Why couldn't company's like Manco survive?

[mancodingouk]

Slightly off the normal topic for this forum, but I'm interested to know why comapny's like Manco can't survive in this market. Presumably their downfall was a result of cheaper Chinese go kart's being imported into the US?

Manco karts handle so much better than these heavy, sluggish Chinese imports, and I'm suprised someone hasn't been able to replicate the Manco designs and come up with a good value Dingo equivalent. Even if the frame and engine are made in China, just simplifying the design back down to the Manco style would surely create a popular, modern Go Kart with a wide appeal?

 

[r_chez_08]

I guess you have got it. Most people do not understand. They see buggy and full suspension, and they buy one.

I would imagine a simple dingo 'clone' with a gx200 clone could be manufactured for cheaper than these chineese buggies. However there may be a smaller market, unless the price was right.

 

[souperman000]

I just think manco and other kart companys just faded out. Not as much of a market for karts anymore. kids werent into go karts and mechanics as much anymore....

 

[OzFab]

All good reasons for them to go belly up.

The average joe wouldn't get the difference between an american made kart & a flimsy chinese poc, all they see is dollar signs. Think about it: if you had the choice between an american made car & a comparable japanese model, but the jap was $5k cheaper, what would you buy?

Given that & the birth of playstation & xbox (among others) & you have a recipe for disaster.

In the long run, the GFC cripples the big companies; what about the little ones we didn't hear about?

 

[slideways]

Law suits. My kid cut his thumb on an exposed screw on the bellypan of his go kart while he was playing with it. Where's my $50,000.

Its alot harder to get ahold of a company that has 3 intermediaries shipping processing and tightening screws on a cheaply made chinese go kart.

You also have to pay labor here in good old Indiana vs China for people to answer phones and ship parts. Try calling Zongshen and asking how tight a bolt should be on the cdi unit of one of their engines.

 

[B man]

there was one replica of the dingo made. the baja 2000. made by baja

 

[Blazkowiez]

there was one replica of the dingo made. the baja 2000. made by baja

Are you talking about a Bird Baja? That is not a clone.

Also there has been very little attempts by the Chinese to do a simple kart, the closest has been the Stingray sold by Northern Tool and even that was cheap cheap metal and metric bearings.

 

[B man]

No. I saw a kart looked exactly like the dingo spindle springs and all. But it had baja on it( maybe the same company that makes the mini-bikes) and it was called ether baja 200 or baja 2000. i cant remember the number.

Edit: Wait maybe it was a manco.

 

[fowler]

if you had the choice between an american made car & a comparable japanese model, but the jap was $5k cheaper, what would you buy?

Lol the jap car every time
Usually built better
Probs going to last longer
And cheaper

It's not only kart company's and it's not only in America
Most of the 1st world country's have this issue

A big issue is the workers
We want good money, we want the latest safety gear, we want good facilitys and we want all this while working minimal hours

This all costs big money
The Chinese are shoving huge numbers of people into a dark dingy factory and paying them next to nothing
In indonesia in some places they don't even give welders sunglasses let alone a proper welding helment

The other issues is the governments
They demand high taxes and put on strict regulations on safety and the enviroment

It had almost completely killed manufacturing in Australia
Most of our stuff is Chinese
Which is stupid when the base ingrediants like steel, aluminium, coal, rare earth minerals, nickel and so one come from our mines

And the American manufactures ain't doing much better

 

[B man]

Lol the jap car every time
Usually built better
Probs going to last longer
And cheaper

It's not only kart company's and it's not only in America
Most of the 1st world country's have this issue

A big issue is the workers
We want good money, we want the latest safety gear, we want good facilitys and we want all this while working minimal hours

This all costs big money
The Chinese are shoving huge numbers of people into a dark dingy factory and paying them next to nothing
In indonesia in some places they don't even give welders sunglasses let alone a proper welding helment

The other issues is the governments
They demand high taxes and put on strict regulations on safety and the enviroment

It had almost completely killed manufacturing in Australia
Most of our stuff is Chinese
Which is stupid when the base ingrediants like steel, aluminium, coal, rare earth minerals, nickel and so one come from our mines

And the American manufactures ain't doing much better

sad but true.

 

[bighead]

Lol the jap car every time
Usually built better
Probs going to last longer
And cheaper

It's not only kart company's and it's not only in America
Most of the 1st world country's have this issue

A big issue is the workers
We want good money, we want the latest safety gear, we want good facilitys and we want all this while working minimal hours

This all costs big money
The Chinese are shoving huge numbers of people into a dark dingy factory and paying them next to nothing
In indonesia in some places they don't even give welders sunglasses let alone a proper welding helment

The other issues is the governments
They demand high taxes and put on strict regulations on safety and the enviroment

It had almost completely killed manufacturing in Australia
Most of our stuff is Chinese
Which is stupid when the base ingrediants like steel, aluminium, coal, rare earth minerals, nickel and so one come from our mines

And the American manufactures ain't doing much better

This is the best post I have read in months.

 

[OzFab]

if you had the choice between an american made car & a comparable japanese model, but the jap was $5k cheaper, what would you buy?

Lol the jap car every time
Usually built better
Probs going to last longer
And cheaper

That was for the benifit of our American members; you get a Commodore or a Camry

It's not only kart company's and it's not only in America
Most of the 1st world country's have this issue

A big issue is the workers
We want good money, we want the latest safety gear, we want good facilitys and we want all this while working minimal hours

This all costs big money
The Chinese are shoving huge numbers of people into a dark dingy factory and paying them next to nothing
In indonesia in some places they don't even give welders sunglasses let alone a proper welding helment

The other issues is the governments
They demand high taxes and put on strict regulations on safety and the enviroment

It had almost completely killed manufacturing in Australia
Most of our stuff is Chinese
Which is stupid when the base ingrediants like steel, aluminium, coal, rare earth minerals, nickel and so one come from our mines

And the American manufactures ain't doing much better

Well, that puts my little explanation to shame but, it's all true.
In the last 5 - 10 years, most of Australias business has gone offshore.

Most recently, Qantas close a maintenance plant just last week because it's cheaper to have the maintenance done overseas.

Ford will be the next one to go; they've already said that by 2014 they won't be building cars here because it's cheaper to import American versions.

At that point, the only Australian made car left will be the Holden Commodore which, ironically, run on Chevy engines

 

[Doc Sprocket]

At that point, the only Australian made car left will be the Holden Commodore which, ironically, run on Chevy engines

...Probably has something to to with GM owning Holden...

 

[OzFab]

...Probably has something to to with GM owning Holden...

Technically, it no longer does. However, they are still in business together.

 

[fowler]

I'll take a 75 series cruiser

Actually Holden said they are stopping the commodore
Which is a shame
It's basically an Aussie icon
To describe the average "como" usually worth about $500 got "sick" rims, a sound system worth 5 times the car, an exhaust with the cat and muffler knocked out and cut springs
Most commonly found driving around with a yellow sticker on the window

Ya can't take that away the cops wont have anything to do

Edit

Nothing wrong with an American engine
They are good at making the power
As long as we are in charge of the rest we get a good car

 

[Doc Sprocket]

You guys really do (floating off the topic here) have some great cars in your history. I first became aware of the Holden cars in the '80's thanks to the Mad Max movies (which I own all 3 on DVD). I kept looking at the cars trying to figure out what they were. I could see American design elements, even some GM-ish looking stuff, but didn't get any further. Many years later and thanks to the internet, I started finding things out...

The "van" that Max drives in the first movie is very cool! Looks like they were quite popular over there. Here, we would consider that a station wagon. What you guys call "Ute's" have been (from what I could tell) very popular over there, but scarce as he// in the North American markets. We had the El Camino, Ranchero, and Caballero, and not much more, for the longest time. Still not much. Instead, North Americans tend to favour pickup trucks

Either way, you guys have had some AWESOME cars over the years!

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Technically, it no longer does. However, they are still in business together.

This page indicates GM ownership... ? http://www.holden.com.au/corporate/about-holden

 

[fowler]

Oh u mean like a station wagon size but a pickup setup

Yes a ute
Any two seater vehical with a tray is a ute
Invented by Holden
As the story goes a farmers wife went to Holden and said she wanted a vehical to take the pigs to market on a Friday, and to go to church on Sunday
They made the ute, Aussie ford were working on the same idea and introduced there version a little later
They were a hit with farmers abd tradies
Then some smart bugger figured u could combine this idea with a 4x4 and u get a vehical that carrys a big load and goes anywhere, the pickup

The Holden Utes are good
No weight over the back axle
Combine that with rear wheel drive, a 6lt V8 and u get a lot of sideways action in every situation like changing lanes or going around roundabouts
Combine this with a lot of alcohol and u find most of Australia's road deaths

EDIT
Do GM even own themselves
I thought they went bust and the government bailed them out

 

[anderkart]

Oh u mean like a station wagon size but a pickup setup

Yes a ute
Any two seater vehical with a tray is a ute
Invented by Holden

What year did Holden start selling Ute's?

 

[OzFab]

You guys really do (floating off the topic here) have some great cars in your history. I first became aware of the Holden cars in the '80's thanks to the Mad Max movies (which I own all 3 on DVD). I kept looking at the cars trying to figure out what they were. I could see American design elements, even some GM-ish looking stuff, but didn't get any further. Many years later and thanks to the internet, I started finding things out...

The car driven by the night rider is a 1974 Holden "HQ" Monaro, The cop cars are Ford Falcon of the same vintage, as is "The Interceptor" of the coupe variety. Does that help?

The "van" that Max drives in the first movie is very cool! Looks like they were quite popular over there. Here, we would consider that a station wagon. What you guys call "Ute's" have been (from what I could tell) very popular over there, but scarce as he// in the North American markets. We had the El Camino, Ranchero, and Caballero, and not much more, for the longest time. Still not much. Instead, North Americans tend to favour pickup trucks

The "van" is a Holden Sandman (strangely, that one had Ford headlights). They were very popular, there was a whole sub-culture on them & 2 of my six brothers had one.

Any two seater vehical with a tray is a ute
Invented by Holden
As the story goes a farmers wife went to Holden and said she wanted a vehical to take the pigs to market on a Friday, and to go to church on Sunday
They made the ute, Aussie ford were working on the same idea and introduced there version a little later
They were a hit with farmers abd tradies

True story, however, I heard Ford try to take the credit the other day...

On the subject of Mad Max, I snapped this a few months back at my local Woolies (supermarket):