I'm sure this thread has been done before so I apologise!

I do try to buy local when ever I can and I'll pay a few extra dollars more to support the 'small guy'. BUT..... I've recently picked up a set of twin SU's secondhand at a bargain price (cheers Rodney). Now this morning buying parts to rebuild them, polish them up and getting them to look brand new again.

I've decided to fit the K&N 56-9335 Cone Filters, I'll need two of them.

Locally here in Perth the best price I could find $195 each and they will take a week to get here (WA stands for Wait Awhile!).

The cheapest I could find anywhere in Australia $145 each plus delivery.

I've ordered both from the US delivered for AU$106. That's for both of them! I've used this mob before and delivery is usually 7-10 days.

I hate sending my money overseas but why buy local?

This has been done to death on every forum but as long as retailers in Oz don't pay attention, it will keep happening.

Me, I like to spread it around. I bought a thermo cover yesterday in Perth cheaper than I have seen anywhere on the webs. Some purchases are made locally so I can get the sales support if needed and that alone normally makes the extra few dollars worth it. Other bits are bought from overseas because they're just not available in this country or in a reasonable timeframe.

Look, I can see both sides of this argument as I work for a company that imports all that we sell. We wish it was made locally and we wish it was cheaper but as it is, we're at the mercy of:

• Suppliers who see us as tiny and very unimportant.
• Shippers who screw us for the same reason.
• Customs who just love to have a long look at every shipment.
• The Australian Government taking a large slice of the action before and after sales.
• The developers who charge a fortune for something just to put a shed on.
• The local council that don't bother to wear a condom when they rape you for every imaginable charge they can come up with each year.
• Those damn employees who selfishly want a fair day's pay for a fair day's work...

I could go on but the fact is, when your business is the size of Minispares, or better yet try Wiggle or Eglobal, you can screw all of the above down on prices and still operate at minimal cost. Such is the power of the internet, you now have access to these businesses and they have more access to you than they ever imagined twenty years ago. They're loving you all the way to the bank.

Times are changing and so is the world of retail. Where it's heading, I don't know but the big guys are on the right track for them and we're following. Sadly, it's the small businesses that will have to evolve into something that will win us back or die. Again, I have no idea what that could be but I do know one thing for sure; you're going to miss them.

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Behold! The mighty 850!

Don't moan when your job goes offshore. You can buy local because you are now living in mumbai.
Watch the news its happening before your eyes.

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1960 Morris Mini Minor

Reviewed my post and saw irony in the fact that the other two posts are from WA. The state that owes its prosperity in sending what it 'produces' overseas.

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1960 Morris Mini Minor

Now that you put it like that I don't feel so bad returning the money I earn back overseas! Cheers minijcar

And we're sorry about your weather too.

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Behold! The mighty 850!

Love it flash. I'm sorry about our weather too, but wait 5 mnutes....

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Current 1970 Mini K - full resto happening - finished and on the road since 10/2020
2001 Falcon AUII XL 1 Tonne styleside ute

Mini History
1963 - 850 - wish I still had it
1965 - 850 - was an unfinished project, gone
1972 - Clubbie

Apparently, it rains more in Sydney?

I read that somewhere.

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Behold! The mighty 850!

Is it somewhat ironic that we are arguing about buy parts for English cars overseas?

(and yes I know some are Aus built!)

This discussion has been done to death before. Yes, you can almost always get cheaper overseas. And a lot of it is the same stuff you buy here, just half the price. But do your research - there are plenty of suppliers in Australia that produce good, high quality components that you can't get elsewhere.

The miniman here at ausmini sells the best hilos in the world, Graham Russell sells some of the best pistons, and places like Karcraft sell some quality components that you can't get elsewhere. Shop around - but don't just go for the cheapest option.

You can't get a set of points on a lazy Saturday morning to fix your mini from the UK.

I'm a convert to local for a few extra dollars. Once they're gone, so are all those little specific Australian bits as well which keep your mini going. Personally I like to share the love around wherever the price is reasonable.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

What Mick said ^^^, added to that the cost of international mail & freight keeps going up and up.
I brought some suspension stuff in a while back from Minispares which was cheaper to get from Karcraft (but muggins here didn't check em first, d'oh!)

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Now that aus dollar at 89 cents to us dollar it not so cheap now dont know what the aus $ is to the pound

I noticed I paid $10 for an inner pushbike brake cable that I used as an accelerator cable, but they go for about $1.5 from China free postage on ebay....

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

It's not just about price it's customer service that is dying. I'm happy to pay say an extra 20% to buy local and have it in my hot little hands the same day, and I'd pay an extra 30% on top of the 20% for good service. I'd even pay more than double on small ticket items (under $100) for good local service.

One local service provider is so miserable I know many local buyers will avoid them at any cost! In saying this I did get incredible and excellent service last Friday from Wilf Chambers at Osborne Park, a true gentleman. Thank you Wilf for keeping my faith alive