Pod light prices WTF

Pods are re-sold on TW all the time. I picked up a set of used CaliRaised pods w/ harness for $55 shipped. Less than 1/2 the price of new. If you're willing to wait, you can find great deals here and 90% + of the time, the seller is up front about them.

Personally, I would go with budget friendly equipment for something like this.

 

It's combination of psychology ( you associate higher cost with better value/marketing) and because they can charge those prices. IMO it's not worth it. The technology has been around forever. I'll buy cheapies, take a few minutes to slather on some conformal coating and be on my way.

 

The problem with caliraised, IMO is that they're rebranded imports. Go straight to the source and get em for 40$ new.

 

Probably. Regardless though, I likely paid about the the after shipping with harness. Either way, it fit my budget and I knew they would work/fit the brackets I got from CaliRaised.

 

Go with whatever gets you the better QC’d item and warranty.

Things the cheap clones don’t do very well is sealing the lenses, quality lens material, durable powdercoat, or quality stainless hardware. This equates to faded and powdery finish after a year, rusting, condensation and foggy lenses. If your lights spend more time as an accent piece then none of this really matters. And you can argue that buy and replace is the cheaper route.

What I will say is I don’t typically buy stuff from US resellers. And finding out which US reseller actually pushes decent overseas product can be a little tougher. The only value they really add is removing the US customer to China interface and take the headache out of getting another cheapo replacement.

 

It is the same for ExtremeLED. Most of their light bars can be found on eBay/Amazon for way cheaper.

 

Remember the wise man who said: Cheap parts not good, good parts not cheap

 

Yeah, I was curious why Caliraised were a separate category from Amazon cheap imports?

Personally, I prefer the nicer name brand ones. I've had many lights bars and pods over the years on my trucks, rzrs, and dirt bikes. What I've found is the Rigid, Baja Design, KC, etc ones always last longer especially when you start talking about real offroad use and not just lighting up the forest road at 3 in the afternoon so I can overland to my camp spot. While that may be all you need, the fact that the name brand ones survive the harshest of conditions much better than the imports tells me that they will also last longer than the imports in conditions not as rough as well.

There, of course, is always going to be a balance of budget vs. need. I'm seeing most that pick the imports also comment about it fitting their needs and/or budget. If that's your budget, then what's the point of the thread?

 

I think for critical items, don't skimp. Buy once cry once. But for extras or splurges, get the cheapies and see if it's worth it. That's usually my MO

 

Running rigid duallys on my trucks and they put others to shame. Ran them side by side with other trucks and others have switched to rigid a after seeing the difference in output and beam pattern

 

This has been my motto as well, do it once, do it right.
I've done the budget route in the past, Chinese ebay everything, wait 3 months, get the wrong kit, return to Ganzhou.. etc etc..
Decided early on with the 3rd gen it was going to get 'lifetime' parts and I was going to enjoy modding, not spending time fixing things that should work.

Can't say enough about BD, it's true once you run one you'll never buy another kind..

 

Look around for people selling their old ones, I picked up a 20 inch Baja designs s8 for 100 bucks just cause the guy was changing his lighting setup lol

 

It's a really common theme in this current economy. Things are good, a bunch of third party pop-ups are coming on board and acting like the middle man. Creating an online store to sell rebranded chineseium. Caliraised Tacoma beast protaco etcetc. I'm not speaking bad of it, just telling people how it is.

 

It will get interesting once they perfect 3D laser metal printing.

 

I bought from some Meso guy. They seem to be very nice quality. Got his turn signal and taillights too. Fuck my wallet I got his key fob, coin holder and gashole too. Wait... all this stuff is great. Fucking middleman.

 

Yep. There’s definitely deals to be had. Close outs are another one.

I picked up a rigid SR30 in amber for $400. Over $1000 msrp

 

Don't get me wrong if the "higher end lights" are distinctively better then I will be considering them, but right now I'm trying to get the opinions of people who have either type and can justify the extra expense. I'd hate to spend extra money on a hood ornament .... oh wait ... fucking TRD sport. What was I thinking. Looks like I'm already obligated to buy expensive shit to put on my hood. Lolol

 

The internals are probably much the same for all lights cheap or expensive and made by the same few manufacturers overseas and rebranded.
The better outer casing and lens can add some cost and function.

I will say that retailers will continue to raise prices until they hit the breaking point with the customers and sales stagnate or decline. It would be interesting to know the markup on the Ridged and KC type lights.

 

There you go being a crow again