defender safari snorkels what a scam

[andrew e]

i just ordered a safari snorkel from england brand new 290 delivered. Its weird because arb want over 400.

[James Brittain]

Hi Andrew,

Thats not the only thing ARB are weird on!

Im in th middle of buying OME springs and shocks to my own configuration. For one they wont supply you with 2 x Driver Side (DS) or Passengar Side (PS) springs instead of 1 x DS & 1 x PS spring as a pair. This means that you automaically get a lean on your truck because the springs are manufactured to different lengths. However out of the UK and the USA the OME suppliers will supply you with handed springs.

Also because im going with springs that i want, not what the ARB book recommends im voiding any warranty and subsequently ARB wont fit them! Also in the USA these springs and shocks are a lot cheaper! Unfortunately by the time you import them to Oz you might as well have bought them locally.

Just thought i'd put my 2 cents in on ARB.

[grimbo]

I think the spring issue is more to do with the supplier you are buying off (I'm guessing it is someone who sells ARB rather than ARB directly) as I have bought single sets of springs and had no dramas from them in regards to warranty etc. The lean is because the springs are designed to counter the camber of the roads and the weight bias that many vehicles have in regards to driver, battery placement etc.

As to the snorkel pricing comes down the Uk can buy much bigger bulk orders which cut down the unit cost plus they have different tax structures on accessories so don't incur the same taxes as here

[DARTHrover]

so if your copping all that greif from arb why deal with them??
3 weeks ago i rang dobinsons springs and gave them the spring specs i wanted, they rang today saying they are ready, custom coils for $250 a pair!

[James Brittain]

Hi guys. Yeah no i was dealing with a large main ARB dealer. They just wont sell split springs unless they are leaf springs. And i woudln't deal with ARB unless i had to as the only suspension i want is OME. I've had great experience with them in the UK and used to use a very compitent supplier/competitor who is suggesting different springs to what the ARB book does so this is where the issue is coming from. I know in the end its my nitty picky approach that causing problems, but there just seems to be a lack of customer service. I agree with you grimbo about the reasons behind spring heights being different, but on quite a few trucks it just causes them to lean.

[grimbo]

try dealing with ARB directly as you will find that sometimes resellers are hesitant to seperate spring groupings as it will leave them with a set of springs they can't sell.

[Gwagensteve]

I get the impression James is dealing with ARB via an ARB retail store.

I am not surprised that ARB will only sell complete sets. (i.e DS and PS) ARB are very careful with liability and the reputation of their product and their retailers will not do anything outside of what their suspension engineers have engineered as a package.

ARB will certianly not fit anything outside of their approved fitments, although they should supply parts only.

Some of this depends on approach. If you ask for part #, they will supply it. If you ask for "suspension" but you want XYZ rather than the ABC they fit, they won't want to talk to you.

Lots of smaller workshops have access to ARB product, I don't know what the situation is like in Perth, but a smaller shop should just be able to order whatever you like.

No, there will be no warranty on stuff you fit yourself or non approved fitments. If you were ARB, you woudln't warranty anybodys work or idea of what works either.

I only recmmend and run ARB/OME in Suzuki sierras, but we run way different combinations to what ARB say and expect no warranty or support, but we can buy the parts seperately.

The market is very different in other countries where there is very little market for full kits, everyone thinks they are an expert and runs all sorts of different combinations. ARB just respond to this by adapting to the market and responding to what that market requires (i.e you can buy higher lift heights in the US than here etc)

Steve.

[grimbo]

ARB have one store in Perth in Osborne Park (going by their website) anyone else is just someone who sells their products.

As to the Safari snorkel pricing issue ARB only sell them they don't make them. They generally don't make much money on other peoples products so I'd be guessing price differences between ARB and UK suppliers comes down to how Safari price their goods when they on sell to distributers so is a matter you should take up with them

[rick130]

about twenty years ago I nearly imported an ARB air locker from the US for a Dana 44 as it was going to be so much cheaper than buying from ARB here.
Unfortunately I would have had to pay import duty then sales tax (at the time 22%) on top of the cost + freight so it then became uneconomic, but it makes you think...

[1103.9TD]

Say what you like, but I have rarely not found them arrogant to deal with, almost to the point of being unhelpful, 'oh it's just too much hassle', or 'we only do bolt on, bolt off work', and just try going through them for a waranty claim!. Much better off dealing direct with the manufacturer. If they didn't produce unbelieveably good barwork, I'd never deal with them!.

[chimpboy]

As to the snorkel pricing comes down the Uk can buy much bigger bulk orders which cut down the unit cost plus they have different tax structures on accessories so don't incur the same taxes as here

I would be very surprised if our tax setup was more onerous than theirs, we've got 10% GST and no sales tax on car parts IIRC, the UK has 17.5% VAT (same as GST). I wonder if they just have more competition in the UK that forces prices down, combined with less demand for 4x4 gear?

Having said that, I am not bagging ARB. I hardly ever deal with them but I've found them fine each time I have, and only moderately expensive.

[grimbo]

As to the snorkel pricing comes down the Uk can buy much bigger bulk orders which cut down the unit cost plus they have different tax structures on accessories so don't incur the same taxes as here

I would be very surprised if our tax setup was more onerous than theirs, we've got 10% GST and no sales tax on car parts IIRC, the UK has 17.5% VAT (same as GST). I wonder if they just have more competition in the UK that forces prices down, combined with less demand for 4x4 gear?

Having said that, I am not bagging ARB. I hardly ever deal with them but I've found them fine each time I have, and only moderately expensive.

Whhat I was getting at was that ARB purchase the goods from Safari and resell them for them so I'd presume thre would be GST on their purchase and then GST on the customers purchase and a margin. Whilst I believe that there is no GST for the English purchaser plus a strong UK pound. The customer is then only paying their VAT on the purchase

[HSV Rangie]

As to the snorkel pricing comes down the Uk can buy much bigger bulk orders which cut down the unit cost plus they have different tax structures on accessories so don't incur the same taxes as here

I would be very surprised if our tax setup was more onerous than theirs, we've got 10% GST and no sales tax on car parts IIRC, the UK has 17.5% VAT (same as GST). I wonder if they just have more competition in the UK that forces prices down, combined with less demand for 4x4 gear?

Having said that, I am not bagging ARB. I hardly ever deal with them but I've found them fine each time I have, and only moderately expensive.

Whhat I was getting at was that ARB purchase the goods from Safari and resell them for them so I'd presume thre would be GST on their purchase and then GST on the customers purchase and a margin. Whilst I believe that there is no GST for the English purchaser plus a strong UK pound. The customer is then only paying their VAT on the purchase

Only one lot of GST.

the end users price ghas GST aplied.

Michael

[grimbo]

oh didn't know that, cool.

[muddydigger]

As to the snorkel pricing comes down the Uk can buy much bigger bulk orders which cut down the unit cost plus they have different tax structures on accessories so don't incur the same taxes as here

I would be very surprised if our tax setup was more onerous than theirs, we've got 10% GST and no sales tax on car parts IIRC, the UK has 17.5% VAT (same as GST). I wonder if they just have more competition in the UK that forces prices down, combined with less demand for 4x4 gear?

Having said that, I am not bagging ARB. I hardly ever deal with them but I've found them fine each time I have, and only moderately expensive.

V.A.T doesnt apply to customers overseas. I often get stuff from the UK and its alot cheaper to have bought new there and delivered to my door than What you buy here. VAT or Value added tax doesnt apply if you are an over seas customer. So alot of things will be cheaper to buy but postage can gobble up the saving if its a weighty item.

[cols110]

I just picked up and ARB front locker here in the UAE from the ARB dealer in Abu Dhabi for about $1150 which is cheaper than ARBs list price in OZ, even with a 10% GST the price should be cheaper than an exported one.

In Dubai we have a shop selling all the Bushranger compressors and recovery gear and the prices are nearly 1/2 of what they are back in OZ, if anyone is passing thru Dubai it would pay to stop in and have a look around. Garmin products are also about 1/2 to 2/3s the OZ prices as well.