OZ ATV :: The Australian ATV Forum

[Roo11]

Guys, just interested to know if anyone has bought tyres from the States,
have been looking on some of their sites and the way iam interpreting things, it would appear that a tyre that you would pay $145 for here on ebay would cost $95 in the states. I did some basic calculations with purchase and freight I could save in the region of 150 to 200 $ .
Would be interested to know if anyone else has gone down this path because the savings are there to be made.
And people wonder why we shop on line!!!!!!!!!!!
regards Roo11

[bigjon]

What do you need to know?

Yes, it can be done. I've purchased tyres & wheels from both here and the US with no problems. There's pros & cons to both.
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Don't close your eyes during the crash, you'll miss the best part

[ATV PRO]

Roo11 wrote:

Guys, just interested to know if anyone has bought tyres from the States, have been looking on some of their sites and the way iam interpreting things, it would appear that a tyre that you would pay $145 for here on ebay would cost $95 in the states. I did some basic calculations with purchase and freight I could save in the region of 150 to 200 $ . Would be interested to know if anyone else has gone down this path because the savings are there to be made. And people wonder why we shop on line!!!!!!!!!!! regards Roo11

Hey Roo1 check that when you buy USD at 1 to 1 with AUD that on exchange rate you may only get about .97 for 1 of our dollars and then get then charged up to 3% on your Credit card or Pay Pal account for an overseas transaction.
I know of people who have purchased suspension to find it doesn't have rebound adjustment and could have saved $500 if they bought it right here.

Goods usually have No Warranty and it is hard to do returns if the product is faulty,they wont pay the freight back to USA.


Doing business in Australia helps contribute to the Australia economy in Retail,Transport, Fuel etc and helps support our sport , ATV businesses to put back into events such as trophies and prize money.

So if it works out not too much difference then it is better to keep the money in OZ.
_________________
Cheers
Len

ATV PRO Pty Ltd

[Big Jb TRX450]

ATV NRG wrote:

Hey Roo1 check that when you buy USD at 1 to 1 with AUD that on exchange rate you may only get about .97 for 1 of our dollars and then get then charged up to 3% on your Credit card or Pay Pal account for an overseas transaction. I know of people who have purchased suspension to find it doesn't have rebound adjustment and could have saved $500 if they bought it right here. Goods usually have No Warranty and it is hard to do returns if the product is faulty,they wont pay the freight back to USA. Doing business in Australia helps contribute to the Australia economy in Retail,Transport, Fuel etc and helps support our sport , ATV businesses to put back into events such as trophies and prize money. So if it works out not too much difference then it is better to keep the money in OZ.

Read my mind !
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04 TRX 450r
with a bit of this & a bit of that

[CHEV0507]

buy from the US bud and keep more food on the table for your family!

I will pay upto 25% more here in OZ for an item if i dont know the product but for things like wheels tyres etc bud buy from the USA you cant go wrong

The wholesalers and retailers need to have a good look at themselves for the prices they are charging here in Australia

[NeKeleC]

Hey guys couldn't agree with your comments more (Len & chev0507) i would love to spend my hard earned dollars buying products here but in the situation i know it is the distributors are rippin us all off!!! i know first hand what one main ATV produst distributor is paying for one product in particular from the states and then what he is chargin the local supplier and i'm tellin ya it ain't your local guy thats rippin ya off cause he too is gettin the raw end of the stick!!!
So my opinion is do ya reasearch ask ya local guy what he can get ya stuff for see what is costs online if it is only 15 - 25% more than online support ya local guy cause he will support you!! but most times local is 50 - 100% more!!
But then support ya local guy with work if he has a workshop and don't try to get "a good deal" for work done pay him what he charges cause he is worth it i'm sure none of us would like it if our boss come to us every week and asked us for a discounted rate for the weeks work!!

just my 2 cents
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The main thing is to have fun I just think second place is no fun

Me - 09 Quadracer 450R No 339
Mrs -09 Quadracer 450R No K77

[phil58]

Quote:

But then support ya local guy with work if he has a workshop and don't try to get "a good deal" for work done pay him what he charges cause he is worth it i'm sure none of us would like it if our boss come to us every week and asked us for a discounted rate for the weeks work!!

I would not have the nerve to rock up and get work done with the quad dripping of gear you sourced out of the states
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Phil.....

[Ozpilot]

phil520 wrote:

Quote: But then support ya local guy with work if he has a workshop and don't try to get "a good deal" for work done pay him what he charges cause he is worth it i'm sure none of us would like it if our boss come to us every week and asked us for a discounted rate for the weeks work!! I would not have the nerve to rock up and get work done with the quad dripping of gear you sourced out of the states

Yep, these are all human nature dilemas. None of us want to throw around our hard earned. And none of us feel easy turning up to the workshop with a bike that has gear on it we bought elsewhere. Being open and honest and trying to do the right thing is all we can do.

If you have been open and honest and tried to buy the stuff from the local guy but he can't compete its then up to him whether he wants the work in his workshop or not. If you support him and buy stuff where the price is up to 10% or (maybe) 20% more then he should appreciate the support you have given him. (make sure you compare apples with apples - take shipping costs and convenience into account here - things are not 10% cheaper just because the sticker says 10% less). You should let him know you are paying the extra to him. Then he should be happy to work on your bike even if he can't compete on some other items.

If what is put above is correct he cannot compete because of his supplier (distributor) here in Australia. He needs to take it up with them or find a new supplier. But at the end of the day it would be unfair to do him out of the work. Of course, if you buy everything from overseas, be prepared to pay him well for that work - he doesn't owe you anything at that point unless you have bought whatever you could from him (including at prices a little higher than overseas).

But I agree - if I save 50% buying overseas its impossible (for me) to buy it here (unless its $39 brake pads (that I could get for $19 delivered on sBay) that I need to go riding tomorrow.)

[NeKeleC]

well said ozpilot (above) but there is limited distributors of quad gear here in Aust and when you have distributors charging a retailer $500 to $600 for an item that they are buying out of the states for only $150 it makes it real hard for the local guy to even try and compete with online.

And for those who feel funny about going into a workshop with a bike "dripping" in parts from overseas DON'T cause work in the shop is where these guys make their real money, adding a mark up on accesories is just top up! Labour rates and the small mark up they put on parts is what keeps their business going.
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The main thing is to have fun I just think second place is no fun

Me - 09 Quadracer 450R No 339
Mrs -09 Quadracer 450R No K77

[t&l performance]

i buy %95 of my quad stuff from the u.s
only because nobody in aus likes to deal
or know much at all re the kfx700

[SX Quad]

Agree on both sides of the argument and happy to buy local if possible.

It is interesting though as one local 4WD place has just shut up due to on line buying taking too much business away. So even if you did want the option to shop with them they are not there anymore.

Be mindful of the suppliers who also have to carry stock etc and are generally always pretty helpful so don't bag them too much or you may find there is no one to do the work when you need it - or even the brake pads to get you going at short notice.

If this keeps up we will all be buying up big on line and carrying plenty of spares for no reason jsut so we 'have them handy when we need them scenario'.
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660R mine
300 Grizzly Hers
90R Little T

[Quick-Chris]

Hi guys if I can weigh in... I have been sourcing all types of gear from the States for years ..yes service is usually incredible in the States ( we could learn a trick or two)
prices are often better.. but internal and overseas postage is real expensive (a lot more than here).
If you buy here you dont hand over the money till you get it... unlike buying overseas.
You can return,or use warranties if you buy here... often not worth returning items to overseas.
I have had things go missing during the shipping process ( one time it was 2 rims and tyres) I had to accept the loss in the end.
So hopefully these experiences may help you.
Cheers to all, Chris
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kfx700
atc 250r
atc 516r ball tearer
assorted Harleys and hot rods
"he who dies with the most toys wins"

[muzzgit]

Well I'll bite ?????

I work in retail and have doen for 22 years, although nothing to do with quads or motor sport.

When it comes to my quads, I will buy almost everything from local shops for two very simple reasons.

* If it stuffs up, or is the wrong size, I will be straight back to get a refund or replacement *at no charge to me* which is all part of my rights as a consumer in WA.

* Because I mainly buy everything from one shop, and I let him know that is my intention, I often get a discount and I know for a fact I will get looked after. By law I will receive warranty on ALL parts and workmanship.

Sure, go buy your tyres or whatever from the US and lets hope you get the right size. But if you order the wrong size by mistake, or they send you the wrong size by mistake, or there is a fault, what are you gonna do now? Also, most advertised tyre prices at local shops include fitting, but you haven't taken that into account with the cheap US price.

And lastly, and this is what kills it for the local retailers/repairers - the bugger you buy from in the US does not have to charge you GST but the local guy has to pay extra duties on his imports as part of our stupid tax laws.

Trust me, it is not the wholesalers fault.
And it is definately not the retailer/repairer being greedy.
It is simply a big mess created by our government.
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Cheers,
MUZZ
06 YFM 700R mine
03 KFX 400 hers

Last edited by muzzgit on Thu Mar 10, 2011 9:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

[triple"A"]

something that is often overlooked at the quoting stage from US suppliers is,duty payable on the goods when they enter australia
there are no australian manufacturers of motorcycles, so there is no local industry to protect with an excise. someone in the past, no doubt an importer of motorcycle parts, applied to have those parts exempt from excise, and that exemption exists. no-one ever applied for an exemption for quad parts, a technicality i know, but in the event that the american supplier declares the goods as motorcycle parts, and they are deemed to not be that but quad parts, the fine for the supplier could be up to $50000 and locally for individuals its $10000, no test case has occured to my knowledge but the advice i've been given is to declare the goods exactly as they are and pay the relevant duties and when you do that the shine comes right off the online experience.

[skeletor88]

With the increased security in online trading, it is inevitable that our local suppliers would come under pressure from OS suppliers. The jet ski industry is feeling the same prssure with "grey imports" providing savings of up to $10-$12k on a new pwc.

I have purchased parts from the US and UK for years, finding the landed price much lower and the level of service much greater. I rarely buy from AUS, mainly because of the lack of service I get from the store person. In the US, the staff eceive low wages and are incentivised by the amount they sell.

My advice - buy online. Greater range, better pricing and is usually at your door in 4-6 days.

[CHEV0507]

i have spent $1000s purchasing from the USA and saved thousands.
You just need to know where to buy from i find ordering from Rocky Mountain perfect, they have never stuffed up an order and if you buy something from the USA and its wrong just get your money back from paypal ITS AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

[Ktm540xc]

Definately recommend Rocky mountain ATV...I have ordered just about everything i could and never been more than 6 days to WA. Tracking on all goods and further discounts when you keep shopping there.

I would like to support local too but you cant ignore the savings.. We have a ATV business and can get even further discounts that every other business can. Someone in Aus is making the $$.Have you guys ever had someone help you when the goods are bad or faulty in Aus?

Saving nearly 2k on a set of shocks from the USA i can still afford to send them back if there is issues and be in front.

Full set PEP from USA $3100 plus freight...Aus $5000....
maxxis tyre USA $88 ...Aus $200+

[ATV PRO]

NeKeleC wrote:

well said ozpilot (above) but there is limited distributors of quad gear here in Aust and when you have distributors charging a retailer $500 to $600 for an item that they are buying out of the states for only $150 it makes it real hard for the local guy to even try and compete with online. And for those who feel funny about going into a workshop with a bike "dripping" in parts from overseas DON'T cause work in the shop is where these guys make their real money, adding a mark up on accesories is just top up! Labour rates and the small mark up they put on parts is what keeps their business going.

Just wondering what do you work as or business do you own ?
_________________
Cheers
Len

ATV PRO Pty Ltd

[ATV PRO]

[quote="Ktm540xc"]Definately recommend Rocky mountain ATV...I have ordered just about everything i could and never been more than 6 days to WA. Tracking on all goods and further discounts when you keep shopping there.

I would like to support local too but you cant ignore the savings.. We have a ATV business and can get even further discounts that every other business can. Someone in Aus is making the $$.Have you guys ever had someone help you when the goods are bad or faulty in Aus?

Saving nearly 2k on a set of shocks from the USA i can still afford to send them back if there is issues and be in front.

Full set PEP from USA $3100 plus freight...Aus $5000....
maxxis tyre USA $88 ...Aus $200+[/quote

Wow when was the last time you priced PEP suspension in Australia and who from ?
$5000 was that including A arms ? What spec are they if you don't mind me asking and do they have rebound adjustment on the front shocks and what Brand of Quad are they for ?
_________________
Cheers
Len

ATV PRO Pty Ltd

Last edited by ATV PRO on Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:56 pm; edited 1 time in total

[fossil800R]

I bought all the big ticket items (exhaust, nerfs, etc) from overseas and the smaller items locally to maximise savings. At the end of the day when I am ready to sell my bike it is only worth a certain amount of money whether I have paid $30,000 or $10,000 for upgrade parts. I support local business with servicing and maintenance but it would be stupid to be shelling out extra cash for parts when I'm not getting anything different in return.
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I'm not suffering from insanity, I'm enjoying it!!!

[ATV PRO]

Im glad I have a second income to ATV Accesory sales.
Wondering what you all do for business or jobs, you would be surprised by not dealing local how it could effect you and your job or business.
There is a bigger picture than up front price and if you shop around locally you can get some awsome deals .
We are currently offering full custom PEP suspension with full adjustments top of line for under 4k ,we stock seal kits and parts . Rebuilds can be done quickly with minimum down time and freight costs. You get ongoing free set up support and advice in OZ you get OZ warranty and you still pay your taxes to help the country.
_________________
Cheers
Len

ATV PRO Pty Ltd

[fossil800R]

ATV NRG wrote:

Im glad I have a second job or my family would starve! Wondering what you all do for business or jobs, you would be surprised by not dealing local how it could effect you and your job or business. There is a bigger picture than up front price and if you shop around locally you can get some awsome deals . We are currently offering full custom PEP suspension for under 4k for the top of line and have seal kits and parts instock . Rebuilds can be done quickly with minimum down time and postage costs. You get ongoing set up support , warranty and pay your taxes to help the country.

I would never get back into retail unless I had a franchise or a boutique item to sell. Local guys are now no longer just competing against other shops in their area but against the likes of E bay and large overseas outlets designed to target the online market. As a social rider my first priority is cost. Maybe it is different for those who are more involved in the sport. Way to get yet another plug in for PEP too Lenny
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I'm not suffering from insanity, I'm enjoying it!!!

[Outlaw Banshee]

ATV NRG wrote:

Wow when was the last time you priced PEP suspension in Australia and who from ? $5000 was that including A arms ? What spec are they if you don't mind me asking and do they have rebound adjustment on the front shocks and what Brand of Quad are they for ?

Len I don't mean to start an argument here or anything but you, yourself told me 6 months ago that pep shocks for my ds450 would be between 3k and 5k depending on what model shock and the exchange rate....

and no that wasnt with a-arms...

so that question i would raise is; has pep dropped their pricing in the last 6 months or has something else gone on behind the scenes.. because from your above statement (this is the way i read it anyway) 5k or less should get me a full set of top line custom pep shocks with rebound on the front shocks AND a set of a-arms these days

[tbr926]

pep try ffitch racing

[bodes]

muzzgit wrote:

Trust me

lol,ok