Chinese knockoff window switches: Beware
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Chinese knockoff window switches: Beware
Beware of Chinese aftermarket replacement window switches. Not that they don't work fine, but if you're picky like me, there are subtle differences with OEM. Click button feel is just not the same, but the most important one is that the back lights on the Chinese ones are not removable bulbs. So if you upgrade your lighting to LED colored bulbs, you can't transfer them over to the Chinese switches.
#2
Beware Chinese knock off anything.
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#4
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
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F1Fan (09-17-2020)
#7
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I've been pretty satisfied with my replacement switch
#8
Racer
When i was a kid we used to make fun of 'made in Japan' as being junk. Now look at their stuff. I wonder what will happen to the US when China picks up the quality of their exports.
#9
Safety Car
You want higher quality, well cough up the extra cash and stop being cheap and buy the higher quality version that still made in china.
Look where your cell phone is made.
#10
Racer
No, people are cheap and don't want to spend a dime. Therefore this import item is made based on budget and to be low cost item to the consumer.
You want higher quality, well cough up the extra cash and stop being cheap and buy the higher quality version that still made in china.
Look where your cell phone is made.
You want higher quality, well cough up the extra cash and stop being cheap and buy the higher quality version that still made in china.
Look where your cell phone is made.
#11
Burning Brakes
True dat.
But hopefully there will come a day where MADE IN USA will be more readily available.
Peeps need to AT LEAST TRY to stop buying china crap. There are other country's making stuff too.
Japan, mexico, Taiwan, ect. China crap is just that. One time use.
I do and dont mind paying more for better stuff, buy once and cry once.
In fact I just bought an alternator for my terrain made in mexico ac delco, yeah I could have saved a few bucks and bought cheaper but nope f that. Ok rant over.
#12
Racer
I gotta agree with JDMVette, I ordered mine originally not really paying any mind to it other than, "Cool, they're not roughly a hundred bucks a piece anymore". And when I received them went to go swap the factory bulbs over and realized they're all in board LED's permanently in place. I prefer the feel over the stock model. And I would say the only thing I actually would prefer is if they showed you which mirror was active when you press the left or right mirror like the OEM one does, not really a huge issue, but could be for someone else. Memory Seat lights are also the same situation.
I do prefer everything else on the reproduction compared to the OEM units. Mine stock unit is pretty much brand new condition wise aside from being brittle from age I guess. I prefer the texture of the switches, the amount of pressure for activating them, the feel of the switches. But again, everyone has different preferences on things like that.
But for the price, and the fact that it's a much better white backlighting makes me not really mind. I ended up ordering their reproduction of the passenger side unit as well to have the lighting match. It's literally the only thing I hadn't swapped over to LED's yet, and now I don't have to. The fact that they match the LED lighting I went with(no weird coloring, just nice modern lighting that the car could've came with if it was produced today) was a nice bonus.
I would say anybody that has their own LED setup may not like them because they paid for their own already, but everyone has different preferences.
Driver side is the reproduction, and the passenger side is the OEM unit(to show the difference in back lighting). Excuse the blurriness, I was just snapping a quick photo when I first installed them. The lighting on the sides of the reproduction unit isn't visible in person either, in the photo I hadn't fully pressed the controller into the door yet.
I do prefer everything else on the reproduction compared to the OEM units. Mine stock unit is pretty much brand new condition wise aside from being brittle from age I guess. I prefer the texture of the switches, the amount of pressure for activating them, the feel of the switches. But again, everyone has different preferences on things like that.
But for the price, and the fact that it's a much better white backlighting makes me not really mind. I ended up ordering their reproduction of the passenger side unit as well to have the lighting match. It's literally the only thing I hadn't swapped over to LED's yet, and now I don't have to. The fact that they match the LED lighting I went with(no weird coloring, just nice modern lighting that the car could've came with if it was produced today) was a nice bonus.
I would say anybody that has their own LED setup may not like them because they paid for their own already, but everyone has different preferences.
Driver side is the reproduction, and the passenger side is the OEM unit(to show the difference in back lighting). Excuse the blurriness, I was just snapping a quick photo when I first installed them. The lighting on the sides of the reproduction unit isn't visible in person either, in the photo I hadn't fully pressed the controller into the door yet.
Last edited by SSkull; 09-17-2020 at 12:31 AM.
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My Vette Life (09-17-2020)
#13
#14
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I never said there was anything physically or electronically wrong with them. Let me clarify that they work fine, BUT for those with aftermarket LED bulb lighting such as myself (I have a blue LED theme going on in my interior; HUD buttons, window switches...etc.), well they don't work because the lighting panel is integrated in the circuit of the Chinese once. Just a lesson learned I wanted to share. Other than that, it's a shame because they actually look pretty good and are a fraction of OEM cost.
#15
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Thanks for letting us know about the difference.
I try, key word "try" to buy American when I can. I see commercials that recommend to shop local. I wish they had commercials that said "Buy American". We HAVE TO keep jobs in America or we are screwed. I know my vehicles have many parts made in other countries (like our C5's brake components are made in New Zealand and Brazil) but I will never buy a vehicle not assembled in the good ol' USA .
I try, key word "try" to buy American when I can. I see commercials that recommend to shop local. I wish they had commercials that said "Buy American". We HAVE TO keep jobs in America or we are screwed. I know my vehicles have many parts made in other countries (like our C5's brake components are made in New Zealand and Brazil) but I will never buy a vehicle not assembled in the good ol' USA .
#16
Safety Car
Thanks for letting us know about the difference.
I try, key word "try" to buy American when I can. I see commercials that recommend to shop local. I wish they had commercials that said "Buy American". We HAVE TO keep jobs in America or we are screwed. I know my vehicles have many parts made in other countries (like our C5's brake components are made in New Zealand and Brazil) but I will never buy a vehicle not assembled in the good ol' USA .
I try, key word "try" to buy American when I can. I see commercials that recommend to shop local. I wish they had commercials that said "Buy American". We HAVE TO keep jobs in America or we are screwed. I know my vehicles have many parts made in other countries (like our C5's brake components are made in New Zealand and Brazil) but I will never buy a vehicle not assembled in the good ol' USA .
#17
Safety Car
I never said there was anything physically or electronically wrong with them. Let me clarify that they work fine, BUT for those with aftermarket LED bulb lighting such as myself (I have a blue LED theme going on in my interior; HUD buttons, window switches...etc.), well they don't work because the lighting panel is integrated in the circuit of the Chinese once. Just a lesson learned I wanted to share. Other than that, it's a shame because they actually look pretty good and are a fraction of OEM cost.
#18
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I can't put my blue LED lights back on the Chinese aftermarket replacement because it's a different design. They're integrated lights on the circuit. So in other words, I'm stuck with the white light look. Also if they ever burn up, you can't replace the bulbs.
#19
Safety Car
A real knockoff are bootlegs
For a replacement part, this item sounds good. But in your case you should of spent the money for the oem.
I say you have the completely wrong title in the post.
All because you cant add leds.
Last edited by My Vette Life; 09-17-2020 at 02:32 PM.
#20
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Sounds like these are NOT KNOCKOFFS since they dont have the same circuitry.
A real knockoff are bootlegs
For a replacement part, this item sounds good. But in your case you should of spent the money for the oem.
I say you have the completely wrong title in the post.
All because you cant add leds.
A real knockoff are bootlegs
For a replacement part, this item sounds good. But in your case you should of spent the money for the oem.
I say you have the completely wrong title in the post.
All because you cant add leds.