With Briggs takeover of Victa and stupid Aussie consumers, Briggs have a virtual monopoly in Australia's domestic mower market, and it's owned by foreigners from the U.S. Their engines will become more and more disposable and cheaply built to last only a pre determined time, something U.S manufactures have become specialists at.G'day
Mowerfreak,
Norm and
TylerI don't know where to start here. I apologise in advance...
The concept of throw-away consumer goods is so deeply embedded
in the consume
psyche now that I feel that nothing short of a
revolution is needed to re-educate folks about the benefits of
buying once - buying well. We are subjected to so much BS today.
Things are possible. Just look at the conversation about
plastics.
I better understand that issue now. Why would I buy a piece of corn or
a banana wrapped in plastics? It makes no sense!
many years ago a wrist watch was a status symbol, now nobody wears a watch. In the fifties a motor mower was also a big investment and people kept them for years, nowadays nobody cares
A great point
Norm - but watches are still a status symbol -
at least for expensive watches made and targeted to the wealthy.
But for all classes watches were once
symbolic - in being 'passed down'
through generations. I got Dad's watch and it would be regarded by
collectors today as a 'cheapie'. I have bought one 'good' watch and that's it.
Watches no longer do it for me - with the BS surrounding watches at its highest.
My reality is that a $10,000 watch may very well have the same movement as a
$1,000 watch. The wannabe class hunters can go rot as far as I'm concerned.
I have Dad's watch, an everyday watch, and a 'special' one. [Gallery]
Tyler, That was a great anecdote about wearing a watch / using a mobile.
The new briggs instart (electric start) or whatever its called doesn't even have a pull cord in case you forget to charge the battery.
Tyler, OEMs were doing this half a century ago.
Some lawnmower maker would specify a lower spec for their machine.
In some cases it was for a genuine reason. I remember that some
makers would not specify a back-up recoil starter for aesthetic or design reasons,
wanting a low silhouette to accommodate a bonnet. In most cases, I guess it was
to save a buck. Here, Briggs was the bit between two hard rocks - the mower
makers and the consumers.
I wouldn't say this is an easy issue, but I have more
empathy for OEMs and 'stupid Aussie consumers' now.
The problem is bigger than both!-------------------------------------------------------
Jack
