Victorian wheelers

[task82]

I was having a chat to an ex-jeeper today and he was tellin me that new legislation will be introduced in the next couple of years and will deem any winch/bull bar that does not have ADR sticker as being illegal and an instant defect item.

Looks like the fun Police are trying a little harder to ruin our hobby a little bit more. Would love to hear what everyone thinks, or if other members have heard something different?

Cheers

[layback40]

Who was this ex jeeper?

[cruiserfied]

Anti Bullbar stuff has been going on for years and years. Just another spin on it if you ask me. Anything with airbags already has to be compatible anyway.

[YankeeDave]

just buy a locally made bar where the manufacturer actually spends big dollars to ensure it's compliant.

sounds like a good government plan to support local industry (why dont Aussies like to buy Australian made?) instead of people importing overseas items that have not been tested and can sell cheaper for it.

I'm yet to hear of any American or Chinese bull bars for jeeps being tested for compliance. Including AEV

Still suprised people let their family in cars with untested bull bars. Working air bags are a good thing

[task82]

Originally Posted by YankeeDave

just buy a locally made bar where the manufacturer actually spends big dollars to ensure it's compliant.

sounds like a good government plan to support local industry (why dont Aussies like to buy Australian made?) instead of people importing overseas items that have not been tested and can sell cheaper for it.

I'm yet to hear of any American or Chinese bull bars for jeeps being tested for compliance. Including AEV

Still suprised people let their family in cars with untested bull bars. Working air bags are a good thing

It's not that simple though, for me personally out of all of the ADR approved bars, I would put yours at the top of the list (not trying to stroke ya ego).

In saying that, I would love to see you design some different style of bars Dave and I am sure that is something that we will see in the future no doubt. My impression is that you are actually trying to bring new ideas and appeal to the Australian Jeep market form a local manufacturing point of view. I think with the modular bar, it gives you an opportunity to make different style wings, which would be exciting to see as a consumer and would likely get me across the line to commit to purchasing your bar.

The ARB is nice as well, but a little bit chunky. Again, would be great to see them come up with a new design, or play around on their current design. Sadly, it will mean that the bar will be worth a mint over here, but significantly reduced to the OS market.

As for DBOR, they REALLY need a massive facelift to their front bar. It looks really old, it's super chunky and not very aesthetically pleasing IMHO. Fingers crossed they can get something happening sooner rather than later. Given your modular bar, I think they need a model change ASAP, as I couldn't see an informed consumer choosing their modular bar, over the Uneek bar.

Will be some interesting times ahead, I just hope that the local manufacturers can come up with/continue to come up with new, exciting and aesthetically pleasing aftermarket options for our market.

[YankeeDave]

Originally Posted by task82

It's not that simple though, for me personally out of all of the ADR approved bars, I would put yours at the top of the list (not trying to stroke ya ego).

In saying that, I would love to see you design some different style of bars Dave and I am sure that is something that we will see in the future no doubt. My impression is that you are actually trying to bring new ideas and appeal to the Australian Jeep market form a local manufacturing point of view. I think with the modular bar, it gives you an opportunity to make different style wings, which would be exciting to see as a consumer and would likely get me across the line to commit to purchasing your bar.

The ARB is nice as well, but a little bit chunky. Again, would be great to see them come up with a new design, or play around on their current design. Sadly, it will mean that the bar will be worth a mint over here, but significantly reduced to the OS market.

As for DBOR, they REALLY need a massive facelift to their front bar. It looks really old, it's super chunky and not very aesthetically pleasing IMHO. Fingers crossed they can get something happening sooner rather than later. Given your modular bar, I think they need a model change ASAP, as I couldn't see an informed consumer choosing their modular bar, over the Uneek bar.

Will be some interesting times ahead, I just hope that the local manufacturers can come up with/continue to come up with new, exciting and aesthetically pleasing aftermarket options for our market.

I appriciate the feedback thanks. I'd like to think at Uneek we are trying to come up with new and different things. But it's hard when we are competing with so many American companies. We do however now offer 4 different front bars for the JK wrangler.



back on topic though ... at the end of the day it's hard for aussie manufacturers to compete with OS companies(who have lower manufacturing costs and often copy other companies *cough Ironman*) who don't care about our local laws or compliance as we are a tiny spec in their consumer base. This is made worse by importers who don't actually tell their customers they are selling them a product thats not fit for Aussie roads and could not only defect thier vehicle but also void their insurance.

I'm all for cops picking up on this and would find it great for companies like ARB, ECB and Uneek 4x4 who not only spend lots of money developing products locally (read local jobs) but spend money testing it locally for local laws.

[kj69]

sounds like the cops are being used to protect the local market from imports to me