roadwarriorsvt, there were several reasons I went with the Echo this time. The Echo is a much cleaner design, and has less moving parts to worry about. Best I can tell, there's the Engine, a belt with one tension pulley, and the trimming line spindle, all housed is a nice steel frame. Because of that, it's much lighter, and maintenance should be simpler.
I also have a great outdoor power shop, and I really try to do all the business with them I can. It's nice having a relationship with honest guys who will order parts over the phone, and will bump a repair up in the que if they know I'm in a jamb.
It took me a few days to research what I wanted, and I'm happy with the Echo. If it had one of those old FJ60 air cleaner snorkels on it, it would be perfect. Yes, I've already flipped it over in the pond once. Now, I'm trying to find the best choice for a log splitter. This one may take a smidge longer to decide on.
