might could get mixed up. Sometimes age makes that a little more difficult though. I'd say that you should very well know the model that you are looking at before you try buying it on ebay.

Oh yeah, hate to admit it, but I like your Volvos there... I used to drive a 145.

 

[SmokinDodge]

You might shop/study a little on this site before buying. If I had I would have made different purchases than what I did. There's always the line of " bought at an estate/ got from a little old man/ used for two tanks of gas/ no I don't have better pictures."

Some ebay buys are good, some not. Just do the research to find the value of the saw. What are you looking for?

my .02

 

[Lawn Masters]

Sorry, serial numbers don't contain model specific information. If you have the entire serial number you can email stihl and ask them to look it up, or, maybe a dealer can do it if it's been registered in the USA.

I must have been thinking part numbers then. I know it was something on Stihls products. was tired, so mistakes can happen. sorry for the wrong info. probably the cyl would have numbers on it that indicate what family it really belongs to.

 

[havvey]

ebay

check the sellers feedback should give you an idea of how he does buisness.

 

[SawTroll]

I must have been thinking part numbers then ....

You obviously did.

The first four digits in the part number (apparent on major parts) tell you which series the part originates from, not necessarily exactly which model.

Atached is the "key" to the (about) pre 2001 saws.

 

[West Texas]

As mentioned, check sellers feedback rating and read the comments. And if there is on'y 'one' picture, beware! The more pictures the better chance of a positive ID an getting a good feel for the condition of the saw. Is the chain guard cover 'repainted' ? Are different pieces of the red plastic different colors,ie from different saws. I always look at the exhaust/black smoke marks on the front and top right of the saw? How does the bottom of the saw look? Paint all gone or pretty much there?

I've bought about 15 or 20 saws on ebay over the past several years and only got really taken on one; said it starts, runs and idles and it did not, it was a parts saw. On a couple of others it has been border line; but, I keep extra jugs and pistons on hand and rebuilt them.

Ebay is a mixed blessing. You can sometimes steal a saw that is in super condition "IF" they have listed it wrong and no one else seems to find the listing. You can easily pay more than a saw is worth unless you know what used saws are worth. And you can't see, start or run them, so there is always an element of risk. That's what ebay is all about.

Tom

 

[Full Skip]

I just bought an old Homelite off there that didn't have a single screw holding it together when I unpacked it. It fell into three pieces. Not a single mention of this in the item description. It was pictured assembled. The thing just needs a carb kit, so everything is fine in the end.

The seller's excuse was that she "didn't know anything about chainsaws":biggrinbounce2:

How about screws? Do you understand what a screw is and what happens when they are missing?

There are some real clowns on Ebay, so looking very, very carefully is always good advice.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I believe the original question is most likely "029 dressed up to look like an 039" (038 is an entirely different saw). Very easy to do as both saws look physically the same (just change the top tag on the units prior to decomp valve) and very hard to detect without looking at model specific details like the diameter of the bore.

Sometimes the current owner (or ebay reseller, or pawn shop) will make an honest mistake - he may have bought it as an 039 but the prior owner has broken the handle and changed it for one from an 029. Same in reverse - I've seen more than one '029" that was actually an 039 with 029 handle/tag. I got caught when buying an 075 that turned out to be an 051. I've even bought a few things on ebay that were labled wrong, but I knew that and the seller didn't.....

I bought an 029 labeled as an 039. And, as you point out, I don't know if the seller knew or not. He may have made a mistake, he may not have known, he may have been a crook. I dunno.

I DO know I'll never buy a saw on eBay again, unless I know the seller.

 

[TwoTurboVolvos]

Thanks for the input guys! I have been getting a bit more familiar with saws, what to look for and such...I'm in the market for a "bigger" saw than my Echo cs5000...Yesterday I shy'd away from the 20"-26" logs because I knew it was too much for the Echo...and I don't want to do that ANYMORE! Just got back from the Stihl dealer and got a lead on a twice used MS361...We'll see how that plays out though...
Thanks again,
Ron
Oh,
I drive the blue 245T, and the wife drives the white 245T.

 

[havvey]

Big Saw

LOOK AT THE 80 90 CC CLASS YOU WONT REGRET IT OR REALLY ROCK THE BOAT STIHL 090 MAC 125 OR HUSKY 3120:jawdrop:

 

[JimL]

Ive seen 046's sell as 066's at other shops.....

 

[West Texas]

I have two 'modified' 361's and love them both. I think they are great saws. And that is always qualified by saying they are 'great for my use.'

 

[DougNH]

Newbie + Ebay = Ripoff

 

[TwoTurboVolvos]

Newbie + Ebay = Ripoff

Excellent! Love it...

 

[mackie]

ebay can go both ways. its a good place to find bigger saws cause around here the only used saws in the classified are dinky homeowner saws. the first saw i bought on ebay was a p.o.s. hva 45 that wasnt even properly assembled. by the time i had it running, i couldve bought a new 55. finally threw that 45 down the hill and never retrieved it-one of these days i will go down and get the bar and chain at least.

the best saw i ever got on ebay was a 394xp for $300. ive never done anythiing but run that saw. thought it was going to blow up last fall while milling, but it still runs great. i have rings for it for when it goes.

i was worried when i got my 090 on ebay that it could actually be an 070, but this site was very helpful in determining what to look for. thats a good saw, but it was plain wore out when i got it. i couldve had a new 3120 with all the money ive put into that old stihl.

but i never learn, last month i got taken on a used 372xp for $420, (total including shipping) which based on this site is probably too much to pay on ebay.

if i have learned anything, make the seller remove the muffler so you can get an idea what kind of condition the cylinder and rings are in. information is the only thing that can keep you from getting ripped off. also the completed items search on ebay can give u an idea of what comparable items have been selling for. good luck.