How to tell an Aussie from an American

In the ongoing quest to refine the Jeep's capabilities, I have over a period of months emailed four different, reputable, Australian stockists of American equipment to get pricing and shipping information. With the Australian, American and New Zealand dollars where they are, buying from the nation to our west makes sense. Not one of those companies bothered to reply. I guess the media reports are right, and the Aussies are so lucky that they don't need to bother about phoning the courier to get a shipping price to the Quaky Isles. Meanwhile, I have been in touch with several US Jeep-stuff suppliers. Every one replied almost right away, within the confines of the time differences, and has been unfailingly courteous and helpful, so guess where my money goes. That's the difference, the Americans know what customer service is and how to deliver it. By and large, the Australians don't give a stuff.

Here's an earlier post on some excellent NZ customer service. And another.

UPDATE: A couple of days ago, a month after my email, one of the Aussie companies replied. They don't do exports to NZ.

Full up to here

Here's a nostalgic photo – diesel for under a dollar a litre

As usual, the oil companies have plausible reasons for the latest record fuel prices. They went up today by 3c/litre to a typical $2.22. Diesel prices, however, did not rise so at least some four-wheelers can feel smug. Evidently the cost of refined petrol has gone up 14 per cent in the last six weeks; the Japanese tsunami, trouble in Libya, winter demand in North America and the shutdown for maintenance of a big Singapore refinery are among the reasons given. Choose your favourites. So the oil companies have really been doing us a huge favour by holding off this increase for so long.

But wait, there may be less. By Friday, after crude oil prices dropped significantly worldwide, some oil companies were telling reporters that pump prices might soon drop.

And there was. On Monday May 9 the oil companies were rolling prices back. The reduced price for 91 octane is 2.159 cents, 2.229c for 95 octane. Diesel dropped to 1.579c. 

May 16: 91 dropped further to  just under $2.13 a litre, while diesel was just under $1.55 at some pumps and a cent more at others.

May 22: Another drop to 2.089 for 91 and to $1.519 for diesel; however, 91 was soon widely selling for 2.059, or even 2.039 if you were a Gull patron.

Jun 14: Oops, prices rose by up to three cents a litre taking regular back to 208.9c and diesel to 150.9. 

Jun 27: 91 octane goes down 2c a litre to $2.06 and diesel 5c a litre to $1.46. Most outlets are selling 91 for 203.9. The AA reckons it should be below $2.

Jul 12: 91 goes up to $2.10, diesel to $1.50. "Worry" about the financial stability of some Euro-zone nations is given as a reason. 


Aug 8: "A strong dollar" is credited for bringing 91 down to $2.04 but diesel – which went sown three cents a litre a few days prior – remained unchanged.


Aug 11: Another four cents off drops 91 to just under $2 a litre. Diesel drops three cents.

 Here's 4wdNewz's listing of fuel consumption of 4WDs with low-range gearing.

Um, how much is the snorkel, please?

Was out on some slushy tracks the other day and although there were splashes, I never dreamed there was anything potentially damaging. Fortunately, a FedEx van arrived today with a K&N reusable high performance air filter and some other stuff I'd imported from the US. I opened the Wrangler's airbox and found the lower part, and the bottom of the pancake filter, caked with silt, ingested with one or more of the splashes. Worse, there was some silt on the other side of the filter, caught in the pipe on its way to the engine. I don't think the Jeep's air intake is positioned any better or worse than most other 4WDs so it just goes to show you don't need to be crossing a river to get into potential trouble with water. I vowed not to have a snorkel on the Wrangler, but after cleaning out the airbox, I'm thinking of revisiting that decision.

By the way, with the dollar where it is right now, I landed the K&N filter and a cleaning kit for about half the local shelf price, and that included shipping.