Cheap vs. Expensive Lights

[Gtrekker]

I’m genuinely trying to understand - could I not just replace them at that point and still be ahead? And then when those rust out and fail, replace them again? And then 4 more times on top of that? I‘m just struggling to see how the name brand lights are worth so much more - I’d happily pay 2-3x the cheap options for better quality.

Yep, absolutely... particularly if you are a weekend off roader.

Most of the lights you can install (pillar, roof) you can't use on the roads.

Also, depending on your state, you are limited to the wattage or lumins you can run on the roads.

In the end it's a personal choice. Do some value shopping on your 1st setup and if or when they're done then you can decide if the higher end lights are worth it to you...

Good luck!!!

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[Binky]

You get what you pay for. You'll see what happens in a few months with the cheaper lights failing, getting water/moisture in them, rusting, etc..

Hmm...

I will say that they still work and work well, but the housings... that's another story.

 

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

Hmm...

I will say that they still work and work well, but the housings... that's another story.

That's not normal and something tells me you used the wrong type of chemical to clean your vehicle and/or you were doing something that caused all of that to happen. Didja drive into a volcano or something lol

I've been running Diode Dynamcis lights for years now and i've never seen anything like that.

 

[The Compensator]

I went with harbor freight ditch lights, and after a year they still look brand new and work fantastically. They have many options, sizes, and a plug and play-ish wiring harness is also available. They also go on sale all the time. I'd highly recommend stopping by your local store and checking them out before making any purchases. To me, they are well worth the money.

 

[Binky]

That's not normal and something tells me you used the wrong type of chemical to clean your vehicle and/or you were doing something that caused all of that to happen.

Occasional car wash or hand wash with off the shelf soap and water BUT I also don't reach under the bumper to wash the lights. If car care products were to blame, the rest of the vehicle would look the same.

I'm here in the shitty state of NY right with you although in central NY and not NYC. Road salt or brine or whatever crap they are using I'm sure is to blame. The lights still work great, but the housings, not so much. This thread reminded me to send a message DD since I bought direct.

Again, zero complaints on the light performance, but I would never say that spending more means that the aftermarket component won't corrode.

I've purchased many products for many vehicles over the years. Anything powder coated always rusts/corrodes after 18 months. If I want it to last, it needs to be made out of a 300 series stainless or it needs to be plastic

 

[Kevin Scarbel]

I’ve been looking at adding lights to my new Bronco and am blown away by how expensive the name-brand options are. I also saw that there are a number of sellers on Amazon (see Auxbeam, Nilite, and Lasfit) who offer very reasonably priced alternatives. While I’m sure the quality is much lower, they can be replaced many times over for less than the cost of name brands.

4” ditch light pods for $90: https://a.co/d/3hk8qtO
52“ Light bar for $170: https://a.co/d/0fEdrg7
Fog pocket lights for $150: Light https://a.co/d/8CXpOQS

This setup from amazon would cost ~$410 (and given prime day sales, actually much less).

Baja Designs has a somewhat similar (though obviously much nicer) set up on their website for $4,398.85 (https://www.bajadesigns.com/products/ford-bronco-stage-3-light-bundle-kit/?vid=169469).

I’d like to see if I’m missing something about the value proposition of the bigger brands and why I should be paying thousands instead of hundreds. $4,400 for lights just seems outrageous.

The pricing for lights is absurd. LED lighting actually has a lower production cost.
In my day, you called Dick Cepek and ordered KC HiLites at $200 max.

 

[Oldhippie]

In my day, you called Dick Cepek and ordered KC HiLites at $200 max.

you can still get them KC halogen Daylighters for $200…of course they don’t put out near the light of modern led pods…

 

[HeHateMe]

I went el cheapo and no issues thus far (2 years)... It may also be because I hardly use them; I don't have a constant need.

So like others have said, if you're always using them and they're critically important, then invest. If not, I wouldn't...

 

[Sgt Badlands]

I have a rigid industries light bar on the roof. When I drive home down country highways it lights everything up. I love it, but I got luck as they came on mine BL when I bought it.

 

[newclubfront]

Thanks for posting this question OP. I also was wondering the same thing but was too scared to ask.

 

[kodiakisland]

For me, it really depends on the application. A cheap light bar on the Tacoma was all I needed and has worked fine in the deer woods. Denali driving lights on my motorcycle have held up well over the last 6 years. I commute to work on the bike and work nights, so seeing is important. For the Bronco, DD has provided the quality vs. price I was looking for. I use my stuff and like it to work when I need it. Buying something I plan to need but also thinking I'll need to replace soon isn't what I'm in to.

As I get older, and my cataracts get thicker, better light is a plus. Especially when off road at night with real hazards I need to see.

In the end, it's your Bronco. Buy what you want. If it meets your expectations and needs, great. If not, you'll learn what you do need.

 

[Brian_B]

My street legal DD Pro fog lights put out almost as much light as my non-signature Brights do, over a much larger arc across the road. I run my fogs full time, and I have Bambi lights enabled (which isn't exactly legal, but since you can only use your brights when nothing is in front of you anyway... I don't feel bad about it either)

I've got two other sets of DDs, which aren't street legal. I don't get the opportunity to run them very often. You turn on one set of those, and you can hardly tell if the headlights are on or not. Those - are overkill. I didn't really need those, but it completed the set.

I didn't think much of lights before I got them. But now that I've got them: the street legal fogs -- yeah, absolutely. Especially on country roads - they make a huge difference in being able to see the ditch lines and such. The offroad lights I have - I could have done without those, but I don't really regret having them.

 

[GPPBronco]

I’m a city dweller who is regularly out in the country on rural roads driving through deer country (forests but also corn, wheat and soybean fields). That’s my application - as much as I’d like to claim I’m out there wheeling in life-or-death scenarios.

For me, the Hella 500 LEDs I installed in the fall are doing a great job. No corrosion or moisture intrusion after a Michigan winter and MANY trips through a nearby powerful touchless car wash. The Hellas came with a nice harness/relay and wired up to the aux switches nice and clean.

Spending 4x as much on something else was out of the question for me. I’m happy with my choice so far, but have to assume the pricier lights do project better and last longer. I also know (as a professional musician who spends $$$ on my gear) that you do pay a premium for the name brand stuff. I’d say the Hellas are 1/2 as good for 1/4 the cost.

 

[HOSSMAN]

Most things I believe in you get what you pay for. Post Covid I think everyone has their hands still in the till, and I am speaking as a service director at a Ford shop too.... That being said I am running Rough Country ditch lights (4"), Rough Country bumper (3 on each side set up) and just added but not in the pic is the F150LED's light bar across the top. I turn night time into daylight just fine and everything but the light bar has been on since day one in April 2023 without issues. Other than the slight whistle from the light bar that everyone complains about I have had zero issues and love what they do. Everyone will have a fav. brand or rep. what they like but it comes down to budget, functionality and what you like.

 

[Callelk]

you can still get them KC halogen Daylighters for $200…of course they don’t put out near the light of modern led pods…

I loved my KC's on my 85 Power Wagon.......but that is where they belong, 1985

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