About the review, how why and where.

[jimmy]

Right first I'll say theres been an awesome response to the kyosho zx5 review, ive no idea how many people have looked at it since i forgot to put a counter on it, but I have received around 40 emails from the link at the end of the review.

I wanted to start doing reviews for a number of reasons, firstly its hard to find information on the internet, 6 months from now there will have been magazine reviews and forum talk but where does someone who just got the car read about it.
Its also sadly getting on to winter, and the main feature of this website, the action photos, are not really possible indoors, so I wanted something else to fill the webspace and my time.

Now, I wanted to review the ZX5 because I thought i would have a lot to say about it, I like kyosho and have a small collection of older buggys, I thought it would be an interesting review.
I Tried to get a car, on loan, from kyosho france/uk, but did'nt hear back, which is fair enough.
So I bought the car to review it, and sell afterwards.

I bought the car from overseas, because that was the only way to get it (and get it quickly), they were not available in this country. I was sensitive to Kyosho UK and UK shops, being that I never mentioned in the review where I got the car, and how much it was.

Step forward, after the review I got in contact with Kyosho UK to see about getting some of the hop ups to review on the car, By this point The review had sold a number of cars for kyosho UK, Uk Shops and around the world, thats just what people have told me in emails.
I wasnt successfull in getting any help from Kyosho UK again, which again is fair enough, they were very happy about the review but expressed concern that my review ZX-5 had been sourced from "outside the UK", this was expressed to them by a UK shop(s).

This has really "cheezed me off" because as mentioned, I have supported kyosho UK and UK shops by NOT mentioning where the car came from. I have various emails from people telling me the names of various UK shops that they have bought from because the review changed their minds from a BJ4 or Yoke etc...

In the review there is a link to a shop in the USA, which kindly helped out with the review by donating some Ti Screws, and I returned the favour by giving them a link, which has helped them.

You dont support it, you dont have a say.

I'm all for supporting Uk Importers and Shops, but being critisized for nothing but assumptions is not on.

[andys]

Hey up Jimmy.

I enjoyed the review and I will be buying a kit, as after reading it and seeing your car, it's a quality item.

I don't see why anyone has any grounds to have any 'beef' with your review ? Seems like somone's got a severe case of sour grapes... The review can only be good for Uk sales. On that note... It really is time that our hobby embraced the global market for purchasing goods, it's crazy that you can buy an item from overseas, pay high shipping costs and taxes and it's still plenty cheaper ! What on earth is going on ? To add to this confusion i've investigated prices for the ZX-5 ranging from £224 to £250, so what is the RRP ?

I've noticed that many people now buy alomost exclusivley from overseas, personally I always try to support trackside shops when possible for most items, it only seems fair and decent, Peter who attends York is a god send and I enjoy giving him my business, but when purchasing an expensive special item like this kit, why the hell shouldn't you get it where it's cheapest. Our hobby is a business after all, in my business price matters and I loose out to chepaer competitors all the time, that's life.

I know you tried to get support from the correct Uk channels Jimmy as you were wanting to review the kit, so if it wasn't forthcoming, then you did the right thing in getting hold of your kit from overseas, after all when you got it they weren't available here !

The review is yours and yours alone, no-one can argue with it, or have any problem with it. You are entitled to say what you like, freedom of speech and all that. The fact that it's favorable to say the least should have made your letterbox swing with delight as free goodies from Kyosho Uk dropped through as a 'thankyou' for the free publicity, given how popular your site is. The fact that you have had a 'gripe' instead really stinks.

Anyhow, I'm not up on all the where's and why's of what goes on, but i'd say it's about time the Uk distributors started to look seriously at pricing and trying to make it 'attractive' for Uk customers to buy from the Uk. The companies involved have to understand that they are dealing with a predominantly young male demographic, who use the web / ebay etc and aren't scared of buying from overseas, remarkably in my limied experience items arrive almost as quickly as they do if you order them from a local hobby store. (JC Concepts) I'd love to see a day when Uk shops can be competitive, I might even open one then.

As for the ZX-5, mine will be coming from overseas unless I see a Uk price that makes me think otherwise.

[losidan]

To my mind if the guys over here cant be bothered then that is there luck out, there are plenty of shops overseas that are willing to help us. I bought some parts from an ebay shop in North Carolina, they were in packs of two and i needed 4. I got all four for the same price as a pair over here including the postage and I got the items...Ordered on Friday, they were here on tues!!!

[paulj]

Well after finding out the prices of the spares from Japan I look forward to comparing the prices with the UK shops that are starting to stock them :roll:

Yes you need to add VAT, import duty and carriage costs to the price but even with these the prices are suprisingly cheap for a country that I had always been told was very expensive for everything. How about £1.84 for a set of front hubs, steering knuckles and the spacers? Or £1.50 for a pair of suspension arms, 1 front and 1 rear? A set of CVD driveshafts around £12.
Don't forget the shop is making it's profit on these items in one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in, these are not cost prices but retail.

Anybody happen to know the prices of these items in the UK out of interest?

[jimmy]

Hey up lads, thanks for the support.
dont turn it into a "Buy from abroad, its better", I know its frustrating, but this thread at least isnt the place.
I want to have a good relationship with the various importers and I know they dislike what they call "grey importing", I'm not condeming it at all, but because of my desire to get Kits to review I dont want to be actively promoting it either.

I Already did my part, and did'nt mention where I got the car, despite the fact the shop was one of the most friendly and helpfull shops I've dealt with.
This ofcourse is with the backdrop of my site being read world-wide, so people from usa, europe and asia who would never buy from a UK shop are missing out because I have done my bit to help protect UK shops.

I have no sour grapes about the review or lack of support thru "official channels", not at all. I was just cheezed off about certain unknown person(s) thinking they have the right to "express concerns" without emailing me and offering their help.
You can't complain about something you had no intention of supporting. :!:

Rant mode over.

[DCM]

I think this is a difficult situation.

Firstly, Jim, you did ask if the UK/French distributor wanted to offer a kit up for review which they declined/ignored, thats there issue, you then purchased and did a private review (a good one to). This has sold boxes in the UK and overseas.

You have done it off your own back, giving them totaly free advertising, someone smart should of snapped up the chance of then getting you to review the options parts as people were already reading you ZX-5 review.

As for the pro's and con's, it is a difficult thing. I agree that supporting your LHS and distributor is the right thing to do as long as it works both ways (which in this instance, it hasn't).

BUT

Money being tight, when you can save over 50% at times on the cost of a kit, it is hard to justify buying it 'local' and this is a BIG shame. This is coming from the pricing structure that is set by small distributors. They only have a limited market and a limited price range, plus with the GBP being so strong, it makes US and HK prices VERY interesting. Also, the UK shops realy DON'T have much markup on kits.

The worst thing is, there are some places you can buy kits at prices even shops can't buy at trade price, makes you think.

Jim, maybe passing on the email to the Kyosho distributors migh sway them a little, otherwise, tis a shame to be so narrow minded.

[jimmy]

Thanks steve.

End of the day, I have plenty more reviews coming as and when I get the time, some official, some borrowed, some bought. The response on the zx5 was fantastic and thats all I need, I'm satisfied that anyone who critisised me has a couple of quid in their pocket because of me.
That'll show them! :roll:

[DCM]

I think, to a certain extent, it is a risk handing out kits for reveiw, but then I guess sites like Jims probably get far more readers/veiwers than mag subscriptions.

[jimmy]

Over time i think it would be a usefull resource to have reviews easy to find online..
Its something i wanted to read myself, couldnt find it so had to do it myself, which is pretty much the same story with everything on this site.

Getting help with reviews from most manufacturers is difficult if not impossible i've found, but end of the day its not for them that I do it.

[mini-ripper]

I know Im a little late on this thread.

But I have a real bone with the UK model industry and Model shops mainly the big importers or distributers as they prefer to be known as, like CML, Helger, Mirage and Traxxas are the biggest in the UK and they are nothing more than a cartel they are making very big money indeed and screwing the model shops into selling products at lower margins.

You can see where the model shop is comming from on the Grey importing side of things but at the end of the day the ease with which we can travel the world these days and the advent of the internet have made it a much more accesable market place for us the consumer, and a much bigger place indeed for the model shop. It is now a truly global market place and ebay has a lot to do with it is a massive model shop online. It makes grey inmporting alone very easy.

Aside from that take HPI for instance you have HPI Europe who are based in the same country England (I think even the same town) as Mirage (The Uk distributer for HPI) now this is where it gets complicated you have HPI USA selling lets say savage's to HPI Europe who then in turn sell them on to Mirage who then sell it onto the Model shop. So buy the time you get your savage thier has been 3 different companys who have handled it for you and for sure added thier margin onto it. This is where the UK has allways gone wrong we have to many middle men I have no problem with anyone making money thats life thats how econemy's work but we as Brits get robbed all the time and I dont blame anyone for buying from abroad purley and simply because of price I know the model shops say you get no warrenty well the experiences I have had with any model shop is you dont realy get one anyway.

The moral of the story is for the importers stop making so much money and make kits cheaper but until you do that and make an effort to the hobby DONT maon about us so called grey inporting.

By the way Jimmy great web site great reviews its all good.

[DCM]

Mini, some valid points BUT you forgot to add that the UK is probably one of the most expensive places in Europe/World to live, with high minimum wages and high Tax bills to companies. I guess you don't complain when you got a problem and you email Mirage/CML/Amerang/Helger and get a prompt response.

If you want them to cut their costs, maybe they should reduce their product line, not support the industry by supplying a repair facility, or have Team Drivers to help set cars up for the UK.

We all know that companies MAKE profits, that is why you go into business, to make money. Manufacturers set prices for purchasing goods for each distributor, and that goes on volume and local economy, you can bet that CML don't pay as little as an American company....

So, before going down the grey import route, which I guess we have ALL been, consider the consequences, it is a sale which don't go to the UK, so your LHS loses, so the distributor loses, so they have to inflate their prices to still make money.

Don't get me wrong, I think some things can be done.... but I don't know what.