Help me choose my first polisher

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chilly said:
Exactly, blanket statements don't work

Made in America is no guarantee of a high level of quality

When I was a kid (I'm 66) MADE IN JAPAN was a derogatory statement indicating poor quality

Now we can't afford to have stuff made there

My 2020 Lexus UX250h was made in Japan and is head and shoulders above my 2017 Toyota Tacoma in even panels gaps, panel alignment, general workmanship, etc and the Taco was partially built in the US

One of my other hobbies is mountain biking and fat tire biking

I have been in the game for almost 40 years

The highest quality mountain bike frames went from made in America to made in Japan to made in Taiwan to made in China as prices in each place climbed and they had to go to the next cheaper country for manufacturing

All of the new manufacturing places had a period where quality and workmanship took a hit but then the quality came back and in some cases exceeded the best we could do here

Assuming an Italian polisher is better than a Chinese one simply based on country of origin is not a safe assumption in my book
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This is a straw man argument. In the first place, I never claimed buying anywhere was a "guarantee of high level quality".

Secondly, you are talking about Japan, not China. You are also talking about a Lexus vs a Toyota. You're really just proving my point. You get what you pay for.

Thirdly, I never said "Italian polishers are better than Chinese".

chilly said:
... and in some cases exceeded the best we could do here
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This last one kinda made me chuckle. Come on...
 
PaulMys said:
You said it all right here.

When you buy "American" you are buying from China. At least in part.

Show me a 100% American-made truck, lawnmower, washing machine, OR polisher and I'm all over it.
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I think you're arguing something entirely different here. I can't help to the extent that some components might, or might not be, outsourced.

Nevertheless, what I think you're saying is, everything we buy nowadays is cheaply made? I couldn't agree more. It's right there in the warranty. 1-year if you're lucky and Bob's your uncle.
:goodpost:
 
Coatingsarecrack said:
China has manufacturing facilities to rivals ours. The could make it to any specification and quality ordered.

It’s the companies trying to cut costs who will order their products with lower quality parts and not caring about quality to offer an lower cost product with good Margins.


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I would argue that by definition, they're all trying to cut costs. Hence why they're manufacturing in China in the first place.

Am I really making controversial statements here?

YMMV.
 
pgeorgan said:
This is a straw man argument. In the first place, I never claimed buying anywhere was a "guarantee of high level quality".

Secondly, you are talking about Japan, not China. You are also talking about a Lexus vs a Toyota. You're really just proving my point. You get what you pay for.

Thirdly, I never said "Italian polishers are better than Chinese".



This last one kinda made me chuckle. Come on...
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I wasn’t replying to you, nor was I speaking directly to you, nor did I quote you

I said what I said and I, like you, am entitled to my opinion


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chilly said:
I wasn’t replying to you, nor was I speaking directly to you, nor did I quote you

I said what I said and I, like you, am entitled to my opinion


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It was implied via a one degree of separation reply quote (a reply to someone replying to me).

Agreed everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, I wasn't opining. GDP/capita in China is one of the lowest in the world, and it's not because of the great wages...

Lower wages, ergo cheaper products.

QED.
 
Coatingsarecrack said:
China has manufacturing facilities to rivals ours. The could make it to any specification and quality ordered.

It’s the companies trying to cut costs who will order their products with lower quality parts and not caring about quality to offer an lower cost product with good Margins.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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This is it in a nut shell

And it’s true whether you are talking about US facilities or China or Timbuktu

The bottom line is the bottom line


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chilly said:
This is it in a nut shell

And it’s true whether you are talking about US facilities or China or Timbuktu

The bottom line is the bottom
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You can't go wrong with the idiom, "you get what you pay for".

That's all I'm really saying. I'll leave it to the good folks of Autogeek to do that math on that.

I'm not even sure what is the topic anymore. Someone made the remark "because iPhones" or something we should all rush to buy Chinese products. Obv. silly on it's face.

Anywho.
 
And there is also the idiom, “a fool is soon parted with his money”. Sometimes “you get what you pay for” is for suckers. Neither of those are always true and neither is “made in America” necessarily the best quality. Nor is “China quality is awful.” Each situation is different.

The number of companies that stand for quality are few and far between because IN GENERAL consumers want the cheapest products they can get and the bar for quality is usually “Good enough” instead of “Good”.
 
dgage said:
And there is also the idiom, “a fool is soon parted with his money”. Sometimes “you get what you pay for” is for suckers. Neither of those are always true and neither is “made in America” necessarily the best quality. Nor is “China quality is awful.” Each situation is different.

The number of companies that stand for quality are few and far between because IN GENERAL consumers want the cheapest products they can get and the bar for quality is usually “Good enough” instead of “Good”.
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Sorry, I should've clarified: I meant the Webster definition, "...a thing that can be bought for a very low price probably isn't very good".

Will just have to again reiterate that in economics, there's no such thing as a free lunch, and if the price is too good to be true, generally it's because it is. The margin has to come from somewhere, or else the company will eventually have to fold.

Not really sure why this non-controversial position is getting everyone so bent out of shape.
 
pgeorgan said:
Sorry, I should've clarified: I meant the Webster definition, "...a thing that can be bought for a very low price probably isn't very good".

Will just have to again reiterate that in economics, there's no such thing as a free lunch, and if the price is too good to be true, generally it's because it is. The margin has to come from somewhere, or else the company will eventually have to fold.

Not really sure why this non-controversial position is getting everyone so bent out of shape.
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I wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular.
 
pgeorgan said:
Apologies. I thought you were directly responding to the idiom I posted.

Must be huffing too much clearcoat.
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I might have been but wasn’t necessarily thinking about your post directly when I responded. One thing I was thinking of was home audio where the prices for some things are ridiculous and have nothing in common with market forces other than “what the market will bear”.
 
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