"The only way to make $299 full-size lightbars ANYWHERE, would be to cut corners in plastics quality, electronics quality, wiring and connector quality and utilize the thinnest and cheapest metals available. That kind of crap could be made here as well but no-one would have the balls to do it simply because anyone who would purchase that crap would be throwing it back through the front window of the place that made it within a week!"
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Hmm care to say what the
real cost is to build a name brand plastic light bar? :undecided:
I once was a dealer/retailer & I know the suggested retail price mark up is high, the dealer cost is alot lower, We have come to the point of "
you get what you pay for "
(remember the dealer has to put food on the table for his family too) even if they have to bend you over just a little its for a good cause...
I remember when the LED dash kings were first introduced into the market. I used to sell the blue LED whelen dash kings for $150.00 to LEO's when the suggested retail was $300+ for an LED dash lite that I picked up for $100. The reason for the mark up? I was told to say its because blue LEDs cost more to make..
Boy I sold a lot of dashkings for those two years..
That said I've seen the LED Jetstream retails $1,699.50 on sale for $1,274.63. and the price differs ALOT from retailer to retailer.
The reality is the average joe doesn't have that $1,274.63 to drop on a lightbar for his pov, so he's going to look for the most bang for his buck.. and I've seen the ali babba light bars on some security vehicles and it does the job its intended for and the low price they paid for it. If it breaks they can just order another and still be well under the brand name price.
Example: take a halogen dash light, the 1166H is a good example I've seen it go from $40.00 - $80.00, retail. dealer cost used to be around $30.00.
So a $300 light bar isn't far fetched.. Take the Code 3 LP6000 (48") they sell retail as low as $371.95 that's 4 rots & 2 diamond mirrors. and cost a heck of a lot less to build. so the profits made..
And we have all seen brand name light bars arrive with light heads that didn't work right out of the box. sure you sent it back and wait a while to have another shipped back and got a different one as a replacement. but it does happen....
So looking at it from an open minded side, you have a brand name and your going to pay the price for that well known brand name because others opinions say get this one or this one. Remember my friend
You get what you pay for... And again the average joe doesn't have that $700.00 - $1,274.63 to drop on a lightbar for his
pov, so he's going to look for the most bang for his buck..
I have seen the Asian stuff and its good to try before you buy as the lighting isn't very bright on some but others work for what's needed since again its what the customer wanted... Then you have European makers like Hella that will do what it needs to do as it has to meet the European standards and is considered a quality product there.
Bottom line of the retailers: if you need, it your going to pay for it. And your buddies are all going to have differing opinions on what you got.. and most choices are based on personal opinions of that guy who tells you which one to buy.
IMHO listen to the opinions of others see the product and if it works for you, the best advice is shop around for the best price as they will differ from place to place.
Note:
I have been out of the light sales business for 10yrs, it was a part time business as I still had a FT job. But now just a consumer like many here.
Just my 2 cents.