Thank goodness for Product Review.
Upon reading of the many consumers complaints expressing their disgust re Stihl FS38, they have saved me from making a purchase I'd regret.
Thank you!!
The advertising hype of Stihl leaves a lot to be desired.

Reading all the negative reviews it seems i am lucky! Bought mine over 10 years ago and use it two or three times a week. Never serviced. Never measured the correct oil mix, just added a splash. Always starts 4th pull. Prime it, two pulls with choke and then two pulls without.
Recently it started running poorly so I took it for a service. The local Stihl dealer charged me $79 for a decoke, a new autofeed bumphead and a litre of oil. Now running better than ever.
For mine, one of the best garden maintenance tools you can buy.

I bought a fs38 as I was sick of my old one not starting, work well the first day I had it except for the crap line in the equally crap head (why don’t you use premium line in it from the start)
Today I went to use it and no start, I’m an ex2 stroke mechanic so I take out the plug and it’s dry no matter how manny times I prime it.
I’m going to take it back tomorrow and if I don’t get a full refund I will set fire to it in the car park.
Why oh why didn’t I buy a Honda
DONT BUY THIS CRAP please

You spend 99% fluffing with the line feed! I have had the FS 85 no problem so this isn't about bagging Stihl in general but this FS 38 head is the most infuriating piece of crap I have ever come across! I am a tradesman and know about tools e.t.c and have had a few chainsaws whipper snippers e.t.c but this is just a freaking joke the home handyman would be in an asylum dealing with this!!!! Pretty easy Stihl to come up with a replacement head and make everyone happy! I am going on as many websites about this product because I am furious, its a shithouser design, I challenge anyone including Stihl to dispute my claim. Oh the power head seems fine.

After only minimal hours of use this whipper-snipper refuses to start and the dealer wants $125 to replace the spark plug lead as it is out of warranty by three weeks. Absolute rip-off.

Bought a new petrol trimmer about a year ago
Three weeks after the rope or pull cord snaps
The store at Redcliffe charged me $40 odd dollars to replace it
I was not using it hard and not best pleased
I had only just recovered from shoulder surgery and so did not pull the cord overly hard
Well just had the other shoulder surgery two months ago and so was using the machine left handed and hardly any force
Again it snaps
The machine has an overall cheap feel and is not as good quality as my FS45 which I still use
Despite the age the cord i...

Returned mine to Mitre 10 within 24 hours and after 3 visits. Does not bump feed and re threading line is painful and the manual is misleading. TOTAL waste of time and money. Worst product, do not buy. Should have learnt after the first Stihl trimmer I bought. Cant upload any receipt because I left the whole thing at Mitre 10 line, fuel warranty bag at the counter and walked out.

Waste of money and time. Constantly has to be rethreaded. Line does not feed through easily. What should be a quick job ends up taking hours due to stopping continually to reload line

I had the Stihl FS38 for almost 7 years now. It was always a little bit of an effort to start it up but once it was running it did the job fine. It's noisy like any other 2 stroke, the line feeder is a bit of a pain but it's ok to handle. You need to buy a good line otherwise it will wear off quickly, that has nothing to do with this machine though. All in all I was satisfied with the value for money. I have now changed to a 4 stroke as I'm over the fuel mixing. Happy retirement FS38

Warning do not buy this product it is absolutely crap, there seems to be design faults, with head and shaft. Stihl will use ever excuse to void the warranty. Our first whipper snipper we owned was a ryobi for over 12 years and never had an issue, but since everytime we have bought a stihl one it breaks down either before warranty or just after, total crap.

The head is crap. The thing vibrates like its about to come apart in my hands. Ineffective but very loud tool. Dont waste your money. Gotta spend more to get quality.

The instruction manual does not match the product so I have no idea how to load the line. It doesn't start. Upon getting help from the man in the shop he basically showed me a complete different way to start it than the manual. But I'm still having trouble. The line continuously braking and tangling and does not feed.

I purchased a Stihl trimmer FS38 in November 2018 with a 2 year warranty. At the beginning of July 2020 I took it to Edward’s Mowers Oak Flats as it failed to start. Three weeks later, after several requests for an update from Stihl, I was informed by Edwards Mowers that the carburetor was the problem and it couldn’t be fixed. They also advised me that the warranty was void. The reason given was that I had used dirty fuel which I dispute.
The unleaded fuel used was the same fuel used in my car and I have had no problems with the car’s performa...

I am a small time landscaper, so I used this machine about 5 days a week. I followed the operating instructions to a T, as well as using the correct fuel and oil mixture. Within 5 weeks of purchasing this tool, it began to sputter and stall out frequently. In addition, it would not rev fully, and would vibrate aggressively. The feed system would take forever to load, and the line comes off very fast if you rev it high. I am very disappointed, because I payed good money, and I expected the STIHL name to backed by quality, and ease of use. Despit...

Dealer told me to try a FS 40 head.
Half the problem solved.
Get a " Pro Carbon CF3 " line of .095".
They will tell you it won't fit and it doesn't but a drill bit a shade bigger than the hole in the spool will fix that.
Now you have a machine that works and will actually feed the line.
Yes...you heard me right, it actually feeds trouble free.
Now you have a machine that is a pleasure to use.

I put in the recommended fuel mixture sold by the dealer but have trouble loading and starting it. The load process is terrible and after loaded it gets stuck and doesn’t unwind , when you need more string. Painful don’t buy!

Just bought yesterday .. follow the instructions provided by dealer ..totally disappointed .. bad decision ... wish i could return it . Used once only .. we buy thing for comfert not to have troubles

Have had a couple of stihl fs38 units and had trouble getting them to run took latest one used twice to new mechanic and was told using wrong petrol needs 95 or 98 not 85 or 91 which has ethanol in it WHY aren't we told this by STihl and salespeople

This is the second FS38 I've had 1st one replaced now this one will not run /back fires through the carby had less that 3 hrs use still like new this is just a cheap rubbish item very disappointed stihl agent said it was only cheap , what did I want for the price this is not a quality stihl item just cheap rubbish and even the dealer agreed with me .

Horrible machine. Starting it is a pain. The line keeps sucking in no matter what I try. It’s the most terrible terrible terrible machine. I wish my old trimmer didn’t break! They should do a product recall on these. Don’t buy. The company needs to invest in more R&D instead of advertising how good they are.
Oh! There is more: It had to be repaired a week after I purchased it. Something about a fuel line that was too short. I’m not
kidding.

Just don’t buy!

I know three others who bought this. Two dumped it. The other got a lawnmower man in as he hates it so much. I keep taking it back to the shop and begging for help.