Made in bl**dy China rant

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

Can't believe it, looking to do a full service, and find that both what I would have considered premium brands, Mann Filters, and Bosch used in the past are now "made in China" makes you wonder just what exactly is a premium brand now. They really are taking over the world, rant over.

[colin]

Because something is 'made in china' doesn't mean it will not be a premium brand, that depends on the brand owner and how they control quality.

My sport was windsurfing, many years ago just about all manufacturing of boards and sails moved to china, this seemed to have no effect on quality as the brand owners kept a tight control on quality.

The problem comes from cheap generic products and backdoor copies made of branded goods.

[Dave225]

Although Colin is correct in his statement unfortunately there are more 'cheap' and shoddy goods 'made in China' than high quality ones, so we tend to see the whole market in that light. Of copurse there would be no market for the cheap and shoddy goods if people did not buy them, but they do, so they have taken over home grown, possibly better quality items. M&S for examp;le dropped the St Michael lable (madein the UK) and now stocks virtually onlu Chinese made clothes and the number of complaints they have received from ladies regarding sizing does make you wonder why they bother going this route, but I assume profits justify.

 

Now there is a difference between a product actually made in China and a product made elsewhere but from a Company owned by Chinese. For example Volvo are now Chinese owned but are still made in Sweden using Swedish technology so you are still getting the same product. Rover are also Chinese owned but now manuifacture in China so the product quality has yet to be determined.

 

Personally we try to avoid buying Chinese made goods, but that is becoming increasingly difficult, unless you have a big wallet.

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

As it happens just today were looking to buy a fan heater, one was a cheap generic one, one a branded one a good deal more expensive, taking both out of the boxes they were identical at least to the naked eye, both made in China. They both stayed on the shelf, I've had too much sub standard Chinese crap to bother. oh well, the modern world ;-)

[jhorsf]

The other problem is how do you know its not a made in China copy with no quality control and substandard

[Guest peter]

jhorsf - 2012-04-11 8:05 PM

 

The other problem is how do you know its not a made in China copy with no quality control and substandard

There's the rub, plenty of them about as well.

[peterjl]

Well, all Apple stuff, like Ipads, are made in China and i for one have no complaints about quality.

 

Peter

[WildBill]

I wonder what the Chinese thought about the Austin Allegro?

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

They would have thought it was marvellous, they were all going round on bikes at the time !

 

China is also one of the world's largest producers of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, as well as every other item of consumer goods, even your Ipad may not be quite what you think, the counterfeiters are masters of deception.

 

My real beef is why are we being asked to pay premium prices for so called premium products knowing their production costs are minimal, and at the same time killing off the industries in countries that used to manufacture good stuff.

I always have attempted to buy premium goods, and no doubt some Chinese stuff is produced to similar standards, I just wish the country of manufacture was easily identified before purchase, not afterwards. >:-)

[747]

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of brand new factories, built with western money, kitted out with the latest western plant and equipment, overseen by Western experts and Engineers (I was one of them) and run by Western trained Chinese management using a first class labour force.

 

Your chances of getting faulty goods are much lower than one built elsewhere due to the QC controls.

 

Saying that, I have seen 'luxury' items sold from barrows in the street. :D

 

That's life. Our country's time has come and is swiftly going if not already gone. :'(

[crinklystarfish]

I think the route of the problem lies with greedy, selfish, rich people who have a burning desire to be even richer - and don't give the first stuff about the human and environmental cost.

Hope that helps.