It's always somewhat dangerous for me to get into environments like this because there's a high chance of seeing something that I want...and will then convince myself I need which means there's a strong chance I'll spend some money I hadn't planned on spending. You'd think I'd know better and there I was at a big four wheel drive show looking at things I want need...ok, want not need...until I convince myself I need them!
I went because I like to keep apprised of the latest stuff coming onto the market and these four wheel drive shows (four wheel drive and boating) gather all the latest things in the one place so it's easy to cover everything in only a few hours far too many fucken hours of browsing and chatting. I also know a heap of people in the industry so it's a good chance to shoot some shit as well.
I'd like to say I found a whole lot of new stuff I found super-interesting but that's not the case; there were a few items I'd been particularly keen to see but mostly I found slightly modified or improved versions of things that have been around for a long time. Sure, improvements made them look different and there was a change here or there but mostly it was a whole lot of stuff that is the same as the stuff from ten years ago and more. It was a bit disappointing, but predictable.
Consumers don't get a whole lot for their money these days, certainly not a lot more than they had in the past, but they pay a lot more for it and it's the same in any industry, just slightly modified versions of the existing all released to the market in a clear manner to build an eager want from the consumer.
An example? Take vehicle spotlights for instance.
I had a set by ARB Corporation called, Intensity AR32, on one of my trucks which cost me $1,300 back in 2016. They were super bright, in fact far too bright most of the time, but did a reasonable job; their brightness and penetration was the unique selling point (USP).
I sold the vehicle a little later and purchased my new one and put on ARB's new version, Intensity Solis, the same but with the addition of the ability to dim them from 5% to 100% of their output. That dealt with the fact the previous ones (still sold) were too bright as I could select the intensity needed for each situation but I had to pay a lot more, almost $2,000 for two of them. Now there's the Intensity IQ - the same but with four separate areas of light output: super spot, spot, flood and midrange. The cost? Way more again. For the record, I'll not be buying those Intensity IQ lights, I can't warrant the cost of about $2,400.
It's the same with mobile phones. They bring out a new model and what does it have? A faster processor, more AI and a larger megapixel camera - big fucken deal. The cost? Fucken way larger too. I can't wait until they bring one out with a ten billion megapixel camera, I'll be able to take photos of fucken Pluto although I'll need ten billion dollars to by the thing in the first place I guess! Dumbasses.
I saw a lot of products that are redesigned iterations of what exists already, different colours, shapes, sizes and with different brand names and it left me wondering where the innovation has gone. Having said that, there was some cool things around the place here and there although nothing totally new or anything that called out loudly enough to make me buy it.
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I actually like the bigger mpx because I notice things like that, similarly to how I notice the pressure sensitivity levels in my tablets which professional artists (well a statistically insignificant sample size of one XD) proclaimed was nothing more than a gimmick to sell more tablets and no one would ever notice the difference (I'm no one so of course I did).
Is the skyroketing price inflation or just straight up gouging?
There's always differences for sure, but there's not much new out there is what I'm trying to say, nothing truly innovative across many products. But don't worry, I heard apple are coming out with a totally new and innovative iPhone soon, (the iPhone three hundred and seventeen), which has some amazing new features as below:
Blue?! Amazing! Definitely taking out a second mortgage for one!
100% facetious
Nothing better to get credit money for! It'll be awesome. And blue.
The same s**t across all industries indeed. Bicycle industry is no different... they change something little and then create a whole marketing program to convince ppl they need that new spec'ed bicycle -- when ppl won't take 10% of what that rig is capable off. Up to ppl to judge and justify their purchases, so I don't really care.
What bugs me, however, is the blatant anti-service mentality this days, where stuff isn't fixable anymore. Or worst, the decline in quality we see on (particularly) bicycle parts. Most parts I get my hands on, very expensive stuff by the way, I see areas that need improvement in terms of project.
It's about time we get to hack products again to improve them before the manufacturers do that for us for a hefty increase in price.
Decline in quality and the throw-away ethos is annoying (and wasteful) for sure. Back in the old days people were happy to buy quality and have it last...these days they want to get more and more so opt for lesser quality and more frequent purchasing. I'm not that way inclined though.
It's so annoying that I'm spending money on tools (and soon a small lathe) just to repair the "in-repairable" stuff, or as a way to make stuff better.
Innovation has decreased significantly, and marketing has increased a lot. A small update today is seen as a major innovation; cell phones are the most well-known example, but it's the same across the board.
I came to comment because I looked at each photo in detail; I felt like a kid in front of a candy store.
It's true that many of them are models from years ago, but I can't recognize the red one ( the one from your last post about #weekend-engagement ,).
More than the innovation issue, I loved seeing the photos, but I'm sure you expected a comment like this from me 😅😅
There's a lot to like at shows like this 4x4 one I went to.
That vehicle is the Toyota Landcruiser "70 series" a tough as nails, fairly basic, thing that's popular here. This one has been heavily modified so over the $85,000 purchase price they've probably added about $45,000 and more.
https://www.toyota.com.au/landcruiser-70
Oooo bright, shiny things! The looks draw you in but in the end, you are 100% correct, no innovation = no motivation...to buy, that is. Why pay more for the same features wrapped up in a different packaging. I have a couple of acquaintances here that buy a new Iphone every year without fail, which is pure stupidity to me. That's why they can't save any money I suppose lol
You're right, the people who can't say no to a new thing just because it's repackaged, a different colour and so on tend not to be the types to save, invest and have financial freedom.
That's why I'm plinking away on this old laptop lol. Until it craps out, I'm using it. After that I'll upgrade to something shiny and new.
That's the smart way to do it.
Just as a matter of interest, were there (m)any ladies at this 4 wheel drive show?
Yep, so many. We have a very strong outdoors culture here and the ladies are just as into it as the blokes.
Interesting! I've never met a female who thought of a car as anything more than a way of getting you from place to place. I've probably been hanging around with the wrong crowd.
Not the wrong crowd, just a crowd that does different things I guess.
I'm guilty of that personality trait! Except for my 2012 Thor Ace RV. It was love at first sight.
Was it the colour that sold it to you?:)
Actually it was the kitchen and interior decor. I had to compromise on the exterior color and design.
Now that's classy!
I must say that although I don't know about cars I loved the pictures and the similarity of this theme with the phones.
I have recently started to investigate the subject of mobile phones, mine is very old now... but very... very... very old.
If the battery has already worn out and has fallen twice, it works well but... there is a risk that the module separates... technical things that my brother understands, because he is a technician and I don't but he has explained it to me.
And I want something that is worth the cost in terms of quality and durability. And I see that from one model to another from one year to another the variation in terms of technology is not so much but the cost is. And so I'm looking at, you know, this time if I need it and so I'm evaluating things first.
It pays to evaluate, that way one is more likely to make a better decision.
That's what I'm doing, I want to make the right decision. Thank you.
I am happy with my redmi 9A that costed less than 100eur(?). especially now when it seems that I found a setting that blocks spam calls.
Only took me a bloody fucking year.Oh yeah, those spam callers. Mother fuckers! My phone tells me if they're "reported numbers" and gives me the option to block them too.
most of the time I used to get 1-2 a month. But not long ago those bastards kept calling-I got maybe 6 or 7 unknown calls one after the other. So I had to do something. Good thing that that blocking setting seems to be working.
The more I look at modern off-roading stuff, the more I want a 1980 Dodge half-ton with a slant-6 and a simple camper in the bed.
I don't disagree with you there, I get it.
Can't blame the company's from trying to trick the customers in to buying something they already had but looks cooler 😆
I agree, I never understood why people pay an excess of €500 for it, 500 is my limit and I can do everything they can, maybe it's a little bit slower but I don't care
No blame at all, but to win my business one has to work a bit harder, innovate.
It's so sad to see that what should represent a safer and more advanced future is actually more dangerous, uses cheap materials, but somehow costs a fortune :(
Yep, it's the way it is in many cases. Sad indeed.
This looks like a really cool show. I don't know if they have these around where I live, but we do have a local auto show at one of local universities. They bring in all the newest models of cars from the big vendors. I used to love walking through the vendor booth area and getting all the free keychains and other stuff that they would hand out. Those lights do seem very expensive. LED's were supposed to drive down the cost of things, not make them go higher!
They do three shows a year here, two caravan and camping and one 4x4 and boating. The two former attract somewhere around 20,000 people each day (5 day shows) and the 4x4 one is a bit less, around 10,000 per day for the 3 day show. A lot of money gets spent. It's good to go around and chat with people, see the new stuff and catch up with some industry people I know. Sometimes I even buy something.
That's cool. I've been to a camper show before, but never a 4x4 show. I'd still like to make it to one of the US's famous gun and knife shows at one point in my life...
They're a lot of fun and sometimes dangerous to the wallet. 😉
A really cool camper design in one of the photos. Looks like a throwback.
It does indeed!
Ahhh, the age old chestnut of buying what you
wantneed, when in reality, it's what you want hehe. But in the case of a truck, one can be forgiven hehe. We need to drive sometimes, right? I am soon buying my first car since leaving Ireland for Mexico. I've lived without one for 3 years, and I want one. Don't yet need one, but it's just so much easier to get groceries and go places with a car...Now, in Ireland I had an SUV, and I'm one of those people who refuses to move backwards, so there's no way in hell I'll go for a sedan...
Up is the way...On the other hand, living here can make it justified to buy a jeep or an SUV at the very least! Sedans are no good on rocky roads...So, I will buy what I want because I need it. Here, good excuse, right?
I'm a truck guy so I get it. #trucklife
Yeah, I love trucks, but it wouldn't be handy here, unless it has a camper shell at least. If you were to travel further without one here, and stop for the night or maybe even for food, you'd have to get everything out unless you want it to get stolen haha. So driving a truck here would only be a good idea if you plan to never travel with lots of stuff with you.
Hi Galen. The issue of acquiring "novelties" that you address is very interesting. The industry is very effective at selling things that make people feel "different" or "special", many people are willing to pay a lot of money to feel this way: "special". This is my opinion.
I agree and a lot of it is the belief they have that others perceive them as more valid as a person because they have the latest and greatest thing. Marketers play on that.
The industry, in addition to innovating, does what it has to do, which is to find a market for its products. And it has found a very special market...
Best regards, I hope the weekend was very productive.
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I'm glad you didn't find anything you wanted. 😄
I've never been in to getting the latest phones. Mine does everything I ask it too. I forget when I got it, but possibly 4 or 5 years ago. That was only because I misplaced my old one. PHOOEY ! Or I'd probably still be using that. I don't play games on mine. If I did, I think that might be the only thing that would matter about more power. When it stops doing what I ask it too, I'll reconsider. ha...
Looks like an lot of nice man toys at that show though. Doesn't hurt a lot in the end if you only look.