Dreams are not quite free, but maybe opportunities can come along?

[avgas]

havin some fun mashin da keyboard thingy today avgas?

I used to flick through the yellow pages.
Now those bastards are addicted to walking.

[ducatilover]

And the quickest way to make them improve their product is to refuse to buy their shit.

Quite true.
When we all run out and buy non-NZ made products we all rape our own economy, to an extent. How many more businesses do we need to lose to China and the other uber cheap nations?

[Edbear]

Quite true.
When we all run out and buy non-NZ made products we all rape our own economy, to an extent. How many more businesses do we need to lose to China and the other uber cheap nations?

You've only got to go back thirty years and overview the world's "progress" since to a global economy with each nation now so intertwined they cannot be a stand-alone economy anymore. There are precious few NZ made goods to purchase nowadays. We have benefitted more than suffered economically as a country.

Supporting NZ businesses is important, but by far the majority of suppliers of goods are selling imported product from several different countries. If we stopped buying non-NZ-made products, we'd have very empty homes and garages and parlours.

The businesses we are "losing" to the likes of China are of the FMCG type simply because mass manufacturing can't compete at home However as a nation we are pretty canny and business, per se, is doing remarkably well in the face of the global economic meltdown, unlike a few other countries we could name, like Greece, Italy, the UK and the USA. Sure, NZ is suffering right now and it's not going to improve much at all in the foreseeable future, but hiding our heads in the sand isn't going to help, neither is wishful thinking.

[cave weta]

Most small motorcycles and scooters are now made in China, regardless of brand an more and more components are China sourced even for the likes of Harley. Honda makes nearly all its small engines in China along with Yamaha and probably all the manufacturers.

.

Harley Davidson being the odd one out, In that quality increased 8000% when production was moved to China.

Olympus cameras Hitatchi Powertools Mitsubishi sewing machines Yamaha Audio.... I own em all. and all made in China..
A great thread Ed, I wish you all the best. I too have developed a relationship with a Chinese factory. This years products are awesome quality.

[Edbear]

Olympus cameras Hitatchi Powertools Mitsubishi sewing machines Yamaha Audio.... I own em all. and all made in China..
A great thread Ed, I wish you all the best. I too have developed a relationship with a Chinese factory. This years products are awesome quality.

Thanks mate! If we are careful and as you note, form a relationship with one factory which has a good record, it can be beneficial. This one doesn't have much in the way of extra attachments, like tractor mowers or even the small tractors apart from the mini one I've posted, but the more I talk to the guy the better I feel about it.

One thing that took my eye was this motorised surf-board! 50cc and 32km/h!

[Edbear]

Just thought I'd chuck a few prices out there...

I hope you can match the pics with the price...

The PowerSky surf board, $3495.00
VL250GY-11 $3350.00
VL250PY $2995.00
VL150GY-3 $2495.00
VL125GY $1995.00
VL700UTV-4 $13995.00 four seater
VL800JP-2wd $13495.00
VL800JP-4wd $14495.00
VL500HM UTV $13695.00

[Edbear]

These wouldn't fit...