In message , Janet Tweedy
writes
In 1998 I bought some really great hedge trimmers G700 made by Viking
who are a subsidiary of Stihl. They were electric but really long and
powerful and had an arm rest on the back. Brilliant things.
Then about a fortnight ago the motor blew a puff of smoke and died so I
took them in to the supplier to be mended.
Got a phone call from Briants of Princes Risborohg to say they would
cost over 80 pounds to be mended and a new pair would only be 125.

So, me thinking I'd not bother with the old ones, duly forked out the
necessary money and got the 'new-improved-equivalent' model (think it's
G715)
Anyway to cut a long story short they aren't a patch on the old ones,
they feel as shoddy as a Black and Decker pair, they've got less
cutting length I'm sure and they've redesigned the handle and now have
a 'built in ' arm rest.
Rats.......................

With 400 foot of 8 foot high hawthorn I need a sturdy set of cutters
and these don't feel like they are going to do the job next year when
the bigger cut has to be done.

Wrote a lengthy complaint to Viking and they have said they are SURE
I'll be pleased with the new ones when I get used to them (huh!) and
they'll be back to me when the customer service manager comes back off
holiday.

Will relay what they tell me when I get the next email!

Janet

I bought an HE600 last year (60cm blade as opposed to the 700/715's
70cm) and I looked at the 615/715 models which had just been introduced
and I was not particularly impressed, particularly in view of the
increased cost. Having been through a complete trimming and cutting
cycle I am very pleased - a vast improvement over previous Black &
Decker kit. There appear to be some online dealers still selling the
600/700 models.
--
Robert