Wanted- Strimmer/Brush cutter

[Rowan]

Hi

I am looking to get a brush cutter for our garden, something that can cope with cow parsley! It needs to be a decent make, ie one that can be fixed/ serviced easily and preferably one that can take a metal blade. For instance something like the Stihl F56. This particular model is available on line in the UK for £254, but in France the cheapest I can find it is €359. Even allowing for the poor exchange rate, this is a bit of a difference.

Anyone know a good place to get decent prices on stuff like this, or better still, anyone got one for sale?

Thanks

[f1steveuk]

I brought one from BricoMarche, not a known make (not in the UK anyway) and it has done everything thrown at it, spares have been easy, and maintaining it easier still, and it was on offer at 150  Euros, when the exchange rate was good!!!! I have to say, I've repaired more Sthil's than some of the "cheap" makes!!

[kimg]

i bought a husqvana with a metal blade attachment

kim

[DerekJ]

I've been using a Stihl FS90 for the last couple of seasons. It's got what they call a 4-Mix engine which is basically a 4-stroke engine but uses pre-mix fuel (like a 2-stroke). Because our lawn (by that I mean meadow) has never been cultivated I've been using it to sut the whole 'lawn' .... perhaps about 3000 sq metres.. so it's been worked quite hard and has so far run without a hiccup (more than I did in 30+ degree heat). It came with Stihl's Autocut head (which hold the nylon cord) and a metal cldae. Easy  to swap between them.  Nice and powerful.  I bought it in the UK and brought it over.

I've now got a John Deere siton to ease the way on the 'lawn'.

[Rowan]

Buying one in the UK and bringing it over is not an option, as we don't go to the UK at all; hence my query about where to get a decent priced one in France!

[Théière]

Sounds like mail order may be an idea

[Rowan]

Yeah, thought of that, but Amazon won't ship certain items to France and I am not sure where else will!

Thanks, tho!

[Théière]

It may not be Amazon's fault, I know Stihl are very careful to only sell via there dealer network so unless a friend or relative can fetch one over for you then it may have to be another make. Ryobi are not up to the task, I had to modify my model (spare whilst repairing my stihl) as it jambs up around the cutting head

 

[Pierre ZFP]

It's funny but I bought a no-name strimmer (like a Roybi) when funds were tight for less than €80, thinking that if it lasts 2 or 3 seasons that will be OK by which time I could afford a Stihl.  Well, 10 years later it's still going strong and I can't justify ditching it for and upgrade!  The only thing I would say is whatever you do, get one with proper handles, not just the stupid loop thingy which makes extended use tiring.

[just john]

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]It's funny but I bought a no-name strimmer (like a Roybi) when funds were tight for less than €80, thinking that if it lasts 2 or 3 seasons that will be OK by which time I could afford a Stihl.  Well, 10 years later it's still going strong and I can't justify ditching it for and upgrade!  The only thing I would say is whatever you do, get one with proper handles, not just the stupid loop thingy which makes extended use tiring.[/quote]

Well if you had to, you might try a service like http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/5/1691259/ShowPost.aspx#1691259 but I'd go with the cheap stuff at Brico marche or Leroy Merlin, you get a guarantee anyway; a couple of friends who had invested heavily in Stihl and bought ''rubbish'' while it was for service found that the cheapo's are still going 2/3 years later without expensive repair bills. My usage is light so I'm still borrowing[:)]

[Théière]

I buy up a fair amount of broken Stihl equipment as they are well engineered and very easy to strip down and repair. The cylinder bores are all hard chromed and virtually indestructible so a quick hone is usually all they need after a seizure plus piston, rings and gaskets. It is nearly all bad owners who are at fault, wrong oil/ratio no air filters etc.

The cheapo's are surprising these days but in the case of my ryobi its all plastic and that includes crank cases and covers so they have a habit of leaking oil although it does keep going but the business end is terrible for picking up grass and binding itself to a stop until I made a few small mods and then it marches into battle!  Doesn't beat my FS450 That's the daddy [:)]

[Gluestick]

You could do worse than one of these:

http://www.thegreenreaper.co.uk/ShowDetails.asp?id=2058

And they ship to la belle France too.

Very helpful people as well.

Mitox as with most lower end equipment is made in the Far East; however the importer and UK concessionaire is Rochfords. Who have been in this business since 1978.

http://www.mitoxgm.co.uk/

Mitox kit also comes with a Two Year Warranty.

I've just purchased their biggest Mitox chainsaw, BTW: cannot fault the service, advice, assistance and speed of delivery! Ordered last Friday, late PM: arrived 12.30 PM Tuesday: a 20" 49 c.c. saw for £189: nuff said.

All the spares are readily available and it uses standard Oregon Chains and Blades.

 

[Rowan]

I went for the Brico Marche option. €149 and did a fabulous job. Not sure how robust it will be in the long term, but it is made in Japan, so will probably give us many years service.

Thanks for the suggestion. It never occurred to me to go there, I was going to gardening specialists and only finding very expensive makes.