I've got an FS130 and love it. Wife wanted to try it one day and ended up mowing for about 2 hours. I like the sound of the motor better also. When I bought it, I was loaded up with a bunch of goodies. I've only used the 2 knife grass blade (doesn't chop up the grass so much) because I feed what I cut to the animals. I've also got a string head that I'm told is idiot proof, and a triple blade that is supposed to move the world. Depending on what you will be doing, it could also be overkill but not likely.

Good Luck

Dave

Thanks Dave
How long have you own it? Do you have problem of string break, how easy to change the string?
Thanks
Alan

I have the FS110 and it has been a good trimmer. It was strange at first. The head works well with either the hybred or original style line and is easy enough to rewind. I also have a blackberry and a brush blade. It could use the ability to become a stick edger tho.

Thanks for your feedback. I just wish more people respond to this. I hear mix things about Stihl, just want to be careful before I put out the money.

I have a 2 year old FS80. A great trimmer. I would use this trimmer on almost any size lot. The only reason I would consider something different is if I needed more power for brush clearing. Plus mine has a flexible shaft which is not as durable for brush clearing. I believe the 100 and 110 have a solid shaft. Either the 100 or 110 should be fine for what your needs, assuming you don't have alot of heavy brushland to maintain.

The 4-Mix trimmers have a hard shaft but its hollow for weight savings. Not considered appropriate for hard blade use. I think the variation with "R" after the number comes with a solid shaft which is good for hard blade brush cutting

http://www.stihlusa.com/trimmers/FS130R.html
This may help you. I've never touched the rest of the stuff that I was given with it. The guy showed me how to reload the string and it looked real simple.
Don't want to doubt anyone, but my understanding is that the difference between the normal and R model is the type of handles. I don't think Stihl would call them a brush cutter if they couldn't cut brush.

Good Luck.

Dave

Dave I had to go check where I messed up. The FS 100 RX is the one that uses the hollow shaft to save weight. Stihl lists it as a dedicated line cutterhead unit.

Hi guys, what do you think about the 4 mix engine? Are they using Zema carb. How's their ignition coil, reliable?
Thanks

I have a fs110r. I can't give you any feedback on reliability because I used it one season and actually didn't use it much because the summer was hot and dry. Not much growing. I was happy when I used it.
You need to be careful if you intend to use a blade. Stihl allows only a few blades if you are using loop handle (fs110R). If you want to use the other blades they say you need the fs110 with the bike handle. If you have an unit with the loop handles and want to use a blade you have to buy a blade kit wich is basically an added shield for around the blade and plastic bar for the handle. I tried two blades with my 110r. The one with 4 lobes and the one with 3. The one with 3 is more expensive but cuts much better because the blade is actually sharpened. It will cut small 1/2" dia.or so trees.

I am looking at the RedMax BCZ3000s 29cc 2 cycle trimmer. Anyone have opinion on how does this measure up with Stihl 4Mix reliability?

I sold my first Stihl 4 mix (FS100) four years ago.It has been running on a 40 acre resort.
No complaints so far other than a couple of pickup bodies.
The cutting tool being used is an Autocut 25-2 with 2.7mm Stihl nylon.
Engine is reliable, fuel efficient and sounds less irritating than a 2 stroke.
Future down-slide(if it does happen):The crank bearings, if they fail, cannot be replaced by themselves.You need to replace the whole crankshaft.

I sold 7 FS130 for real rough use, suitable more for FS200.10 months have passed, not one of them have come back with any complaint.
They are running every day for about 3-4 hours.
The Stihl 4mix engine is very easy to service.It has pushrods driven off a single cam, gear driven off the crankshaft to activate the over head valves.
The type of configuration you are used to seeing on regular stationary gas engines.
No fancy stuff like chain driven over head cams.No oil pumps or sumps
Simple and sweet in my opinion.
Joe

HI Joe
In hot India weather? That's good. Glad to hear this.

HI Joe
In hot India weather? That's good. Glad to hear this.