by Si » Sat Mar 11, 2006 1:14 am
those super cheap auto and repco axle stands worry me
super cheap for jacks and stands? you might as well have a pre-tied noose around your neck! there track record is shit.
Super Cheap Auto recalls
19-Aug-2005
Super Cheap Auto offers New Zealand consumers a wide range of car parts and accessories. But it has also imported and sold sub-standard safety equipment. We think its attitudes to customer safety and quality control need a major over-haul.
Super Cheap Auto is an Aussie-based chain with 32 stores in New Zealand. When it arrived here in 2003 it was the first car accessories retailer to introduce warehouse-style stores with a big range and reasonable prices. But big shops are not Super Cheap's only outstanding feature. It also has the dubious honour of being the New Zealand retailer with the worst record for recalls. Our recalls database shows that since October last year Super Cheap has issued recalls for seven items.
No other business has issued so many recalls in that period - the closest was Holden with three. Super Cheap was the only retailer of car accessories to issue any recalls during that time.
Most of Super Cheap's recalls are for safety-critical equipment. Two were for car stands and four were for jacks. The stands didn't meet the standard for stability and at least two of the four jacks "may have had a lower rated safe working load".
Car stands are designed to safely hold the car while you lie underneath doing maintenance. Home mechanics must trust them with their lives. Australian and New Zealand standards require all jacks to have a notice saying; "Warning: Do not get under a vehicle that is supported only by a jack - use vehicle support stands."
Good advice - except when the support stands themselves are at fault. And dodgy jacks can also be dangerous. If a jack fails it can damage you, the car and any equipment the car lands on.
We don't think Super Cheap should be importing substandard gear. At the very least, recalls are an unnecessary hassle for customers. At worst, Super Cheap is placing its customers' lives at risk.
We asked Super Cheap Auto about these recalls. Super Cheap didn't reply. We sent a draft of this article. Super Cheap instructed its Brisbane lawyers to threaten us with legal action. Its Auckland lawyers also threatened legal action and gave some explanation for the recalls, including: "SCA has strong quality control processes in place to check the quality of its products. SCA takes quality and safety attributes very seriously to avoid recalls occurring and to keep customers safe from any harm. Given the range in excess of 10,000 products offered by SCA, as with any other large retailer, recalls can occur from time to time.
"The particular 7 products have been or are being redesigned to ensure that they are totally safe to operate and conform to relevant safety standards.
"The 7 recalls you have mentioned are SCA's only recalls since 2003 within a total range in excess of 10,000 products."
Our view
Super Cheap Auto offers a wide range of car accessories and tools. But poor quality control means that it has issued more recalls in the past year than any other New Zealand business.
The Australian and New Zealand standards for car jacks and car stands are not compulsory in New Zealand. We believe they should be.
Super Cheap has voluntarily recalled the four car jacks and two car stands - but that is still far too many recalls for safety-critical items.
We think you should think twice before buying any safety-critical equipment, especially jacks or car stands, from this retailer.
Recalled products
If you own any of the following Super Cheap products, stop using them immediately, and return them to your nearest Super Cheap Auto store for a full refund. This list is complete at 10 August 2005.
Jacks
Super Works 1350kg hydraulic trolley jack, model TT6O4J
Super Works 1150kg high lift farm jack, model DP3
Super Works 2500kg hydraulic trolley jack, model TT649Q
Super Works 2500kg hydraulic trolley jack, model TT643
Car stands
Super Works 3000kg car stands, model TT636N
Super Works 5000kg car stands, model TT633N
Jump starter
Super Force 1900 amp jump starter, model BFP-A-1900
now that list was at 2005, so you say now its 1/4 through 2006... so things must have changed? right?
Well how about this.........
Super Works Personal Flotation Device (Recall, 28-Feb-2006)
The problem The webbing does not comply to the specified width in the Australian Standard, with the potential for the buckle to become insecure.
Personal flotation device. aka life jacket. AKA MENT TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!
Maybe thye should have learnt the first time around
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