Anybody on here have any Echo stuff? How well do you like it? I just bought an ES230 Shredder/Vac/Blower for around my homestead, due to the fact that I hate raking leaves approximately as much as Begle hates potato bugs. Scored a pretty good deal on it (cheaper than anywhere online, or around, by a solid $40). Have been playing with the blower part, due to there not being any leaves to Shred/Vac yet. I did find a few unfortunates though, and they promptly went to the fate they so justly deserve.

The new toy
http://www.echo-usa.com/prods_item.a...gory=SHREDNVAC

 

After my Homelite burned up after two seasons.......
I bought one of these:
http://www.echo-usa.com/prods_item.a...ry=POWERBLOWER

After using it a couple of times a week for 5 years during the season, it's still going strong.

 

I have a handheld Echo and its really nice but that just wasnt doing the job for me so I bought this.....

http://www.redmax.com/productcart/pc...4&idproduct=28

Leaves don't stand a chance against that

Because I HATE leaves.

 

I was looking at the Redmax stuff, and it seemed pretty nice. However, Stihl and Echo were the only 2 that made something that I felt gave leaves their just desserts. The Stihl has the "HomeScaper" engine in their shredders, which I figured was probably code for "The cheap motor we hope to sell you banking on the reputation of our good ones", so I bought the Echo. Plus none of the "Easy Start" spring set up crap on this one.

 

Redmax tends to be a bit more expensive but I feel its worth it. I have not been impressed with alot of the Stihl products lately. Husqvarna has some really nice chainsaws now too....

Redmax blowers
Echo string trimmers
Stihl saws

Just my $0.019

 

Have you had, or know somebody that had, one with the i-Start set up on it? I just keep hearing the stories about the B&S spring start set up bouncing around my head everytime I look at them. I intend to buy before spring an Echo hedge trimmer, but have actually been looking at the Stihl weed eaters, just because you can't get an Echo without the easy start for less than 3 bills, which is a little excessive for a 1/4 acre lot. This is when my 4 stroke MTD made Troy-Bilt weed eater dies, which I'm hoping will be a few more years. If nothing else, I kind of like running those little bitty valves.

 

each piece of equipment i was refering to in that list was over 3 bills..... but then again, i got sick of fixing consumer equipment because parts were hard to find.....

I have never used one of those spring start things until a neighbor got a saw with one..... and i really dont like it.

-Trey

 

I bought an Echo string trimmer (GT-230) 2 months ago for $240-260. It has the normal start on it. Very nice. My dad has an older Echo (GT-2000) that is at least 8 years old and to my knowledge it still runs great an starts within 3 pulls cold, and has never broke down. IMO Echo products are some of the best.

Heres mine :

http://www.echo-usa.com/prods_item.a...tegory=TRIMMER

 

When i was younger i remember my dad owning an echo string trimmer, I think the GT-2000. I remember it had an orange cover around the engine. He had it forever and a few years ago it finally died so he bought the GT-200 (now its grey). He probably has the old one for about 15 years. I also have a GT-200 of my own and love it. Dad has an Echo chain saw too thats been pretty good too.

 

dad has an echo string trimmer, VERY NICE. very little vibration, the string head dosnt turn when its idling, quite, and starts on the 2nd or 3rd pull every time.

i just bought a stihl ms 361 with a 20" bar and its also very nice. light weight, powerful, and its fast. i replaced a 359 husky that was a couple years old. that husky never really cut "good", and it was screwing up on me lately so i just got fed up and bought the stihl. very glad i did!

 

Started cutting grass when I was in the third grade and bought a GT2400. I'm 23 and 9 years later it's still going strong. I bought a straight shaft about 4 years ago and love it. Dad uses the GT2400. Dad doesn't run it hard and I have to take the muffler off every now and then and clean the carbon out the exhaust port. Also had to change the clutch after one of the springs broke. Paid $200 on it and have spent maybe $50 in maintenance. Not bad for 9 years of service.

 

I'm a land scaper, I put in 40+ hours a week with a week wacker in my hand or a blower on my back. I've been doing it for 4 years and in that time we've had one echo. It still runs but is JUNK, no torque wont cut grass to save its life, Right now it sits in the shed as a back up. It just doesn't compare to any of the other trimmers we run. We've got a 6 year old Stihl FS 85 its been run thousands of hours. Right now we only use to to brush cut, it's to loud to use at peoples houses and hotels. It is by far my favorite wacker, more torque and power than anything we've got. This spring my boss got 2 brand new Stihl FS90's with the new 4-mix engine. They arnt bad, really quite, lots of power. The 4 mix engine is a little wierd, when it revs up it takes a while to get going.

But I wouldn't buy anything but Stihl, from what I've used Echo's are junk. Maybe it was just the equpitment I used, IDK.

Coop

 

I have an Echo straigh shaft trimmer, and 14" chainsaw. Bought them both a few months ago, since we were getting the house, cost me 4 bills for the pair, but I have been VERY happy with them so far.

 

I have a few echo's...chainsaw, backpack blower, and string trimmer. They were bought new in the late 80's been used ever since without a hint of maintence until i had to rebuild the carb in the backpack this weekend. and they're still going strong! Put the chainsaw behind the tires of a truck in the woods , someone jumped in the truck and backed over the saw, cracked the handle, new throttle trigger and its still going bout 10 yrs since the incident. My experience: been great equipment, when the time comes, will buy 'em again

 

I inherited an old echo weed whacker from my aunt about a year ago because I had to take apart the carb on my Ryobi piece of everytime I used it, just to get it to sputter!
The echo trimmer had been sitting in her garage for about a year unused and they got a new one becuase this one was "getting old" so all I had to do was clean out the carb and it hasn't quit me yet! It's probably about 10 years old and it starts up on the third pull everytime! Best trimmer I've ever had to put up with...