Looks like this old thread has reignited again.. Anyways my 2c.
Firstly I don't blame China for copying Oz made campers. I do blame the Aussies who took measurements, photos and in some obvious cases sent an Oz made CT over to China and said make this, like this but cheap. It was Aussies ripping off other Aussies plans and development work.
Some of these are just blatant and obvious clone copies of the Oz made original. Sadly, some of these companies have even used a similar model name on the CT/Hybrid/caravan so they are stealing the Oz made manufactures model number as well. To me that should be a crime and it is a damn shame to the oz made developers who did the original OT&E just to have the idea stolen from them.
In saying that, I have never seen an Oz made CT that looks the same as my import. Nope, not even similar.
A lot of these CT sellers that directly import campers from China have certainly let down the customer when it comes to warranty issues; sadly I put this down to greed. I say greed as some of them are doubling their investment and giving SFA support with warranty.
I remember being told my imported CT would be a pile of rust within two years, it would fall to bits on its first real trip off road. The canvas would rot, the zippers would break, the wiring was dodgy with wires just twisted together, and a lot more other stories.
It is still alive after three years, hasn't rusted or fallen apart yet, no probs with rotting canvas, no zipper failures and all the joined wiring was soldered and heat shrunk; maybe next year everything will fail
.
Either way, I have been out exploring, 4wding, camping and enjoying the life style that goes with all of those things at a fraction of the cost of buying an equivalent Oz made CT. I am not sorry for making that decision or the decision to own cars imported from Overseas or buying 90% of my clothes and household goods that also are imported from overseas. It is just a fact of life with just about everything we buy.
As people would know that have read my CT thread, I have modified my CT in a lot of areas to improve its capability. I got my CT $4-5k below retail price. Most of my mods havnt cost a whole lot of $$$ but I have certainly spent a lot of my own time completing them. A lot of these mods have been addressed by importers so the newer models are so much better than mine was 3'years ago.
Not all similar looking imported CT's are the same quality. I agree with KB, MDC have certainly lifted their game on their product but I am pretty sure I know where they got some of their original designs from.
I remember going to the camping show in Cairns last year looking at about 7 or 8 different branded companies importing the same looking hard floor rear folding CT. On close inspection, the quality between the best and the worst was a huge difference. The price tag however was very similar between all of them. Buyer beware, if you don't know what you are looking at, swallow your pride and either pay someone or get a mate with the knowledge to check it over for you.
I have met quite a few members of the forum whom have had a real good look over my CT. Quite a few members have said to me that in hindsight, they wished that they had bought a CT like mine instead of paying the extra $$$ to get Oz made. Some of these members are very intelligent, capable tradies that can weld, fabricate and modify their own vehicles and CT's so they know what they are talking about.
As I have said on many occasions, I couldn't care whether your CT or vehicle was made in Oz or imported. I don't judge people on those things nor do I criticise them for it. Either way, I just want to go camping.
to all. Muz.
