37 replies to this topic

[Compdoc]

Maybe this would be a good opportunity for MiniSpares?

[Spider]

Maybe this would be a good opportunity for MiniSpares?

 

I spoke to one of their guys (Rich) about this about a year or so back. He was adamant that he wouldn't be able to sell one.

[Compdoc]

 

Maybe this would be a good opportunity for MiniSpares?

 

I spoke to one of their guys (Rich) about this about a year or so back. He was adamant that he wouldn't be able to sell one.

 

I'm surprised, that they do not see it as a marketing opportunity. After all they sell the Swiftune die cast piston set at the same price as Swiftune, So presumably they buy in at retail less their markup.

Maybe they think that Mini owners will not pay that price, but it's pretty comparable with most modern cars. I've just paid £150 for two front suspension bushes for my 20 year old daily driver.

I will definitely, go for these Japanese ball joints, next time I need some. 

[Spider]

 

Maybe they think that Mini owners will not pay that price, but it's pretty comparable with most modern cars.

 

 

This was what Rich was saying. I don't make anything off those I've passed on, but without adverting or opening offering them, I've sold a dozen sets, none have quibbled over the price, the focus has been on quality. I agree, they easily compare in price to just about any other car out there.

[nicklouse]

 

 

Maybe they think that Mini owners will not pay that price, but it's pretty comparable with most modern cars.

 

 

This was what Rich was saying. I don't make anything off those I've passed on, but without adverting or opening offering them, I've sold a dozen sets, none have quibbled over the price, the focus has been on quality. I agree, they easily compare in price to just about any other car out there.

 

And there is the crux you have not added anything onto the price. MiniSpares will have to. Plus the Vat then you will have put them into a price that will be hard to swallow X4 (plus postage).

[Spider]

 

 

 

Maybe they think that Mini owners will not pay that price, but it's pretty comparable with most modern cars.

 

 

This was what Rich was saying. I don't make anything off those I've passed on, but without adverting or opening offering them, I've sold a dozen sets, none have quibbled over the price, the focus has been on quality. I agree, they easily compare in price to just about any other car out there.

 

And there is the crux you have not added anything onto the price. MiniSpares will have to. Plus the Vat then you will have put them into a price that will be hard to swallow X4 (plus postage).

 

 

Nick, I can't speak for 'everyone' else, but going off the few comments over the pages and threads that this has covered here and on the MKI forum, as well as those actually sold out of Japan, while they are not for everyone, there clearly is a demand and market for them.

I'm sure if Mini Spares were interested, they would be able to get them for considerable less than what I'm paying. They'd be a premium product and those who are chasing quality would likely pay a premium price. I would, I am now!

[timmy850]

Minispares should know that people are prepared to pay a premium price for a premium product

Eg minispares EVO oil pump. It’s £93.75 vs a stock type at £15.30 - so over 6 x the price

If they are selling parts like this at a significantly higher price, they should know that people are willing to pay more

[Earwax]

I can understand Minispares' mindset......It might go something like this......Thousands of people 'say' they would buy them, but when landed , priced and stocked in the thousands only dozens come forward, and then the rest are sitting as unwanted stock for a long period of time. 

 

I would like to be wrong, but i have seen smaller scale 'group buys' stall as well, and make the organiser tear his hair out trying to get to the magical number. 

 

It is good that these are available out of Japan and thanks for sharing and showing. 

[Bobbins]

But sadly this regularly comes back to the same problem, a lot of the parts available are not as good as they should be and usually fit pretty poorly yet there's a resistance to making and selling anything better. It gets tiring after a while only being offered poor or poor, I'd like to be able buy better parts (and obviously pay more) that are a good fit and will last as long as the originals.
It's very strange that Minispares will accept that many thousands of pounds can be spent on engine rebuilds yet we're supposedly only prepared to pay pennies for ball joints. Wake up Minispares, your market has developed.

[GraemeC]

Minispares should know that people are prepared to pay a premium price for a premium product

Eg minispares EVO oil pump. It’s £93.75 vs a stock type at £15.30 - so over 6 x the price

If they are selling parts like this at a significantly higher price, they should know that people are willing to pay more

The EVO oil pumps they don’t stock anymore because the demand wasn’t there and, although better, the price wasn't justifiable?

 

To get the ball joints at a price to make a margin, they’d have to buy thousands. A handful of people on here saying they'd buy them wouldn’t justify that investment - they’d need to be getting 100 enquiries a month to even consider it.

Edited by GraemeC, 04 May 2020 - 01:45 PM.

[Compdoc]

I really don't want to knock MiniSpares, as they are my "go to" supplier for all things Mini. But in my opinion their marketing really is way below the competition. They've spent years developing better made products at low prices and long may they do this as they are now the worlds leading supplier of Mini parts. But this doesn't mean that you will ever get a reply to an email or that they will let you know when they release a new product.

I get an email from MiniSport every 2-3 days and monthly emails from MED, Moss, CBS and other suppliers eager to sell me their latest offering. The MiniSpares email is notable by its absence. I had to visit the back pages of Mini mag to find out some of MiniSpares latest products. TMF is also great for this. A couple of days ago I'd never heard of "maintenance free ball joints"!

I think these ball joints will become the standard eventually. Hopefully, a company such as KAD or similar will run with this product and increased sales will reduce the price. Whether the MiniSpares name will be included remains to be seen.

[MontpellierVanMan]

Personally I asked to be removed from MiniSport's email list as I think the constant offers for "pile-em-high-and-sell-em-cheap" stuff just underline and remind me why we're faced with a market filled with cheap rubbish.

 

Credit to MiniSpares, too, for having considerably more information about the parts that are listed, in the form of notes about compatibility and fitting, and differences between references, than anyone else's web-site does.

 

Does anyone know what the dimensional differences are, installed-height wise, of the Japanese assemblies ?

 

And is Moke suggesting there is actually also even a Japanese-made equivalent of the standard adjustable cup/cone set-up ?

[joyce1bro]

I really don't want to knock MiniSpares, as they are my "go to" supplier for all things Mini. But in my opinion their marketing really is way below the competition. They've spent years developing better made products at low prices and long may they do this as they are now the worlds leading supplier of Mini parts. But this doesn't mean that you will ever get a reply to an email or that they will let you know when they release a new product.
I get an email from MiniSport every 2-3 days and monthly emails from MED, Moss, CBS and other suppliers eager to sell me their latest offering. The MiniSpares email is notable by its absence. I had to visit the back pages of Mini mag to find out some of MiniSpares latest products. TMF is also great for this. A couple of days ago I'd never heard of "maintenance free ball joints"!
I think these ball joints will become the standard eventually. Hopefully, a company such as KAD or similar will run with this product and increased sales will reduce the price. Whether the MiniSpares name will be included remains to be seen.

Although a massive price difference but wouldn’t it be better to run with the KAD hubs which have sealed ball joints and are lighter?

[Spider]

 

I really don't want to knock MiniSpares, as they are my "go to" supplier for all things Mini. But in my opinion their marketing really is way below the competition. They've spent years developing better made products at low prices and long may they do this as they are now the worlds leading supplier of Mini parts. But this doesn't mean that you will ever get a reply to an email or that they will let you know when they release a new product.
I get an email from MiniSport every 2-3 days and monthly emails from MED, Moss, CBS and other suppliers eager to sell me their latest offering. The MiniSpares email is notable by its absence. I had to visit the back pages of Mini mag to find out some of MiniSpares latest products. TMF is also great for this. A couple of days ago I'd never heard of "maintenance free ball joints"!
I think these ball joints will become the standard eventually. Hopefully, a company such as KAD or similar will run with this product and increased sales will reduce the price. Whether the MiniSpares name will be included remains to be seen.

Although a massive price difference but wouldn’t it be better to run with the KAD hubs which have sealed ball joints and are lighter?

 

 

The KAD Hubs are supplied with prefitted wheel bearings - KOR Brand. I've asked a few times now to purchase them without Bearings but they won't supply them that way and they don't recommend removing those that are fitted either. If I could buy them bare, I would.

[I hate Brian]

I looked at these though nearly a £190.00 including p&p to get them to the uk a lot of money

 

Here is one place to buy the Japanese kits: 

http://classicminisj...ball-joint-kit/