Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: AirForcePOL on March 16, 2009, 06:49:07 AM

Title: should i stay away from used?
Post by: AirForcePOL on March 16, 2009, 06:49:07 AM
I am going to buy a woodmaster 4400 within a month or two and came across a used one in a local classified. It is two years old and seems to be in good condition except the water level indicator light doesnt work.  He said he would take $4,000 for it. I dont know how well the guy took care of it or anything. I am trying to decide if i should just spend the extra $1,700 and get a brand new one or get the used one that could or could not have something wrong with it. Any suggestions?
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: Dirtslinger on March 16, 2009, 08:51:00 AM
Spend the extra now so it don't you in the a$$ later down the road
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: dumbodog00 on March 16, 2009, 12:23:16 PM
I realize that $1700 is a fair chunk of change.  However, I would agree and go with the new one.  The last guy could have done everything wrong to it and it might not show.  It could save you a huge headache and expense in the future.
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: PhinPhan on March 16, 2009, 01:08:10 PM
I agree for me it would just be more piece of mind buying new.  Plus you will get the full life of the warranty buying new.
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: AirForcePOL on March 16, 2009, 01:27:08 PM
Yeah thats what I was thinking. I was also wondering why someone would get rid of it only two years after they bought it. Thanks again!
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: Jason on March 20, 2009, 07:26:44 PM
AirForce:  That last post of yours asks the million dollar question-why is the owner getting rid of the furnace?  It almost certainly has some issue.  Maybe it's something trivial the individual simply does not know how to fix, or maybe they let the water freeze and crack the jacket.  Or maybe it's someone who did not realize the appetite these things have and does not have the time/ resources/ physical ability to come up with multiple cords' worth of cut and split fire wood every year.  In short:  I'd buy new.
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: willieG on March 20, 2009, 07:36:23 PM
i agree with the "go new" suggestion

about the only reason someone would sell a good working stove used would be the "i'm tired of all this wood cutting"
anything other reason is problems with the stove..almost a sure bet
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: Scratch on March 22, 2009, 10:53:27 AM
I also agree.  Go new.  There's gotta be a reason he's selling it...
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: zipper on March 22, 2009, 05:52:00 PM
Bad advice guys. How do I know this ? Because I am the guy selling it. If he had read the ad and ask me any Question I would have been glad to answer. Also he only lives 2 hrs away, not along drive to look at something. This boiler is just as good as new. It has a bad sensor on the water level indicator , thats all and I plan to replace this so the next guy that calls I can tell him it's perfect. The reason I am selling it is number one it burns to much wood for me, I'm 62 yrs old and don't want to cut that much wood.  Also I can buy coal for $48 bucks a ton in Indiana , a 1 1/2 hr drive for me. This unit looks new on the outside and I cleaned up the inside where it's almost as clean as it came. Please don't give advice on something you know nothing about. I don't care if he buys it or not, it's his loss. If I have to hang on to it until fall the price is going up.
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: willieG on March 22, 2009, 06:17:38 PM
Bad advice guys. How do I know this ? Because I am the guy selling it. If he had read the ad and ask me any Question I would have been glad to answer. Also he only lives 2 hrs away, not along drive to look at something. This boiler is just as good as new. It has a bad sensor on the water level indicator , thats all and I plan to replace this so the next guy that calls I can tell him it's perfect. The reason I am selling it is number one it burns to much wood for me, I'm 62 yrs old and don't want to cut that much wood.  Also I can buy coal for $48 bucks a ton in Indiana , a 1 1/2 hr drive for me. This unit looks new on the outside and I cleaned up the inside where it's almost as clean as it came. Please don't give advice on something you know nothing about. I don't care if he buys it or not, it's his loss. If I have to hang on to it until fall the price is going up.

the answer given to the original question stands..as most here know that a used stove is generally a bad idea. if you read my response you will see i did allow for a "i'm tired of cutting all that wood" sales pitch

perhaps if you had included in your add all the info you  put forth in your response to this thread and the poster had included that in his question..he may have got a more positive response from some of us (unless you did and the poster forgot to include it)

i wish you all the best in selling your stove
how old is it
what brand
forced draft or natural
how much wood is too much for a year of heat(how much did you burn)
did you heat your domestic water as well
are you including any heat exchangers or rads in your sale

perhaps if you volenteer this info to the poster (in a private message) he would be a bit more interested

but i still wouldn't buy a used one....as postd before ...i wouldnt buy a new one ..they are overpriced in my opinion
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: zipper on March 22, 2009, 08:17:06 PM
 Willie you didn't read the add either , if you had you would know it's a Woodmaster 4400 and comes with the grate and auger system, extra chimney, rain cap and 2 heat exchangers for $4500. He said he had forced air so I said I would keep the big HX and take $4000. In the above post I said I don't want to cut that much wood, I also don't like going out in the cold to load. A I have found access to coal I really want to quit altogether. Telling someone not to buy a used boiler you have not seen is no different than telling someone not to buy a used car you have not seen, the bottom line is you have not seen it so you don't know. This is a good boiler and I am asking a fair price. What I said above stands, if you don't know and you haven't seen it then you are not qualified to give advice.
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: willieG on March 22, 2009, 08:51:47 PM
Willie you didn't read the add either , if you had you would know it's a Woodmaster 4400 and comes with the grate and auger system, extra chimney, rain cap and 2 heat exchangers for $4500. He said he had forced air so I said I would keep the big HX and take $4000. In the above post I said I don't want to cut that much wood, I also don't like going out in the cold to load. A I have found access to coal I really want to quit altogether. Telling someone not to buy a used boiler you have not seen is no different than telling someone not to buy a used car you have not seen, the bottom line is you have not seen it so you don't know. This is a good boiler and I am asking a fair price. What I said above stands, if you don't know and you haven't seen it then you are not qualified to give advice.
you are right..ii didn't see the add...and as for advice..everyone gave thier opinon on the most likley reasons for selling a stove..1 was the owner not wanting to cut wood..the other was a problem (or problems) with the stove and the advice of myself was from seeing other people's luck with used stoves

both the reason you say you want to sell your stove and the other reasons were offered in the advice given
and although i have not seen your ad or your stove, i (i can only speak for myself not the others) gave my opinion on past experiences with friends that have bought used stoves

you say you dont want to cut that much wood...that leads me to believe (mayby falsely)  that you did not know how much would you would have to cut..did you fall for some cheap sales pitch? did you not research your stove before buying

and as for you telling myself or the others that posted opinions here about buying used stoves that we have no idea what we are talking about..well i think there is a lot of years of experience with OWB here and the poster wished to ask our opinions..and that is what he got...it is for him to decide if the information was worthy or not. it is not for you to tell us we have no business giving an opinion (allthough you don't have to agree with it)

and as you said your stove is like buying a used car... i doubt that...i can not ask for papers showing regular maintence..i can't take it for a test drive...a used car i could see and hear it run and form an opinion on the heart of the thing..if it burnt oil or knocked..with your stove i can only take your word that the interior of the water jacket is good and that you ran the proper chemicals in it to inhibit rust

i was quite polite in my last posting of why someone would sell their stove ,as i said it could have very well been the lack of desire to cut more wood and then i stated there may be problems

now i will tell you, my monetary views on used stoves...

the best you should be offered is half of new even if it is in perfect shape
if i was the guy looking at it i would take the chance on you NOT selling it and offer you half
and when you refused i would leave

maybe in a month i would call again with the same offer..if the stove was gone, so be it
if it was not gone i would say  that the next time i call the offer will be five hundred less and if it rots in your back yard i dont care

and your statemen that if you dont sell it and keep it till fall and the price will go up?

i will tell you quite truthfully...if you dont sell it by fall...hook it back up and burn your coal in it...it will be yours forever

go see some dealers..they have a stack of them..repo's and leases that they cant get a good price for either

these stoves are like  toasters...not much call for for a used one

and one final not to anyone buying a used stove...if you can't weld...leave it alone!


no further rebutals will be answered..this thread for me is closed
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: zipper on March 23, 2009, 05:18:03 AM
Well Willie I wasn't I wasn't trying to pick a fight with you. You are just wrong about buying something used and you are wrong about me. My point was to not pass judgment on on something you have not personally seen and contrary to popular opinion not every one is dishonest. As for the knowledge end the guy that called me didn't know that he needed a water to air HX instead of a water to water until I told him. I have burned wood for 35yrs so yes I know about cutting wood.  This was just my first out side unit and after a season and a half I decided it was not for me. As far as buying used boilers  boiler go over to the coal burners forum, those guys buy used all the time with very few problems. As for the price that $1700 difference he quoted isn't even close considering the extra's that come with mine. I don't even have it listed locally yet but when heating season for next year comes around and people figure out they have to wait to get one I won't have any trouble selling. Maybe I just rub people the wrong way but I had a guy all the way from Michigan call me long distance to tell me he didn't like the model I am selling and wants a different brand, so if you can figure people out then your one up on me.
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: PhinPhan on March 23, 2009, 07:15:54 AM
You had mentioned about coal.  Did you burn coal in the woodmaster?  If so the warranty is probably already voided.  When I bought mine I asked a Woodmaster employee directly about burning coal and he said that would void the warranty becasue they are not meant to burn coal.
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: zipper on March 23, 2009, 08:06:54 AM
PhinPhan  Nope wouldn't be any point in it , most all the air goes over the fire on an outdoor wood boiler and you just have to put the air under a coal fire. I purchased a wood coal combo inside boiler with shaker grate's and under fire air supply. I then bought a ton and a half of coal to get on through the winter. I do still want the option to burn wood if coal becomes unavailable. But at this point in time I can tell you that it's so much better and so much easier that it's an easy decision to make. As cheap as I can buy coal, I can't hardly cut wood any cheaper. One more thing that bothers me about OWB's is that they are being legislated right out of existence.  These things are on the road going out not the one coming in. Seems like every other day you see another article, news clip etc. about them being banned or made to be some ridicules distance from the property line or some unrealistic chimney height. Even though I don't agree with legislating something out of existence, it's going to happen, just a matter of time. I suppose the same thing can happen to coal but inside boilers are not attacked on the same scale as OWB's   
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: AirForcePOL on March 23, 2009, 08:17:26 AM
Wow I really got you guys worked up! Anyway, I have made up my mind and am buying new so theres no need to argue anymore zipper, sorry I didnt call you and tell you I was no longer interested in your stove. And please don't question my intelligence. I am smart enough to understand that in order to use my existing forced air system I will need a "water to air" heat exchanger I think it pretty much spells it out. Or you know I thought about filling my ducts up with water and using the water to water exchanger like you said I thought I needed lol. Bottom line is that I am not buying used.
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: zipper on March 23, 2009, 09:59:55 AM
Hey doc it's your money. Doesn't  bother me I wouldn't let someone tell me what to buy either. My personal feelings about a warantee  is you may as well wipe your butt with them. Trying to get anything out of one is like pulling teeth, buy a new car and try to get the dealership to do anything. I fought with one over a transmission until the time ran out and never did get it fixed
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: AirForcePOL on March 23, 2009, 11:08:02 AM
Thats why you should buy a chevy instead of a dodge
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: zipper on March 23, 2009, 11:29:32 AM
Boy I don't know about that AirForcePOL I bought a new chevy truck in1979 and it was the worst vehicle I've ever owned. My problem was not with you, I knew the day you called that you didn't want it. My beef was people saying that there must be something wrong with it just because its used when none of them has seen it. When a guy hasn't seen something he has no idea of it's condition. You really would not believe some of the people I have tried  to deal with on this. The problem is the economy is in so bad a shape that nobody has any money. If you can believe this one guy even asked me if he could make payments on it. I thought Jesus man I sympathize with your situation but I,m not a financial institution.   
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: AirForcePOL on March 23, 2009, 12:02:03 PM
Actually I wanted it untill these guys talked me out of it and Im sorry that I didnt buy it im sure you would like to get rid of it.  But I just decided to go with new because there could be something wrong with it that not even you know about and when I buy mine I want the security of knowing it has been taken care of.  I feel you on the economy but I am a federal employee, money is not what is holding me back. I would never trust a stranger to make payments to me. 
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: zipper on March 23, 2009, 01:10:37 PM
I had a pretty good idea you didn't want it when it was a weekend and you didn't want to come see it and didn't ask for directions so you could come at a later date. Not a problem , like I said I haven't even advertised it locally yet. But a lot of people read this forum and they need to know that used does not always mean junk. Someone is going to get a good boiler for a lot less than new retail price. I still have the invoice, with all the extra's was $6400 in when I bought it and I know they have went up in price since then. As far as that sensor is concerned it's probably under $50 but I am going to replace it anyway.
Title: Re: should i stay away from used?
Post by: AirForcePOL on March 23, 2009, 01:14:08 PM
I found a guy that will sell me a brand new one for $5,749