Thanks, I have emailed them and so far the customer service has thankfully been different to how you describe your experience. It sucks when you buy something, have a hassle with the product and then no-one wants to hear about it. I hope you get a resolution.
For me after testing it side-by-side against my Gavita PRO 600w which I also bought new but at less than the price of the Mars Hydro, there really isn't any comparison. In all aspects the Gavita just blows it out of the water and makes it look like a toy.
And as much as I was impressed with the Mars Hydro initially, I share your same sentiments about the brightness noticeably diminishing. So I will be buying another Gavita and storing the Mars Hydro 1200w as a backup or loaner light.
I will however continue using my Mars Hydro 96x5 Reflector for veg as I have been impressed with it for a while now. For it's price point and performance it represents a much, much better buy than any of the other model Mars Hydro lights, in my opinion.