Price for little used Stihl 361?

[HermitJohn]

I have an email friend who couple or three years ago bought this saw brand spankin new. It proved to be too much saw for her. She had difficulty starting it just because of her limited strength. She gave it to her dad who didnt use it more than year or so. He recently died. She needs money and is wanting to sell it.

I found dealer ad online that said this lists currently at $849 and is on sale through end of year for $649 at this particular dealer.

Looked at completed auctions on ebay for it and 361 in good condition seems to sell regularly for $300 to $400. With few lower, few higher.

Its a 59cc saw so around 3.6 cubic inch. Average size firewood saw. I think dealer really guilded lily when he sold it to her, she paid well over $1000 but that did include both a 20 inch bar/chain and a 25 inch bar/chain. She said she bought it cause it was the biggest Stihl she thought she could handle. But just cause she may have overpaid doesnt affect what she can sell it for.

So whats it realistically worth? Has relatively few hours of use but looks more used than it is. Apparently her nephew helped her dad with wood and wasnt too careful and got it scraped up some.

[Darren]

I've got one about the same age. It replaced an 066 which was a PITA to lug around even with a 24" bar much less a 36". FWIW, I was told the 361 was the smallest so-called professional grade Stihl. The 361 is an outstanding performer with a skip chain. That is probably the combination I would recommend to anyone who knows how to use a chainsaw safely meaning how to avoid kickback and wants to cut fast and save time on chain sharpening. It beats the 066 I had for all around utility.

The $300 to $400 range is about right with closer to $400 for the usage you've described.

[arcticow]

I believe she can get at least $450 for it if she's not in a hurry, probly worth another hundred. Wish I had th' money...

[Stephen in SOKY]

The 361 is rumored to cure cancer and erectile dysfunction on Arboristsite. You realize there are no more 361 to be had? They're now the 362 with greatly restricted mufflers and subsequently far less power for the cc. Thanks EPA. I think with the use you've described it's more in the $500+ range.

[DJ in WA]

In Feb 2009, I paid $680 plus tax, for a new one. Came with a 24" bar and extra chain and a few other goodies. Per owners manual, engine reaches maximum power after 5 to 15 fuel tank fillings, so the one you're looking at might not even be broke in yet. Hopefully they're using good, fresh fuel.

The only negative is it can be harder to start - the 032 took two pulls - this can take 4 or 5.

My only regret is that I didn't get it sooner. I had been using our 032 for many years and thought it was a pretty good saw until I ran this one. Most power for the weight. Can't slow it down on big pine, and can still throw it around limbing, etc, as my boy demonstrated last spring:

[Forerunner]

There is definitely something to the older version being more reliable, i.e. pre-environmentalism crap.
I've always been one, if a friend approached me with a need and a quality product, to open my wallet a little further for both the friendship and the knowing of was I was buying.

[Cannon_Farms]

we prefer the husqvarnas and mainly what we have. we bought every chainsaw possible on the way to Katrina clean up new and used and the used older stihl seemed to do better than the newer saws, we came back with every husqvarna and all the old stihls some one was probably happy we dumped quite a few saws when they quit working and their was not allot of time to play repair man, not to mention very many spare parts laying around

[HermitJohn]

Originally Posted by Forerunner

There is definitely something to the older version being more reliable, i.e. pre-environmentalism crap.
I've always been one, if a friend approached me with a need and a quality product, to open my wallet a little further for both the friendship and the knowing of was I was buying.

You misunderstand, I am not looking to buy her saw, I am just trying to give her a realistic view of its worth so she doesnt get cheated. People have been trying to tell her $200 and thats BS. I'd give her $250 and I dont want it or need it. From selling price on ebay and what people here have said, I'm thinking $400 is fair and should be doable. She's a very nice person and far too generous and I'm afraid she will cheat herself out of money that she really needs if somebody gives her a sob story. She already sold her dads old '79 4wd pickup that was licensed and insured and drivable for $150. It needed some work, but come on, its pure scrap value is more than that.

361 may well be most wonderful saw in the world, but I frankly dont need anymore saws. Kinda overrun with old saws, when I find one with good compression super cheap, I drag it home. I now have 3 older Shindaiwas (my favorite brand and all with very good compression), an old Craftsman-Roper 3.7, some old Jonsered 49SP or something like that, a Craftsman-Poulan 3.3 that ran great when I got it, just never used it. Pile of old Craftsman-Poulan 3.7, at least 3 of them capable of running I think. And a pristine looking old Pioneer that even ran good when I bought it, though its really too heavy to be practical. And who knows what else. Dont in any way shape or form need most of those. I mostly use the Shindaiwa 500, Shindaiwa 416, and the Roper 3.7 and they've done all I've needed for many years now. But I am skilled enough puttering with small engines to get about any saw going if its got good compression and if I can get maintenance parts. If you got good bar and sharp chain, just about any saw over 3 cube inch will do fine for firewood, old or new. Now you kinda need a nicer bigger saw if you are using it to make a living.

[Forerunner]

Understood.

What year(s), -ish, was the 361 manufactured ?

[Darren]

A pawn shop had a used 361 for sale not too long ago. Looked new except for some wear on the bar. They priced it at $385. Suggest that she start asking $450 and point out it's a discontinued model without the latest EPA required modifications.

[||Downhome||]

if 400 is a fair price to settle for, 600 is a good price to ask. If someone wants it they will not be afraid to haggle. In fact they is usually expected in many parts of this country. she could very well get the asking price.

[HermitJohn]

She's had it advertised at $500 or best offer for weeks now in her local shopper paper when it became obvious her father was past cutting wood. NOT ONE NIBBLE or inquiry. ZIP, ZERO, NADA, nothing.... The guy that bought the Ford 4wd for $150 saw it and was interested, but not when she wouldnt sell it to him for $100. Same thing (no interest whatsoever) when I told her $800 for the Ford 4wd pickup should sell it, just no interest whatsoever. She said she really needed money so sold it to scrap guy for $150. You cant haggle when nobody has slightest interest to even talk about it.

I was surprised at lack of interest since lot people seem to worship the Stihl chainsaw god. I've told her what I found far as going price and since she herself gave over $1000 for this new, I dont think she will sell cheaper than $400. If nothing else, I will offer to try and sell it for her. Should be interest here in my area though I personally hate trying to sell stuff. Dealing with tire kickers and weirdo phone calls isnt a hermit's fondest way to pass time. If that doesnt work, I can put it on ebay for her.

[sticky_burr]

get it checked at a saw shop then goto a small tree trimmer/removal service shouldnt be more than a day un sold as its a 'good' saw and essentially un-used

[texican]

If she lives in a "depressed area" half her asking price might not get nibbles. I'd bypass the local paper shoppers and go craigslist.

I'd do 350 cash in a heartbeat... my 16 year old stihl 025 is still working, but she IS a senior citizen. And I see 'more' sawing in my future... lots lots more. Would have to ponder a bit on more than that...

[HermitJohn]

Originally Posted by texican

If she lives in a "depressed area" half her asking price might not get nibbles. I'd bypass the local paper shoppers and go craigslist.

I'd do 350 cash in a heartbeat... my 16 year old stihl 025 is still working, but she IS a senior citizen. And I see 'more' sawing in my future... lots lots more. Would have to ponder a bit on more than that...

Thats the trouble with older saws, after about 15 years, it gets harder and harder to find parts. Most of my saws are from the 80s, some from 70s. I'm now having trouble finding new clutch for my Shindaiwa 500. Discontinued part by manufacturer. I bought a parts saw just for the clutch though it had 160psi compression so sure it would run just fine if I needed it to (carb would need rebuilt and new fuel lines, etc) , and somebody had put some non-original clutch on it which made the chain brake unusable since it had slightly larger outer diameter drum.

She is on extreme fringe of 3 Craigslist areas with none of them really covering her area.

I bought some stuff of her Dad's sight unseen just to help her out and going to go pick it up in spring so if she still has the saw will take some fresh gas over and make sure it runs ok and everything. Take along a compression tester too. If I end up trying to sell it for her, a picture of compression gauge attached to saw and showing a reading ought to help. I noticed that helps whole lot when selling on ebay.

[texican]

I thought I was going to harvest some pines within 50 yds of the house, to saw with my new band saw mill, yesterday. One pull, and the pull rope broke, so drove the 25 miles to the saw shop. Looked at the new Stihl 363, and he wanted 675 for it. Asked him about the 361's. Said he got one in as a trade on Tuesday, cleaned it up, put it out on Wednesday and it sold on Thursday. It didn't have much mileage on it at all (figured it was one of the several hundred assorted Stihls he sold during the last ice-storm that have been collecting dust in folks garages). He got 425 for it. Dang!!!

Got my parts for my saw. Cranked her up this morning and had bad sparkplug, bad fuel, and bad carburetor issues.... spent an hour or two fiddlin with it, but finally got my 15 year old Stihl 025 to cut some nice logs.