Im aware we all start somewhere but there are many ways to buy good equipment with finance options or even used etc which will actually save you money in the longer run..As you said a Stihl is 500 but you have already spent one hundred and something on rubbish and if you keep doing that you will never afford any good equipment and end up with bits and pieces of broken down obselete machines everywhere..
Sorry to be so blunt but we have to make a decision if we want to be in business professionally and im sure you would not want bad unreliable junk costing you a fortune .Have a good shop around for a couple of grand in finance or ask your local dealer to help you as there are many options available these days to suit all budgets.
save up for a Tanaka, also check out the Makitas' -both pro quality without euro issues
http://curraronggardening.com/
"All sin is washed away in the Holy goodness of Beer"
Book of Redeye, Psalm 69
Get a Shindaiwa split shaft w-snipper and an articulating hedge trimmer (a.k.a. pole trimmer). It can be used as a w-snipper when not doing hedges then it is a relatively simple operation to swap it over to a hedge trimmer. The hedge trimmer attachment takes up very little room in your ute and you don't have to carry a step ladder with you (for most jobs),
and it saves your back.
That's what I use and it has done extremely well for the amount of abuse and neglect I have given it over the last 3 years.
Makita is very good also, and I expect they will have a big market share in the next few years. You can get a hedge trimmer attachment to fit a Makita straight shaft w-snipper you un-do two screws, take off the gear box and attach the hedge trimmer to the shaft.
Trust me get the stihl km130 36cc of power you have the power to slash blocks and accomdate a blade and when you put a shaft etension on that extra power sure goes fare....And it STIHL solid..
But if you aint ''STIHL'' you aint real....
and it stihl won't start lol haha
http://curraronggardening.com/
"All sin is washed away in the Holy goodness of Beer"
Book of Redeye, Psalm 69
Red eye, it looks like your experience with stihl is the same as mine.
What about Chainsaw?
Generally buy the best "commercial gear" you can afford!!