Originally Posted by Riptide

I get people trying to save a buck and all... But this isn't something that's like 5k vs 2k. It's ~$200 difference. And to save that $200 you'll buy something made overseas, of a lesser quality plastic (not saying it's crap, just made from a cheaper plastic), from a company that's blatantly stealing a companies design?

It would be one thing if they came up with their own that looked similar, and sold it. Then I could care less if people buy it. But to actually be supportive of a company stealing someone else's design (and who's not making a single attempt to hide that fact) is appalling. I think you guys need to give your head a shake.

Originally Posted by Riptide

What do you want me to say? That I have a good job where I can afford to buy quality? I'm not going to feel bad for that. I couldn't make this (at least looking as good, etc). Which means I either buy it, or do without. And for the price difference, I'd rather buy it once and know that I have a quality product, then buy the knock off and have to replace it 3-4 yrs down the road. Again, if we were talking about a part that was thousands of dollars difference, then I'd get it. But we're not... it's ~$200. And if you can afford the $170, save your pennies for another month and buy the real thing.

If you made it for yourself, I could care less what it looks like, how you made it, etc. However if you took a snorkel you made (from a direct mold of AEVs, used AEVs instructions,etc), a turned around and sold it for profit, I'd most certainly look down on you. If you did that in the US, they'd sue your ass - and rightly so. But because it's some Asian company, there's little to no recourse.

In addition to that $50, there's the companies overhead, initial R&D, paying for stock on the shelves (unsold inventory), warranty/returns, marketing, and profit (plus whatever else I've missed). Plus it's AEV, so we're paying for the name as well. They're paying US wages, vs pennies they pay in Asia. They've also likely marked it up as high as they think they can, while still being able to sell units. Would I like to see it cost less? Certainly... but I'd rather overpay for quality, then underpay and reward some company for theft.

Will I cringe when I order this $370 piece of plastic? Most likely... however I can order it with confidence that if there's an issue, it's simply a call to Stan at Northridge, or in the worse case, dealing with AEV directly.

Originally Posted by Riptide

That certainly plays a part in it. However there's more than just that. We've seen this with Rough Country's first wheel spacers, as well as with countless other products where the QUALITY of the material isn't the same.

ht tp://www.dont-get-burnt.com/

Originally Posted by MacBeJeepin

This isn't about quality. EVERY single person who has bought the eBay snorkel has said they love it and the quality is fine.

You probably own some sort of apple iPad/iPhone/touch/etc....

Guess what, apple took technology from another company and implemented it as their own. Guess what, if you own any products of apples, you're a hypocrite. Do your research about it, it's true

How is it a bit more particular than a consumable product/mass consumable product. It's not a prudish that everyone HAS to have just like tshirts/tv's/etc.

And to say that you can afford things because you "save". Congrats, I also save my $ so GTFO. I work hard for my $, I pay bills, school loans, etc. I save my $ so that I can mod my jeep how I want to. So don't tell me that I should save my $. That comment is ludacris that you made, and downright disrespectful

Originally Posted by Riptide

What do you want me to say? That I have a good job where I can afford to buy quality? I'm not going to feel bad for that. I couldn't make this (at least looking as good, etc). Which means I either buy it, or do without. And for the price difference, I'd rather buy it once and know that I have a quality product, then buy the knock off and have to replace it 3-4 yrs down the road. Again, if we were talking about a part that was thousands of dollars difference, then I'd get it. But we're not... it's ~$200. And if you can afford the $170, save your pennies for another month and buy the real thing.



If you made it for yourself, I could care less what it looks like, how you made it, etc. However if you took a snorkel you made (from a direct mold of AEVs, used AEVs instructions,etc), a turned around and sold it for profit, I'd most certainly look down on you. If you did that in the US, they'd sue your ass - and rightly so. But because it's some Asian company, there's little to no recourse.

In addition to that $50, there's the companies overhead, initial R&D, paying for stock on the shelves (unsold inventory), warranty/returns, marketing, and profit (plus whatever else I've missed). Plus it's AEV, so we're paying for the name as well. They're paying US wages, vs pennies they pay in Asia. They've also likely marked it up as high as they think they can, while still being able to sell units. Would I like to see it cost less? Certainly... but I'd rather overpay for quality, then underpay and reward some company for theft.

Will I cringe when I order this $370 piece of plastic? Most likely... however I can order it with confidence that if there's an issue, it's simply a call to Stan at Northridge, or in the worse case, dealing with AEV directly.

Originally Posted by Warpedguy77

This.

This Malaysian knock off costs half as much because they didn't have to spend tens of thousands of dollars into research and design (which I'm sure wasn't a few weeks... we're talking about paying salaries for designers and engineers for weeks or months to do the R+D for this thing), marketing, customer service, support, writing out their own freaking instal instructions, PATENTING, and paying Americans in Montana and Michigan to pick up the phone and explain how to do instals on their products (which when answering the phone half the time for snorkel instal help will probably be helping a cheap ass like Macbejeepin' instal a counterfit product. If he didn't call and ask instal questions I'm sure at the very least he helped himself to AEV's instal directions.)

For anyone who lacks the vales and morals to know better to buy a product like this I hope you lose your job due to cost cuts at your company due to some company in asia ripping off a product that your company relies on to make a profit in order to fund your salary. It's harsh but the reality of what is happening with these ebay knock offs...

Originally Posted by Fenrir

If that is your true yearly earnings, I question why you would purchase a vehicle that, when new, costs more than that. Rule of thumb, never purchase a vehicle over half of your yearly income. But that is an entirely different topic.

(beginning to understand the thought process here)