Dougal
Well-Known Member
Although still thoroughly p1ssed off after a nights sleep
I'm also grateful to hear all your comments.
Regarding 'my consumer rights' etc, I almost couldn't give a stuff, as I know that I can, and almost always do (eventually), get refunded or the part exchanged, that doesn't help when sailing 40 miles off shore in a foreign country
As the boat is kept in France and thus, all our sailing is done either here or Spain, most of all my purchases are made here, and not covered by UK law anyway (EU law lol, let's not even go near that beastie).
Although I do also purchase items in the UK over the winter, as many marine items, especially electronics, are much (and u mean MUCH) more expensive here in France.
Sadly, I fear this eventually all comes down to 'politics' and corporate greed (same thing these days lol), and no doubt some of you will own your boats as a result of being share holders of some type, but try not to take it personally when I say all such like should be hung, drawn and quartered lol. Nationalise EVERYTHING I say and bring back that rare beast; customer satisfaction
I agree about putting in the research, and I most certainly do. Being retired, I usually have the time to do so. My experience of this research shows the only REAL way to know, is through customer recommendations. Even this however, is extremely fluid, as companies come go with the wind, or change ownership even faster.
I agree also that as much quality goods originate in China and the far east. Trouble is though, because they produce such MASSIVE volumes of goods, that also means there's a lot of junk too! Take the generic PWM solar controller; almost all those milions of units with the same black plastic chassis, regardless of whether the paper sticker says Victron, Sterling or some other, still originate in the east, and as stated by others, are probably all from the same group of factories.
I'm also grateful to hear all your comments.Regarding 'my consumer rights' etc, I almost couldn't give a stuff, as I know that I can, and almost always do (eventually), get refunded or the part exchanged, that doesn't help when sailing 40 miles off shore in a foreign country
As the boat is kept in France and thus, all our sailing is done either here or Spain, most of all my purchases are made here, and not covered by UK law anyway (EU law lol, let's not even go near that beastie).Although I do also purchase items in the UK over the winter, as many marine items, especially electronics, are much (and u mean MUCH) more expensive here in France.
Sadly, I fear this eventually all comes down to 'politics' and corporate greed (same thing these days lol), and no doubt some of you will own your boats as a result of being share holders of some type, but try not to take it personally when I say all such like should be hung, drawn and quartered lol. Nationalise EVERYTHING I say and bring back that rare beast; customer satisfaction
I agree about putting in the research, and I most certainly do. Being retired, I usually have the time to do so. My experience of this research shows the only REAL way to know, is through customer recommendations. Even this however, is extremely fluid, as companies come go with the wind, or change ownership even faster.
I agree also that as much quality goods originate in China and the far east. Trouble is though, because they produce such MASSIVE volumes of goods, that also means there's a lot of junk too! Take the generic PWM solar controller; almost all those milions of units with the same black plastic chassis, regardless of whether the paper sticker says Victron, Sterling or some other, still originate in the east, and as stated by others, are probably all from the same group of factories.
