Looking For Cheap, but Reliable String Trimmer.

[Ric]

I actually have a very small lawn care business, and that is why I am looking for a new trimmer. This past summer, with a lack of rain, we barely did one lawn a week, but we currently have about 5 customers and hope to expand by a lot in the next year or two, more advertising, and going further than our immediate neighborhood (Still in high school and no car yet). So I would like to say we will be doing about ten lawns a week, hopefully, during the summer. Also, I would rather not have to buy new equipment in the next few years, so something that is really durable is important. Sorry, I guess it would have been good to add this in the first post.

Well knowing that I would say spend the little extra and buy the Echo. You know spending that little extra up front can save you a lot of money it the long run, don't get me wrong buying used off Craigslist or what ever you can come up with some great buys but more often than not unless your mechanically inclined it can end up biting you in the you no what later. You mentioned you hope to expand by a lot in the next year or two, more advertising, and going further than our immediate neighborhood :smile: wrong choice, stay close to your neighborhood if you can, the closer the better especially with gas the way it is. Build your business in your sub-division or one near by, Drive less-Cut more you'll have more money in your pocket at the end of the week. Sorry I got away from the subject.

 

[lawn mower fanatic]

stay close to your neighborhood if you can, the closer the better especially with gas the way it is. Build your business in your sub-division or one near by, Drive less-Cut more you'll have more money in your pocket at the end of the week. Sorry I got away from the subject.

That's what I try to do--stay close. :thumbsup: But if you exhausted that neighborhood then you need to go further out.

 

[LawnBoy97]

That makes sense to not go to other neighborhoods, but I was mostly thinking about 2 miles up the road. There are like 2-3 neighborhoods in a like 3mile radius from my house, so that's what I meant. But I'll mention the gas stuff to my partner.

I do have a small engine shop just a few minutes from my house, but they mostly do repairs, and the only new equipment they sell is Tanaka. But there is one a bit further that has everything that I listed in the previous post, and they have been around a long time and are very well known. Thanks for all the input.

 

[pugaltitude]

Sorry to throw a spanner in the works but dont just shy away from the hitachi product.
Its made by tanaka, good price, well built and is very reliable.

Why buy a "brand name" at double the price.

Over here we sell Hitachi via dealers.
If i wasnt selling another brand at the moment then id sell Hitachi.

But

you are always better buying from a dealer and usually is always a little bit priced but the backup is
there even if that means buying another brand.
Both Echo and Stihl do good stuff.

 

[ILENGINE]

Sorry to throw a spanner in the works but dont just shy away from the hitachi product.
Its made by tanaka, good price, well built and is very reliable.

Why buy a "brand name" at double the price.

Over here we sell Hitachi via dealers.
If i wasnt selling another brand at the moment then id sell Hitachi.

But

you are always better buying from a dealer and usually is always a little bit priced but the backup is
there even if that means buying another brand.
Both Echo and Stihl do good stuff.

In our neck of the woods, Hitachi is sold as a price point unit, through home improvement stores like Menards, and Home Depot. Was looking into Tanaka a couple of years ago. I have a Distributor 100 miles away, but I am not in there territory. My distributor is 350 miles away. I would only need to move the shop 4 miles north and be in the closer distributors area.

 

[pugaltitude]

Over here its usually the McCulloch poulan factory product in home improvement stores or the really cheap brand chinese product like Spear and Jackson or Qualcast where parts are not brought into the country.

 

[Ric]

In our neck of the woods, Hitachi is sold as a price point unit, through home improvement stores like Menards, and Home Depot. Was looking into Tanaka a couple of years ago. I have a Distributor 100 miles away, but I am not in there territory. My distributor is 350 miles away. I would only need to move the shop 4 miles north and be in the closer distributors area.

It's the same here, Hitachi sells in Lowes I believe, they are comparable to the Weedeater or Poulan there basically throw away stuff, good for one season. I can tell from experience the Hitachi drills are absolutely the worst and now that I know there made by Tanaka I'll know not to buy one of those.

 

[Kodie's Lawn Service]

I've just heard that they don't have mixture screws, so that they cannot be run too rich to be CARB compliant, or something like that. That's all I was worried about.

Also there is a sthil fs 55r just saying that would be a good one too :thumbsup:

 

[Kodie's Lawn Service]

Or you could possibly get a husqavarna one they are great :thumbsup:

 

[possum]

I have not seen a Hitachi being used around here. I have seen them in Lowes. Most of the store stuff being used is Poulan or MTD. Some Craftsman branded stuff tossed in. I count about 9 out of ten folks in my neighborhood who have no string trimmer or other handheld stuff but do have a lawnmower. Above me up the hill so to speak are higher priced homes and all those folks have a string trimmer at least. The homeowner Stihl trimmers have a bad rep hereabouts, they last about as long as a Poulan or Weedeater and every trip to the shop to get it started cost about $75. If they yanked on it until they broke the recoil its more yet or it goes in the scrap pile. The school, low rent houseing, assisted living etc. all use upper end Stihl or Tanaka handheld stuff for the dealer support. The one true pro outfit that comes to town to mow use Stihl.