eBay LED off road lights - review (1 Viewer)

[1973Guppie]

**MY RESPONSE IN STARS

i'm shocked to see my name pop up in this thread. My products were unique at one point, however that point has come and gone and there is more competition than i can handle.

Here is the low down with the ebay lights:
-some of them are indeed the same lights i sell, i can't deny that, nor can i act like mine are better.

**Yes they are.

-the guy selling them could give two s***s less about you, the lights, or the warranty.

**I disagree. Many of the people on ebay have been quite good to work with. You assume this because they are in a different country?

-the guy selling them has no interest in supporting the local trails, nor the companies that keep mud going.

**True

-they aren't tested, and good luck with communication after you send them your money.

**Wrong. This is what paypal is for. You are protected from doa product.

**I will admit i don't expect much of a warranty long term but am willing to take that chance at 50% of the pricing on average. I can simply buy another if they go bad rather than paying a middleman up front for a replacement that i may never need.

Here is the low down with my lights:
-i give a s*** about you.
-i will replace them if they fail.
-i will keep in touch after you purchase to make sure you are happy.
-i support ih8mud (not as a vendor), and support the other small business's that make unique products for land cruisers.


In short, if you don't like what i am doing, nor my prices. Buy from ebay. They are cheaper. My prices are higher because i am constantly testing the current model (hooked up to my power supply, 12 hours a day) trying to catch a issue before my customers. I also break a few of them every now and to make sure they won't explode when a tree touches them. I have to factor in international shipping (my supplier does not offer drop shipping, like a lot of ebay sellers have). I have to factor in warranty if a issue does arise (and not enough markup to replace it, i come out of pocket). I also have to fund my education, food, gas, and the cruiser...

I do have a few things changed on them before they ship to me though. Instead of the typical 60/40 combo, i prefer to sell a 80/20 combo, it provides less foreground light and more of a spot. The optics are 8* spot (which certainly takes care of distance) and a 90* flood (you don't need 40% of your light going to waste in the first 50 feet). If you have a huge amount of foreground, it will constrict your pupils, and make your night vision worse...much worse...it will kill your peripheral as well.

As for the optics, i did do r&d for the company that manufactures them. We (my brother and i, els) took data and drawing and sent them to the manufacture. That design that the ebay seller is selling, is partly my design. The housings haven't changed much over the past 2 years. However before i came along they were not full length cooling fins, nor cree led's (epistar), nor polycarbonate lens (toughed glass), nor free form reflectors (tir optics designed by blind people), nor a proper main seal (permaseal, leaked on every test unit). We went through 4 revisions, we entered a oem contract, if i had gone into a odm i would be the only one with that design, so that would of been a "unique" product.

All in all, it's a great light. If you don't care about the warranty or supporting a mud member (not trying to guilt trip here), ebay is your best bet for a tight budget. If you value the built in safety and want to support the community i am here, and will remain here. It was unfortunate a scumbag member took tens of thousands of dollars from this community and ran, i actually drove by his house last week but nobody was home. It just about killed our business, he came in with dirt cheap products and i just can't compete at that level, that being said, i know his inside pricing and his price is 50% what mine is for purchasing them.

I'm doing the same thing, reselling a product....and your $500 or $1,000 means as much to me as it does (or did) to you.

-nick

**again, no offense meant, just giving my honest opinion!

 

[2000UZJ]

**MY RESPONSE IN STARS

**again, no offense meant, just giving my honest opinion!

None taken!

Now, lets return this thread to its original purpose. I've been eyeballing some HID's, anybody have any experience with those 55W hid lights? They come in all sizes.

 

[2000UZJ]

What i would worry about with these is the thermal design. The LEDs won't last long if the heatsinks aren't sufficient or not properly attached.

The heat sinks aren't so much the issue, it's the counterfeit Cree LED's they use.

 

[LFD2037]

I have bought plenty of led's and offroad lights on ebay and they have worked just fine (have you not heard of customer reviews?) And as far as a "warranty" you have no idea if said company will go out of biz. No offense was ever meant to unofficial "vendors" here on the board but again, these guys are just reselling stuff. And as far as paying a middleman for a "warranty" up front I would rather pocket the savings and take my chances.

I have spent 10+ years in the high tech electronics industry and know what to look for in a product, but in the end all this stuff is mostly made in china and that's the world we are living in.

If paying a lot more to a middleman gives you warm and fuzzies then go for it but don't bash the guys like me that are simply telling the truth and giving people another option. I can tell you that you are automatically paying more than one middleman now, one in china and one in the usa.

and for the record the lights work great and I don't expect any failure, check with me in a year and I will give you an honest answer and you can (or won't) eat your words.

Noah

How have your LED's held up thus far? I need an LED light bar & it appears the majority of them are the same but I can't see what's different behind the aluminum case. I know I want a combo light, 90* flood/ 8* spot, about 30", cheap, will last longer than a year. Thanks.

 

[1973Guppie]

they have held up just fine but my truck has spent alot of time under a car cover for the last year, so can't say I have abused them whatsoever, been busy in school and rebuilding the truck, they are cree led's which I know are usa made and better quality. Just search for cree when you search on ebay for lights.

 

[M32H32is]

Still running my original set, but they've been repurposed to the Rzr.

They've been beaten pretty hard and still work.

 

[Fast Eddy]

Cree LEDs are widely counterfeited in Chinese made products. Just FYI.