While I understand the point you're making, you perhaps could've refined your delivery a touch.
I'm not sure who the demographic you refer to is exactly, but it's worth pointing out that young and/or broke people don't typically buy $50k trucks, especially these days when they're all swimming in student debt.
Having said that, the value of any product is exactly what someone is willing to pay based how important that need is to him. Overall I believe any given demographic has less to do with it.
I'll give you an example. I'm a musician who is also a hi-fi junky. Some of the most impressive, valuable and rare instruments, speakers and electronics I have seen have been owned by pretty average folks. Blue collar guys with $50k per pair speakers. That's because those products have value to those guys.
...and here I am, neither young nor broke, but unwilling to pay $1k for a pair of Chinese factory knockoff headlights. If you do, great, but I don't see the value as I don't put much stock in fancy running lights. Now, if they were made by the OEM's factory, tested in all conditions, accounted for in the fuse panel without having to jump a heated mirror, and under a factory Toyota warranty I'd gladly pay the $3k the Taco guys are paying for their new lights. Maybe we'll get lucky and such a thing will be designed into next year's 4runner.
Thanks for pointing that out and I see that my use of 'demographic' in brevity left it open to interpretation.
The demographic I had in mind is the general population of 5th gen owners. Inexperienced owners -- the 4Runner might be one of their first cars -- those who generally haven't modified cars across different value and luxury brands spanning multiple decades to understand the aftermarket industry (realistic expectations for prices paid in the industry). Not all 4runner owners are enthusiasts at the level some here are and it shows in the FB groups based on specific comments, unrealistic/simplistic expectations, and other possible motives.
The example you gave regarding the speakers is a good one. On the surface, speakers are speakers but we both know there is more to it. Numbers are only a starting point and conveys very little about the perceived SQ and characteristics of speakers which is how some determine whether that $50k is a value or BS. Measured numbers don't take into consideration build quality, articulation, timbre, warmth, sound stage, feel, and the many other factors measured numbers can't convey. Once someone understands the difficulty of attaining that perfect balance and decide on what's important, there might only be one type of speaker that can check most of those boxes and that set might very well set you back $50k, thus dictating value to those who understand the complexities and subjectivity of good sounding audio. I'd like to think we all have a dream set of characteristics for speakers that checks all of the hypothetical boxes but does any vendor offer one at a price point that the general population can easily swallow or understand as to why it costs what it costs?
At the same time, say that I've never experienced or dabbled in super high end audio, never even owned a set of said speakers. Am I going to recognize what I'm missing or should be expecting other than the price tag?
Should I be chiming in on every topic offering my opinion to everyone who asks about said speakers justifying my negative comments by appending "...especially for the price paid" when I am blind to the benefits, improvements, efficiencies, and peace of mind it offers over option B and C (if those even exist)?
Regardless of my uneducated opinion on said speakers simply based on price, there is a fixed cost to bring a product to market and it ultimately costs what it costs no matter what I value or think of it. I may not be able to afford the product or value or recognize all of the attributes of the $50k speakers but what's wrong if someone else wants to try them because they think the product checks their boxes and may meet all of their expectations?
What someone wants to do with $50k is none of my business whether it be buy speakers or a $50k truck they may or may not be able to afford.
Car guys who have been around the block know that you get what you get for certain products in the aftermarket due to certain limitations and it is the price you pay for a sometimes less than an ideal solution regardless of whether one thinks it's a value or not.
Short of hypothetical OEM solution for us which may or may not check all of the boxes at 2x the cost, I'm drawing blanks for a solution that doesn't involve custom diy, doesn't look aftermarket as hell, and is backed by a company like Morimoto. Seeing how the 2020 Highlander Platinum has LED headlights but still incorporates filament turn signals, I'm not sure anyone has a clue what Toyota will do and if Toyota will ever produce an updated, backwards compatible unit that'll check every single box Morimoto does right meow.
What we do know right now -- The Morimotos are the only off-the-shelf, turnkey OEM like design, fitment, and adjustment, illuminated by Osram LEDs solution that is an improvement over stock output with other added features backed by a five-year warranty at the $1k price point -- Chinese-made or not. If and when the time comes to buy those unicorn OEM units from Toyota or if someone comes to market with an improvement over these, then I suspect there will be no problems offloading the Morimoto xb lights at a price point that's considered a value to both buyer and seller at that time. Just sick of people shitting on threads by parroting opinions about price in every sentence as if there are better apples to apples options right now.
I don't see tapping the mirror heater as an issue since it's still technically plug and play. I mean, would you care that much if you had to biamp speakers or bridge channels on an amp if it sustains a level it couldn't otherwise achieve?
OT--Although I'd like to provide a different perspective on the part about affordability of $50k trucks/cars... how dealers enable that behavior (buying cars people can't afford) by fudging incomes to their captives to move cars, the topic of $50k millionaires keeping an image that can't be sustained, etc., All that's probably better saved for a whole different discussion.
