So you want a cheap winch?
With the ever increasing popularity in low cost weekend 4x4 offroading and greenlaning along with the recovery industry becoming flooded with auctioned ex-fleet 3.5t vehicles being converted with vehicle recovery bodies there has become a large requirement for cheap, low cost winches… but BEWARE! buy the wrong low cost winch and you will replace or repair it time and time again potentially costing you far more in the long run than just forking out for a good quality winch in the first place. This is simple false economy.
The UK market has been literally flooded with poor quality, cheap winches supplied by unreputable sellers looking to just earn a quick quid selling the sub-standard winches to the naive on Ebay. Don’t be one of their targets, know who you’re buying from. So what are the questions you should be asking yourself?
1. Are they a legit business with a well known, comprehensive website?
2. Do they have a landline company telephone number?
3. Do they have a proper shop and warehouse where you can actually walk in and view the product and speak to a knowledgable winch specialist about your own specific winch requirements?
4. Are they a genuine vat registered business?
This is merely your first safety net on the way to buying your perfect winch. Even some of the most well known suppliers are capable of palming off inadequate winches to unsuspecting customers. Do your research! What have other users said about the product you’re looking to buy?
This can all seem like a lot of effort especially if you just simply haven’t the time to perform all the market research for yourself. Luckily we’ve found probably the BEST CHEAP WINCH available in the UK market!
The Auto-Lift UK Ltd CTA 12000 lb 12v entry level winch
Literally 1000’s of these have been sold into the UK market with next to no problems relating to build quality or performance.. a feat, even the big winch names in the industry struggle to achieve!
On the Electric Winch Shop website, ran by Auto-Lift UK Ltd, customer feedback is totally encouraged within the product listings to let other potential winch users know exactly what they’ll be getting, such is their faith in the product. Usually a safe bet that you’re dealing with the right company!
So, how much is this ‘cheap’ electric Auto-Lift UK winch? Well, let’s compare it to other products available in the same capacity:- (prices quoted as of 27.5.11)
Auto-Lift UK Ltd CTA 12000 lb 12v winch - £194 +vat
Champion C12000EWX 12v winch - £333 +vat
Kingone TDS 12.0C (Goodwinch & Champion TDS) - £376.09 +vat
Superwinch new Talon 12.5 - £450 +vat
Tabor 12000 lb 12v winch - £639 +vat
Warn M12000 12v - £1469 +vat
Now, although this may seem like a total no brainer it’s very important to point out that like everything in this world you get what you pay for. Well… kind of. The above price comparison is to show how well priced the Auto-Lift UK Ltd CTA 12000 lb winch is compared to what you could be paying for a winch of similar capacities, and although it has an extremely high specification for the price it would be unfair to say these winches were an exact comparison!!! For example, you won’t get a stainless steel roller fairlead like the Champion C12000EWX, (although it has a chromed one like other makes), it won’t be built to last as long as say the Superwinch or the Warn, it won’t have the same performance as the Kingone winch and it won’t have the quality parts that these are made from. Having said this, for the money, it will pay for itself over and over again!
So what do you get for your meager £194 +vat? Briefly:
A powerful 5.5 hp electric motor
Gearbox (planetary gears) with clutch
26m of galvanized cable with hook
Chrome roller fairlead
New type sealed solenoid / contactor
Wired AND wireless remote
Isolator switch
Battery cables
Instruction booklet
Options for the Auto-Lift UK Ltd 12000 lb CTA winch are a winch mounting plate for easy mounting to recovery vehicles, winch bumpers for 4x4 vehicles, pulley blocks etc..
(Shown mounted with the winch mounting plate on a recovery truck)
For further information or to order the Auto-Lift UK CTA winch click HERE
Or you can speak to the Electric Winch Shop (Auto-Lift UK Ltd) on 01274 680744 should you have further questions of your own regarding this well established product.
CLICK HERE for a short video of the CTA 12000 lb winch
