WEED WACKERS WHICH TO GET????

[cajuncutter]

Ok I just coughed up 5 Ben's for the redmax eb7000..so here I go..I need some ideas for a decent back up weed wacker that is inexpensive. Any ideas??? Is the Home depot echo special good for a back up or to be run an average of 2 to 3 hours a week?? I really do not want to blow another mother load on a small piece of equipment right now due to the fact that I am fixing to get another 36" walk behind and a Shindaiwa AH230 stick hedge trimmer ( oh god my wife is going to be bent at me)yes wife will have a major fit!! Throw me some input on the mass produced junk that is decent out there!!

[steve's lawn care]

shindawa is the only way to go Echo seem to be very tempermental or if not try a Red Max I would not go with anything else but those two.

[leaflawnandlimb]

cajuncutter

My dealer seals the echo srm-2100 for the same price as home cheapo and sets it up, starts it and throws in a six pack (oil not the good stuff) Last one I bought was $199, als I'm still using one everyday that is going on it's fourth season. I think the echo's give you the most bang for your buck.

[Double D]

If you have an old trimmer around, or can get one, Kawasaki has a $60 trade in that is good through the end of the month. I got the 22.5cc trimmer for about $220 after the $60 credit. I use this as my main line trimmer and love it. Very light weight, and fires up on the second pull every time. Just my 2 cents. If your wife needs to vent, let me know, I will give you my wife's number and they can talk about us to each other. LOL

[oneEXMARKfan]

(I would only buy Shindaiwa).........but I do have several friends that have had good luck with the Makita trimmers. (What I consider cheap)

[leaflawnandlimb]

The makita trimmers are made by robin so they should be half way decent, but I didn't think they were very cheap in price.

[oneEXMARKfan]

About 235.......I call it cheap....Alot cheaper than a 79 dollar Homelight in the long run (not that anyone here did/would recommend 1......just a point)

[cajuncutter]

Double D I may take you up on that LOL.. She just got home and I told her about the shin AH 230..she is not happy with me right now lol..I borrowed one from a buddy of mine and fell in love..they sit right here on the floor next to my as I surf :D Anyway she has no idea I am looking for a weed wacker hehehehe so maybe we exchange numbers lol..

Anyway thanx for the input...the echo is sounding promissing...

[NoDownTime]

red max has always worked for me, they are expensive but worth it, I agree with EXMARK it is better to buy a nice piece of equipment now that will last, instead of replacing a cheaper one once a year.

[stslawncare]

this is a backup? if you already have a strong main trimmer like echo or whatever u prefer, why get a top of the line for a back up? for back up why not get a "dept store brand" trimmer. for example craftsman, this is only while main one is in shop right? wouldnt a draftsman $89 trimmer do for 2 days every once in a great moon while main is in shop?

[BufalinoLand]

I run a Stihl fs85, she'll take a hedge head and a mini chainsaw. It howls like a banshee for string trim, but it cost me 3 bills. I bought a Fs55 for my bro, it was 2 bills, not real happy with it. I like the kaw 60 trade, and Ive run one in the shop and they will be on my trailor when I blow this stihl up.

[LJ lawn]

i just saw an ad in turf or pro magazine for a shindawa t230 trimmer for $250.i think it was a coupon or an ad for most participating dealers.check it out.

[lawnboy82]

i would say maybe look to get one of those split shaft machines. where you can put the hedge clipper, chain saw, edger, and trimmer on it. or if not then go with a shindiawa T230 i think its like 270 or so?

[BigEd]

Yes,the T-230 is on sale right now for 250.00.I picked one up last saturday.

[RYAN]

I bought 2 echo srm 2100 last year and both have been nothing but trouble. Bought a Shin T230 on saturaday amd hope I have better luck there. The shin was only $50 more so I would go with that before an echo

[oneEXMARKfan]

RYAN, if you have as good of luck as I have with my Shins. you'll never buy another brand! (nothing personal against the other brands....have heard alot of good about most of them)

[Edited by oneEXMARKfan on 04-24-2001 at 12:11 AM]

[Samurai WeedWacker]

It's been trouble-free and is weighs next to nothing.

[David Gretzmier]

I have never had trouble with any of my echo's . What do you people do to your trimmers? the 2100 is a good backup at 200 bucks, but you can go online and find them for less on ebayand the like. just do a search. For the record, the srm2100 at home depot is the same 2100 from your dealer. I had a shin too, but my dealer went belly up. and those makita's are nice, but the gears are not commercial in the head mechanism. A buddy of mine used them about 2-4 weeks commercially, and kept taking them back to Lowes! but the echo. why spend a ben on something that will only last a year at most? Dave

[Keith]

As pissed off as I am with Shindaiwa right now, I still would recommend the T230. We really don't have "backup equipment", everything is of similar quality. They just get rotated somewhat. I don't want a substandard piece just because one goes down.