Warn Zeon10 winch

One of Warn's newest winches.  I believe Greg has one.  I was looking at the platinum one for the 44ft/min empty line speed but I have yet to kill my old M8000 with its still great 30ft/min empty line speed.

I do have one and I've used it a few times.  Not enough to form a great opinion, but it's pretty quick and it does carry the Warn name.

Gregulator said I do have one and I've used it a few times.  Not enough to form a great opinion, but it's pretty quick and it does carry the Warn name.  

Oooohhh it carries the warn name you need to snatch it up.😀

Warn name?  Oh, put me down!  Oops, wait a minute. I owned a power plant.  It stopped working and warn wouldn't stand behind it. I paid 475 for my repair work, sold it and never looked back.  Good luck with them...

Which brand does stand behind their winch products?

I've had good luck with my Warn. I'd buy another one.

If the one your looking for is authentic, offer two hundred less than the asking price. A good deal is worth it if you can get one. Just my two cents.

richfroh said Which brand does stand behind their winch products?  

T-max did on my TJ.

Smittybuilt has on my JK.

Even XDyna offered free parts on my previous winch, but we had to cover shipping...

kris_olof said I have yet to kill my old M8000 with its still great 30ft/min empty line speed.  

That winch will NEVER die. Best Jeep winch ever made in my opinion.

I'll admit, I would probably never spend the money to buy a Warn.  (Mine is a sponsored piece)  But, in all the winch debates I've been in, people are brand loyal and Warn has been and still is the most popular brand winch in the industry.  If you want American made, you have very few options.  They do have non American made winches also.

Lots of old Warns out there that won't die.  Jeff has abused a Smittybuilt pretty well and it put up a good fight.  I've had a superwinch that lasted a long time and as far as I know is still going.

I for sure would not buy a Harbor Freight winch.

Superwinch had some really cool features at SEMA that might be worth checking out.

I would never buy a powerplant from Warn.  I haven't seen one last...

Thanks for the input. . .I agree that I'm not going to buy a harbor freight winch. When I need the thing to work, it better work . . .

My basic question is this: The "regular" Warn 12k winch costs $1,500:

https://www.amazon.com/WARN-17801-M12000-12000-lb-Winch/dp/B000182DXS/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1481649527&sr=8-10&keywords=B000182DYM+%7CB00AAKFESS+%7CB004UJ2ZA0+%7CB004UJ3IAQ+%7CB008BYQC6I+%7CB004UJ2ZJQ+%7CB00625F8RW+%7CB00ID981Z6+%7CB000182DYW+%7CB000182DXS+%7CB00625F8QI+%7CB0002Z9T0A+%7CB0002Z9T1O+%7CB0097SUNN0+%7CB00AAKSOWQ+%7CB00625F8ZO+%7CB0002Z9SU6+%7CB0002Z9SVK+%7CB000CQI194+%7CB0097SUJYI+%7CB0097SUK38+%7CB00GN6Z2X0+%7CB00ID981YM+%7CB00GN6Z2WQ+%7CB000OV7MGK+%7CB00625FC28+%7CB004470LOU+%7CB002DK37ZA+%7CB004JMDWBY+%7CB001U7I88S+%7CB004YTOL8K+%7CB000OV9RUO+%7CB000OV9RZE

Then this new "Zeon" 12k winch costs $953:

https://www.amazon.com/Warn-89120-ZEON-Winch-Wire/dp/B0097SUNN0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1481649527&sr=8-4&keywords=B000182DYM+%7CB00AAKFESS+%7CB004UJ2ZA0+%7CB004UJ3IAQ+%7CB008BYQC6I+%7CB004UJ2ZJQ+%7CB00625F8RW+%7CB00ID981Z6+%7CB000182DYW+%7CB000182DXS+%7CB00625F8QI+%7CB0002Z9T0A+%7CB0002Z9T1O+%7CB0097SUNN0+%7CB00AAKSOWQ+%7CB00625F8ZO+%7CB0002Z9SU6+%7CB0002Z9SVK+%7CB000CQI194+%7CB0097SUJYI+%7CB0097SUK38+%7CB00GN6Z2X0+%7CB00ID981YM+%7CB00GN6Z2WQ+%7CB000OV7MGK+%7CB00625FC28+%7CB004470LOU+%7CB002DK37ZA+%7CB004JMDWBY+%7CB001U7I88S+%7CB004YTOL8K+%7CB000OV9RUO+%7CB000OV9RZE

So the obvious question is, where are they cutting corners? Why is the "Zeon" significantly cheaper?

Second question: I suppose a slower wind speed could be annoying, but I don't otherwise see why it would matter . . . ?

My suburban probably weighs close to 6000 pounds,so I don't think I need to go less than 12,000 pull rating. . .

That's a great question.  They refer to the M12000 as Heavy Duty.  It sure is weighing in at 136lbs!!!  https://www.warn.com/truck/winches/M1200.jsp

The Zeon is their trail winch. https://www.warn.com/truck/winches/ZEON_12.jsp

My guess is the M12000 is overbuilt for daily use and lots of it.  What corners did they cut?  I'm not sure.  I'd give them a call and ask.

For a suburban I too wouldn't go with less than a 12k winch.

I did some research on sourcing american made winches a while back when I had been incorrectly told that my M8000 was made in china.  Warn, Ramsey, and Superwinch all have some american made winch lines and cover the class of winch you need.  Warn's VR line is the one manufactured overseas and Superwinch's EP series are as well, not sure on Ramsey.  Outside of the budget foreign made lines, Warn's are made in Oregon, Ramsey's in Oklahoma, Superwinch's in Connecticut and the UK (doubtful that we are using UK built units here though)   Most companies dont advertise what is made where but it is easy enough to ask.  (I have also heard that milemarker makes some of it's winch lines in the US but that may be just the hummer hydraulic units for the military)

As too the price difference between the Zeon and M12000, MSRP on the Zeon is closer to $1200 so the price difference isnt as big as it appears.  Also the M12000 is a consumer version of the same winch they sell for tow trucks so I think the price is tied to the commercial grade components in the winch.

I wanted the Warn Zeon 12s and if they were closer in price I would have gone with it. But I couldn't justify the more than double the price (at the time) of the Warn over the Smittybilt X2O-Comp 12K I ended up buying.

found a guy in Modesto with a "new in box" M12000 for $1,200. He would certainly take $1,100. Still a lot of $$ tho . . .

Brent, Dale and I all got 10K badlands winches (harbor freight) and I have used mine a lot with no problems (besides the fairlead roller's) not sure about those guys. Mine cost $200 new in the box from Craigslist. I wish I could afford a warn but its just not in my budget not to mention I have a good workining one as of now

If I spotted a  New 10k badlands/HFwinch for $200, I would not pass that up...

On Sale...

Smittybilt 15,500 new for $500, includes Lifetime Mechanical Warranty and a 5-Year Electrical Warranty . . . hard to justify the "Warn premium" in light of this:

https://www.amazon.com/Smittybilt-97415-XRC-Winch-Capacity/dp/B00K150X3I/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1481738236&sr=8-7&keywords=smittybilt+winch

buckallred said Smittybilt 15,500 new for $500, includes Lifetime Mechanical Warranty and a 5-Year Electrical Warranty . . . hard to justify the "Warn premium" in light of this: https://www.amazon.com/Smittybilt-97415-XRC-Winch-Capacity/dp/B00K150X3I/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1481738236&sr=8-7&keywords=smittybilt+winch  

Really curious how a lifetime mechanical warranty works with wearing parts that have a limited life span.

I would say that "Warn premium" is the ability to pick up the phone and speak to an american and get replacement parts.

Jeff is running the 15K smitty winch.

I've posted this before, take it for what you want, it's an older article and some of the testing that they grade the winches on is goofy.  But still an interesting read.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/129-1107-massive-multi-winch-shootout/

Interesting article. . and yeah, the "mechanical warranty" must have some obvious limits. .  but at $500 new, I am leaning toward that one. Esp since it would likely get little use . . . I don't see paying double or more for a Warn.

Dont

BLTJeep said On Sale...     

Don't  forget to walk in with the 20% off one time coupon and pocket another $57 0ff that price.

BKGM Jeepers said Dont Don't  forget to walk in with the 20% off one time coupon and pocket another $57 0ff that price.  

And if you had a 50$ gift card you can save that much more.

Order is in for the Smittybilt 15,500! Merry Christmas to me!

Now, if anyone has any advice how to explain/justify this to my wife. . . ??

"It's to keep your children safe!!" is a line I have been practicing. I don't think it's gonna work. . .