I don't know how long I had my first Mantis, but I gave it to my grandson and I bought a new one on 2/7/2017, primarily because I'm lazy and the new one has the easy start system so you never have to pull hard and fast. I can just slowly and easily pull the starter rope until the engine turns over. So now, in a year and a quarter, it's given me no trouble at all. Now after I say that, it may never run again, since the gas that is in it, and in the can I use, is as old as the Mantis, and yep it's that old gas that everyone hates because of the ethanol. I do use a double dose of the old original Stabil in my gas.
I did learn on both the old Mantis and this new one that when it starts, you should let it sit and idle and warm up a minute or so before you use the throttle.