You only get what you pay for, bollocks

G/day,Jimbo good to see you have done those calculation's it suit you're budget & that is the most important thing.I tend to make do with what i have & go without others.So long as you enjoy every thing when you're out there doing just that.
Cheer's Bob.

How do those two butane stoves go when it's a cold morning Jim, mine is bluddy useless, otherwise I love it.

My $100 fluro recently packed up, about 18 months old but was used every night for 4 hours, I replaced it with a $20 supercheap job, appears to be just as good.

Good on you Jimbo... another person with a keen bargain hunters eye! that's what I like to see.
I think it is luck of the draw. You can buy a 'cheaper' brand and it last you forever or it dies in 2 months.
But it is the same with the more expensive brands. It might last you forever but it may well also die in 2months...
And personnally I have had more expensive brands of some things break down on me alot quicker than some 'cheaper' brand stuff.
At the end of the day, for us all it comes down to budget. None of us are rich and we buy what we can with what budget we've got to work with.
With anything we buy there is a chance it won't ever last as long as we'd like it to, that's just life and the way things are.
5 stars for you Jimbo!

Cheers
Jo

"Bedourie Camp Oven $100"

Like to know who sells them for that amount???

$30- at Rays for the "Original" Bedourie.

you can not generalise on that ...
some cheap gear is good because it does not carry a name and maybe even come
from the same factory.. most items are overpriced and that is the same in many markets like 4wd or photography or diving or boating to name some I have to deal with.
You have to do your homework and thats what theses forums are of some help .. not always though ... I bought a Gentech generator for our property 6.5 kva
for 2.800 $ ... while it was ok built it was noisy and the voltage was not stable enough for my UPS's I ran my computers from .. they kept complaining ...
went back the next day I got it .. so I purchased 2 30is 3KW and run them in tandem ... expensive 3850 - 300 cash back each .. uff... BUT .. they are quiet,
have eco throttle and the voltage is perfect (inverter concept with better regulator)..
price difference 2800 vs 7700... ouch .. worth every penny because I can take
one when we travel (still a bit heavy though .. but what the heck .. it runs the aircon and my computers and the fridge and the espresso machine and ... ).

well then ther is cameras and lenses and underwater gear. Ikelite or Subsea
or Canon,Nikon or ?

And then there is ... you fill it in..
ever bought a cheap screwdriver set which lastet one rusty screw ? or some nuts which cracked the first time you put them on an impact wrench ?

I tend to agree with you in many ways but you have to really make sure that with the expnesive items you do not make a big mistake because it may cost you double or more .. when we talk 70$ instead of 200$ .. not problem .. try it out when it fails buy a new one ... when you talk lets say tires for $350 each and you need 12 then you want to be sure what your are doing ...

everyone has good and bad experiences with all that gear but this is one reason we are here to share ...

good luck and may the "Force" be with you ...

regards
gmd

Ya wont get an argument from me mate. Like some said...as long as ur doing what u enjoy.....who cares how u do it.

See u out there one day.
Ange

Jimbo,

Looks like we frequent similar retail outlets :))) It'd be great to be able to afford some of the alleged best of breed doohickies but for most of us that is'nt possible. As long as you don't go overboard, some of the cheaper alternatives will perform just as well.

Should start a Tight Arse Tuesday regular posting.

Best money savers, quick fixes.

I luv em.

I have a habit of keeping old nuts bolts etc I find when walking and usually find a use for them eventually. Saves a $1 but also a trip to the shop. 30 mins.

G'day Jim,

Spot on.

Whatever does it for you and your tribe is really all that matters hey?

Have a good one.

Funny thing Jimbo - we obviously went to the same school although I don't remember you in class. You must have been in the rabble up the back.

If it can break, and it's important, you need some backup strategy - in which case, you don't need to pay more for some additional comfort ... if the backup is in place, who cares if it breaks (my strategy for most things - compressors, winch, jack, inverter, dual-battery solenoid, freezer, etc.)

You can also make silk from a sow's ear by the occasional modification - a bit of extra rubber for the compressor for instance, or refinishing second hand bull bar (after all, it is only going to get scratched again).

Ciao for now
Andrew.

well I made the mistake of buying a cheap k mart roof rack after baulking at the price of Rhino racks and they collapsed first trip leaving the canoe rubbing on the roof so I had to repaint it
Just false economy

Ah yes, with everything there is “Cheap” and “Expensive” hopefully somewhere in the middle you will find “Value”

Regards
Spinifex

A few cheap tools can be useful, I occasionally buy cheap tools and don't mind loaning them out.

I will use my tools when I help out on someone else's vehicle but I NEVER lend my good tools to anyone!

You are dead right Jim. Like most things, common sense, and have a GOOD look.

Years ago, my house mate bought me an elcheapo [nasty] socket set for my birthday. I was very thankfull, but I don't think I did a very good job of hiding my feelings, although she never said anything.

Anyhoo, the tin case [just like most socket sets come in] started to rust almost immediately, the ratchet was rat chit and quite a few of the sockets were not a good fit.

Sometimes cheap stuff is just a waste of money.

I agree on your choice of car/fridge/camper. All comfortable to live with products.

At the other end of the scale, sometimes the top shelf stuff just isn't worth it.

I work in the workwear clothing trade, and there is a particular American made work boot which is nearly TRIPLE the cost of your average Blunnies or Rossi's, but some people simply will not wear anything else.

Why? I have no idea!

These particular boots don't last three times as long, or even twice as long, in comparison to the Aussie brands.
They are quite uncomfortable in comparison to Aussie brands.
They have a fairly mean spirited attitude to faults in their product.
Yet people pay over $350 a pair for them!

Go figure.

I tend to agree ....... I listern to what people say about gear ie waceo / engal etc etc but in the end I make the choice and if its a bad choice so be it. I have both in my lot, expensive (by your list) and not expensive just suits my neds.

However I have been burnt so many times with CHEAP tools spanners screwdrivers I will pay for good quality cause I hate nothing worse than striping a socket or cracking the side of a scoket.

I used to have good quality tools until someone felt they should have them more than me AHHHHHH.

But there is a place for so called cheaper priced gear. :)

Brian

Jimbo,
The bottom line is that "it is your money and you buy what you want with it".
Cheers,
Bros.

Hi Jimbo.....

I think you can get some great "economically" priced gear...... years ago when I was just out of my apprenticeship I bought an ETC socket set for $80 when the equivalent from Sidchrome was 3 times that...... I still have it in my work truck to this day and the ratchet is as tight as a new one! I have lent on the T-Bar with a metre long bit of 2" water pipe to "break" nuts.... (not mine... LOL) and hammered it with a lumpy for the same reason.... it's still as good as the day I bought it.

There have been other instances where this kinda thing has happened ..... but there have been many that have let me down as well.

For me the most memorable was the cheap air compressor.... (no names, no pack drill here, I got what I paid for).... it blew my tyres up very well 5 times, and on the 6th time it disappeared in a cloud of blue smoke...... luckily we weren't alone and a fellow camper lent us his compressor to finish the job. If we had been alone, it was a quite long drive to the nearest servo, in a loaded to the hilt truck running 18psi in the tyres. Not impossible but obviously not recommended. Back home the following day, I returned the faulty unit to the shop I bought it from. The shop assistant asked me if I wanted a replacement, I DIDN'T get uppity and point out to her the compressors short comings, I politely requested, and promptly received, a full refund, which I put towards a more expensive brand....... it hasn't let me down once, again I got what I paid for.

Looking at your list, I would say you have done some astute buying there mate.... I have been toying with the idea of buying a cheap chainsaw, and Talon has sprung to mind. Can you give me a run down on yours? I have a Talon whipper snipper and find it a bit temperamental at times to start....... is the chainsaw the same? I would only use it for a bit of firewood or to move a fallen tree from the track etc, and only if there wasn't someone else with a chainsaw who might be better at it than me. So mine wouldn't get overworked!

Lastly, I have been in a couple of Terracans at our clubs driver training track and have been impressed with their capabilities......

Cheers

Brian

I got quite a giggle when i saw your chitlist had the Waeco and the "Quality" list had the Engel....
Keep em coming Jim...

In the List of "Quality" gear, I would buy the Engel Insulation Cover, rather than the waeco brand, they fit much better, trust me. :-)