Winches

[Ian Rubie]

Right, here goes.

I have been talking to a company called King One. This is the Chinese company that make the Goldfish winches for Goodwinch. Unfortunately they also appear to be the only Chinese company that honour distributorship agreements. Even though I have pushed them really hard they will not deal and keep telling me to contact Goodwinch.

As you may have seen in the Freeways group buy thread I am heading off to China in the next few weeks. I will be looking to source winches. Obviously this is a huge minefield. The ones I find will without doubt be cheaper than Goldfish but I will not be able to stress test them before purchase.

Basically with this group buy we can either stick with Goldfish and get a known product or gamble on an unknown. What do you think?

Cheers

Ian

 

[Trevor]

My personal view is to stick with Goodwinch as it is a known quantity and been proven in the field, good write ups, quality and after sales service etc etc. Whilst I am tempted at a reduced cost winch I would hate to have to buy twice.

That said, there is no substitute for seeing the alternative and if you were happy that an alternative is equally as good in all respects then I would probably buy on your recommendation....no pressure then

 

[Ian Rubie]

I am not really sure what I will be able to tell by looking at the winch. I might just buy a few and offer them here really cheaply for club members to test and give feedback.

Ian

 

[Andy]

mmmmmmmmmmmm........... dilemma!

unlless the chinese ones really do look & feel as substantial as the Goodwinch I think I would be inclined to go Goodwinch.......unless the price was really cheap !!!

Back to you Ian...........no pressure! I would be happy to rely on your expertise!!!!!!

 

[Gary Stockton]

Ifit says 'TuffEnuff' and 'Tested by Ian Rubie personally and it didn't break' I'd probably be quite happy to get one

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Bearing in mind I am sceptical of electric winches anyway I will stick with a TDS from Goodwinch to improve the chances of it working when I need it. I don't think DB is charging too much for them all things considered i.e. R&D and after sales support. If I had more time then experimenting with another brand might be more appealing.

 

[Gav Peter]

You might as well buy one from machine mart as one from an untested supplier in the far east IMHO...

Once you've had a chat with DB, you'll wonder why you considered going anywhere else.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Once you've had a chat with DB, you'll wonder why you considered going anywhere else.

You'll also wonder how many people are persuaded to buy something they didn't want if you ask for something he doesn't agree with!

 

[Chris]

I have been to their place and I have to say that it is rare to get such service from people who care so much and are so passionate about their product. And who have also come good on every single promise that they have made me from info, to spare parts, to bits I didn't order at the time that they have then sent FOC. Are their winches the best in the World? I doubt it. Are they the cheapest? Of course not. Are they a truly worthwhile and honourable bunch in my experience. Abso-bloody-lutely they are.

They are not some corporate giant, nor are they simply concerned with sales. They operate out of a farm in some unpronounceable village in a couple of sheds filled to the rafters with winches, bits, bobs, experimental things, 4x4s, blocks of concrete, sheep, solenoids, cables, crimpers, switches and old tea stained mugs. Top lads in my view.

Chris

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I had to tell him about a dozen times I wanted a 12k winch before he stopped telling me I really wanted a 9.5k! I'm not knocking the level of service or quality of product but just be prepared!

 

[Chris]

Ahh, Jon that's the difference between want and need you see. You wanted a 12k. He said you needed a 9.5. I wanted a 12k too. He said I know, but you need only a 9.5 and that's what I bought.

Can I have first dibs on your 12 K when you sell it? I don't need a 12k, but I still want one.

C

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

 

[Nido]

If you do the web work they are also made by the same King One factory in China......

 

[Ian Rubie]

You might as well buy one from machine mart as one from an untested supplier in the far east IMHO...

Once you've had a chat with DB, you'll wonder why you considered going anywhere else.

I think the key word in that is untested. When it boils down to it Goldfish winches start their life as cheap Chinese winches. I have not been told otherwise but I think the modification to turn them into not so cheap British winches is to put a sticker on them. I don't know if DB bought samples from lots of companies and chose King One or designed a winch and got King One to make it.

I have only met DB once and it was at a show. I think he is responsible for my dislike of electric winches. I do not like people telling me what I want, I am happy to take advice. There is a difference Looks like he has come round to my way of thinking though because he now sells hydraulic

My aim is to try and find a winch supplier that offers similar or better quality but is 20% - 25% cheaper. The problem with this goal is it is very difficult to test a winch in a showroom, it has to be underwater or up to its solenoids in mud pulling a bellied out 80.

I have had a few people offer to test a winch for me following on from this thread. Seems to boil down to price. At what point does it become worth the risk 10% cheaper than DB - I would say no, 15% possibly, 20% getting interested, 25% really thinking now, 30% . . .

Cheers

Ian

 

[fridayman]

I reckon an untested winch would have to be at least a third cheaper than a rated winch, before I would risk this sort of time and money.

 

[Gary Stockton]

I'd be pretty keen on an hydraulic winch - it's always been the huge price differential that's been off-putting before ...

 

[Ian Rubie]

I reckon an untested winch would have to be at least a third cheaper than a rated winch, before I would risk this sort of time and money.

OK, thanks.

Looking at list prices then

TDS-9.5c £389+VAT= £466.80 (using 20% VAT rate)
TDS-12c £419+VAT=£502.80

So if prices were £319 inc VAT for a 9.5K winch and £349 inc VAT for a 12k winch with a wire rope would people be interested? What about + £70 for a synthetic rope in both cases?

I am only asking so I have a target to aim at, please don't assume I can get them for this.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Gav Peter]

I think the key word in that is untested.

Absolutely Ian - if you can do the spade work that DB has done, bring a few back for testing & come up with a cheaper solution with the same back up as DB then you're on to a winner

 

[fridayman]

So if prices were £319 inc VAT for a 9.5K winch and £349 inc VAT for a 12k winch with a wire rope would people be interested? What about + £70 for a synthetic rope in both cases?

I'd be willing to make a case to the missus for that sort of money

 

[Trevor]

Ian,

If you are able to get close to or better than those sort of prices then I would be up for TDS 12c with the synthetic rope upgrade. Now if you can find a TDS 12c which winches in at the speed of TDS 9.5c I would be cock a hoop.