Amerihood and TOL innovations
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 740
Likes: 1
From: Colorado
Totl- that is a good looking hood, I'll probably spring for either yours or a power hood in the next year. But I also understand people wanting to go the Asian route. For example, I am a bicyclist. I can order a custom ti road bike frame US made for between $4,500-$6,000, or I can order one custom built from Asia for $800. Something is wrong here. If US companies have to jack their prices that much they deserve taking a hit from China products. I recently bought a Rugged Ridge phone dash mount for $40. It didn't hold my phone well and broke within a month. After about a week of getting the run-around from them I gave up on the warranty. Then I found a China version of it for $15.95 on amazon and when I got it, it was identical to the RR version. And this one works and hasn't broken. Also, I understand most Smittybuilt products were made in China. For some reason US products can't even come close to competing with the equivalent Asian product. I'm sure it's not greed, but what is the reason?
In this particular case, the Chinese knockoff of our design is inferior in functionality. It is made of metal so its heavier, prone to damage from hail and weaker. We have a picture on our site of a 215 pound person on top of a hood. Try and do that with the Chinese version. More importantly, the knockoff doesnt have our hyda channels which direct water away from the engine bay. There is a member on here who peddled the Chinese version and stopped because rain water was coming down directly on his headers and spark plugs resulting in various electrical gremlins.
We cant tell you how to spend your money. All we can do is continue to make a high quality product that we are extremely proud of and hope that customers continue to realize the benefits of our product and choose to spend their hard earned money on the American made original.
One last thought. How would you feel if you showed up to work one day and were told you are being let go because a person arrived from China who is willing to perform your job for a fraction of your salary? That is the equivalent of what is happening here.
JK Junkie
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 3,068
Likes: 116
From: Bunnlevel, NC
Its not about greed. The fact of the matter is that if a company chooses to manufacture a product in the U.S. as opposed to China or Mexico, then the company simply has higher costs to deal with. Labor rates are SIGNIFICANTLY higher, raw material costs are MUCH higher, we have "hidden" costs that dont exist in China like meeting OSHA and EPA requirements, insurance premiums etc... On top of that you have to consider that the U.S. company had significant investment in actually developing the product. Chinese companies take a product and copies it for a fraction of the cost. If we could compete with Chinese products on price alone, we gladly would but unfortunately the numbers dont work like that.
In this particular case, the Chinese knockoff of our design is inferior in functionality. It is made of metal so its heavier, prone to damage from hail and weaker. We have a picture on our site of a 215 pound person on top of a hood. Try and do that with the Chinese version. More importantly, the knockoff doesnt have our hyda channels which direct water away from the engine bay. There is a member on here who peddled the Chinese version and stopped because rain water was coming down directly on his headers and spark plugs resulting in various electrical gremlins.
We cant tell you how to spend your money. All we can do is continue to make a high quality product that we are extremely proud of and hope that customers continue to realize the benefits of our product and choose to spend their hard earned money on the American made original.
One last thought. How would you feel if you showed up to work one day and were told you are being let go because a person arrived from China who is willing to perform your job for a fraction of your salary? That is the equivalent of what is happening here.
In this particular case, the Chinese knockoff of our design is inferior in functionality. It is made of metal so its heavier, prone to damage from hail and weaker. We have a picture on our site of a 215 pound person on top of a hood. Try and do that with the Chinese version. More importantly, the knockoff doesnt have our hyda channels which direct water away from the engine bay. There is a member on here who peddled the Chinese version and stopped because rain water was coming down directly on his headers and spark plugs resulting in various electrical gremlins.
We cant tell you how to spend your money. All we can do is continue to make a high quality product that we are extremely proud of and hope that customers continue to realize the benefits of our product and choose to spend their hard earned money on the American made original.
One last thought. How would you feel if you showed up to work one day and were told you are being let go because a person arrived from China who is willing to perform your job for a fraction of your salary? That is the equivalent of what is happening here.
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 740
Likes: 1
From: Colorado