Thread: Cheap D2 roof racks

Just to clarify my original comment was to do with the comment about quality and not copying.

And yes if Aussies don't learn to compete there will be a job shortage - look at what happened in the UK with manufacturing. And what's happening with out sourcing of services now.

We get greedy and forget the Chinese et al are just as capable as the rest of us as doing R&D.

Obviously we should have all bought Holdens.

While we have govt policy(Any flavor) that actively discriminates against home manufacturing in favor of "Raw material production " and the "let the other fella make it and sell it back to us" We will be going backwards. How can any1 produce items with all the restrictions, labour laws, requirements of 'enviromental' taxes, over the top 'safety' laws, when the overseas producers have few if any of the same? It just aint possible

OK then - hey Philip I can get a full length roof rack from an Aussie company delivered to Perth for under $550. Can you match it for a D2a that will take a roof tent please

Lets get this clear, you think the cheap racks are made in Australia?

I recall having a welder in Wollongong ordering a Bajarack for a friend, because he couldn't make one for the money we charge.

It costs about $720 just to get a rack from Sydney to Perth for door to door delivery. This is because the Bajarack is fully welded with the legs on for maximum strength rather than bolts which can undo in the darndest places like the middle of the Tanami Track. So it is enormous in volume.

The rack costs $1548 retail and we make very little on them because of the transport costs of such a large volume even from USA to Australia.

But there is a market for our racks just as there is for the $500 ones. D1s and D2s are now becoming cult cars and recognised as some of the best touring cars that are still relatively simple to work on. Many people want to have looks and reduced noise and reduced frontal area as well as function.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

there is a market for our racks just as there is for the $500 ones.

And that's exactly the point I've been making all thread.

BTW your freight costs are ripped. I know several people that have shipped 2nd hand Baja and Tracklander racks from Sydney or Melb to Perth for only $350-450 via TNT. Fully assembled and in boxes.

I know several people that have shipped 2nd hand Baja and Tracklander racks from Sydney or Melb to Perth for only $350-450 via TNT.

That is correct for any rack but a D1, D2 and Defender because they are the only ones we make with gutter mounts and so are vastly bigger than other racks.
We also have a contract with TNT where we are supposed to get a 40% discount.
The other factor is that TNT home deliver, whereas most cheaper quotes are Business to Business. In fact we spend a lot of time trying to minimise freight , and even Wridgeways are $600 for a B to B carry with a long delivery time for D1 D2 .
Regards Philip A
Also for Perth customers we usually/always "share the pain" just to try and help those who want to buy . Do not even ask about Karratha while not sitting down.

Cheers for that.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Lets get this clear, you think the cheap racks are made in Australia?

I recall having a welder in Wollongong ordering a Bajarack for a friend, because he couldn't make one for the money we charge.

It costs about $720 just to get a rack from Sydney to Perth for door to door delivery. This is because the Bajarack is fully welded with the legs on for maximum strength rather than bolts which can undo in the darndest places like the middle of the Tanami Track. So it is enormous in volume.

The rack costs $1548 retail and we make very little on them because of the transport costs of such a large volume even from USA to Australia.

But there is a market for our racks just as there is for the $500 ones. D1s and D2s are now becoming cult cars and recognised as some of the best touring cars that are still relatively simple to work on. Many people want to have looks and reduced noise and reduced frontal area as well as function.
Regards Philip A

I don't care it was made in china but I got a roof rack shipped from Melbourne for under $200. Same with roof tent. So total for me was about $650 including shipping from Melbourne to Sydney.

Putting aside the cost of the rack it's the shipping that is crazy, yes I had to screw the legs on but your shipping is not that different to what we paid to ship an entire car from the UK to Australia. And almost 4 times the cost of my roof rack coming by rail from Melbourne.