More price-gouging in NZ

**AllanB** · 14th February 2015, 08:08

Some years back Honda cars NZ decided to introduce a policy of one price for all - dumping the usual commercial/business users fleet discount. The theory was
a. the cars were too good to be discounted
b. fleet discounts inevitably lead to a flood of even further discounted used cars three years later where the vehicles are returned
c. it should give normal buyers reassurance in their expensive purchase holding it's value well.

Fleet sales crapped out and the influx of the used Japanese cars stuffed up resale anyway.

I don't know what their current policy is.

**KiwiGeek** · 14th February 2015, 14:12

A good portion of my expensive purchases are now done on overseas websites. I recently bought a gaming mouse and pad from overseas as the price for Kiwi shoppers was twice the price of the US price.

**AllanB** · 14th February 2015, 16:44

The problem with buying motorcycle stuff for the USA is they ride on the other side of the road to us. I had to get my helmet, gloves, mufflers, bars, levers, turn signals etc adjusted for NZ.

**Big Dog** · 14th February 2015, 23:01

Interestingly buying a Honda stator from a local merchant, sourcing from Honda Japan was $100 cheaper than the route I used to get my Suzuki one ( mrcycles.com sell all of the big four plus Polaris and some others). We will see how long it takes to get here before commenting further.
Plus I don't need to worry customs will skim it.
Good on you Counties Honda.

I don't see how a bigger stator could cost half as much to land as Suzuki one.
$1050 + gst was what Colemans quoted me. For the DR350 stator.
$599 inc was price for CB1300 from Counties Honda.

Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.

**awa355** · 15th February 2015, 06:01

Originally Posted by AllanB

The problem with buying motorcycle stuff for the USA is they ride on the other side of the road to us. I had to get my helmet, gloves, mufflers, bars, levers, turn signals etc adjusted for NZ.

I suppose wearing your American bought left glove on your right hand and visa versa would be a tad uncomfortable

**pritch** · 15th February 2015, 09:25

Originally Posted by MarkH

I am pretty sure that 90% of the worst price differences stem from greedy importers,

In the bad old days you couldn't import anything unless you had a licence to do so. Licences were only granted to specific businesses. A licence to import was pretty much a licence to print money. There are still importers around who have not grasped the idea that the world has changed.

**ruaphu** · 17th February 2015, 19:10

Sheeeeeeeesh, ordered a full set of brake pads for our sled from my local bike shop.

Got a call to pick em up em last week so trundled off at lunch time to get em. Get to the bike shop, the parts guru is out to lunch, Errr can't find them? They gleefully tell me their parts guy doesn't like to put names on stuff........f*#*ing bully for him and a complete waste of time for me! Consequently had to go back a second time to pick em up once the parts guru aka 'the half wit' had located them.

Got charged $239 for the pads, FAR-Far-F*#k! really?!. I realise my bike shop has to make a profit and I support em where I can. But heck that price was ott considering they ordered em in as the middle man.

The other part I needed 'the half wit' had still F*#*ing forgotten to order in and furthermore couldn't be bothered following up, very frustrating!. They lost out on that sale, I ended up ordering it online along with another rear tyre from Jakewilson.com. So they nail me for $239 but miss out on another $200 worth of sales, not including the tyre.

What is it with bike shops and poor service, is it really that hard?

**jellywrestler** · 17th February 2015, 19:19

Originally Posted by ruaphu

Sheeeeeeeesh, ordered a full set of brake pads for our sled from my local bike shop.

Got a call to pick em up em last week so trundled off at lunch time to get em. Get to the bike shop, the parts guru is out to lunch, Errr can't find them? They gleefully tell me their parts guy doesn't like to put names on stuff........f*#*ing bully for him and a complete waste of time for me! Consequently had to go back a second time to pick em up once the parts guru aka 'the half wit' had located them.

Got charged $239 for the pads, FAR-Far-F*#k! really?!. I realise my bike shop has to make a profit and I support em where I can. But heck that price was ott considering they ordered em in as the middle man.

The other part I needed 'the half wit' had still F*#*ing forgotten to order in and furthermore couldn't be bothered following up, very frustrating!. They lost out on that sale, I ended up ordering it online along with another rear tyre from Jakewilson.com. So they nail me for $239 but miss out on another $200 worth of sales, not including the tyre.

What is it with bike shops and poor service, is it really that hard?

whose going to fit your tyre when the bike shops have all shut down?

**pete376403** · 17th February 2015, 19:24

Buy one of these and learn to use it.
http://www.harborfreight.com/motorcy...ent-60810.html

**BlackSheepLogic** · 17th February 2015, 20:02

Originally Posted by pritch

In the bad old days you couldn't import anything unless you had a licence to do so. Licences were only granted to specific businesses. A licence to import was pretty much a licence to print money. There are still importers around who have not grasped the idea that the world has changed.

It only appears easy because for the average person their item comes in below the threshold value (~ NZD 400) or it comes though the post and NZ post makes it easy for you as NZ Post has brokers. The charge around NZD $140.00 in addition to customs fees tho).

If the item comes in though a courier (DHL for example) their custom brokers will get it cleared for a fee though customs once you provide your NZCS client number (you need to apply for one). You pay the custom charges + a broker fee. The shipping is expensive but the broker fee was reasonable.

It is not always possible to get the item shipped though NZ post (for example YouShop has a NZ$2,999.99 max value) or the company you are dealing with uses their own freight forwarding company). If the item you desire is shipped via freight you have to have to use a broker and believe me it's not cheap nor is it easy to find a broker for a single one-off import.

It's not possible for you & I to get it released from customs without the use of a broker if it's shipped freight. I've had to get several items for my business recently where there was no NZ distributer (often Australia offices for equipment also represent NZ). It's been both time consuming and expensive to get though NZCS. The only positive is that the broker's company can arrange commercial freight to your door once it's cleared. Having an item shipped freight is a lot cheaper than NZ Post or a courier charges.

**jasonu** · 18th February 2015, 16:16

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

whose going to fit your tyre when the bike shops have all shut down?

Do it yourself. It aint that difficult.

**jasonu** · 18th February 2015, 16:21

Originally Posted by ruaphu

Sheeeeeeeesh, ordered a full set of brake pads for our sled from my local bike shop.

Got a call to pick em up em last week so trundled off at lunch time to get em. Get to the bike shop, the parts guru is out to lunch, Errr can't find them? They gleefully tell me their parts guy doesn't like to put names on stuff........f*#*ing bully for him and a complete waste of time for me! Consequently had to go back a second time to pick em up once the parts guru aka 'the half wit' had located them.

Got charged $239 for the pads, FAR-Far-F*#k! really?!. I realise my bike shop has to make a profit and I support em where I can. But heck that price was ott considering they ordered em in as the middle man.

The other part I needed 'the half wit' had still F*#*ing forgotten to order in and furthermore couldn't be bothered following up, very frustrating!. They lost out on that sale, I ended up ordering it online along with another rear tyre from Jakewilson.com. So they nail me for $239 but miss out on another $200 worth of sales, not including the tyre.

What is it with bike shops and poor service, is it really that hard?

Were the pads for your Vulcan? If they are then you got royally fucked!!!
A quick look on ebay revealed http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kawasaki-EBC...c3cfc0&vxp=mtr
There were cheaper but I know EBC is a recognized brand.
You would have been better off paying your shop the restocking fee and ordering them from ebay.

**swbarnett** · 18th February 2015, 16:56

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

whose going to fit your tyre when the bike shops have all shut down?

A mechanic that doesn't work out of a shop perhaps?

**AllanB** · 18th February 2015, 18:01

On the hunt for a new leather jacket. $700 NZ, $440 USA. not worth importing unless I catch a sale in the USA. Tax, duties exchange rate ....

Starting to save. I don't have a issue with the price here - it will set me for the next decade or more, just a issue with my disposable income!

Quasi verse Alpinestar????????????