good price on ballast :)

[Luxus Panzer]

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Xenon...rchweb201560_6

Best I could find was 109 USD + shipping when I needed mine

[customa4]

What the hell is AliExpress? Looks like a knockoff of eBay.

[thetikm]

Go to hidconcept.com

[imnuts]

What the hell is AliExpress? Looks like a knockoff of eBay.

Alibaba, basically it's a place for people in China to list and sell their stuff outside of eBay.

[ZipMeUpJ]

It's the single unit version of alibaba which primarily deals in bulk

[Luxus Panzer]

Go to hidconcept.com

109 USD there.

[diuvic]

Huh, interesting. Is it true that some of the parts coming out of China are actually OEM Audi but they're made in China? Like, for the Chinese market yet somehow still Audi OEM? Has anyone tried this ballast?

[imnuts]

There are a lot of OEM items that come from China. The biggest thing is that OEM parts have specific specs, and many times, aftermarket parts are just OEM items that didn't pass the manufacturer's spec. There is nothing inherently wrong with being made in China, crappy parts can come from anywhere, but more often than not, they come from China just because of labor & manufacturing costs being lower there.

Sent from my DROID Turbo 2

[diuvic]

There are a lot of OEM items that come from China. The biggest thing is that OEM parts have specific specs, and many times, aftermarket parts are just OEM items that didn't pass the manufacturer's spec. There is nothing inherently wrong with being made in China, crappy parts can come from anywhere, but more often than not, they come from China just because of labor & manufacturing costs being lower there.

Sent from my DROID Turbo 2

I didn't mean to bash on China. After all, a bunch of our high end electronics come from there. What I meant was, that if I'm not wrong, there are some OEM Audi parts made in China only for the Chinese market.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mike@hidconcept]

Hi AZ,
We are authorized distributor of Valeo and one thing I can confirm is that Valeo ballasts especially LAD5GL and LAD5G are made in France.
Up to date, they have not given any Chinese manufacturer to produce their ballasts.
Even if they did without us knowing, the price cannot be $36, which is even lower than price of one xenon bulb lol.
IMO, there must be some catch when the price is too good to be true.

[Luxus Panzer]

there must be some catch when the price is too good to be true.

You may be right, however, with all due respect I disagree. Markup on electronics after R&D is LONG paid for in in the 1K %s.

[mike@hidconcept]

You may be right, however, with all due respect I disagree. Markup on electronics after R&D is LONG paid for in in the 1K %s.

You are right. car dealership's markup is HUGE but I wouldn't say it's 1000%. :D
Two things I know: 1. Valeo ballast with label 'made in France' would not be Chinese product with different label on it. That would be a serious fraud case.
If this is the case, it should say Designed by Valeo or assembled in China.
2. Our markup is never that high.

[diuvic]

So what I don't fully get is this: Have you tried this ballast Luxus Panzer? Or did you just happen to find it online?

[customa4]

My understanding is that he found it on the internet after he had already purchased a different one for $109+shipping. I think he made the thread to try and help others get the ballast cheaper than he paid.

[A4OrlandoB6]

yeah i doubt anyones going to spend almost $400 to buy 10 ballasts when they only need one

[Luxus Panzer]

So what I don't fully get is this: Have you tried this ballast Luxus Panzer? Or did you just happen to find it online?

I paid 109 for mine and found these after the fact.

[macgom]

looks fake or used ballast to me. $109 for real thing is very good price. I paid over $400 at the stealership.

[mike@hidconcept]

I checked out the seller's other listing for the same ballast.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/NEW-V...00009.2.o3j4BA

The white label is located at different location than where the label is located on original ones we get from Valeo USA.
Also, the inner side cover on Chinese seller's is dark grey painted with no engraving of 'Valeo'.

Look at the original one we get from Valeo here.
As you can see, both sides are in silver color with engraving 'Valeo' as well as batch numbers being engraved on inner panel.

I have nothing against that seller and appreciate the information you provide to help others but IMO, it might be a refurb or something that has been re-painted or re-labeled.

[customa4]

Yea, that aliexpress one definitely looks suspicious. Good catch. The front plate looks original but definitely not that back plate.

[Luxus Panzer]

Sneaky buggers.

[ADCS]

Pretty much 90% of branded products on aliexpress are fake products. Aliexpress is only good for buying bulk useless crap and knock-off sports jerseys. You do not want to buy anything electronic off there.