echo or sthil trimmer

[Bird]

Hi

Stihl makes good string trimmers and run very well. The big down fall with Stihl is that( at least from my experence) they are a pain in the butt to start on a relativily hot day. When it's cool out side.... No starting problems. Would love to try and start a Echo or Deere on a hot day though. I also have a Stihl Backpack blower and it is also a pain in the butt to start on a hot day. If your going to be using it on hot or humid days, buy an Echo otherwise Stihl is a decent product. Take Care Jason B

I've never had that problem. My Stihls have always started easily regardless of weather. Of course, in years past, I had noticed a lot of the "professionals" using Echo. At the current time, in addition to the box stores, there are three good sized dealers in my area who handle Stihl; one of the three also handles Echo. That one is also the one farthest from me. And as has been mentioned elsewhere in this thread, the Echo was just a little bit heavier. So those two factors made me go for the Stihl. I'm happy with what I have, but I'd also bet I'd be happy with the Echo, too.

 

[eschoendorff]

Hi

Stihl makes good string trimmers and run very well. The big down fall with Stihl is that( at least from my experence) they are a pain in the butt to start on a relativily hot day. When it's cool out side.... No starting problems. Would love to try and start a Echo or Deere on a hot day though. I also have a Stihl Backpack blower and it is also a pain in the butt to start on a hot day. If your going to be using it on hot or humid days, buy an Echo otherwise Stihl is a decent product. Take Care Jason B

That shouldn't be happening. If you are having hot start problems, then something is clearly wrong. Mine (FS 74, FS 76 and FS 110) will all start in 95* heat without any problem.

 

[Toiyabe]

I have an Echo 261T. I'm very happy with it, but don't doubt that I'd also be happy with a Stihl, Shindaiwa or Husky.

It has a flex cable, which means you won't be able to use it as a drive head for power brooms, etc. It's for trimming and brushcutting only.

Good string makes a big difference.

 

[Jason B]

That shouldn't be happening. If you are having hot start problems, then something is clearly wrong. Mine (FS 74, FS 76 and FS 110) will all start in 95* heat without any problem.

Hi My are a FS 55R and FS 55T Stihl trimmers. The FS 55R starts without problems in the heat, but the FS 55T has a hard time starting in the heat. Had local dealer work on the 55T twice and it still has a hard time starting in the heat. Not sure what the problem is. Take Care Jason B

 

[QRTRHRS]

I am not familiar with the echo line of products. I do own the Stihl FS 250 with bicycle bars, full harness (a must have), circular blade and 3 prong star blade. Mine is the 2 stroke model and I love it as much as my Stihl chainsaw. It has so much power that almost no amount of grass can slow it down. It also made me a believer in the square string. Well worth the extra cost. The smaller string just disappears with so much power behind it.

Let us know what you decide on.

I have the same model and though I have used it hard, that has come at a cost. From new, mine never started easily nor would it idle consistantly until the dealer replaced the carb out of warrenty but at cost with me paying the labor.

I used mine mainly for keeping the fencelines clear for many years going through six of those plastic trimmer blade heads. (My wife never wanted me to spray the lines with herbacide due to having young horses around. Those days are gone so I now spray them.)

Anyway, I suppose everyone gets a dog on occasion but my Stilh 029 Farmboss chainsaw has also had numberous problems.

I also have a Stihl hedge trimmer and a Stihl backpack sprayer. Those have been fine.

My intention is to try a Shindaiwa when I need to replace my trimmer.

 

[Kubotasrking]

I've never had that problem. My Stihls have always started easily regardless of weather. Of course, in years past, I had noticed a lot of the "professionals" using Echo. At the current time, in addition to the box stores, there are three good sized dealers in my area who handle Stihl; one of the three also handles Echo. That one is also the one farthest from me. And as has been mentioned elsewhere in this thread, the Echo was just a little bit heavier. So those two factors made me go for the Stihl. I'm happy with what I have, but I'd also bet I'd be happy with the Echo, too.

I echo Bird (couldn't refuse the pun)...My Stihl MS440 chain saw is pretty easy to start considering that it is a fairly large saw.

I purchased an Echo trimmer last weekend...the Stihl dealer was closed. Home Depot had the Echo's on sale and I purchased the 2nd to largest (not sure of the model right now..), promptly fueled it, and ran it out of line. It was taking down some difficult brush for that size machine. I'm happy with it, and had I purchased a Stihl, I'm sure I'd be thrilled.

Best of luck.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I'm always skeptical of anything sold at Home Depot. Echo maybe fine now, but give the ole depot a few years and see whats left.

 

[aesanders]

I'm always skeptical of anything sold at Home Depot. Echo maybe fine now, but give the ole depot a few years and see whats left.

Nah, I doubt if it changes Echo at all. Their are many companies that have consumer models at The Home DeCrap. Deere for one. They haven't gone to pot since marketing their L series their. They just sell more low end L series.

The problem with most tractor dealers that market to the general public is their hours. If you have regular hours at your job you will be lucky f you can get to the dealer while they are open. The Home Decrap is open 7 days a week and late at that. Makes going to look and buy something like a trimmer much easier. I still try to buy at my dealer, but most people haven't even stepped foot into a tractor dealer.

 

[marks]

The 261 is my sixth piece of Echo equipment, and have been extremely pleased. Starting in 2007 they have a 5 Year warranty. Just keep the fuel fresh.

 

[Kubotasrking]

I'm always skeptical of anything sold at Home Depot. Echo maybe fine now, but give the ole depot a few years and see whats left.

I think I know what you're getting at...squeezing suppliers? Maybe like CNH? Kubota? Deere? (or any other corporation...)

I ran my trimmer again today for about 5 hours. It did well. I'm happy with my selection.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

Nah, I doubt if it changes Echo at all. Their are many companies that have consumer models at The Home DeCrap. Deere for one. They haven't gone to pot since marketing their L series their. They just sell more low end L series.

I'd disagree. I sell Cub Cadet and their quality has declined since going to the box stores. If you listen to the companies supplying the box stores there is an increadible amount of pressure placed on them to lower costs every year. Infact, its written into many of the supplier agreements. Homelite chainsaws are a great example. 25 years ago it was them and Stihl. Homelite started selling to Walmart who forced the product to be cheapened to the point that it became trash, the company recently sold to the Chinese for a fraction of their market value. Plumbing fixtures and lighting are hit hard by this as well, its almost all Chinese imports now. Any "Honda" sold at the Depot is actually a Chinese import with a Honda sticker.

What happens is that companies become a slave to the box store. They ramp of production to meet the additional demand. Once they've made that investment they have to either meet the box stores demand for lower prices or loose their contracts and let the manufacturing capacity go idle.

Was it Murry that just filed Chapter 11? Think it had anything to do with being dropped by a box store??? Echo might not have lost their soul yet, but give them a few years and see what happens.

 

[aesanders]

I'd disagree. I sell Cub Cadet and their quality has declined since going to the box stores.

I think Cub's quality has declined since MTD bought them and not so much as being at the box store.

I'm sure the box stores can have an influence, but when you have a huge demand from commercial buyers like ECHo has, they would be half nuts to let their quality slip on the commercial designs. Maybe some of their home models will have lower quality after a few years. And the Depot only carries about 1/4 of the Echo lineup anyway.

 

[kenmac]

I own a husky trimmer bought it b-4 the box stores starting carring them . It's been a good trimmer. I also own a maruyama trimmer & a red max bp blower. Mine were all made in Japan ( which is now quality stuff ) I can remember back in the day when we called it Japan junk & didn't want it.Today,I would love to find anything made in Japan

 

[aesanders]

I also own a maruyama trimmer

I wouldn't post that on a public forum. Never know when the fuzz wil be reading....

 

[DaryleD]

I would just like to add a word about the Stihl trimmer that I bought a couple years ago. It is either the 110r or the 130r. It is a four stroke machine, has awesome power, starts great in hot or cold weather, and I used the pole saw attatchment to litterally cut down and cut up a maple tree that was hanging it's branches over the driveway; it was big enough that I had to use the full length of the bar to do it ( I'm guessing 6"-8" ). It also has a solid shaft, which I was told was better, by my stihl dealer; AND ( which is a better reference ) by a friend of mine who has worked on lawn and garden equipment his whole life ( he's not old at 50 but not a kid either ). His brother owns an equipment dealership and sells shindawa which have the split shaft, and he told me he didn't like the split shaft, for whatever reason ( sorry I forgot ). When he talks about things, it is usually from a "how it's made" perspective, letting quality construction rule his preferences. I don't see any echo's here ( that I've noticed anyway ) in central New Hampshire, and out of most everything, I'm seeing people with more and more stihls that do this for a living. My friends brother has also picked up the stihl line as most of his business is from professional lawn and lanscape people. I would like to see the Echo and Stihl side by side to see which is better, but I'm wondering if it is like buying a tractor, that once you have it, it is your favorite brand. Hope this was helpfull to ya.
Daryle.

 

[kenmac]

You are correct about the solid steel shaft. Both of my trimmers have the steel shaft.More power is used up to turn the flex cable models. At one time , echo only offered 1 mod. with steel shaft.

 

[mjncad]

I think Cub's quality has declined since MTD bought them and not so much as being at the box store.

I'm sure the box stores can have an influence, but when you have a huge demand from commercial buyers like ECHo has, they would be half nuts to let their quality slip on the commercial designs. Maybe some of their home models will have lower quality after a few years. And the Depot only carries about 1/4 of the Echo lineup anyway.

If Echo lowers their quality, they wouldn't be the first company to do so. I used to specify Hewlett-Packard printers and scanners, no questions asked. But when Carly Fiorina came in and wrecked the company, she wrecked the product quality too. Even their $1,000 printers are flimsy (I have an 11" X 17") that is a joke compared to the H-P of old. After the Scanjet 6100C was discontinued, I bought one of their newer models and it was a big pile of junk. I bought 6100C scanner and an earlier 4C on ebay so I could get the scanner and the Automated Document Feeder. The old 4C got the 6100C's lid and it went back out on ebay.

Sony has done the same thing with their products. I used to buy them no questions asked; but now they make junk that pukes prematurely. So I quit buying Sony and paying the Sony name premium.

 

[Kubotasrking]

If you listen to the companies supplying the box stores there is an increadible amount of pressure placed on them to lower costs every year. Infact, its written into many of the supplier agreements.

I don't think that statement is true. It is true that when companies begin to supply a large retailer they can obtain a certain amount of leverage in production, and it is even possible that prices negotiated by the retailers reflect the leverage. That being said, my employer serves all large retail outlets in the country (maybe the world for that matter...) and we have increased prices in accordance with changes in energy prices, medical care, etc., and we continue to supply the Wal*Mart's, Costco's, Sam's, and HD's of the world.

Was it Murry that just filed Chapter 11? Think it had anything to do with being dropped by a box store??? Echo might not have lost their soul yet, but give them a few years and see what happens.

There are so many variables that make companies successful (or not). I sincerely doubt the assertion that HD or Lowes made Murray declare bankruptcy. It is more likely they wiffed on predicting economic variables that have hurt companies that manufacture products (currency exchange, raw material pricing, quality/price tradeoffs, etc.).

It's my bet that Murray's senior managers made some serious errors in judgement.

 

[the_sandman_454]

If I had it to do over again, I'd still go with my Sthil FS250 brush cutter with the autocut string head, and a handful of different blades. I have the full harness and bicycle handlebar grip. I have never had a problem starting it within a couple of pulls hot or cold. Cuts anything you throw at it without even slowing down.

It compliments my MS460 chainsaw nicely.

Never anything but satisfied with these items, and I'll not hesitate to recommend either item.

 

[kenmac]

It's my bet that Murray's senior managers made some serious errors in judgement.


I'll probably tak a beating for this:


Isn't this what makes most companies fail ? Just take a look around at all the companies that CEO's have or almost ruined