If you are looking to buy a used saw at a flea market, pawn shop etc, it sounds like you are looking for a bargain and not your primary saw for heating your home, right?
that changes things
1.) always be ready to pay in cash for something you decide you want, mention the word "cash" it is a trigger for sellers.
2.) always be willing to walk away from a deal that isn't right even if you want the saw.
3.) realize that no pawn shop and most private sellers are not going to let you disassemble any part of a saw, if it runs, that is likely all the proof you will be able to get.
4.) be polite even if you don't buy or the seller has all junk, you might deal with them again and a dickhead makes a strong, memorable impression.
5.) be pretty darn knowledgeable about the saws you consider looking at and discount your offer strongly on saws you are buying as "part of the deal", read stuff on forums and remember the good bits
6.) be pretty darn knowledgeable about what replacement parts cost for the saws you like to buy, oem or aftermarket, are there things that are no longer available.
7.) increasingly you need to be able to spot a polished pig and aftermarket replacement parts, these are not inherently bad things but depending on what they are they can really affect value
8.) follow Ebay and Craigslist etc for listings and sales of saws you are interested in, even if you never buy there, it will help you have a decent frame of reference on the spread of prices on any given model
9.) keep a decent list of "phone a friend" contacts in your cell - if you find a minty logmaster in a pawn shop, know who to call to figure out what to pay and where to send it after you do, those contacts will save and make you money and help you find those little missing bits for saws down the road.
If you plan to target a pawnshop or dealer for leads/saws
1.) be prepared to prime the pump by making less than ideal purchases till they get to know you, and visit more frequently than you need to without becoming a stalker
2.) find out who you really need to talk to
3.) find out if they already have a go to guy that gets their saws or that first phone call when a cool saw shows up, don't waste your time trying to break into a locked system
4.) remember that slightly overpaying on the first chance a dealer offers you to buy some half decent builders will be remembered when you return to pick the back room.
5.) consider low level ethical food bribery - My favorite shops get homemade cookies delivered at Christmas time and occasionally good pizzas delivered at lunchtime after a killer deal, stomachs remember.
Dave
