I get where you're coming from James... My favourite products are the stuff that comes out of Japan. Not cheap but it appears there is something about the work culture there - I'll try and share my Privateer article about Shimano if I get chance... or was that from Rouleur
- they finish late and start early and I doubt they go into work with a hangover. To them 'work' it would appear is a religion and they need to do it the best they can. I'd imagine that 'workers rights' and how they are treated from the top down has summat to do with it.
Currently sat in a farmers car (Subaru Outback H6) which is almost 17 years old but still drives like a dream and my plan is to get it beyond 200k (God Willing).
Anyway... The point is... erm.. I've forgotten.
On a side note (and I'm gonna bring r*pha into this so some might wanna avert their eyes) some companies it appears try to get the best wherever they get their manufacturing from. For example the above mentioned... 2 stories.
1) Bought my first ever jersey from the Manchester store on offer at about £50. Their warranty is supposed to be legendary and the stuff is made in Portugal, China, Turkey etc etc. Merino wool blend and lovely too for which I probably waited about 10 years before investing for the first time ever. Cash flow probably had a part to play.
About 8 months later it started getting some bobbles to the material. I didn't think much of it and definitely didn't think it would come under their legendary aftersales service. Mentioned it once in passing on the cycling telegram group I'm on and my mate Altaf told me I should contact em. So I did with the thought that they'll just wave me on and I would be happy at that.
Next minute I've sent it in for examination, they've got back to me with a voucher code. But not for the £50 I'd bought it for at reduced cost... Nope, a full £80 or £100 as thats what their jerseys usually cost. Asked em if I could be cheeky and still get back my original as a momento and they did (though explaining that it's not the done thing). Still wear that jersey with great joy and since then I've gotten at least 2 more of their garments.
Then at some point I bought their hardshell jacket. From fleabay and after some time I had zip problems (it's a welded affair and maybe I ironed too close to it when re-proofing it). Made contact and before long I had a code for a shiny new jacket in my inbox. No lying involved anywhere of the above and not even a reciept produced or asked for. Suffice to say that if anything of theirs falls apart on me now (short of getting in sent for the legendary crash repair service to tick the eco-box) I'll just keep using it and they'll not hear anything from me at all. R*pha you good ladies n gents....
2) The story of HJ hall, which is the socks made in Nottingham for mamy many years. Proudly (and why wouldnt they be), and only recently they decided to move the manufacturing to China or somewhere due to overheads. I was a bit worried that the quality would go down and I base the quality on their £7 sixty percent wool thicky socks. Had the Nott ones but also bought the China ones. Both as good as each other (and for durability and everything else they literqlly blow the Endura Baa Baa out of the water... the Baa Baas are good though).
3) I'll not even start with the £28 Darn Tough (made im vancouver) which are just as they're described. Never claimed on the lifetime warranty service (even for wearing out) but the online reports speak for themselves. Can't wait for the day I buy a second pair...
Next up, the story of Rolls Royce (as told me 10 years ago by my mechanic-bus driver colleague).
). They 'sorted' it with "we will send you a buckle. Fix it yourself." I didn't nag and saw the positive sides in it.
Thankfully I only experienced 2 of their BPing bags (and checked out the rest in store).....
)
we have this thing (ie. as taught by the uslamic scholars after investigating the literature/statements/Quran etc)... it goes summat along the lines of 'giving benefit of the doubt' which I'm always trying to remind myself 
