Thread: Why we should buy Australian

Originally Posted by Tank

Pat, how hard did you look for an Australian made/manufactured product before buying O/S.
My experiences have shown to be the opposite of what you're stating.
For example, was looking to buy a Magnetti Marrelli alternator for my 300TDi, shopped around here at home and got prices ranging from $600 to (from Karcraft, Silverwater, Sydney), $305 delivered Express Post one day later.
Best price I could get in UK was from Paddocks for $158 AUD., great says I, I'll have one of those, then the lady says it will cost $150 AUD. for packaging and delivery for a total cost of $308 and up to 5 days delivery, which is way better than anything from the USA, up to 20 days before the Item even leaves the USA, and at prices that will make your bum bleed.
So my Alternator arrives 1 day later and $3 cheaper than from O/S.
It pays to shop around and then support Aussie dealers that do the right thing on prices and delivery, I buy most of my LR stuff from Karcraft even though I might be able to get it cheaper down here locally (uni-joints for instance), Regards Frank.

Obviously it's variable, but on the whole I have to say I agree with Pat. And Land Rover Australia are one of the worst offenders when it comes to inflated prices for parts and service. Buy the parts yourself or go to a reputable Indi is a no brainer. Warranty servicing would leave a better taste in our mouths too if the captive market wasn't so taken for granted.

Cost of living in Australia is so overblown that it's become un-Australian to buy Australian. WHat the?!

Australia is rapidly becoming a third world country with first world wages, how long can this way of life exist. If the government does not wake up we are going to be in one bloody great financial mess shortley

Seriously? Australia is so far from being a third world country. But you are correct to some extent - our government treats certain sectors of Australian society as third-world citizens, namely many Indigenous people, refugees and numerous other under privileged sectors. I don't think everyone here thinks we have first world wages! Especially when compared to cost of housing, services, etc. We certainly don't have first world broadband or support for innovation, education, manufacturing, etc. Warped government spending priorities result in us NOT being able to afford to buy Australian IMO.

My attempt to buy Australian.

Needed some parts for some gym equipment the wife uses. Go to the Australian distributors website and fill out their request for service. Receive email back with my customer service reference number. Reply again using my customer service number with list of part numbers I need. Wait a week and no response so email again asking is anything happening. Wait a week - no reply so I ring them and quote my customer service number. Get some drone on the phone who acknowledges receipt of my emails but says the person looking after customer service is 'very busy' but they will get back to me. Wait another week and give up.

Try an Australian third party website who says they supply parts - ring them to enquire. They say they will see if they can supply and will ring me back. I'm still waiting.

Try a another Australian parts supplier - same deal except I hear the guy on the phone yell across the room to a college "do we deal in such and such brand" ..."uhm, get his number and tell him we ring him back". You can guess what happened.

I wanted to give my money to 3 Australian companies - none of them wanted it. My money went to a USA web site instead and I've since been back again for other bibs and bobs.

Exactly Ferret. But don't you know we live in a disposable world! You're not supposed to fix anything...they want you to just chuck it away and buy a new one!

One exception to poor service that I've experienced is with Weber BBQ.

I inherited a second hand gas Weber from a friend. It was in terrible shape but I thought I'd try fixing it. After 2 full days of pulling apart, scrubbing, soaking, etc the BBQ came up shiny as new. It was over 10 years old. The only problem was that the burners were burnt out, the knobs melted and the ignition spark switch dead. I rang Weber to ask if I could buy some replacement parts. They answered immediately and said no, because all Weber BBQ's have a lifetime warranty on all parts - and that they would ship me all new parts for free!! The parts were courired to me the next day!! All free of charge. Amazing!!. Now my Weber BBQ is as good as new.

Needless to say I've recommended Weber to many friends and family on the basis of this, all of whom have purchased new Webers over the past couple of years. I've since also purchased another Weber, a baby Q for camping.

Imagine if Land Rover offered a lifetime warranty free of charge? Everyone would buy a Land Rover. Supposed poor reliability reputation would be cured once and for all and Land Rover engineers would built better vehicles. I'd even pay extra for that peace of mind. Not that you need to with Weber.

Originally Posted by MrLandy

Imagine if Land Tocer offered a lifetime warranty free of charge? Everyone would buy a Land Rover. Supposed poor reliability reputation would be cured once and for all and Land Rover engineers would built better vehicles. I'd even pay extra for that peace of mind. Not that you need to with Weber.

Toyota sort of tried that. A mate had a Camry. Toyota said "The first replacement of a part is free." When the discs wore out, he got new discs free.
If you want a good cheap car that is reasonably reliable and is dull and uninspiring, get an old Camry. Built in Altona.

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