Chinese snorkel
09-18-2011, 01:51 PM
#12
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This whole made in China vs. Made in the USA discussion is really why I haven't pulled the trigger on this cheapo one yet. My cheap-skate index finger nearly did it twelve times as I was on eBay yesterday ("you'll have $360 extra in your pocket! Imagine how many OTHER mods you can do!!"), but God Bless America, I didn't. I want to buy American so I'll probably wait until I have enough to buy an AEV kit or similar.
I'll say this though - AEV is almost as expensive as MOPAR. Both have excellent products but hell, I sure wish they toned down their mark-ups. I've heard that tube fenders and bumpers can be made here locally in the USA and be sold for a good profit and still be $100 to $200 under what most of the major companies are selling them at. So while I'm all for US made products, I sure wish they would cut us some slack...
I'll say this though - AEV is almost as expensive as MOPAR. Both have excellent products but hell, I sure wish they toned down their mark-ups. I've heard that tube fenders and bumpers can be made here locally in the USA and be sold for a good profit and still be $100 to $200 under what most of the major companies are selling them at. So while I'm all for US made products, I sure wish they would cut us some slack...
09-18-2011, 02:12 PM
#13
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I'm not gonna argue about the economy on a jeep forum. Where are the AEV snorkels manufactured?? just curious. I wonder how a chinese company got the same exact mold as the AEV?
edit: Im not trying to piss you guys off. Im USA all the way. I served in the military and the whole nine but I find it hard to justify a plastic snorkel costing that much. That's all I'm saying. I know AEV makes quality products and to my knowledge is a great company. I'm not complaining about the prices of their other products, the snorkel is just overkill to me. In the long run, everyone has their preference and its YOUR JK so buy whatever you desire.
edit: Im not trying to piss you guys off. Im USA all the way. I served in the military and the whole nine but I find it hard to justify a plastic snorkel costing that much. That's all I'm saying. I know AEV makes quality products and to my knowledge is a great company. I'm not complaining about the prices of their other products, the snorkel is just overkill to me. In the long run, everyone has their preference and its YOUR JK so buy whatever you desire.
Last edited by crazyhorse02; 09-18-2011 at 02:40 PM.
09-18-2011, 02:38 PM
#14
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AEV= Missoula Montana and Detroit
Well since the internet is a wonderful thing for quickly checking on things besides porn, Check out what AEV has to say on their forums
AEV's forums are here "h ttp://forum.aev-conversions.com/showthread.php?t=2137" (obviously pull the http together when you cut and paste)
Its a cheap copy made in Malaysia with crappy linear plastic.
They pulled a mold off of one of our parts
they tell people to go to our website to get the instructions
they use our photos or photos of our snorkel
They claim its the same for less cost, when in fact it is poor quality and a much lesser grade material that will not hold up in the sunlight and is not nearly as strong.
AEV Snorkels:
Are designed completely in house with our math data going directly to CNC machines to produce the tooling. The knock offs are pulling molds off our parts which have already gone through a shrinkage cycle in the mold process.
Our parts are produced in the USA
Use High density cross linked polyethylene, the strongest type of plastic in the world for such products. The knock offs are Low Density Linear Polyethylene.
The same company normally rips off Safari Snorkel (ARB) but this time I guess they liked our design better
Hopefully most people understand that you get what you pay for, after all considering they had ZERO R&D time or money into the thing, they should be able to sell it a lot cheaper then they are. If you look on Chinese sites, you can find ARB knock offs for $40.00...but they look like they cost $40 when you get them.
Wait till you all see the fiberglass knock off I have at my desk from a company in Puerto Rico. It has our logo and everything in it and is basically a movie prop with tons of Bondo...
dh
And, the analysis that Safari had done of their Pirated Snorkels is here :
h ttp://www.dont-get-burnt.com/report.html
Well since the internet is a wonderful thing for quickly checking on things besides porn, Check out what AEV has to say on their forums
AEV's forums are here "h ttp://forum.aev-conversions.com/showthread.php?t=2137" (obviously pull the http together when you cut and paste)
Its a cheap copy made in Malaysia with crappy linear plastic.
They pulled a mold off of one of our parts
they tell people to go to our website to get the instructions
they use our photos or photos of our snorkel
They claim its the same for less cost, when in fact it is poor quality and a much lesser grade material that will not hold up in the sunlight and is not nearly as strong.
AEV Snorkels:
Are designed completely in house with our math data going directly to CNC machines to produce the tooling. The knock offs are pulling molds off our parts which have already gone through a shrinkage cycle in the mold process.
Our parts are produced in the USA
Use High density cross linked polyethylene, the strongest type of plastic in the world for such products. The knock offs are Low Density Linear Polyethylene.
The same company normally rips off Safari Snorkel (ARB) but this time I guess they liked our design better
Hopefully most people understand that you get what you pay for, after all considering they had ZERO R&D time or money into the thing, they should be able to sell it a lot cheaper then they are. If you look on Chinese sites, you can find ARB knock offs for $40.00...but they look like they cost $40 when you get them.
Wait till you all see the fiberglass knock off I have at my desk from a company in Puerto Rico. It has our logo and everything in it and is basically a movie prop with tons of Bondo...
dh
And, the analysis that Safari had done of their Pirated Snorkels is here :
h ttp://www.dont-get-burnt.com/report.html
09-18-2011, 03:12 PM
#15
Personally I would rather buy American when I have the chance.. Most things advertised as Made in the USA are usually manufactured in China and assembled here.. That's not the case with AEV, so I decided to support the US company.. If you're really strapped for money though and want a snorkel, I'm not faulting you.. The chinese stole AEV's design, so they are both the same damn thing.. Just saying what I did.. To each his own.
09-18-2011, 05:12 PM
#16
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I guess I should have specified that the fittings are the same what I wasn't 100% about was how it would exactly hold up to the elements and over time. After going back and reading it I realized I had once again typed as if thinking it and not being specific enough.
01-01-2012, 08:55 AM
#17
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Anyone else who's gone this route, Can you offer any input on the quality you've had on this product?
I'm all for buying American Products, but when I don't have as much expendable income as some people, I have to settle for "knock offs" on some products.
I'm really liking this snorkel BTW.
I'm all for buying American Products, but when I don't have as much expendable income as some people, I have to settle for "knock offs" on some products.
I'm really liking this snorkel BTW.
Last edited by Delux2769; 01-01-2012 at 09:31 AM. Reason: PM sent
01-01-2012, 09:43 AM
#18
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No development work, are you serious? Hmmm, lets see I am sure that AEV (an American company btw) didn't have to first digitize all the dimensions of the JK, then didn't have to model and render their conceptual idea in CAD to fit those dimensions from their designers, then didn't have to spend R&D money to test a HDPE polymer in a correct mil to withstand every possible environmental condition across the world. I am also sure that there was zero air flow and dyno testing to make sure of no air flow disruptions and that it works correctly with both Ram and Pre Filters. Damn, and don't forget about the tooling and extrusion die costs they didn't have to incur to get a consistent high quality product every time. Lucky too they don't have to keep lawyers on staff to protect against random litigious suits against the product, run advertising to bring the product to market, or better still help and fund SEMA, Tread Lightly or other organizations which protect our rights to this hobby.
I guess one day the magical Snorkel Stork just showed up in Montana dropping all this stuff off out fo the sky and they pulled that ungodly high price of a whole whopping $360 out of their ass so they can keep their place stocked in Crystal Meth and Hookers 24/7.
So that being said, it's all good to support Haingfu 7 plastics work in Craphole Shengzu that for all intent and purposes PIRATED AEV's property. To add insult to injury, then since the aforementioned made out of recycled milk-jugs Chinese Pirate copy doesn't have instructions you can just download AEV's own instructions (I guess bandwidth is free too).
Yup, lets support it since AEV must be an evil corporation that doesn't and hasn't supported the JK fully across multiple product lines to save a buck.
Heck, maybe they can throw in some of those cheapy knock-off Rolex's too since both keep time.
Here is a thought, how about support the people and companies that support your hobby. Or, enjoy your Mao-Tse-Tung hat as you are wheeling your ZIL copy comrade.
I guess one day the magical Snorkel Stork just showed up in Montana dropping all this stuff off out fo the sky and they pulled that ungodly high price of a whole whopping $360 out of their ass so they can keep their place stocked in Crystal Meth and Hookers 24/7.
So that being said, it's all good to support Haingfu 7 plastics work in Craphole Shengzu that for all intent and purposes PIRATED AEV's property. To add insult to injury, then since the aforementioned made out of recycled milk-jugs Chinese Pirate copy doesn't have instructions you can just download AEV's own instructions (I guess bandwidth is free too).
Yup, lets support it since AEV must be an evil corporation that doesn't and hasn't supported the JK fully across multiple product lines to save a buck.
Heck, maybe they can throw in some of those cheapy knock-off Rolex's too since both keep time.
Here is a thought, how about support the people and companies that support your hobby. Or, enjoy your Mao-Tse-Tung hat as you are wheeling your ZIL copy comrade.
I was waiting to see your reply to this. At least some people have morals and can stand behind something besides the dollar bill.
01-01-2012, 10:00 AM
#19
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Anyone else who's gone this route, Can you offer any input on the quality you've had on this product?
I'm all for buying American Products, but when I don't have as much expendable income as some people, I have to settle for "knock offs" on some products.
I'm really liking this snorkel BTW.
I'm all for buying American Products, but when I don't have as much expendable income as some people, I have to settle for "knock offs" on some products.
I'm really liking this snorkel BTW.
01-01-2012, 04:05 PM
#20
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Mine has taken sticks, branches, high water and still seems to be going strong! I read hundreds of other posts on here before buying mine, and what it really comes down to is how well you seal everything else in the intake tract, airbox/snorkel joint, airbox drain holes, and mounting tab locations. I'm all for "buy American" but I also feel $360 to correct something that most people feel was mis-engineered in the first place is a little too much.
When my chinese one fails, I'll post it up here in BIG BOLD LETTERS, until then, I'll be wheeling!
When my chinese one fails, I'll post it up here in BIG BOLD LETTERS, until then, I'll be wheeling!