Cheap snorkels on fleabay...

[adzee]

So I have been looking at snorkels online, and whilst I know a genuine LR or safari snorkel is considered the norm, has anyone bought one of the cheap ones off eBay? Is there anything different in terms of making sure the engine get sufficient air and also quality to go through high water... Seems there is a large "brand" tax from what I can tell, however if it is at all dodgy I know an engine is very exy!

Thanks

[elsey]

It is not so much the the worry of getting sufficient air it is the quality of the material that they are made of and the fit.

The LR unit is only a high rise air intake and not a snorkel, Safari is the only one that I would trust.

You have a quality vehicle that you have outlaid a lot of money to purchase so why try and save a few bob on a dodgy product that could cost you a lot of money in the long run.

Lou

[vbrab]

Bought one 20,000k ago on Ebay mostly because we have a dust problem on roads.(I think it was about $180, have lost paperwork, but it came from Tasmanian supplier)
It appears to work well, and mileage seems not to have been affected. I do a lot of high speed long distances, I dont do much deep water so I don't expect to have to test it out to the limit. Dimensions as far as ability to allow the required volume of air to engine seems adequate. Whatever it is made of might not seems as robust as I would think it should be, but it does appear to be saving aircleaner elements from road dust.
I paid $700 for an Australian made snorkel that came with a hole in the moulding, so getting this for under $200 without flaws is good value.
I would probably buy from same supplier if I needed to.
vbrab

[adzee]

Thanks, didn't know the land rover one was just a raised air intake. Safari seems like my choice. $780 fitted ain't bad. That's opposite locks pricing I got yesterday at sandown.

[Joeblow]

The genuine unit is a raised air intake due to the wading height of the vehicle being so low as listed in the vehicle's manual. I would however go with the safari option better value for money in my opinion.

[ADMIRAL]

So I have been looking at snorkels online, and whilst I know a genuine LR or safari snorkel is considered the norm, has anyone bought one of the cheap ones off eBay? Is there anything different in terms of making sure the engine get sufficient air and also quality to go through high water... Seems there is a large "brand" tax from what I can tell, however if it is at all dodgy I know an engine is very exy!

Thanks

I think you have answered your own question. If you value the investment you have in the vehicle, why put it at risk, with an unknown, untried product ?

[jonesy63]

Back to the original post - there is a brand tax and also Australian buyer gouging as well. For instance, you can buy the Safari snorkel in UK for about $300. Yet the same thing here is $565!

[oldsalt]

That's why I bought my RAI from the UK - even with freight it cost about half of what it would have cost here !!
cheers

[adzee]

I take it you weren't after the sealed (for water crossing) features of an actual snorkel?

[mervwho]

That's why I bought my RAI from the UK - even with freight it cost about half of what it would have cost here !!
cheers

Can you say who the supplier was in the UK.

[roamer]

I think you may find that you can seal the RAI good enough, its the electronics and the height of one of the turbos that will reduce your wading depth. I think the RAI looks heaps better (IMHO)and I love that induction growl :burnrubber:
Try The Large One (Nick,), on the UK site, for genuine stuff at the right price
Cheers Ken

[Mike_S]

Agree with that, Nick's good for genuine stuff, he's parts manager at Yeovil Land Rover and I've had a pile of parts off him in the past.

Another one to ask is Duckworth Land Rover, I've also had a pile of gear off them recently whilst putting together my 'service pack' of parts that are packed into the car ready for its trip in a few weeks time.

Contacts for Duckworths can be found in this thread

RRSPORT.CO.UK • View topic - Winch and bar wanted (http://www.rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic23723.html)

[Terrain Vehicles]

You must bear in mind that if you submerge the vehicle deep enough to bring the water level over the intake level, then you've gone very wrong... The D3 isn't designed to cope with water up to the windscreen like the older models can cope with. The snorkels are designed to stop splashes from the bow-wave getting in, and also to reduce the amount of dust sucked in too.

We sell a good, cheap, snorkel for the D3. It's very similar to the Safari snorkel and looks good. I wouldn't want to batter it off of too many trees, but if it does get damaged, but at £90 each, they are a lot more affordable than the Safari option. Carriage will unfortunately be another £90, but at AU$285 (ish) it's still pretty cheap.

See attached picture.

[101RRS]

You must bear in mind that if you submerge the vehicle deep enough to bring the water level over the intake level, then you've gone very wrong...

Well not quite so - if you have a radiator blind and are moving, the water level in the engine bay will be very low while it may be over the bonnet on the outside - come to a stop - well you will then be in trouble and I know how exposed the electronics are - certainly not waterproof which is odd for a full on 4wd. I had washed my engine and had sensor issues for a week until it all dried out.

These ebay snorkels are being sold by a major player in landie spare parts in Aust so I am sure they are up to the job and the company would not be prepared to risk their reputation on a dodgy product - as minimum I am sure they would honour any warranty.

Garry

[jonesy63]

We sell a good, cheap, snorkel for the D3. It's very similar to the Safari snorkel and looks good.

That looks like the cheap snorkel on eBay, which comes from Malaysia.

For reference, I looked last night and the RAI is 260 UK Pounds and Safari is 210 UK Pounds (at Duckworths). Freight is the killer of the deal though.

[elsey]

One of the biggest issues with the cheap versions is their UV stability. They might look the same a Safari but they do not have the same guaranteed quality of a Safari that you can rely on. It is a bit late to find this out if the motor ingests a bit of water because the thing broke down.

I would not risk it.

Lou...

[Desert Traveller]

You spend how much on a D3/4 and worry about a few hundred dollars extra for a known quality brand snorkel?

[jonesy63]

You spend how much on a D3/4 and worry about a few hundred dollars extra for a known quality brand snorkel?

I for one, have no issues spending a few hundred dollars on a Safari snorkel - like buyers in the UK get. I do have an issue with Safari shipping them around the world and selling them for half the price of what we have to pay for them! :mad:

Are we subsidising the sale of them in other parts of the world?

[Terrain Vehicles]

I don't know if these snorkels are made by the same people that make the Safari snorkel, but it wouldn't surprise me. We have a container of stuff on it's way to us from China now, and their sales catalogue showed a number of items with a well known brand name on them. The ones we will be getting are the same thing, without the brand name, but a lot cheaper.

[elsey]

It is easy to copy something (anything) and the Chinese are masters at it but is the quality the same as the genuine product?

Safari state that their snorkels are made manufactured in Australia from Australian plastic materials that contain special additives.

Have a look at the following link.

Don't Get Burnt - Low Quality Snorkel Copies (http://www.dont-get-burnt.com/)

Lou...

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

A lot of those cheap snorkels are the Airflow brand, there has been info that the Templates often are useless and the sellers say stiff luck.
Also the fit is not as neat

[Terrain Vehicles]

Well, I just had the choice of dropping a D3 wish-bone on my foot, or on one of these snorkels. I went for the snorkel. And there is not a mark on it. :)

[sdt463]

Well, I just had the choice of dropping a D3 wish-bone on my foot, or on one of these snorkels. I went for the snorkel. And there is not a mark on it. :)
Would that be your foot or the snorkel. Sorry:D:D:D :wasntme:

[Terrain Vehicles]

Thankfully, both. :D

[Dirty3]

I don't know if these snorkels are made by the same people that make the Safari snorkel, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Be careful what you say. Safari wouldn't put on their marketing material that they are made in Australia if they weren't as severe fines can be dished out.

Read the testing report, it is very interesting. As they say "Oil's ain't Oil's"!!

I work in a field where our product branding, quality of maufacture are considered the best in the world. We have cheap knock off's claiming to be the same, but their not. Customers go for the cheapy copies invariably come back after awhile tail between the legs. We welcome them back. Yes our product is much more expensive but it's longevity and performance can be triple the performance of the cheapo's. But, these days many only see the purchase price and not the long term associated costs.

[jonesy63]

Yes our product is much more expensive but it's longevity and performance can be triple the performance of the cheapo's. But, these days many only see the purchase price and not the long term associated costs.

Any ideas why the Safari snorkel can be made in Australia, shipped to UK, then sold for half of what costs here?

[~Rich~]

Maybe most Poms are not as rich as the average Aussie ;)

[Terrain Vehicles]

Be careful what you say. Safari wouldn't put on their marketing material that they are made in Australia if they weren't as severe fines can be dished out.



Didn't realise they did. :D Obviously not the same then!

[Terrain Vehicles]

Maybe most Poms are not as rich as the average Aussie ;)

At £1.40 for a litre of diesel, no we're not! :mad: :D

[Terrain Vehicles]

I must admit, I can see both sides of the coin here. I do believe that 'you get what you pay for'. But I also believe that it's not always necessary to pay over the odds for a brand name. If we wouldn't fit a product to our own vehicles, then we won't sell it. And we do know that people do want to modify their cars without spending a fortune on them.

Or perhaps this is a difference between the UK and Oz at the moment. Perhaps you do have more free income and are happier to spend that little bit extra and buy the best you can get. We are happy to supply Branded products if you want. :p

This is the sort if thing I hope to learn by coming here. What does Australia want? :)

[roamer]

This is the sort if thing I hope to learn by coming here. What does Australia want? :)



Top quality,cheap price and free shipping from UK.. :BigThumb:
Anything else ya wanta know ?

Cheers Ken

[Terrain Vehicles]

Top quality,cheap price and free shipping from UK.. :BigThumb:
Anything else ya wanta know ?

Cheers Ken

Brilliant. I think I'll take early retirement now. :D

[roamer]

Brilliant. I think I'll take early retirement now. :D

OH, great a closing down sale, :clap2:
But how do we check out what you do. or is that a moderator :nazibanned:



Cheers Ken

[~Rich~]

Some of you guys can be so cruel!
To each their own.

[Terrain Vehicles]

OH, great a closing down sale, :clap2:
But how do we check out what you do. or is that a moderator :nazibanned:



Cheers Ken

I'm trying to observe good netequette and not spam the forum too much. :D Basically, we can supply anything Britpart, Allmakes, Terrafirma, and if we really have to, Bearmach. We are also in the process of setting up and account with X-Eng too.

Once we get a sensible web site then we will approach the powers-at-be about a banner ad.

Btw, who is the best person to mail about what is or isn't permissable as far as posting goes? I did send a reply to my welcome PM, but not has a reply. I try to keep to already existing topics and not start new topics spamming products on the forum. :)

[TerryO]

Once we get a sensible web site then we will approach the powers-at-be about a banner ad.

Btw, who is the best person to mail about what is or isn't permissable as far as posting goes? I did send a reply to my welcome PM, but not has a reply. I try to keep to already existing topics and not start new topics spamming products on the forum. :)


That would be Incisor your looking for ...;)

cheers,
Terry

[Terrain Vehicles]

The welcome message came from him. :D

[Graeme]

Bought one 20,000k ago on Ebay mostly because we have a dust problem on roads.(I think it was about $180, have lost paperwork, but it came from Tasmanian supplier)
How's the plastic standing up to your climate so far? A Tassie LR workshop selling them reports no problems in 6 years but they don't have the same heat and light exposure so could be different.

[Dirty3]

Any ideas why the Safari snorkel can be made in Australia, shipped to UK, then sold for half of what costs here?

Nope. You'd have to ask Safari that. But distributors will get supplied at a certain cost and it's up to them how much margin they then want to make. Online sellers will take less margins cause they have lower overheads.

[vnx205]

Any ideas why the Safari snorkel can be made in Australia, shipped to UK, then sold for half of what costs here?

An explanation given to me by a place that sells Safari snorkels was that the entire output from Safari is shipped to the UK where they sell 6,000 units a month.

The tiny number needed for Australia are then sent back from the UK.

Sounds a bit odd. I have no idea whether there is any truth to the story.

[Graeme]

That just sounds like a story to explain the price difference, just like Safaris' comparison between theirs and the cheapies.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

An explanation given to me by a place that sells Safari snorkels was that the entire output from Safari is shipped to the UK where they sell 6,000 units a month.

The tiny number needed for Australia are then sent back from the UK.

Sounds a bit odd. I have no idea whether there is any truth to the story.I doubt they would re-ship back to Oz, but with small volumes a batch is sitting in warehouses for a long time costing money in rent. (But prices are usually set at what the market will bear, and when the cost of imported chemicals went down because the Aussie $ rose 30%, none of the manufacturers seemed to drop their prices in the shop.)

As for the explanation between the safari vs the others, I would rather doubt that the laboratory results have been fudged, but that doesn't say that the Chinese can't change their process and dry mix their ingredients to change the results.

[Graeme]

I finally got to fit my cheap snorkel. Whilst I had noticed its concave back where it sits against the mudguard, I expected the bolts to pull the surface flat once fitted. It needed a longer stud as it was too dished, even after using a heat gun to allow it to be reshaped a little. What it really needed was jamming with sand then jamming more as it was heated to reshape the whole back, but I didn't have any sand. It could do with removing and flattening but that job is unlikely to get done.

My tungsten-tipped drill bit required more force than I could apply once the holes were full width so not a suitable bit to use. There was enough gap between the outer metal and the high tensile steel on 1 hole to allow a short rivet to be used, so only 1 rivet plus adhesive/sealant holds the top bracket but its more than solid enough.

[gossamer]

any updates on these cheap snokels?

[Canaussie]

I got mine from LR Series in the uk. Genuine delivered to my door for 370au. Installed mysel