I just had to LOL

[Alaric Darconville]

A guy on another forum tried to "prove" his crap DEPO Lights were not crap, and included a picture of the "DOT compliance card" they provided him with his lights. Reproduced here for your enjoyment:

I do see that 312-1107L-AC and 312-1107R-AC are CAPA certified (individual certifications for left and right headlights); maybe 312-1107PX is the complete package. However, given that some pretty pathetic headlights have conformed to FMVSS108, it doesn't mean that those lights are awesome.

I think it's a sign that they know that vehicles with these aftermarket lights are targeted by the police...

I shouldn't be surprised-- this is the same forum where someone stated that the HB1 was brighter than the 9004.

 

[Hilldweller]

Wow.

Better tell him to sign it...

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Better tell him to sign it...

Yeah, whose signature is supposed to be on it? So when he signs it HE can be fined by the DOT after the lights are tested and fail?

 

[AnAppleSnail]

I dunno, I see these mentioned a lot. Doesn't mean they have any legal weight...

 

[jason 77]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know or have a link to what tests are done to certify a product as DOT approved/legal?

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know or have a link to what tests are done to certify a product as DOT approved/legal?

This .PDF shows some of the tests done. The SAE publishes these test standards, but I think you have to pay for those.

 

[-Virgil-]

Wow. This is a joke, right? What's a "publicroad"? The Society of Automotive Engineers does not "set forth" FMVSS 108 or do anything of the kind. FMVSS 108 is written, promulgated, and enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Many of the technical requirements and test procedures in FMVSS 108 are based in part on SAE documents, but generally not wholesale; there's a great deal of pick-and-choose action with some provisions taken from current SAE documents, some from obsolete/cancelled SAE documents, some used as written by SAE, some used in modified form, etc. And what is this credit card lookin' thing supposed to do, anyhow? Get you priority pre-boarding access on participating airlines, or??? Where's the anti-fraud hologram, dangit? I don't want nobody makin' a fake card, yo!

As for "DOT approval", there is no such thing. See this post.

That CAPA PDF is a favorite of mine. BIGTIME failure for the CAPA-certified Depo and TYC lamps, see page 21. And you can download this result right off CAPA's website, as though it's supposed to make you feel confident that "CAPA certified" means anything good!

What a hoot.

(And yes, as has been pointed out, even if the lamp really is compliant, that doesn't necessarily mean it's any good.)

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Wow. This is a joke, right?

I wish it weren't:

Toyotanation
---Quote (Originally by AlaricD)---
Except that the SAE and the DOT did NOT certify them.
---End Quote---
Eat a ****. You know next to nothing about the gen 3 camry. I'm tired of people coming in here and acting like they know everything. Even if this is a load of junk, most people aren't going to know that. And in the end, anyone can put whatever they want to on their car.

Image: http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q154/lynchburgcsi/IMG_0582.jpg
Image: http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q154/lynchburgcsi/IMG_0583.jpg
***************

I cleaned up the anatomical reference.

Toyotanation
---Quote (Originally by AlaricD)---
How do you know I know next to nothing about the Gen 3 Camry? What's that got to do with me knowing about car lighting regulations, about which I have a fairly firm grasp, and which transcends manufacturer, make, and model specifics?


Well, they know it now, having read my post about what the DOT markings on a headlamp mean.

Sure, they can put what they want to on a car, but one hopes they don't want to put useless, worthless, thrash that doesn't even FIT on their car.
---End Quote---
-Because you have 271 posts and your primary vehicle is a Previa.
-Thanks for the info. No, I'm actually not being sarcastic on this one.
-The headlamps DO have DOT markings and DO FIT on the car and are FAR from trash. You haven't owned these, and that REALLY irritates me.

He's not very well-versed in reading comprehension, let alone debate.

As for "DOT approval", there is no such thing. See this post.

That's what I tried to tell them. Do they listen? (Rhetorical question, of course)

One of them (the guy that posted the pic of the card) got pretty nasty and a mod deleted some of the posts from there. Sadly, his posting of that card was one of them. You kindof miss the full effect of the hilarity that ensued. Now I'm glad I archived those pics!

Again, not surprising for the same forum where someone stated that the HB1 was brighter than the 9004 (and got corrected).

 

[Alaric Darconville]

That CAPA PDF is a favorite of mine. BIGTIME failure for the CAPA-certified Depo and TYC lamps, see page 21. And you can download this result right off CAPA's website, as though it's supposed to make you feel confident that "CAPA certified" means anything good!

I thought the point of the report was to demonstrate how these lamps hadn't earned their certification... I don't see the particular model numbers referenced in their list of "certified" nor "decertified" products... In any case, it does appear that particular model number blows chunks.

 

[-Virgil-]

I cleaned up the anatomical reference.

I'm trying to figure out what he was telling you to eat one of.

He's not very well-versed in reading comprehension, let alone debate.

He's arguing on the internet (so are you...just saying...). What do you expect? I'm not going to tell the punchline of the joke that starts out "How is arguing on the internet like competing in the Special Olympics?". If you don't know it, you'll have to google it.

I thought the point of the report was to demonstrate how these lamps hadn't earned their certification...I don't see the particular model numbers referenced in their list of "certified" nor "decertified" products...In any case, it does appear that particular model number blows chunks.

Eeeeyeahhh...somehow I have a little trouble with the idea that two of the primary suppliers of aftermarket headlights would do a completely crappy job on two of the biggest-demand replacement headlights, but would do a really good job on others. This really looks like "epic fail" for aftermarket headlights from Asia overall, to me (which mirrors my observations with many such headlights for many applications). I don't see anything in this report that would tend to make me (or, I don't think, any reasonable person) say "Gosh, I'd better look for CAPA-certified parts!".

 

[Alaric Darconville]

I'm trying to figure out what he was telling you to eat one of.

Well, it's anatomical, and limited to ~50% of the population.

Eeeeyeahhh...somehow I have a little trouble with the idea that two of the primary suppliers of aftermarket headlights would do a completely crappy job on two of the biggest-demand replacement headlights, but would do a really good job on others. This really looks like "epic fail" for aftermarket headlights from Asia overall, to me (which mirrors my observations with many such headlights for many applications). I don't see anything in this report that would tend to make me (or, I don't think, any reasonable person) say "Gosh, I'd better look for CAPA-certified parts!".

Again, I'm not sure the parts tested in that report were actually certified (I'm not sure they could have been, the ones failing the FVMSS108 compliance despite fitting, and the ones that didn't even fit). I haven't found the DEPO or TYC part numbers on the CAPAcertified site's database search, so I figured they failed and therefore aren't listed. Or maybe they didn't submit their products to CAPA for certification in the first place: That report we love so much is dated 13MAY2004. DEPO did not "join CAPA as a lighting program participant" until 22JUL2005. TYC was the first manufacturer to earn their certification, in October 2005-- and only on four products. (That's quality, right there!)

But, otherwise, it does seem suspect that DEPO can be so hit-or-miss that pretty much I'd call them a miss. You're right-- if they failed on the 2000-2003 Taurus and the 2000-2001 Camry, surely they failed on a multitude of other, less-popular, cars.

 

[-Virgil-]

Well, it's anatomical, and limited to ~50% of the population.

Oh. So it was a homophobic invective, even more immature than just the standard-issue "you're a poopoohead". Classy!

(Did you find that punchline...?) ;-)

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Oh. So it was a homophobic invective, even more immature than just the standard-issue "you're a poopoohead". Classy!

Yep. When you can't get your Gold Medal within the rules of the Special Olympics, resort to hate speech.

(Did you find that punchline...?) ;-)

I've known that one for years... there's a meme out there with the happy little boy crossing the finish line. (I know it's wrong to laugh at it but I can't help it, so at least I have to describe him positively.)

 

[-Virgil-]

Yep. When you can't get your Gold Medal within the rules of the Special Olympics, resort to hate speech.

Hey, it works on Usenet, and on Wikipedia...sounds like solid policy to me! (Ooh, but remember, we need to respect everyone else's opinions, because of course all opinions are equally valid, right? Even those that have absolutely no basis in fact or reality or science, right?)

I've known that one for years... there's a meme out there with the happy little boy crossing the finish line. (I know it's wrong to laugh at it but I can't help it, so at least I have to describe him positively.)

Yep, I've seen that one too. Years ago a friend sent me a pic of a dumbaѕѕ-looking teenager sitting cockily on the hood of his dumbaѕѕ-looking Mustang (see here...tee hee...), arms crossed and scowling, and the caption said "Don't mess with this guy or he'll argue with you on the internet!".

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Here it is...the finished product. This is a picture of the wall my lights shined on. Notice the sexy blue tint, caused by the lights. BEWARE!!! You will be picking up unbelieveable amounts of women, so you better buy a van as a secondary vehicle so you can carry them all around, as they might not fit in your civic, since it is a sports car so it is small.

LOL! That is some awesome right there!

However, the DEPO card is what really picks up the hotties! I need to get me one of those so I can totes score with a babe (plus, the S/C badge on my Previa tells the ladies that I'm a dependable family type guy with an edgy "bad boy" side). But first, I need to get rid of my Philips X-Treme Power bulbs and throw in some Silverstar Ultras, otherwise the chicks will think I care more about seeing properly, and not blinding other drivers, than showing off my mad car modding skills by buying mad tite bulbs at the "performance shop" (Wal-Mart).

 

[tay]

Yep, I've seen that one too. Years ago a friend sent me a pic of a dumbaѕѕ-looking teenager sitting cockily on the hood of his dumbaѕѕ-looking Mustang (see here...tee hee...), arms crossed and scowling, and the caption said "Don't mess with this guy or he'll argue with you on the internet!".

Looks like it was a sarcastic teenager, not a dumbass teenager.

 

[-Virgil-]

Looks like it was a sarcastic teenager, not a dumbass teenager.

The "He'll argue with you on the internet!" photo is totally separate from the blue-saran-wrap-on-the-headlights site I linked; thinking about the former just made me remember the latter, is all.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

(see here...tee hee...)

That's hilarious!

I like the part at the end where he refers to a Civic as a sports car.

You can use rubber bands or zip ties to hold the blue saran wrap onto projectors, too.

Edit: Here we go.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

That's hilarious!

I like the part at the end where he refers to a Civic as a sports car.

Yeah, he had me rolling.

Some (or just one) NSFW ad(s) on that site. I closed it pretty quickly when I saw the animated one.

Then there's Internet Tough Guy Magazine.

 

[Lightdoctor]

I just can't believe that someone would put blue saran wrap on their headlights and think it was cool. Are people really that stupid out there? (At leased they don't blind oncoming drivers like those "plug and play" HID kits. Bet he can't see crap with that kind of "mod".)