wont start. depsite carfeully following instructions

Absolute rubbish, never starts, gets heavy after a while. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY.

No support rubbish design horrible startup.

The reason the engine stopped working was because the timing wheel is secured to the crankshaft using the clutch mechanism as a bolt - and it simply comes undone spins around and then the timing goes out of sync and it wont start! I have repaired it several times but its a bad design and the problem wont go away! You have to take the engine apart and re seat the timing wheel at top dead centre and tighten it up! It will then work again - but not for long!

Other than that its a good machine!

I ran a new McCulloch Tivoli 65 petrol hedge trimmer for approx 3 hours and all was well. However, on starting up the machine 3 months later, after approx 5 mins, the machine backfired and the engine stopped working. No attempt to restart the hedge trimmer succeeded. I then took it to an authorised McCulloch servicing agent who on seeing it stated 'Oh no, not another McCulloch that the engine has stopped working and will not restart'. We have several in the workshop at the moment and are having dificulty in finding out why'!

When I contacted McCulloch it wasn't very helpful because, whilst the machine had only been unpacked from being new for 3 months, the item had been bought 13 months before the failure. The fact that the hedge trimmer had sat in my garage for 10 months in it packing and had not been put to its intended use, had no impact with them.

Upon further research on the web my McCulloch engine problem appears not to be unique, and I appear to be one of many others who have suffered.

I will now be looking for a more reliable make of hedgetrimmer.

Used it one season, cutting the hedge twice. It wasn't strained and fuel mix was bang accurate. It then cut out repeatedly and refused to start. Occasionally it splutters into life and then dies just as quickly. It is the second McCulloch I have bought thinking that the same experience of the last one. It too was junk with bolts falling off faster than I could find and replace them and the engine cutting outuseless in the same way. I thought lightening wouldn't strike twice but...... I was wrong. McCulloch's support site is pointless. This product is junk.

after second season .scrap.carried out little work.not worth fixing,do not buy.

have had this mculloch hedgetrimmer for about a year, have only used it a few time but guess what?..yes, you have guessed, the damn thing wont start. I have had this problem of it struggling since day one..I realise I should have sent it back or get it repaired, but after reading these reviews I have decided to ditch the thing and to by another ...maybe ryobi or some decent brand name

After two sessions of cutting the McCulloch Gladiator 550 Hedge Trimmer 55o would not start (had for 9 months) after about six weeks finally returned form agent with carb fitted = but would not extend warranty beyond the 3 months left.
Now used for about 2 hours and stopped again and sure same problem - now out warranty and not worth spending money on it = very poor = not reliabl leave well alome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???