The Cost of Quality.......Or a Rip off ?

[lilstookie]

We have just bought a "new to us" 105 Series Cruiser wagon.
We are now looking to get the bits and bobs needed for outback touring.
Since we have lashed out and joined the realm of supposed "Toyota quality" we thought we would get a quote for some things we need for it from ARB.

To get 2 single drawers and a cargo barrier in the rear of the car..........


$698 for a half cargo barrier
$200 to fit
$1800 for 2 single drawers
$300 to fit the drawers
$180 each for the covers for the side of the drawers
and then $150 to fit them......

I nearly fell over.
A full cargo barrier is only $499 and its only a handful of bolts
Is this for real and if so.....is it gold plated and come with a free butler ?

[03hilux]

Gday mate. Have a look at drifta drawers.
http://www.drifta.com.au/4WDFitout.php
 You should find the cheaper than the ones you have been quoted on. Also, try Toyota on the cargo barrier. They may be cheaper.

[McGirr]

Lil I have a cargo barrier for a Toyota you can have for $100.

Mark

[Jason B]

We have just bought a "new to us" 105 Series Cruiser wagon.
We are now looking to get the bits and bobs needed for outback touring.
Since we have lashed out and joined the realm of supposed "Toyota quality" we thought we would get a quote for some things we need for it from ARB.

To get 2 single drawers and a cargo barrier in the rear of the car..........


$698 for a half cargo barrier
$200 to fit
$1800 for 2 single drawers
$300 to fit the drawers
$180 each for the covers for the side of the drawers
and then $150 to fit them......

I nearly fell over.
A full cargo barrier is only $499 and its only a handful of bolts
Is this for real and if so.....is it gold plated and come with a free butler ?

To be honest I would be looking at a good second hand set of outback roller draws, they come up fairly often for $800 to $1000. New they are $2.5k. Any 4x4 accessory shop will fit them for you for $150 a $200. You can either buy a cargo barrier and cut it down to suit the draws or go to the local aluminium window place and get them to make you one from screen security door material. Cheaper and powder coated any colour you want.

80 series and Nissan patrol draws will fit, as its only the wings that are different. You can make these easily from ply and cover them with marine carpet to match without a problem.

I have a set out of a 100 in my 80 series, and I haven't bothered with the wings as I find I can get a lot more stuff (chairs etc) in along side the draws without them.

Jas 

[02-SR5]

We do get ripped off on quality named products.

If you shop around, there are a heap of little engineering shops tucked in the back of industrial estates that can make cargo barriers. I know of one in Pickering Sreet Enoggera that works for slabs of xxxx.

Drawers, second is the way to go. I know ironman do them now with the wing kits to suite specific models. I think they are less than half the price of the bigger named brands.

[berlitza]

bahhhh, make them ya self ,black paint and marine carpet usually covers the little screw ups

[02-SR5]

Yep, Ironman do them for the 100 series.

You can save bulk coin by doing all the fitting yourself.

[gv 2003]

try hear http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=29710.0

[Bird]

Give Jim at Best offroad a call on the storage.

but 4wds are like boats - as soon as you mention them, your expected to be a millionare..

[jkwpajero]

There is a set for sale in the MySwag general classifieds    http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=29710.0

[areyonga]

I had my Drifta drawers made to suite my 100 series with one taller than normal and one about 100mm lower and under the lower one is a slide in for my solar panels.  It has the side wings that lift off and on the front is a 400 mm high barrier board covered with the same carpet to stop things sliding forward.  I didnt want a full cargo barrier and I have tie down points on the surface of the back to secure my chairs and stuff to reduce noise and movement.  The lot with fixings and delivery cost $1400 from Drifta and I am very pleased with the finished product.  I have been travelling with it for 4 weeks now and have just finished the Gibb and must say its made things a lot easier with the packing.  Its good quality and price so I say Drifta all the way.

Trevor

[BigJules]

Yes, go the 2nd hand route. Most of the gear on my Cruiser came from eBay.

[GeeTee]

We have just bought a "new to us" 105 Series Cruiser wagon.
We are now looking to get the bits and bobs needed for outback touring.
Since we have lashed out and joined the realm of supposed "Toyota quality" we thought we would get a quote for some things we need for it from ARB.

To get 2 single drawers and a cargo barrier in the rear of the car..........


$698 for a half cargo barrier
$200 to fit
$1800 for 2 single drawers
$300 to fit the drawers
$180 each for the covers for the side of the drawers
and then $150 to fit them......

I nearly fell over.
A full cargo barrier is only $499 and its only a handful of bolts
Is this for real and if so.....is it gold plated and come with a free butler ?

Hey if you are trade qualified and/or experienced, have a workshop full of tools and equipment, are familiar with the ADRs/ASs and the internals of a LandCruiser bodyshell and trim - and of course have the time to measure, design, build and install all this stuff -  there's nothing stopping you from doing it yourself!

Keep in mind, too, that although your Cruiser is a little older, labour rates are the same as when it was new

[Pebble]

When we had the 80 series we had no name home made type draws (in all aspects looked and seemed like the real thing). We sold them eventually and probably for next to nothing (no brand, less value on 2nd hand market).

In the current Troopy we dished out the big $$ and got some Black Widow draws installed. Yeah it's a lot of money but we were impressed with the quality and design, they seemed better than other brands. So I think the difference in quality is there, they certainly seem a lot nicer than the no branders we had but I suppose you have to question if it really makes that much difference when it comes down to the difference in $$ paid.

I have to laugh because yet again we're looking at selling, although we will cop a fair loss not having had them that long at least they're not worth next to nothing like a no name unit. I certainly don't regret having brought them, but I do wonder if we're doing the right thing selling them ha ha. But yeah if you think about the fact that it's a few bits of wood, some carpet, some runners, bearings and bolts, 2k is hell of a lot of cash, but then again you could say the same about a lot of camper trailers.

The 2nd hand market is definitely a good consideration....well if you're not overly skeptical about why people are selling (like I tend to be lol).

You get what you pay for in the end but I guess that doesn't meant you can't get something just as good for less, and just because you can afford to buy top of the line something doesn't always make it the best choice anyway.

[chisel]

We have just bought a "new to us" 105 Series Cruiser wagon.
We are now looking to get the bits and bobs needed for outback touring.
Since we have lashed out and joined the realm of supposed "Toyota quality" we thought we would get a quote for some things we need for it from ARB.

To get 2 single drawers and a cargo barrier in the rear of the car..........


$698 for a half cargo barrier
$200 to fit
$1800 for 2 single drawers
$300 to fit the drawers
$180 each for the covers for the side of the drawers
and then $150 to fit them......

I nearly fell over.
A full cargo barrier is only $499 and its only a handful of bolts
Is this for real and if so.....is it gold plated and come with a free butler ?

Not sure this is related to it being a Toyota.  I think it is just ARB's price for drawers for a large wagon.  Other makes and models will be the same.

Try asking blackwidow or offroad systems (or one of the other high-end drawer companies) direct for a quote.  I think you'll find similar-ish prices.
http://www.offroadsystems.com.au/pricelist_landcruiser_100.html
http://www.blackwidow4wdstorage.com/travelmate_byblackwidow/Travelmate_by_blackwidow.htm  (this is the 'cheap' version)

Pretty sure if you have the time you could fit it yourself to save $650.

[Roo]

Brother in law is pulling a set of offroad systems drawers out of his 100 and fitting the homemade set from his old prado.  the ORS drawers are not living up to their reputation. slam latches are nice but with 2 suitcases and a 40L fridge sitting on top the carcass is warping causing the drawers to jamb. pain in the ass.
I've got drifta drawers. very happy. much cheaper that ARB and utilises every bit of available space by not having bulky metal drawer runners. DIY fit in under 10 mins. longer if you choose to build the side wings yourself, I opted to have no side wings so i can fill the space more efficiently....shove stuff in till full method!

[lilstookie]

Trying to get Ebay to deliver to us would be hard, even drifta cant get anything to us.
We would have to head to town to get a set of drawers and whilst there get them fitted.
GeeTee......didnt mean it to sound like the money wasnt worth it, I guess you where the only one that saw it like that being a CAMPER seller.

I do actually have a massive workshop here, and all the tools, and the expertise to do the work but getting the "parts here on a plane" would defeat the purpose of it being cost effective....

We have drift setup in our CT and the wood seems to have warped and the cupboards don't click shut anymore, the legs sometimes slide down and even fixing them up with a grind here and there and then plier to tighten doesnt work. They are just over a year old 

I know there is a set for sale on Myswag but getting them to me would be a logistical problem and a costly one.
I guess I will wait till we have to goto town again and see if we can fit a flatpack in the car and do the fitting here.

( we live in the Gulf country on a remote cattle station, mail is by plane once a week and only if its dry. We get rained in for 5 months)

We dont mind paying for good gear, just didnt realise 2k for 2 single drawers in the back of a 4by cost 2k......

[Pebble]

Yeah for fitting you've just got to get the order right (Hubby did the first set, but got the current ones installed by the shop). Believe it or not for ours we seem to have found a buyer on the other side of the country, I guess any extra money in ones pocket is better than none.

[GeeTee]

Hey no worries lilstooke, it must be very challenging trying to buy/build something when you are so remote. But when you look at cost of product, and a tradesman's labour/expertise, it's easy to see where $2K can go.

One of the 4WDs I built for myself a few years ago cost $5500 to buy and soaked up another $4-5K in its first month on the road: winch, bars both ends, cargo barrier, tyres and suspension. My mates thought I was mad, 'overcapitalising' on that Pathy but it did what I needed it to do, beautifully, and over the three years and 30,000km I owned it, that extra $5K was almost nothing   

[Nay-DMAX]

Trying to get Ebay to deliver to us would be hard, even drifta cant get anything to us.
We would have to head to town to get a set of drawers and whilst there get them fitted.
GeeTee......didnt mean it to sound like the money wasnt worth it, I guess you where the only one that saw it like that being a CAMPER seller.

I do actually have a massive workshop here, and all the tools, and the expertise to do the work but getting the "parts here on a plane" would defeat the purpose of it being cost effective....

We have drift setup in our CT and the wood seems to have warped and the cupboards don't click shut anymore, the legs sometimes slide down and even fixing them up with a grind here and there and then plier to tighten doesnt work. They are just over a year old 

I know there is a set for sale on Myswag but getting them to me would be a logistical problem and a costly one.
I guess I will wait till we have to goto town again and see if we can fit a flatpack in the car and do the fitting here.

( we live in the Gulf country on a remote cattle station, mail is by plane once a week and only if its dry. We get rained in for 5 months)

We dont mind paying for good gear, just didnt realise 2k for 2 single drawers in the back of a 4by cost 2k......

I know this is not what your post is about but have you contacted Luke at drifta I hear great things about his after sales service we love our drifta kitchen and would be sad if it started to warp. Hope you find a set up that suits you for the 4x4

[Barry G]

I am building my own timber draws for the Monterey, but have the luxury of a great hardware store around the corner.
Given what is included in even the most basic of campers, which can be had from around $3,000, I find it difficult to accept that there is comparative value in $2,000 for a set of,rear draws.

[McGirr]

As much as I would like to buy a Drifta DSB, the cost plus freight ($575.00) was too much so I went to a company that cuts timber to size, 15mm marine ply for the same size plus edging and bottom skids.

Total cost $152.00. All I have to do is add marine carpet, some stain and handles. Budgeting around $200.00.

Mark

[GeeTee]

As much as I would like to buy a Drifta DSB, the cost plus freight ($575.00) was too much so I went to a company that cuts timber to size, 15mm marine ply for the same size plus edging and bottom skids.

Total cost $152.00. All I have to do is add marine carpet, some stain and handles. Budgeting around $200.00.

Mark

Yeah nearly $600 and then freight for a relatively simple box would hurt... but I reckon your cut price of $152 plus carpet, handles, poly slides, varnish, etc plus your running around and a bit of labour shows how reasonably-priced Drifta's products are

[sierrajim]

Cargo barriers need to be ADR approved, they a not something that can be legally just made and fitted.

In the case of an accident or roll over an incorrectly designed unit would cause major injuries to someone in the back.

Drawers, I've been running black widow drawers at work, not once have I had a customer complaint. Have been doing them for we'll,over 5 years. Great product, even if they are a little dear.

You bought a solid truck, do you really want to skimp on the bits that you're going to bolt on to it?

Some things are cheap for a reason.

[MR MAC GU]

I think most people don't realize that cargo barriers and draw systems must meet Australian standards and also must be ADR compliant.

It unfortunately isn't illegal to sell or fit noncompliant cargo barriers or draw systems but it is illegal to use a vehicle on Australian roads if noncompliant items are fitted.

The worst part is if something goes wrong, ie roll over or head on etc and someone gets hurt or killed by these noncompliant items not doing their job then the friends and family you have left will more than likely have to visit you behind bars for a while.

This is why the big companies charge so much as it costs them a fortune to pass ADR. The companies that charge less don't mention this problem when taking your hard earned...


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