Going to Stihl dealer to see about an FS90 trimmer...

Any advice before I go? Questions to ask? Things to watch out for? I think the trimmer meets my needs and price, and I've all but settled on purchasing one... I need one fairly soon too, the grass is growing faster than I'd like...

Whatever you do, keep your hands on your wallet at all times and if the dealer has one, don't go in the back room !!!!:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

Id be happy to own one. Its a professional grade trimmer that should be able to handle most of your around the house needs. The msrp is 299.95 so make sure thats what he is selling it for.

Stihl Gold Tech said:

Id be happy to own one. Its a professional grade trimmer that should be able to handle most of your around the house needs. The msrp is 299.95 so make sure thats what he is selling it for.

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Thanks, checked online and that's what their price is... I'll be using it for extended periods of time (probably no more than 3 tank fulls continous use) for a lot of tall field grass around my house and barn, mostly timothy and clover... with some small diamter woody weeds mixed in...

I already have two four tooth grass blades... biggest stuff I'll get with it is probably some multiflora, but most of that I do with the bushhog so...

I def. like the price for what it appears it will get me... esp considering I've been doing a lot of this with my fathers fs55 up until now...

LOL thats what i run at my house right now. The good old FS 55. For what your describing it sounds like the FS 90 would be a good choice. Just make sure you run a good brand of 89 octane and Stihl's Ultra synthetic blend of oil in it to reduce carbon build up.

Just make sure that the price they are asking isnt too much higher than list price and you should be good to go.
From everything Ive heard and read, the FS90 is a very nice trimmer. I love my Honda, but Stihl makes some nice trimmers.

belgian said:

Whatever you do, keep your hands on your wallet at all times and if the dealer has one, don't go in the back room !!!!:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:

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Grrrrrrrrrrr you!!! In the back room he'll come out with a KM90 and 6 attachments and maybe a new saw and blower to boot. Belgian hush yourself you heathen,grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!


Marc step on in here in the ole back room and let me show ya all the goodies. Don't pay no mind to that Belgian charactor, hehehehe

Marc said:

Any advice before I go? Questions to ask? Things to watch out for? I think the trimmer meets my needs and price, and I've all but settled on purchasing one... I need one fairly soon too, the grass is growing faster than I'd like...

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I settled on a 90, but walked out with a 130. No regrets.

I walked in my local dealer Sat. looking for another trimmer. He said a very good customer wanted to sell his trimmer. So in back we go......And I walked out with a fs250, strap, oil, handshake warrenty all for $250 bucks. It was never used.

Alright... so I went and took the 90 he had right there in the store today.

No, there were no back room deals. This is why I like this particular dealer... I walk in "Hey Jim, I like the FS90."

"Ok Marc. Do you want to buy it?"

"Yup."

"Ok, let's put some gas in and make sure she runs."

Hands it over with display shoulder strap attached. Says nothing so apparently it was part of the deal for 299.99.

I'll use it tomorrow for the first time. I was too busy today burying the nose of my 290 in some downed 36" DBH sugar maple I scored on the side of the road... about a cord's worth, maybe more. I'll take pic's of that when I go back. I'm getting a bad case of the CAS. I'm wishing I had a 7900, 460 or 575xp about now... I may be rectifying that situation soon...

Oh, he threw in the mounting hardware for the four sided grass blades I already had someone gave to me... so all in all, a great experience.

Any advice on breaking in the engine now, btw?

I have the FS 110 R and it does a great job. I don't use it for brush, but then again, most small growth trees etc, you dont have to worry about if you're using good trimmer line. Seems to have plenty of power to spare.

Marc said:

Any advice on breaking in the engine now, btw?

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Should be pretty much the same as breaking in a new saw. Avoid high engine rpms (dont hold it wide open under no load) and avoid building up too much heat.

I bought an FS90 last year, I really like it. It has a lot of torque to power through tall heavy weeds. My only advice is to let it warm up a litttle before you run it, as mine seems to be a little bit cold blooded.

bmcdjohnson said:

I bought an FS90 last year, I really like it. It has a lot of torque to power through tall heavy weeds. My only advice is to let it warm up a litttle before you run it, as mine seems to be a little bit cold blooded.

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That's interesting, I've found that to be true of my father's 2 stroke 55, as well...

Keep us posted as to how your like your FS 90. Im looking to get a more heavy-duty trimmer for keeping thick weeds/brush trimmed back around my property and for cleaning up brush on a section of snowmobile trail that I maintain every fall, so the FS 90 caught my eye.
Ive got a 25cc Honda that I use now and it works good for trimming grass, but its a little wimpy when it comes to thick weeds and brush.

Bakemono said:

Should be pretty much the same as breaking in a new saw. Avoid high engine rpms (dont hold it wide open under no load) and avoid building up too much heat.

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No so true... the line is the load..... not the grass... It's also rev limted.

Just use it "normally".

Marc said:

That's interesting, I've found that to be true of my father's 2 stroke 55, as well...

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Yep.. welcome the the world of EPA...

I also bought an FS90 last year, it sat all winter and this spring two pulls and she was running, let it set for a week or two, one pull. I bought one of those
heads that takes the two short pieces of line. I carry a few pieces of heavy line and lighter line in my pocket.....don't remember what Stihl calls that head
you can buy line pre cut but it's much cheaper to cut it your self.

They call it the "fix-cut" head.