LED Stop Light A Wee Bit Expensive

[Norm's Coupe]

Just received a new catalog in the mail from Speedway. While flipping through it I ran across the LED P15 stop lights and the tail lights. Tail light price isn't bad because it would cost that much just to get the chrome bezels rechromed if you were to do that. They are only $114 per pair, so that is reasonable.

However, "in my opinion" that stop light is just a Wee Bit on the high side at $199.99 each. For example, I only paid about $80 or $90 for a newly rechromed stop light bezel that's on my coupe. I don't care it this light does blink 3 times to get peoples attention. It could stand on it's head, raise the deck lid automatically, talk and do a dance, all at the same time for that price and I still would not pay $199.99 for it.

I think Don C said they might be coming out with a lighted hood ornament soon. Hopefully, they will be a little more realistic on pricing that one. I probably wouldn't buy one of those either though since my hood ornament has also been rechromed.

[jd52cranbrook]

remember speedway is a third party vendor. Go direct to nostiagal (sp)

[Don Coatney]

Norm;

If you think the price is high for one of the few who is making P-15 repo parts simply dont buy them. Find the cheeper alternative if you can. But why do you slam one of the few companies who is re-producing new P-15 parts? Are they supposed to give there product away and not make a profit? You spent your working life in sales. Did you make your best sales by slamming others? Why are you slamming this company?

[steveplym]

I don't know Norm. Seems the last few I've seen on Ebay lately have gone pretty high. Plus this is a new one with a new LED light. Seems about right compared to the other lamps. I really like the looks of the lights, just can't afford to spend $400 in rear taillights and brake lights right now.

That lighted hood ornament would be neat. Looking forward to seeing it.

[steveplym]

remember speedway is a third party vendor. Go direct to nostiagal (sp)

$199 is the same price on their website JD. http://www.cool-leds.com

[Plymouthy Adams]

Norm...the old saying..you gotta pay to play..you ought to go out and work under your car a bit..maybe you wouldn't squeak as much...

[Captain Neon]

It is good to see that they are reproducing the plastic inserts for our hood ornaments again! I asked Neil Riddle, a couple of years ago, if any one was making the inserts any more and he said that no one was and no one likely would be.

[Norm's Coupe]

Don, I'm not slamming anyone's product, just making the comment. And, I'm not against anyone making a profit on their products, it's the American way. But.......there is profit, and there is profit. LED bulbs are dirt cheap. You can buy 100 LED Bright Light Bulbs in a package out of a catalog and have them shipped to you for between $30 and $40, INCLUDING SHIPPING COST. All the other electronic parts in that light are just as cheap. And, that's not counting when you buy them in larger quantities and get them even cheaper by doing so. Granted, they had to make a mold for the housing and rubber gasket, then have them cast in plastic, then chrome plated. But........the largest cost there is the start up cost of making the molds. Once they are made, it's cheap to make them. You don't need to make up the mold cost on one light, or charge the mold cost on each and every one. You can spread that cost over production of many and get that cost down to next to nothing too. Actually, there is a machine that will heat and press the plastic into any shape you want it real fast. Just make up the die for the machine and you can run thousands in one day if needed. I happen to know someone real close to me that works at place that has such a machine they use to to make some of their products. So.....you don't even have to make a mold and cast them in plastic.

My guess is, that at it's highest, it shouldn't cost more than about $15 to $20 or less to make one of those stop lights at minimum production levels. About 80 or 90% of that cost is probably in the bezel. So.....that adds up to a lot of profit.

My son wanted to change my tail lights to LED when we converted my backup lights to extra LED 6 volt stop and turn signals. Said it would only cost a few dollars for each in parts. It's not that hard to do, or cost that much. As far as making them blink 3 times when you hit the brakes. If I wanted to, I could have my son make the lights up so they go on in circles with little effort, or cost. He's done things like that in the past on other LED lighting. It's not hard if you know what you are doing.

So.........all this is why I made the post. Like I said, the tail lights are reasonable. It's just that stop light that's out of bounds on price. And, again, it's just my opinion based on all the above. If I had known the price of the stop light when they first came out, I would have made the same post back then.

As far as the plastic inserts going for $125 or more, that's way overpriced in my opinion too. If and when my insert goes, I'll replace it with a full length stainless bull nose. Those are only about $125 too, and they won't craze from the sun/heat, and will last much, much longer than the insert does.

Tim, there is a difference between paying to play, and getting gouged to play.

[Don Coatney]

Norm;

You are so full of crap. If it only cost fifteen bucks to make these why is there only one company making them? Why does your son not make them? You are slamming a company that went out of there way to reproduce P-15 parts. What has this company done to you to make you mad enough to slam them? If you bought there products and did not like them and they would not refund your money I would understand you being upset. But to make a statment that they are gouging customers when you are not a customer is wrong. STFU!

[Norm's Coupe]

Sorry you feel that way Don. As for my son making stuff. He also builds all my computers from scratch. Why doesn't he make LED lights, or build computers as a business? Because he's happy doing what he does and has no interest in doing it as a business for other people. He just does it for family members as a hobby. Plus, he does have his own classic car to work on.

He's been doing things with electronics since he was big enough to hold and use a soldering iron. Then went to school for it. When he was 16 and got his first car, he got a ticket for his electronics. He made and installed an LED light for his grill like the one you see in the grill on the TV show "Kit". Worked just like the one in "Kit" on TV. Finally, the wrong cop saw it and gave him a warning ticket to remove it. He also had the only soap box car you'll probably ever see with working lights and horn running off a small 6 volt battery dry cell or two. Had that rigged to come on when you sat down in the seat of the soap box. Even today, if you sit in his drivers seat of his 80 Firebird, the radio automatically comes on. That's just one of the electronic changes he's made to it.

Again though, I'm not slamming anyone. If you price out the electronic parts for any electronic item, they are dirt cheap compared to what we pay for them.

[jd52cranbrook]

$199 is the same price on their website JD. http://www.cool-leds.com

I was able to fanangle (is that a real word?) the circuit board led set up only from them to modify for my 52 lights at a reasonable price to me. You may want to try

[Robin (UK)]

Hey Guys,

Just thought I'd try to inject a bit of perspective to the 'it's cheap to make so they shouldn't charge so much' argument...

I've looked at cost of production of all sorts of items in the past, as souvenirs for our festival.

The set-up is always VERY expensive and it's only economy of scale that brings the price down.

The people who have developed these items will have put in a lot of money up front.

It might only cost a few bucks to mold each housing and another few bucks to mold the lenses, but the actual cost will depend on the number of items made... and they certainly won't be making 10,000 at a time.

In addition, the original dies or molds will be extremely expensive and the whole idea will have needed research and development, marketing, etc.

The fact that LEDs are cheap doesn't really matter.

That's a bit like saying paper is cheap so magazines shouldn't cost so much.

I say let them set their price and the market will decide.

I know one guy here in the UK who has bought the LED tail lights for the chrome housings and rubber gaskets only. He's really happy with them.

I hate to see arguments on here, so I hope Don and Norm can agree to disagree....

and carry on enjoying their Plymouths.

[Don Coatney]

Robin;

Norm and I do agree to disagree. He just needs to understand that there are very few companies making repop parts for P-15's. If anyone personally thinks the part is over priced simply dont buy it.

[jimainnj]

Well not interfere with the conversation but if your P15 is 6 volts these tail lights are not for you as they are only made for 12 volts. I've talked to the Co. that made them and they have not been able to make 6 volt Poss Ground.

[BobT-47P15]

Some time back, I bought a new reproduction plastic hood ornament

insert from a gentleman who had made some. Not sure how many he

made in the process.....I don't think he's doing them any more.

He charged me $95, which he claimed was his cost to produce the item.

They had been selling on ebay for more. So, by comparison, I got a little

better buy.

I don't know what his cost really was.....but I was willing to pay what he

asked to have the product. Others say they wouldn't pay that much, etc.

So, it's a matter of how much you want a part and how much you can or

will spend for it. I made mine a lighted one, by installing a couple small

6V sockets and bulbs that cost very little. Works for me.

So.....maybe the cost of the new LED items will come down over time,

but I'm sure he has his start-up costs, as has been pointed out.

The price sounds high, but look around at what P15 stuff is selling for

on ebay.....some gets pretty ridiculous. (I entered an unsuccessful bid

last week on a horn center and ring, which went for $57....just one small example)

Also, compare the cost to re-chrome the tail lights and stop

light housing, plus new lenses.....maybe the new LEDs

aren't all so outlandish after all.