If you are like many other drivers out there, you find yourself wishing your vehicle had more lighting than the factory-installed ones. Cheap LED light bars have over the past couple of years flooded the market, costing only a couple of dollars.

So, is the ‘cheap’ light bar right for you? Below is a simple way of calculating the real cost of installing such a light bar.

Are you ready to sacrifice?

When lighting is critical for you, you should buy the best LED light bar your wallet can manage. However, not all light bars are made the same; and the cheaper it is, the more you will sacrifice. After all, this is just how the business world works.

You must choose between sacrificing performance and longevity and saving a couple of dollars.

Manufacturing

An expensive light bar is usually manufactured in America and has undergone thorough quality control processes and testing before it hits the market. Conversely, the cheap light bar is made in some other country and there is no guarantee whether it has been tested for consistent performance.

What about warranty claims?

Many cheap light bars have some form of warranties, but remember that you are dealing with an overseas company when it comes to making a claim. At the very least, you will be paying for your replacement when something goes wrong.

Being in another country doesn’t offer you much of a base in case of litigation, and the manufacturer knows this. So, don’t be surprised when your complaints are ignored.

Type of LED

Cheap light bars are fitted with low-quality LEDs that emit more of a blue light that does not project well when you need them. You are better off purchasing a higher-quality, more expensive light bar outfitted with Cree LEDs.

The beam pattern

You have three beam pattern options on the market; flood, spot and combined. Flood pattern covers a wide area in front of you, while a spot beam pattern is like your high beams on steroids. Many quality LED light bars offer you a combo of beam LEDs on either end and spots in the middle.

Lumens you are getting

This is a critical factor for expensive light bars as the number indicates how bright the device is. Cheap light bar manufacturers will usually lie about the number, so watch out for extreme numbers on either side.

Now, considering that you would be sacrificing build quality, warranty claims, high-quality LEDs, proper beam patterns and Lumens for a price, would you still opt for a ‘cheap’ LED light bar for your vehicle?