Still not as good as real lamp assemblies designed for the vehicle by legitimate vehicle lighting manufacturers.
Not necessarily true, Not as good in what regard? Build quality? Form? Function?? Just like building codes, auto manufactures have standards set for basic performance and safety. Ie a "Bare Minimum" as it were. This followed by the cost of the almighty dollar doesn't get you the best for that application. This gets you the best costing solution that meets minimum federal standards. Just because it isn't factory, doesn't automatically mean its inferior to the OEM. Age also plays a huge factor. In this case we are talking about sealed beam headlights. Its not difficult to outperform these lights with todays technology.
Of course the quality may vary. Guaranteed mediocrity is sometimes preferable to an outright disastrously made product. There are too many variables with makers and marketers of the 'replicas' (as well as the near-impossibility of finding a responsible party should their products contribute to property damage, injuries, or fatalities.
All very true points. But lets not group all aftermarket manufactures into one basket. For instance, Does the aftermarket product in question meet any of the worst case that your talking about? Or is it an inferior product in your mind just because its aftermarket??? Are there better products out there? Absolutely! Are some of them OEM? Also absolutely. Do they fit every application? A firm NO.
In this particular instance, With the space available this was the best solution. It fits, It vastly outperforms the 1984 designed oem, it improves the safety of the vehicle for nighttime driving. It meets and exceeds 1984 DOT specs as well as all current ones as verified by use of an optical beam setter.
Such a broad statement is easy to disprove simply because it uses absolutes. I can come up with a few examples (Marchal Amplilux vs. a set of rectangular Wagner sealed beams being a major one). Granted, you acknowledge that it is a matter of opinion, rather than saying it is a statement of fact.
Yes, it is an opinion. But, apples to apples, I'll still stand by it. Your example is helping my statement. The Amplilux uses two separate reflectors and bulbs. Each designed for their function. The Wagner is using one bulb, one reflector. Thereby compromising not only the low beam but also the high beam.
Don't get me wrong, I do see your point. There are a lot of crap aftermarket products out there. There are even more idiots out there not only using this crap, but using the good stuff so incorrectly, It may as well be crap. I would hope that with this forum being for the use of and construction of lighting, that already would have weeded out most of the "cap backward Civic racers" For instance, This topic on other forums would have turned into, " I don't care what you say, I think I can see better so my lights are better, best! Glare? Who cares, I see better and the cops wont stop me!" lol
Anyway. Has the OP looked into offroad led light bars? Rigid Industries make some awesome off road lights and the prices are not to bad either!