My BR600's tale of woe and intrigue...

[RunIt]

I have one landscapeing company that has 25 BR-600's. 4-5 years old. He had three to mess up. Two were cam problems , the other one they dropped it in a pond .He runs mid grade fuel and ultra oil. They all get filters, valve adjustment and a tune up one time a year. He also his 23 FS110, 8 HT130, and 9 ms362 saw. also do you know about the cold weather shutter in the air cleaner box for running in cold weather.

THANK YOU...I owe you one!

I had forgotten about that as I learned of it years ago, found out that mine didn't have it (giving me yet another reason to worry)...and then obviously forgot about it since there was nothing that I could do (easily).

Again, huge save for me and yet another debt owed to this forum.

 

[PogoInTheWoods]

In that case I'd go with another BR600 myself. Then sell it new and buy a EBZ8500: biggrin:

I bought a BR600 AFTER reading your extensive thread on the subject last year for two major reasons:

The Stihl was $425 plus tax out the door with two year warranty while the Shinny at a dealer less than half a mile away was pushing $575.

Nobody is gonna tell me there's 150 bucks difference in stock performance between the two and a properly maintained BR600 won't provide just as many years of service as a Shindaiwa.

I was tempted, mind you. But the wallet spoke volumes in my decision, plus the Stihl dealer has been around a whole lot longer in my area than the Shindaiwa dealer. Matter of fact, all the Stihl dealers in my area have been around a lot longer than the Shindaiwa dealers. Mine acknowledged the 4-stroke was at end-of-life and guaranteed the blower for as long as I owned it provided I brought it to them for recommended maintenance. Said mine was the latest, greatest, and last rendition of all the design improvements over the years -- and he's fixed more than his share of these things. (Second reason.)

I'm happy with mine. First thing it did when I initially fired it up was eat the velcro strap hanging on the handle for stowing the blower tube. Got sucked right into the impeller cage. Vaporized. Dust. Gone. Didn't miss a beat. I was actually pretty impressed.

Told the dealer about it and he just laughed and said, "Yep. Ya got yourself a good one. Just don't get into the habit of using it as a shredder, too."

Poge

 

[stihl86]

I think you'll be seeing a large strato BR soon. They will keep the 4-mix for the linetrimmers.

 

[K&L Landscaping]

I think you'll be seeing a large strato BR soon. They will keep the 4-mix for the linetrimmers.

Do you have this on good authority or is it merely speculation, at this point?

 

[blsnelling]

I bought a BR600 AFTER reading your extensive thread on the subject last year for two major reasons:

The Stihl was $425 plus tax out the door with two year warranty while the Shinny at a dealer less than half a mile away was pushing $575.

Nobody is gonna tell me there's 150 bucks difference in stock performance between the two and a properly maintained BR600 won't provide just as many years of service as a Shindaiwa.

I was tempted, mind you. But the wallet spoke volumes in my decision, plus the Stihl dealer has been around a whole lot longer in my area than the Shindaiwa dealer. Matter of fact, all the Stihl dealers in my area have been around a lot longer than the Shindaiwa dealers. Mine acknowledged the 4-stroke was at end-of-life and guaranteed the blower for as long as I owned it provided I brought it to them for recommended maintenance. Said mine was the latest, greatest, and last rendition of all the design improvements over the years -- and he's fixed more than his share of these things. (Second reason.)

I'm happy with mine. First thing it did when I initially fired it up was eat the velcro strap hanging on the handle for stowing the blower tube. Got sucked right into the impeller cage. Vaporized. Dust. Gone. Didn't miss a beat. I was actually pretty impressed.

Told the dealer about it and he just laughed and said, "Yep. Ya got yourself a good one. Just don't get into the habit of using it as shredder, too."

Poge

Nothing wrong that decision at all. You made an educated and informed decision. With the care you'll give it, you'll probably never buy another.

 

[RunIt]

I think you'll be seeing a large strato BR soon. They will keep the 4-mix for the linetrimmers.

Not doubting you and maybe it's the way to go (just follow the pack)...but if the 4 Mix is as reliable (long term) as some on here say with proper maintenance...I can't see them giving up the extra parts business generated from techs having the opportunity to look them over more than any other blower out there (ie. taking your car in for an oil change at the stealership).

 

[blsnelling]

I've heard similiar from my dealer, that the 4-Mix will be fased out.

 

[RunIt]

I'm glad that you guys didn't spring this on me earlier today as I don't know what I would have done then...(and I was just starting to get the warm, fuzzy Stihl vibe all over again with my shiny new favorite now obsolete favorite tool...).:msp_ohmy:

How long before Mr. snelling tells me (again) that I shoulda got a Shindy?....

 

[sawfun9]

Why would Stihl make the 4-mix obsolete since it should be a cleaner running engine and give them some EPA credit. I see an abut even mix of the 4-mix Stihls, the Shinny's and the Redmax with Echo being the least seen around here. And aren't the new Shinny's called the C4 which is their version of the 4-mix but in 79cc's instead of 56.

 

[Andyshine77]

Don't worry Andyshine will vote for anything except Stihl

Hahaha. I've had my FS-110 5 years now and I love it!!

sawfun9.

I had a long talked with my dealer about the 4 mix equipment, Don sure likes to talk. Anyway it seems like they were disliked by dealers and too many end users, Don doesn't really care for them either. They take longer to work on, they're more complicated and expensive to care for. Here is the big one, they cost to much for Stihl to make with all the extra parts, even with many of parts coming from Asia. In our area the lawn guys seem to kill them too quickly, some LCC's went back to older or less powerful 2 stroke models. Simply put, the 4-mix just wasn't a great design to begin with.

I currently have a Shin EBZ8510 and they have had quite a few issues and redesigns with their 4 cycle blower as well. Luckily I haven't had any problems in 5 years, and I've used the hell out of it. I actually like the idea of 4 cycle engines in blowers, but it's obvious these small manufactures didn't do their homework when developing these engines. After all a 2cycle engine is quite simple when compared to a 4 cycle engine.

The new strato blowers are just as efficient as the 4-mix. They have fewer moving parts, cheaper to make, more reliable and require less maintenance. The writing was on the wall.

 

[bcorradi]

LOL good deal i know you like your dolmars and huskies so I was just givin ya grief.

 

[stihl86]

Not doubting you and maybe it's the way to go (just follow the pack)...but if the 4 Mix is as reliable (long term) as some on here say with proper maintenance...I can't see them giving up the extra parts business generated from techs having the opportunity to look them over more than any other blower out there (ie. taking your car in for an oil change at the stealership).

The problem, for them, is manufacturing costs. Trust me, anything a landscape crew uses will need parts. No matter what the brand.

 

[Andyshine77]

LOL good deal i know you like your dolmars and huskies so I was just givin ya grief.

I knew you were just having fun, I have plenty of Stihls and I know I'll add more in time.

 

[Andyshine77]

The problem, for them, is manufacturing costs. Trust me, anything a landscape crew uses will need parts. No matter what the brand.

True, but the more moving parts you have and the more maintenance required = down time, LLC don't like that.

 

[stihl86]

I agree completely. Although the BR600 is a quality tool, I won't be too sad to see it go.
I would like to see something on par with a Red Max 8000 series. EXCEPT have it stay together. (Unlike the RedMax.) :msp_smile:

 

[Frank Boyer]

Does anyone know about when the upgraded BR600's came out? Serial number break? Obvious parts changed?
THANKS

 

[RunIt]

Does anyone know about when the upgraded BR600's came out? Serial number break? Obvious parts changed?
THANKS

I've been unable to find my paperwork and the dealer has kept my box of parts with the ser.# ...sorry.

I can tell you that the 'cold weather' port cover was not included on my BR600 (out of the box) and was on another brand new unit that we looked at when I questioned exactly where mine was located just after I bought it. Whether that is accurate in terms of Stihl approaching the 'end' of those original issues, I have no idea.

Btw and off-topic a little...do the rest of the major brands have a slightly curved tip as an option? I tried this on the snow today and other than putting a bit of strain on the hand continually forcing the nozzle back down it works pretty well. I thought that my original wand tip had a bit of a bend to it before I switched to what they replaced it with now but nothing this pronounced.

 

[cc2222]

Sure it came with a cold weather kit. Take out the air filter and you will see a black valve in the back of the cleaner box,. Open it in cold weather and close it in warm weather . That simple.

 

[RunIt]

Sure it came with a cold weather kit. Take out the air filter and you will see a black valve in the back of the cleaner box,. Open it in cold weather and close it in warm weather . That simple.

My failed unit never came with a kit. Whether mine was the only one that never did out of all those made from day one...you got me.

 

[RunIt]

Hope that I'm not asking for more than I should be (and certainly am) grateful to have received here...but I've got two questions that BR600 owners both future and present have asked on here that would seem to affect both going forward:

Coming soon (?) radical changes for at least the larger blower and where/how/when the problems were indeed fixed in regards to those same units.

I wouldn't expect dealers or distributors to come on here and say anything regarding either of these (quote/unquote) 'secrets'/theories/heresay (which was understandably illustrated when this came up in terms of the former) ...but I find it interesting that Mr. Boyer's post (#76) still begs an answer from the consumer community; there is disagreement on whether even the cold weather ports were there from the beginning (possible even an 'approximate' estimate/answer of same?) and frankly that talk of anything radically changing with the BR600 doesn't make posts like Mr. Boyer's even more relevant (at least to him).

Since I just bought a new BR600 partly because of the assurances given here which I appreciate...I would at least like to not challenge my dealer but give a wink to them that changes are in the works which they knew full well about...so that we can work together in the future on any potential issues not related to those that Mr. Boyer has asked about that are evidently already fixed.