IPOR.MH_Stevens said:
Marlin Crawler used to.
slider cost - d@mn!
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Marlin Crawler used to.
Marlin Crawler do not. Only 4runner/pickup
Michael,
They used to not too long ago, they were weld on.
They used to not too long ago, they were weld on.
I have Slee's step sliders and am very happy with them. They are very "Family Friendly" as they provide a non slick step up into the LX450. Things of quality are not cheap and if you look at the utilitym protection and quality of these sliders, they are worth every penny. Plus it's always nice to support someone who helps us. How many threads does Christo post to help others out.
Here, here.Romer said:
How about this...I bought Slee sliders for my rig. Beat the crap out of them. I've been trying to destroy them for about 4 years now...no dice.
I like mine so much that I bought a set of the Slee step sliders for the wife's 80.
Too expensive? I don't think so. I like to think about them as insurance against damage.
NorCalDoug said:
The origonal question wasn't if they were worth the money or too expensive, the question was why are they so much more than any other rig.
Slee's sliders cost so much cause that's what people are willing to pay. Just like when anyone here sells their truck, they're going to try to get whatever the market will bear.
Walking Eagle said:
They COST that much because that is how much it costs to make a quality products, keep them on the shelve ready to ship, sell them, make some profit and keep the doors open. They SELL because people are prepared to pay that. If people were not prepared to pay for them we would not sell them.
People in the retail industry would be amazed at the low margins in the specialized auto retail industry.
Also, sliders for the 80 series cruiser are more difficult to produce due to the frame not being a consistant size and angle. Each outrigger has to be manufactured specifically for it's placement unlike other vehicles where you just have a straight piece of box steel or tube and weld it to the frame. The 80 series (at least after 94) has the dual cats under one side that requires a bend or at least some fab skill to manuver the outrigger around/under them. Also, most want the bolt on option so you can remove them if needed. That adds cost in sourcing the u bolts and fasteners for them.
sleeoffroad said:
How true.
concretejungle said:
very true, thats prolly why i dont make them.
even still,if people brought me thier rigs, i'd prolly make them custom.
but i still dont have room to store different jigs for different years.
jim
just my .02
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it's all about "perceived value", and unfortunately most have lost site of what is truly valuable, time.
Something simple to make with no or poor finish cannot be compared to the product that is more complicated and has high quality control. I cannot remember who....
)), but someone here once said, "when comparing oranges to oranges, you have to make sure one is not an apple"
Cheers,
Sean
)), but someone here once said, "when comparing oranges to oranges, you have to make sure one is not an apple"Cheers,
Sean
I agree with MTNRAT. this comparison is apples to aranges. Case in point is for the sliders my brother and his buddies buy for their TJ's. The nicer frame mounted TJ sliders are relatively wimpy by 80 series standards (small guage tube and only 2 outriggers) but work for that light little jeep. sliders made to similar standard for an 80 series would be severely compromised. (not to mention the tj frame is straight requiring simple fabrication) even these tj frame mounted sliders are running 400 bucks. any half newbie welder/fabricator could build a pair of such sliders before lunch. you wouldn't even need templates. similar could be said of the sliders made for most full size trucks or even a tacoma. (see the new hannah sliders made for chevy pickups) the 80 series frame is a challenge to fabricate for and whoever can put together a good set of sliders for her in any quantity should be compensated.
MH_Stevens said:
Yep, they were $500 a pair, but they discontinued those and the 80 front bumper... However, MetelTechCage is in the development stage in building some. I will have them on my truck soon and will post pics for you.
sleeoffroad said:
"Slee's sliders cost so much cause that's what people are willing to pay." is what I said. You say - "If people were not prepared to pay for them we would not sell them." It's too sides of the same coin. People being willing to pay for them does not imply quality, availabily or profit. Kinda like Hummer H2's. People are willing to pay so much for them, and that's why GM sells them at that price. It doesn't really imply quality, proffit, or the lack of either.
I think you'd be surprised at the low margins in the mass manufacturing industry. The company that employes me makes 1.4million units a year. Some units, all the market will bear is a cost that is less than what it cost to manufacture. Other units, the market will bear a much higher possitive margin - cause that's what people are willing to pay. It says nothing of the quality of either unit. The dirty truth is, they're built on the same production lines, by the same people and are pretty much the same quality. We're kinda the supplier to the Jeep Industry - big #'s made each year - big market. There is a large group of competators for this market, it keeps the cost to the consumer down.
There is another market segmant for the same product, only they're willing to pay 2-3 times as much. Problem is, there aren't that many of them. So there aren't that many competators for this market. The proffit margins are huge with these companies by comparison. They have to be, when you only sell a few thousand units a year versus a few million, you have to make all your money on those. Quite honestly, their quality is actually worse than ours. This is the 80 series consumer. There aren't many of them, and there aren't many options for them.
Big market - lots of competition - drives price down.
Small market - not alot of competition - allows higher prices.
Neither intrinsically guarantees quality or demands the lack of it.
By saying Slee 80 series sliders cost so much more than Taccoma, or 60 series, or Jeep sliders is "because that is how much it costs to make a quality products, keep them on the shelve ready to ship, sell them, make some profit and keep the doors open." is effectively saying, that all sliders made for any other vehicle that cost less are not quality, or the companies are going out of buisness. This is quite rediculous. They cost less because volume drives competition! Volume drives efficiency! Volume drives more proffit off of lower proffit margins! Volume drives manufacturing tecniques that are impractical at lower volumes!
Umm, Heath, not trying to be a smart ass here but i under stand economics. Thanks for the refresher though.
I don't see how the market would bare a lower cost/profit margin on the sliders that slee or hannah makes? These guys would not be able to keep the doors open and come chat/give advice on these boards if the profit were much lower. I'm kinda guessing there, but i'm sure the mark-up isn't truely that high based on demand vs. production costs. THey produce a quality product that a segment of the off-road population are willing to pay.
I don't see how the market would bare a lower cost/profit margin on the sliders that slee or hannah makes? These guys would not be able to keep the doors open and come chat/give advice on these boards if the profit were much lower. I'm kinda guessing there, but i'm sure the mark-up isn't truely that high based on demand vs. production costs. THey produce a quality product that a segment of the off-road population are willing to pay.
<<<<"By saying Slee 80 series sliders cost so much more than Taccoma, or 60 series, or Jeep sliders is "because that is how much it costs to make a quality products, keep them on the shelve ready to ship, sell them, make some profit and keep the doors open." is effectively saying, that all sliders made for any other vehicle that cost less are not quality, or the companies are going out of buisness. This is quite rediculous. They cost less because volume drives competition! Volume drives efficiency! Volume drives more proffit off of lower proffit margins! Volume drives manufacturing tecniques that are impractical at lower volumes!">>>>>
Um,
Whatever.....
Um,
Whatever.....
I somehow doubt Slee and Hanna got together for a beer and decided 80s owners would pay something over $800. It seems more likely that it costs something over $800 to make the sliders profitably, and people will pay that, so that's what they sell them for.