Quality Of Bikes Made In China

[rene123]

You have lived up to your repatation, since you have a problem you may want to check out Edward Deming who is considered the father of modern quality control. Start a thread then sabatoge it way to go. If the Chinese would do as the japanese did then they would be building quality motorcycles

Although Edward Deming changed some content in his books, general spoken he copy the base from the German "Leitfaden für Mitarbeitern". This was the basic work for technologic research by Dr. Albert Speer Ing. and found his ways before and during the second world war in the German industy.

After the second world war it came to the USA with Dr. Wernher Von Braun and Major-General Dr . Walter Robert Dornberger, from e.g. NASA and Bell , who promoted this in the USA production processes but was widely rejected and seen as NASI propaganda.

In 1952 with the launch and orbit from the Russian elementary satellite Sputnik 1, the USA got serious about quality control and adapted the guidelines in their DARPA program.

Regards

That is true, and it was the Germans and the Swiss that the Japanese companies went to, to hire the people responsible for the high quality stuff they realized would sell to western markets. Swiss made watches that the Japanese copied and improved. Germans made cameras that Japanese copied and improved. The USA made inexpensive automobiles that the Japanese copied and improved. The British made motorcycles that the Japanese copied and improved. Need I say more?

[wantan]

I think you should read up mate, the west is in the shit and companies are already talking about bringing their manufacturing back home purely for financial reasons. There are big social issues too, with financial consequences, like high unemployment, youth unemployment is as hight as 50% in some countries and that is unsustainable. Governments will have to act too and start putting additional restrictions on items like these bikes, as they do with cheapo cycles.

I agree that governments will have to act. But its already too late.

Of course governments in the west are talking about creating a better situation for the manufacturers and employers. But they have no chance to do it. They need money. And in future they need more money to keep the system alive. This is all typical political talking to get elected again. They are not telling the truth to the people. Pension scheme, health system and all these western goodies are exploding in near future.

China has the money. And it will raise more in near future. And after all this talking about globalisation the west has no chance to close markets for chinese products.

National Intelligence Council: China's economy to outgrow America's by 2030 as world faces 'tectonic shift'

But will the chinese build better bikes in near future? Imo they will do. If the west don't want to buy them, the new chinese middle class will do. The market is big enough to grow and improve in china.

[AllanB]

We could speculate forever on what may happen in the world markets, but the truth is China is still in it's infancy when I come to building motorcycles, there is trouble brewing in world markets and people are no longer throwing there money around.

Japan had a long run, first dumping their crappy stuff on western markets, then their bikes got better and luckily the Brits and others had dozed off and woke up when it was too late. Plus it was the 70's, anyone remember the 70's? So Japan had very little in the way of competition, they had a cheap and obedient workforce, a ban on foreign imports, they ignored patents, preferring instead to spend their entire development budget on quality control and production improvements and a fantastic propaganda machine. That's how they got where they are today.

The Chinese think they are going to do the same, some of you guys too, but there won't be the time and everything is different today.

[BSJ]

A big problem the Chinese government will have to address in the near future is worker dissatisfaction. Many people are unhappy with low pay, unpleasant working environments and high cost of living.

Regional unrest has already occurred. How long will it be before the murd hits the fan?

[NeverSure]

I expect this same argument will apply to Jaguar and Landrover vehicles,now owned by Tata motors of India with manufacture being moved to mainland China for reasons of cost.

You shouldn't have said that

Jaguar Land Rover's Chinese subsidiary will recall 337 cars because of substandard fixings in their brakes and steering boxes, China's national product quality watchdog said on Tuesday.

http://finance.yahoo...-124909701.html

If recalls from car manufacturers are an indication of quality then you should look at GM (General Motors) they recalled more cars in 2012 than everybody else... http://www.nbcnews.c...shift-1B6028546 or just search for it Google, I'm nearly sure GM America recalled nearly 1 million cars this year.

Did someone say that GM builds a good car? They build shit. That's part of why they were bankrupt and were bailed out by the government (read that taxpayers.) GM is union run and union choked and union ruined. You have to get out of Detroit and into the Southern states now to get away from unions and find good car manufacturing.

Toyota Camrys and Pickups are made in Kentucky. Honda Accords, some BMW's, and several other foreign cars are made in the US but not in the original "motown" of Detroit. GM used to have 300,000 manufacturing jobs in Detroit. Today it is 30,000 and falling, and GM manufactures cars in 35 different countries including 2 plants in China. Fkm.

Detroit today.

[bigbamboo]

Not often you read the words 'quality' and 'Made in China' in the same sentence.

And with good reason.

[endure]

Did someone say that GM builds a good car? They build shit. That's part of why they were bankrupt and were bailed out by the government (read that taxpayers.) GM is union run and union choked and union ruined. You have to get out of Detroit and into the Southern states now to get away from unions and find good car manufacturing.

GM (under the guise of Vauxhall) sell three of the top ten selling cars in the UK. They aren't bankrupt over here.

[jbrain]

Did someone say that GM builds a good car? They build shit. That's part of why they were bankrupt and were bailed out by the government (read that taxpayers.) GM is union run and union choked and union ruined. You have to get out of Detroit and into the Southern states now to get away from unions and find good car manufacturing.

GM (under the guise of Vauxhall) sell three of the top ten selling cars in the UK. They aren't bankrupt over here.

I didn't realise that Vauxhall still existed. What I remember is that several decennia back Vauxhall was the same as Opel was at the other side of the puddle, but that an Opel was relaiable where a a Vauxhall would use more oil than gasoline.

I was always told that it had something to do with the Imperial system which didn't allow such precise measurements as the Metric system.

[endure]

Did someone say that GM builds a good car? They build shit. That's part of why they were bankrupt and were bailed out by the government (read that taxpayers.) GM is union run and union choked and union ruined. You have to get out of Detroit and into the Southern states now to get away from unions and find good car manufacturing.

GM (under the guise of Vauxhall) sell three of the top ten selling cars in the UK. They aren't bankrupt over here.

I didn't realise that Vauxhall still existed. What I remember is that several decennia back Vauxhall was the same as Opel was at the other side of the puddle, but that an Opel was relaiable where a a Vauxhall would use more oil than gasoline.

I was always told that it had something to do with the Imperial system which didn't allow such precise measurements as the Metric system.

I think someone sold you some horsefeathers when they told you about the Imperial measurement system. Vauxhall (along with many other UK manufacturers) were just crap at quality control at the time. They've all learnt their lesson from the Japanese. Toyota build all the cars for Europe in the UK now. Vauxhall make some quite good cars.

[jbrain]

Did someone say that GM builds a good car? They build shit. That's part of why they were bankrupt and were bailed out by the government (read that taxpayers.) GM is union run and union choked and union ruined. You have to get out of Detroit and into the Southern states now to get away from unions and find good car manufacturing.

GM (under the guise of Vauxhall) sell three of the top ten selling cars in the UK. They aren't bankrupt over here.

I didn't realise that Vauxhall still existed. What I remember is that several decennia back Vauxhall was the same as Opel was at the other side of the puddle, but that an Opel was relaiable where a a Vauxhall would use more oil than gasoline.

I was always told that it had something to do with the Imperial system which didn't allow such precise measurements as the Metric system.

I think someone sold you some horsefeathers when they told you about the Imperial measurement system. Vauxhall (along with many other UK manufacturers) were just crap at quality control at the time. They've all learnt their lesson from the Japanese. Toyota build all the cars for Europe in the UK now. Vauxhall make some quite good cars.

It was a fact that a same model Opel would not have it's engine full of oil ( on the outside ) where you had to carry an oil pan with you if you were driving the british equivalent of it.

Anyway, Toyota isn't building cars in UK for quality considerations but pure financial reasons, and I'm sure they are using the metric system there.

Even the top brands like Jaguar and Aston Martin produced pure crap at a high price, untill Ford took over not so long ago.

[AllanB]

Every country and company has it's good and bad times. I remember in the 70's and 80, every car steaming down the autobahns had a 3 point star, you had made it when you had a Merc, which was number one for build quality. A BMW was a rarity, because they were pretty crap and handled like a pig, travel down those same roads today and Beamers are everywhere.

In the UK Mercedes are now renowned for breaking down and year on year have models in the lowest section of the owners satisfaction charts. Top Gear are always taking the piss. Toyota have more recalls each year than almost any other company, I have had two a Celica which constantly broke down, would not start and a 4 year old piece of crap we hired here had everything wrong, steering, brakes, suspension and the engine was rough as guts, and it rattled like hell too. I think both companies have lost their way.

The best car I had, being fun to drive, was a 1986 Alfa Romeo, 130mph around the M25 twice a week and nothing went wrong with that car in 3 years with the company, except it ate brake pads, but that may have been my driving. I have had two Valhalla too, totally reliable, but boring as shit..

So I guess all companies have their day, we may see a Chinese bike at the TT's, then they may get my consideration.

I would love an old Bonny, or Norton, but could never afford one here, thanks to the Thai taxman.

[CBR250]

This thread has been a - mostly - very interesting read. Lots of thoughtful comments about the modern history and future of industry. (Although I have had to log back in to the TV site a few times to read it - maybe TV server is built by a Chinese bike company.)

I don't really see Chinese bikes being of decent quality for years, if ever. But I suspect that price will have a bearing, and they will make inroads into markets eventually. I only hope that this doesn't lead to a race to the bottom of quality as established companies with better engineered and built products - like Honda, Yamaha etc try to compete.

[LaoPo]

This thread has been a - mostly - very interesting read. Lots of thoughtful comments about the modern history and future of industry. (Although I have had to log back in to the TV site a few times to read it - maybe TV server is built by a Chinese bike company.)

I don't really see Chinese bikes being of decent quality for years, if ever. But I suspect that price will have a bearing, and they will make inroads into markets eventually. I only hope that this doesn't lead to a race to the bottom of quality as established companies with better engineered and built products - like Honda, Yamaha etc try to compete.

The thread leads to nowhere-land and I give you a few reasons why I say that:

Motorbikes (we ARE talking motorbikes, aren't we? ) is not a priority amongst Chinese customers/buyers/developers and manufacturers.

Most Chinese can't afford one in the first place and when they have the money they want a CAR!

One should not forget about the enormous climate changes in most parts of China in which it makes no sense to drive a motorbike. Its either too hot and humid or too freezing cold and it makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE to drive a motorbike in the mega cities (IF you are allowed to drive one that is!)

Next to that, in most cities, (gasoline) motorbikes are forbidden; just electric scooters and electrical bycicles.

China produces a lot of scooters, both electrical and gasoline, and the latter also for export but the quality has to be improved but they learn fast.

If China produces a huge and tall skycscraper EVERY SINGLE WEEK, they can build scooters and motorbikes also.

Of course they lack in technology behind the Germans, Japanese and other hightech manufacturing countries but hey, wasn't Japan (and Germany) in the same situation after WWII?

China "opened" up only since a mere 20 years but what it has accomplished is mindboggling.

In Asia, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are still leading in hightech but China is not far behind; it's only a matter of time.

And, if they can't build a bike themselves...? They will buy a bike manufacturer.

That's the way companies around the world do business.

Look at Fiat, GM, Benz...they all buy or are (parts of) bought, the same as the Indians bought Landrover and Jaguar.

Edited December 28, 2012 by LaoPo

[JSixpack]

Did someone say that GM builds a good car? They build shit. That's part of why they were bankrupt and were bailed out by the government (read that taxpayers.) GM is union run and union choked and union ruined. You have to get out of Detroit and into the Southern states now to get away from unions and find good car manufacturing.

GM (under the guise of Vauxhall) sell three of the top ten selling cars in the UK. They aren't bankrupt over here.

I didn't realise that Vauxhall still existed. What I remember is that several decennia back Vauxhall was the same as Opel was at the other side of the puddle, but that an Opel was relaiable where a a Vauxhall would use more oil than gasoline.

I was always told that it had something to do with the Imperial system which didn't allow such precise measurements as the Metric system.

Blue Square Bet North: Vauxhall Motors 1 Colwyn Bay FC 1

• 
  
  by Our Correspondent, DPW West
  
  
• 
  
  Dec 27 2012
  
  

A GOAL in the sixth minute of added time denied Colwyn Bay victory against 10-man Vauxhall.

In a game that the Seagulls should have had done and dusted long before the end, the club will certainly see this as two precious points thrown away against their bottom eight rivals.

http://www.dailypost...55578-32501423/

[AllanB]

Mr.LoaPo, whether the Chinese learn fast or not is not the issue here. We are talking about today and today they are still at the infant school and I don't want to risk my life on a bike built by a 5 year old, when I can buy a used one made by an adult.

I bought a S/H Phantom which was cheap (50k baht) because it was made in Thailand (no import tax), it was good because as it is a Honda product, it is strong, made to a standard, so won't fall to bits and parts and service in good for the foreseeable future. All the ingredients for a pleasurable ownership and when I sell, I expect most of my money back, with which to buy something bigger.

Buying an unknown Chinese bike gives me none of the above assurances. It is cheap because it is Chinese so may not be any good, it may not be strong, made to a questionable standard, so it may fall to bits and next year I may not be able to get parts or service. All the ingredients for a worrying ownership and when I sell it may be to the recyclers and I will have to save up for another bike. Or my widow may have to sell it to the recyclers.

Peace of mind is important to me and I am happy to pay for that.

[BSJ]

"China "opened" up only since a mere 20 years but what it has accomplished is mindboggling." Yes they have done a lot in 20 years, but they have in many sectors of industry, unfortunately neglected quality issues. That can feed through to bikes made in Thailand and other places which use Chinese parts.

[wantan]

This thread has been a - mostly - very interesting read. Lots of thoughtful comments about the modern history and future of industry. (Although I have had to log back in to the TV site a few times to read it - maybe TV server is built by a Chinese bike company.)

I don't really see Chinese bikes being of decent quality for years, if ever. But I suspect that price will have a bearing, and they will make inroads into markets eventually. I only hope that this doesn't lead to a race to the bottom of quality as established companies with better engineered and built products - like Honda, Yamaha etc try to compete.

The thread leads to nowhere-land and I give you a few reasons why I say that:

Motorbikes (we ARE talking motorbikes, aren't we? ) is not a priority amongst Chinese customers/buyers/developers and manufacturers.

Most Chinese can't afford one in the first place and when they have the money they want a CAR!

I think this is one of the most interesting threads at the moment. And as we can't go back to the past we should focus on the present and the future. Ten years are quickly gone and many things may have changed than. I am interested in changes. 10 years before i wouldn't have believed someone telling me that one day i will ride and enjoy a bike "Made in Thailand"

There are still many poor people in China, but imo your assumption is false. All the countless chinese bike manufacturers are mainly producing for the local chinese market. They produce low tech, low quality for a very, very low price. And chinese people are their customers, because they can't afford something else. Now prosperity is rising, the middle class is growing. But most people are not rich. So they look for well priced cars and motorbikes. And the demand for quality is rising too in china. I guess this is why now they start building bigger and better motorbikes. And of course such bikes need a certain quality standard. Even chinese will not buy them if they are unsafe. So my guess is that with the growing wealth in china the quality of chinese consumer products will improve, because their main market are their own people and the other upcoming countries with a growing middle class.

One should not forget about the enormous climate changes in most parts of China in which it makes no sense to drive a motorbike. Its either too hot and humid or too freezing cold and it makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE to drive a motorbike in the mega cities (IF you are allowed to drive one that is!)

Next to that, in most cities, (gasoline) motorbikes are forbidden; just electric scooters and electrical bycicles.

Many people say that Thailand is much too hot for riding motorbike, or Bangkok much too crowded, or England much too wet, or ... but still there are many people riding bikes

I didn't know that gasoline motorbikes are forbidden in the cities. If so, it may can be seen as an indicator of chinese wisdom to switch to electric bikes in cities. And of course it would create a need to build modern and clean motorbikes. By the way, i am also interested in electric motorbikes. Nothing is easier to service and to handle. Maybe china will get leader in building electric bikes in future?

Do you have a link with further information about this "gasoline motorbike ban"? Many cities in the west had car bans too in the past. Wasn't it Athens who first started with such bans in the 90s?

China produces a lot of scooters, both electrical and gasoline, and the latter also for export but the quality has to be improved but they learn fast.

If China produces a huge and tall skycscraper EVERY SINGLE WEEK, they can build scooters and motorbikes also.

Of course they lack in technology behind the Germans, Japanese and other hightech manufacturing countries but hey, wasn't Japan (and Germany) in the same situation after WWII?

China "opened" up only since a mere 20 years but what it has accomplished is mindboggling.

In Asia, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are still leading in hightech but China is not far behind; it's only a matter of time.

And, if they can't build a bike themselves...? They will buy a bike manufacturer.

That's the way companies around the world do business.

Look at Fiat, GM, Benz...they all buy or are (parts of) bought, the same as the Indians bought Landrover and Jaguar.

I absolutely agree.

[wantan]

Just took the time to find something about motorcycle bans in China. Interesting that they seem to have very similar problems as Thailand, just everything a bit bigger there. And the government seem to like cars too. But i guess there are still some places left to ride in china

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http://wikitravel.or...ina#Motorcycles

------------------

An interesting discussion at mychinamoto.com, just google:

mychinamoto "Why did they ban Motorcycles"

------------------

http://www.canadianm...792202722275449

What is the Future of High End Recreational Motorcycles?

Mr. Li Bin, Secretary General of China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (Motorcycle Division), announced that the sales of high end motorcycles on the Beijing motorcycle market have doubled this year (2011). Even though Beijing bans the use of motorcycles, motorcycles can be registered outside the 5th Ring Road which is a playground for motorcyclists.

[VocalNeal]

10 years before i wouldn't have believed someone telling me that one day i will ride and enjoy a bike "Made in Thailand"

I think the point about this line of thinking is that there are no Thai Motorcycles maybe with the exception of Tiger. All the rest are Japanese, Italian(american) or British. Made here but "engineered" where?

If the big four have plants in China building bikes for export then I will go along with this line of thinking but I thought the original idea of the thread was the quality of low priced, low tech air-cooled bikes. Not whether Chinese workers in a Japanese or western run plant can build motorcycles. Of course they can.

As has been said they build mainly for the home market . The question I believe is whether the Chinese have to will to design and build world class motorcycles.

If one uses cars as an example so far most are woefully poor either built using purchased tooling or are reverse engineered direct copies or western designs. As the saying goes R&D in China means "Receive and Duplicate"

If these cars are so good why are they not available and selling well in the west. I have a friend who used to sit in the office at coffee-time(sic) and argue that America made the best cars. Until someone asked him one day "If they are so good , how come they don't sell them overseas?

This maybe the Chinese motorcycle conundrum. Volume of sales locally far out weighs the potential volume of sales overseas, given current levels of competition, so why bother.

Edited December 29, 2012 by VocalNeal

[DEANEBURNE]

Pretty pointless really wanton ,people are entitled to their opinions especially when they have owned and had experience with these bikes,

What do you want everyone to say oh yes they are geat bikes!

These bikes make me laugh owners come on here and boast that they have got to 1000 km with nO problems is that supposed to be some sort of achievement ,others have had problems in early ownership brakes , wheel bearings and carbs and still seem to think the bikes ok.

You are never gonna get real feedback because who wants to admit they bought a lemon it's only after people sell them on you may get some honest opinions.

There was some one who got 25,000 km from his lifan before the engine finally died which I think is good for a lifan but once it died do you think he bought another one ....no he bought a Honda.

And my last words are why does everyone want to compare their cheap bikes to other bikes that and cost three times the price there obviously no where near the same quality so why try to compare them ,if you want /have one of these bikes fine but to compare and some people seem to think they are equal or even better the the jap offerings is simply ridiculous.

No more from me on this subject really bored with it now.

Why dont you give people a chance

[AllanB]

10 years before i wouldn't have believed someone telling me that one day i will ride and enjoy a bike "Made in Thailand"

I think the point about this line of thinking is that there are no Thai Motorcycles maybe with the exception of Tiger. All the rest are Japanese, Italian(american) or British. Made here but "engineered" where?

If the big four have plants in China building bikes for export then I will go along with this line of thinking but I thought the original idea of the thread was the quality of low priced, low tech air-cooled bikes. Not whether Chinese workers in a Japanese or western run plant can build motorcycles. Of course they can.

As has been said they build mainly for the home market . The question I believe is whether the Chinese have to will to design and build world class motorcycles.

If one uses cars as an example so far most are woefully poor either built using purchased tooling or are reverse engineered direct copies or western designs. As the saying goes R&D in China means "Receive and Duplicate"

If these cars are so good why are they not available and selling well in the west. I have a friend who used to sit in the office at coffee-time(sic) and argue that America made the best cars. Until someone asked him one day "If they are so good , how come they don't sell them overseas?

This maybe the Chinese motorcycle conundrum. Volume of sales locally far out weighs the potential volume of sales overseas, given current levels of competition, so why bother.

You seem to be thinking of China s one big company and it isn't. it is a lot of small companies, all run in different ways by different people, all trying to make a fast buck. If we ignore the companies who are building "western" products under license, which is a separate issue, we are left with groups of people who are "having a go" at building bikes.

Years ago we used to build dune buggies for the cooperate entertainment market, machines to compete with the Honda Pilot. Although the level of finish was not as good as Honda, the machines were fundamentally sound. With only limited funding we made no attempt to copy the Pilot, preferring instead to make a machine that could take punishment where the Pilot couldn't.

We did all this with an in-depth knowledge of real engineering and a flair for innovative design. making a product to meet the needs of a specific market. What worries me, based upon the people I met in China, is that they are preoccupied with copying the aesthetics and are paying less attention to the basic engineering. "If it looks rice and has a nice paint job, people will buy it, after all it is half price."

There is also the very important point of material specification, when we made our rear axles from EN16T we knew exactly what we were getting, so when we tested a component and it passed, we could be confident that it would work on the production models. EN16T is EN16T wherever you buy it. In China we know that there is a huge variance in material spec and quality and if a company are building down to a price, a cheaper suppler may supply substandard materials on a vital component and who would know?

I met and spoke to a 5 or 6 "engineers" out there and I was shocked, none of them would have passed my school metalwork exam.

I am sure there are some really smart guys out there, but are they the ones building these bikes?

[VocalNeal]

In China we know that there is a huge variance in material spec and quality and if a company are building down to a price, a cheaper suppler may supply substandard materials on a vital component and who would know?

Like using 202 stainless steel for gates rather than 304.

Looks the same (impossible to tell without lab testing) , similar properties except corrosion. Ok I guess unless one lives near the coast.

[dutchrdam]

Like using 202 stainless steel for gates rather than 304.

Looks the same (impossible to tell without lab testing) , similar properties except corrosion. Ok I guess unless one lives near the coast.

The old fashion magnet test do well. Be sure you have marked sample pieces of stainless and you can feel the difference in attraction with a magnet. Real stainless 238 dont attract at all, 304 a little and 202 stronger.

Not only gates but also watertanks are often from 202.

Regards

[wantan]

In China we know that there is a huge variance in material spec and quality and if a company are building down to a price, a cheaper suppler may supply substandard materials on a vital component and who would know?

Like using 202 stainless steel for gates rather than 304.

Looks the same (impossible to tell without lab testing) , similar properties except corrosion. Ok I guess unless one lives near the coast.

Interesting. Is that the reason why all water installations (e.g. cheap water-tap) are rusting in Thailand? I have no clue about stainless steel, but i always thought that it must be low quality material. My neighbour had the theory of "aggressive water"

[wantan]

OK, learned something today. It seems stainless steel can rust and corrode. At least some grades of it. But how to identify a water tap of good quality? Visiting HomePro with a magnet is a bit like doing voodoo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAE_steel_grades#Stainless_steel

[AllanB]

I thought taps were made from brass and then plated, I doubt very much that you would get a solid stainless steel tap for a couple of hundred baht. My guess is that the cheaper ones are actually cast steel and then plated.

Even a poor grade stainless would only tarnish and not corrode, one of mine has a pin hole due to corrosion and spays the wall when I turn it on..So that ain't stainless or brass.

Almost certainly made in China, but like their bikes it was nice and shiny when I bought it.

[BSJ]

I am pretty sure the el cheapo 69 baht garden tap I installed at our digs in the village was white metal. 6 months use and it's buggered! In the village our only option was to buy the better 99 baht tap. Hopefully we will get 12 months or more out of it.

[AllanB]

I am pretty sure the el cheapo 69 baht garden tap I installed at our digs in the village was white metal. 6 months use and it's buggered! In the village our only option was to buy the better 99 baht tap. Hopefully we will get 12 months or more out of it.

What do you mean by "white metal" that is an alloy of tin and copper used for making bearings, typically engine main and big end bearings?

69 baht, what the hell do you expect, you Cheap Charlie

Edited December 30, 2012 by AllanB

[YipYipYa123]

I am pretty sure the el cheapo 69 baht garden tap I installed at our digs in the village was white metal. 6 months use and it's buggered! In the village our only option was to buy the better 99 baht tap. Hopefully we will get 12 months or more out of it.

What do you mean by "white metal" that is an alloy of tin and copper used for making bearings, typically engine main and big end bearings?

69 baht, what the hell do you expect, you Cheap Charlie

69 thb is a few hours wages to many thais.........

[wantan]

I thought taps were made from brass and then plated, I doubt very much that you would get a solid stainless steel tap for a couple of hundred baht. My guess is that the cheaper ones are actually cast steel and then plated.

Even a poor grade stainless would only tarnish and not corrode, one of mine has a pin hole due to corrosion and spays the wall when I turn it on..So that ain't stainless or brass.

Almost certainly made in China, but like their bikes it was nice and shiny when I bought it.

I guess you are right, it isn't stainless steel at all. These taps are supercheap in Thailand compared to good quality in Europe. But they have a TIS Thai-Quality seal that still looks very nice, even when the tap is covered with rust. And its all the fault of the chinese, this is for sure