Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 21:22:29 EDT
Reply-To: Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeff Oxroad <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject: LVC/ Re: Why Americans Are the Jerks of the World!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
FWIW a few years back I order front whell bearings for my Vanagon from Rocky
Mountain Motorworks and received bearings made in China. They were the same
brand I had seen in Wal*Mart for about $2 (the one's in wall mart were
universal-fit for trailers or something).
Anyway, I was stuck since I needed to install the junk Rocky Mountain
Motorworks had sent me. The bearings failed at about 3,000 miles.
At the time the bearings arrived I wrote a scathing letter to the RMMW
president and told them I'd never use them again. I mentioned their catalogue said
OEM quality or better--mostly German--that sort of thing. I mentioned that
some boob making a decsion to sell low quality parts at a larger profit would
be the death of RMMW. I never got a response from them. But they did go
bankrupt shortly after receiving my letter.
If you want I can write a letter to Nokian. My letters see to be really
effective ;)
At some point we will all figure out that we have stop thinking of numbers
as the most important element in the world. If a shirt cost $1 less on the
American market because it is made by a child working 14 hour days, have you
really saved a $1 when you consider the big picture? I mean what is the actual
cost. Also if cars can be made cheaper in Mexico at the cost of Amercian
manufacturing jobs, have we come out ahead?
I understand China is going to be the world leader in auto manufacturing in
the next 20 years. Possibly, and likely, their manufacturing standards will
improve. Remember when "Made in Japan" was synonimous with junk. Driven a Honda
lately?
We're so hung up on the cost, cost, cost, we're sending all our jobs
somewhere else. I don't know how many of you have been out of work for a long period
of time, yet. But keep it up, you will be. We all will be. But man, will the
tires be inexpensive!
Best,
Jeff
83.5 Westy (my future home when the bottom falls out)
LA,CA
In a message dated 7/21/2005 5:53:17 PM Pacific Standard Time,
THX0001@AOL.COM writes:
Apparently,
we are the only suckers who will buy their new found junk. Please spare me
all
the anecdotes of how quality stuff now comes from China because I will
