Miura sets prices in Europe

[EasyDDI]

Hi Guys,

 

I live in Western Switzerland between Lausanne and Geneva. I went to the only decent golf shop in the area (the others are just busy selling outrageously overpriced hybrids beginner's sets to unknowing people and if you go there to ask any specific question, they look at you as if you just insulted them, especially if it appears you know more than they do). Anyway the decent golf shop is the only official Miura dealer for Switzerland and they had a couple of 6 irons (one CB-202 and a Blade, both on Project X). I was drooling over them like a six-year old in front of a stash of candy and I started to talk to one of the shop owners. One thing led to another and I asked the price for a set. That's when lightning struck: between 2'500 to 3'000 Swiss Francs for a set depending on the options taken. Of course this would include a complete fitting and shaft puring as well, the guy told me. After a few seconds gasping for air, I retorted that in the USA these sets were retailing for 1'200 USD (remember that these days 1 USD = 1 Swiss Franc). I told the guy how come you sell them for 2.5 times more than in the USA (you bloody thief :-)). His answer was very interesting, he told me that the specs were not the same otherwise they would never be able to sell the sets for that prise in the USA. He asserted that the set sold in Europe were of much better quality than what was sold in the USA.

Do any of you guys aware of such a difference? I really cannot believe it. It would mean that Miura would produce sets exclusively for the USA for lower quality levels than what they sell in Japan and in Europe.

Do any of you ever heard about this? Is it worth paying the price difference as I am really thinking about getting one set in the future?

 

Thanks,

Easy

[mat562]

His answer was very interesting, he told me that the specs were not the same otherwise they would never be able to sell the sets for that prise in the USA. He asserted that the set sold in Europe were of much better quality than what was sold in the USA.

 

 

Smell that..? It's sheep. No, Hang on, it's cows. Wait. I've got it, It's bulsh*t.... :clapping:

[oliversax]

That guy is full of 'MERDE', excuse my french. Send and inquiry to the company itself to verify:

http://www.miuragolf.com/contact.asp

 

A 20-30% mark up may be reasonable, but 100%+ is unconscionable.

 

I had the pleasure of demoing the new Miura blades as well. Beautiful clubs to behold but much too demanding for my game, esp. when I never practice.

 

Good luck to you...

[Duffy19]

Miura produces two lines-one for the Japanese market and the other for the rest of the world. That's it and you can actually get a set built to your spec under $1,000 in the US.

[Riuzzi]

That's what they cost here in Denmark as well, so you're not the only one suffering :clapping:

[EasyDDI]

Thanks guys! All your answers seem to be following the same way of thought as mine. I think that I really want a set I will have to take advantage of my next business trip to the USA or to Japan!

The bizarre thing in all this is that the sets are not being assembled in Japan but by one shop in Ireland exclusively for Europe. That's another reason why we are getting such high prices: too many intermediaries.

 

Anyway thanks for the answers.

 

Cheers,

Easy

[Duffy19]

Miura does not assemble clubs but just produce and sell heads. Even in Japan, the sets are being assembled by authorized dealers as with the rest of the world.

[hurricanewarning]

Call Chip Usher, he might be able to ship it to you and he will build them to your specs.

 

http://www.chipandputt.com/

[EasyDDI]

Usher sounds like a good idea, but Georgia is an awful long way from here when it comes to a detailed fitting. Anyway thanks a lot for the suggestion.

 

Cheers,

Easy

[EasyDDI]

Do they really assemble the clubs? I thought everything had to go through Golf Ballistix in Lisburn Ireland, the official distributor for the clubs in Europe. But even though the two shops you mention really assemble the clubs they have to go through Golf Ballistix to get the parts. So in the end, prices are probably remaining the same, i.e twice as much as in the USA. :man_in_love:

At these price, I can consider a Vega series as well. :clapping:

 

C'est la vie!

 

Cheers,

Easy

[EasyDDI]

OK, thanks for the clarifications mjtoal and the offer for help.

 

Now I have a good reason to take the wife for a trip to England, which I tried to avoid for too long (the French side of me I guess) :clapping:

 

Thanks for the good advice!

 

Cheers,

Easy

[Duffy19]

I think the UK prices are still twice as much as the US for JDM stuff. All you need to do is to compare prices at Puregolf of UK vs. Tourspecgolf of the US or Chip's.

[ac130nav]

I second Chip Usher...if you know your specs he is the man. I bought a set from him, CB-202's, and knew what my specs were, he set them up and shipped them to me in a few days. Curiosity finally got the best of me and I went in and had someone check the lie on each club, guess what? They were spot on, there was nothing to adjust. Plus, you can get one of his sweet putters and still have some cash in your pocket. They are money well spent and bought from Chip, money saved.

 

Don

[Juanjo Muñoz]

Just another little confirmation about the pricey Europe: I recently bought a 5-pw set of MC102 + 2 black wedges through the authorised distributor for Spain, and it all came to the nice sum of 1.420 euros (1 euro = 1,5 USD at the moment, more or less).

 

Only customisation of my set was to build it 1º upright in lie, and the installation of my preferred shafts (Nippon 850) and grips (GP Multicomp.).

[inthecup]

Easy, on your next trip to the US check the Miura distributer near your destination and make an appointment. The fitter can ship them to you in Switzerland and you will still save a significant amount. My son Will had his blades done by Chip Usher and he loves them. The set cost him $145 per club with True Temper shafts and Golfpride grips.

 

Will was in Europe for 2 months this summer on college summer vacation. He was in Italy, Switzerland, France and England and liked Switzerland the best. His pictures of your country are fantastic.

 

Good luck finding the Miura's. I play the 301's and they are a great set of sticks!

 

Bill

[EasyDDI]

Thanks for the kind words and the good advices Bill. I'm not Swiss though, like 1/3 of the inhabitants I'm from another country, being half-Italian/half-French, I'm a bit partial to these to countries. But Switzerland is quite lovely, but they overprice the golf clubs, LOL.

 

Cheers,

Easy

[Golfpig]

Hi guys, I can get per pcs without fitting and shaft for Sing$250. Is this expensive? Thanks

[chipaputt]

Hello,

This thread was brought to my attention by a fellow WRX'er. I only build and ship Miura irons to the US and Canadian markets. Miura does in fact do all their forgings in one factory in Himeji Japan. They do offer different model designs for the Japan/Korea markets and the Rest of the world markets (www.miuragolf.com), but there is no difference in quality of their irons.

Thanks,

Chip Usher

[email protected]

[Vic]

I got a set of MC202 with KB Tour shaft in London for about £200 each club, more or less the same price you are stating in Switzerland (sicuramente saranno ancora piu cari in Italia). So, yes they cost more than twice than in the US, but everything these days is half price in America compared to Europe, so I am used to it.

I got them installed and fitted by Urban Golf in the center of London (near the Barbican) and they do an excellent job.

If you are going for a set give a try to the KB Tour shafts: IMO they are a quantum leap in steel shaft compared to anything else I have tried.

As stated by others the models sold in America are slightly different from the rest of the world, but they are not by any means of inferior quality, simply have different grinding catering for different preferences and because of Asiatic people being generally a bit smaller (this is what I have read on the website)

[EasyDDI]

Hello,

This thread was brought to my attention by a fellow WRX'er. I only build and ship Miura irons to the US and Canadian markets. Miura does in fact do all their forgings in one factory in Himeji Japan. They do offer different model designs for the Japan/Korea markets and the Rest of the world markets (www.miuragolf.com), but there is no difference in quality of their irons.

Thanks,

Chip Usher

[email protected]

 

Thanks for the clarification Chip. The Miura's webstore for North America also state they cannot sell outside of the USA & Canada. So I guess that contractually you have the same obligations.

I just find the price differences between Europe and the USA particularly irritating since they do not have any logical explanation (it only explains why they do not want clubmakers in the USA to deliver outside of USA and Canada). But I will take advantage of upcoming business trips either in the USA or in Singapore to avoid being robbed just to maintain the profit margin of a certain exclusive distributor in Ireland.

 

Cheers,

Easy

[Jack aMMo]

The prices of JDM's here is rediculous that is why my toys all came from the far east.

 

Why don't you just get a set from Chip and have them delivered to a US address then have them hit in the range once then shipped to EU. I'm sure you know what I mean.

[alcap26]

Easy fix if you have a friend in the USA or Canada. Give them you specs, have them buy them, ship them to you as a gift, and you have your set of irons for a fair price. It might work.

[mlh2108]

Easy fix if you have a friend in the USA or Canada. Give them you specs, have them buy them, ship them to you as a gift, and you have your set of irons for a fair price. It might work.

 

I don't know the Swiss rules, but remember that the max value of gifts in most of the EU countries, is 60 Usd. Above that and you pay Customs and VAT of the price of the clubs + shipping. In Denmark, where I live, customs for golf clubs is 2,7 % (I suppose this is the same for all EU-countries, but I don't have a clue as to the swiss rate) and danish VAT is an alarming 25 %. This means that a set of Miura's worth 1200 Usd + app. 70 Usd shipping to Denmark will infact cost 1270 * 1,027 * 1,25 = 1630 Usd. + another 31 Usd for the Danish Mail to make the clearence.....

 

Do yourself a favour and check these things before you just get it shipped, because you might be in for a surprise. Another thing to consider is warranty issues.... Other than that just go ahead with the import. I never buy golf clubs in Denmark. All mu stuff comes mainly from this site (and now a set of irons and wedges from Scratch....who said christmas only comes once a year :) :)

[EasyDDI]

Yes, this is correct, I have to be careful with shipping + custom + VAT, however 1700 USD beats the hell of 2500/3000 USD they quoted me with my specs locally, the robbers. Additionally, VAT in Switzerland is only 7.6% for standard goods (which I believe is applied to golf clubs as per my last purchase).

 

My best shot is during one of my trips either to the US or Asia to get fitted and bring back the clubs with me.

 

Cheers,

Easy

[ragu421]

Usher sounds like a good idea, but Georgia is an awful long way from here when it comes to a detailed fitting. Anyway thanks a lot for the suggestion.

 

Cheers,

Easy

I would think that if you got settled on your club situation then just grab the heads.Then take those heads {and buy your shaft's,grips,gferrules,etc from a US Company like golfsmith also} and take them you your local professional fitter who can get you on a launch monitior and lie board and all of your measurements.Then "he" could put them together there for you.