ms260 pro - good price?

[adamhinkley]

Thought I would ask the experts, that is why I am making this post. A friend of mine is selling his used Stihl ms260 pro for $185. Saw runs good and is in decent shape. Just wanted to hear everyones thoughts on the price. Thanks from a saw rookie.

 

[Griffbm3]

Sounds Good to me

$185 sounds good, but you are buying a Pro Saw, was it used daily? You said it runs good, but how many pulls to start it? Is it tired? Are they a good friend? I would still pay it though, just being the cautious skeptic. Love my 026 Pro...

-Jason

 

[adkranger]

"Saw runs good and is in decent shape" If I read this as it starts easy, throttle response w/o skips/hesitations, doesn't die in wood and has all appropriate parts in a serviceable condition, then yeah, that's a good price. Are you looking to buy from your friend or just assisting him with info gathering?

My first owned Stihl was an estate auction item I picked up for $150 15 years ago(028super). Still have 'er today, best $150 I ever spent.

 

[adamhinkley]

The saw was used in a tree trimming business. I havent layed my hands on it yet so I can only go by what he tells me when he says it runs good. I will give it a test drive before I buy it. Thanks for your help. You guys are the experts that is why I am here.

 

[deezulsmoke]

if it has good compression and everything is in descent shape on the saw, that is a pretty good price considering a new one lists for around 480 bucks.

 

[windthrown]

Quotable...

"...<snip> doesn't die in woods...<snip>

I will drink to that...

Unfortunately a chainsaw can rarely be tested this way before the purchase is made. Also a good reason to buy new/barely used chainsaws. Pro models may be better as they may be better maintained rather than neglected, but they might also be abused. You have to ask yourlef, "Why would a pro outfit sell a pro saw that runs great?" Who knows who dumped bar oil in the gas tank and gas in the oil tank (done that myself, the Echo is the reverse order of Stihl, but at least I realized it before starting it up!) or messed with the carb or stripped some threads.

On the other hand, Stihls can be tempramental when they need some small adjustment, cleaning or a new plug. Echo tools seem (to me anyway) to be more tolerant of neglect. Stihls have some amazingly resiliant tools. Our Stihl weedeater/brushwacker is sooooo beaten up, but it still runs like a champ, day after day and season after season of use. When the mounts rattle apart or another head has worn through, or it will not idle right/max accelerate, and I think it is finally dead, my girlfriend takes it into the local Stihl dealer. It comes back with some new parts and some adjustments made and it works great again. I swear by that powertool. We have 105 acres to manage here... orchards and vineyards to mow, blackberry vines to destroy, brush to clear, trees to release. Years of use, some abuse and a lot of neglect and it keeps on mowing. :biggrinbounce2:

 

[adkranger]

"On the other hand, Stihls can be tempramental when they need some small adjustment, cleaning or a new plug. Echo tools seem (to me anyway) to be more tolerant of neglect."

Yeah, that must be why so many pros are running around with Echos.... not.:jester: It has been my experience to be quite opposite. I've got 25 year old Stihls that are still kicking and cutting a he11 of lot of wood every year with no more maintenance than an occaissional plug, changing filters, B/Cs... Show me an echo that'll put that much service in professional use. I'm not pooing on Echos, but from my experience you get what you pay for and I have yet to see one that I'd put against one of my Stihls or Huskys. That said, they produce a few quality saws particularly some of their top handles.

Some of the points about being leary of a used pro saw are valid, but the original poster did mention the seller as being a friend. I wouldn't think a "friend" would intentionally sell a friend a beat saw. Many pros eliminate saws from their arsenal once in awhile, usually to make room for new saws. My advice, check out the saw, run it, cut with it and if happy buy it. If it is indeed a friend I can't imagine he wouldn't let you run 'er. Good luck. If a decent saw, that's a decent price IMO.