Full Throttle

Why are you charging this community inflated prices for virtually the same parts.
Heat exchanger
http://www.lightningforceperformance...roducts_id=319

Pulleys

http://www.lightningforceperformance...&cPath=234_140

Headers short and long

http://www.lightningforceperformance...th=234_132_159

Throttle body

http://www.lightningforceperformance...&cPath=234_135

ECU tuning

http://www.lightningforceperformance...&cPath=234_136

catback exhaust

http://www.lightningforceperformance...th=234_132_155


The craftsmanship is 10 times better than whats being offered in this community for a fraction of the cost.

Full Throttle

It would almost make more sense to keep my CLS55 stock and buy another Cobra.

JonMBZ

supply and demand been covered.

Full Throttle

There is no way im buying that supply and demand makes a $300 header magically cost $4000

hooleyboy

Dont be fooled, alot of this stuff comes from China, and company's just put their name on it. I have catalogs of parts offered from China and you would swear most of the common place mods for American cars, Sport Compacts, and what not are coming from China.

Those headers shown in the pic at Mild steel. Mild steel is like $0.11 a pound. 304 stainless is much much more. If these headers (as shown in the pics) are from China, Its only a matter of time before they crack.

Full Throttle

BBK and Bassani are some of the most trusted names in the domestic community i have had both brands on cars with north of 600whp and they never cracked.

Akademiks

+1

I believe supply and demand of course hold some weight, but a lot of it is simply because of what we drive. For example, I've seen in some magazine a Murcielago exhaust system for over 10K. I think Vendors, wether or not they like to admit it, charge by the type of car the customer has (ie the higher end car it is, the more money the customer can dish out).

JonMBZ

If there was a market for it the Chinese would be all over it. Everyone is out to make a dollar even if it's just a few. So I do think it has to do with demand. Also MB customers want the highest quality materials used for their vehicle, but are also not willing to pay for it virtually leaving them with no options or companies willing to make the products. This is just my opinion though. If I could get some cheapo headers made and sell 200 of them to customers why wouldn't I do it?

bigben320e

BINGO. I don't understand why is it so hard for people to admit that MB and other high end car owners get smacked on prices. It is what it is.

Full Throttle

Have you seen some of the crap parts from some of these vendors? We are absolutely NOT getting high quality parts across the board. Have you seen the quality of a Freddy 3 row intercooler for a Supra compared to a dinky H/E for our cars from some of these vendors. Many of our parts look like they are made in someone basement.

JonMBZ

lol no I haven't seen these parts, but I do know that those CM30 pumps are cheap and comparing them is not really relevant to the types of parts we are talking about. Just from watching Hooley and his development process and his LT headers is what I am basing some of this off of. He put a lot of time work and development on his product I have no idea how many he has sold but I doubt it more than 3 sets. I honestly think he has lost money on the whole thing and I trust what he is saying is legit. He can tell you more in details than I could though. He also marketed it to C55 owners who were most likey not going to put out that kind of money so I see it as he is just and enthusiast trying to give people and high quality option. I know that these don't apply to every situation and I really don't agree on the prices renntech powerchip and kleeman charge for virtually nothing nothing (software) when LET charges half the price.

Akademiks

Exactly. The cheaper (reference to price, not quality) stuff used on Supras and Cobras and what have you are supporting ridiculous HP figures, for as you said, a fraction of the cost we pay to have lesser products sustain less drastic hp figures. It is ridiculous. It's exactly why I've (secretly ) started looking at H/E used on 1000bhp Supras to custom fit on the SL, along side a few other import parts. I figure if it can hold out to a 1200HP Supra, it'll do just fine with my measly 493 bhp SL.

Full Throttle

Those things are HUGE the Greddy 3 row i had on my supra was massive all polished end tanks robotic welds it was a work of art. for our cars a H/E like in the link i posted would be awesome. People in the community are making 700whp without heat soak.

Akademiks

As I've said, I'm looking.

A single turbo conversion couldn't hurt the V12 either haha

I've seen those H/Es though, and they are massive and truly look like a work of art. I can't imagine the demand for Supras can be that much more then that of AMGs, considering both are pretty rare-- yet the price for imports is still cheaper.

khelawanb

I'm guessing that the vendors wont reply. A Kleemann supercharger was $15,000 two years ago. They are now selling for half the price. That's a hell of price difference.

Akademiks

LOL, I remember that.

The Cobra KB or Whipple are around 4K. And net significantly higher power gains.

khelawanb

There is actually allot more involved with the Kleemann system than a stand alone SC. But still, $15,000 is major. Same with the renntech system, and their prices have not dropped.

$600 for a little v2 lowering module remote? I can buy two laptops for that price.

But I might still buy it, lol!

Akademiks

LOL, and they know that, so that's why they're going to continue charging what they do!

Where are the vendors? Why has not one vendor post here?

khelawanb

Lol! I think we encourage this high mark up behavior.

Here is my question.

How do these companies survive? I've been all over the US & Canada, seen all types of cars at the shows and track, but rarely see these things actually installed and used.

JonMBZ

they sell two and are set lol

Akademiks

That's what I was thinking. They sell a handful and move on to the next product they're going to rip people off with...

jagata

Very true, seen a multi-piece wheel company sell the same size wheels and finish for a corvette ($5K) and then a lamborghini ($10K).

erifly

That's all part of the game. . The middle man marks up the retail price..even higher for folks like us with benzes since they know we will "dumbly" pay a premium. This goes for everything. Then when people find out the wholesale prices they go

mbenz1

+ 1

IngenereAMG

Alright, I'll bite. I can only speak to ECU work, since that is what we do.

When I was a just a customer, I felt the same way that you guys do. However, being on this side and developing our products, making them work properly, etc., costs a fair amount of R&D money. Additionally, MB/AMG computers are extremely difficult to get through the multiple layers of code protection (read high priced AMG software writer). These cars are not like tuning a Cobra with a laptop. Many domestic and Asian cars can easily be tapped into, but many of the high line products from MB, Lambo, Ferrari, Porsche and BMW are not. I also will not release a product until I like the way it drives, as I do all of the development driving for our tuning.

When you take into account all the development costs, along with the limited market that we deal with, and the performance/reliability gains that we provide, I feel we are a bargain.