C63 AMG (W204) 2008 - 2015

Why The Headers for C63 Are Expensive?

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Old 06-06-2016, 04:58 PM
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Why The Headers for C63 Are Expensive?

Can someone break down the pricing involved (R&D, manufacturing costs .. etc) for why LTH with no cats or anything is being sold for $3k? For example, looking at MHP, they sell theirs for $3,495 and their Mustang LTH with similar specs (length and width), is sold for $1,655. Same brand, pretty much similar length and material used, just why the double-ish in pricing?


I hope you don't justify the really high price because of R&D. I work in manufacturing and development as a CPU R&D engineer and we sell our parts for the first year for example say $400, then %10 less the next, %15 from the reduced price the year after, then %20 less from the year before for the 3rd year. How come the prices are not going down for headers? At this point I'm even considering a cheap Chinese if I can find one (Xforce are out of stock right now).
Old 06-06-2016, 05:01 PM
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"AMG" Tax

Look for other options... there are other catless LTHs such as Friedrich Motorsports, Kleemann which can be had for under $2000 USD
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Old 06-06-2016, 05:07 PM
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They have to amortize the development and tooling costs over a lot fewer units.
Old 06-06-2016, 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Ernst V Bauer
"AMG" Tax
This.

Pay to play.
Old 06-06-2016, 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Ernst V Bauer
"AMG" Tax

Look for other options... there are other catless LTHs such as Friedrich Motorsports, Kleemann which can be had for under $2000 USD
Totally AMG Tax. You pointed out the price tiering as the car/platform ages as well.

Right now, buyers of C63's are thought to be relatively wealthier that Mustang owners. Even though that's totally false as a C63 can be had for $30k these days, this still affects the pricing of the parts.

I saw the same thing happen in the E46 M3 market too. At first, headers, a very popular mod for the E46, were selling for way over a grand. Now, even new from Fabspeed, they can be had for like $700.

Just the way it works unfortunately. Just look at headers for a Lamborghini V10, probably thousands of dollars more than V8 Mustang headers even though it's essentially two more pipes.

Is that delta in price justified by the incremental R&D costs? Probably not... but hey, that's just the way our free market works, my friend.

By the way, I really wouldn't get knock off headers. They usually mate to the block horribly and yield exhaust leaks etc. Headers are expensive for sure, but knock off's can be expensive and a pain in the a**.
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Old 06-06-2016, 05:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Ernst V Bauer
"AMG" Tax

Look for other options... there are other catless LTHs such as Friedrich Motorsports, Kleemann which can be had for under $2000 USD
Never heard of Friedrich Motorsports before but now I'm considering them. Thanks! I completely agree with the AMG tax. Looks like it'll keep going up just like our taxes

Last edited by xKryptonite; 06-06-2016 at 05:51 PM.
Old 06-06-2016, 05:48 PM
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I believe a large number of C63 owners in Europe run either HMS Tuning ($$$) or Friedrich Motorsport ($$). They are very high quality parts!

For the Catless LTH, It comes out to around $1458 USD + Shipping

https://www.sportauspuff-store.de/fr...2012/a-126249/

For 200 CEL Sport Cats model , $2700 USD + Shipping

https://www.sportauspuff-store.de/fr...2007/a-126250/

Last edited by gmaschine; 06-06-2016 at 05:54 PM.
Old 06-06-2016, 05:55 PM
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I contacted the guy about these, waiting for his shipping rate. If its $200 or so for shipping, definitely considering buying them.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Friedrich-Edelstahl-Facherkrummer-Mercedes-Benz-C63-AMG/121993355164?_trksid=p2050601.c100085.m2372&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D35356%26meid%3D6dcf0d2ce6904a179c8062989d8f2047%26pid%3D100085%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D391370153822%26clkid%3D5943416176500447486&_qi=RTM2247626

AMG3.2

Thats true, but we are in 2016 and its already ~7 years since LTH production so I would expect the prices to go down by now. I guess I was wrong and we have to pay the AMG tax.
Old 06-06-2016, 06:02 PM
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This will save your entire purchase but make sure you contact them and ask if they have a LHD version available. If not, it won't fit.

Also X-Force (Same factory/region as Cargraphic) is another option as they do have a LHD version available.
Old 06-06-2016, 09:06 PM
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Personally I'd get American Racing Headers. The Freidrich headers look more like a mid length, not a long tube header plus the 4 to 1 is a plain collector where the ARH uses a merge collector. I'm sure the Freidrich headers will work fine, but the ARH will make a lot better mid range torque and power. Plus with the Freidrich, you still need to add the x pipe and cats. My experience of running catless is the car stinks and the rasp makes it sound like a garbage truck.

We are talking about a great car, spend a little more and do it right. But that's just my opinion.
Old 06-06-2016, 11:51 PM
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Originally Posted by glennhl
Personally I'd get American Racing Headers. The Freidrich headers look more like a mid length, not a long tube header plus the 4 to 1 is a plain collector where the ARH uses a merge collector. I'm sure the Freidrich headers will work fine, but the ARH will make a lot better mid range torque and power. Plus with the Freidrich, you still need to add the x pipe and cats. My experience of running catless is the car stinks and the rasp makes it sound like a garbage truck.

We are talking about a great car, spend a little more and do it right. But that's just my opinion.
Are you running MHP headers and cat less? Still raspy? I thought keeping the stock res and stock mufflers keep the rasp away?
Old 06-06-2016, 11:58 PM
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Originally Posted by ArmoE55
Are you running MHP headers and cat less? Still raspy? I thought keeping the stock res and stock mufflers keep the rasp away?
I've run headers on my last four cars that had V8's and I always ran cats to remove the rasp. I chose not to run headers on my C63 because after the tune I thought I had plenty of power. But my experience is that running cats removes the rasp. I'm guessing the resonators do help. And don't forget you will get a rich gas smell while running catless.
Old 06-07-2016, 10:31 AM
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Typically you will see LTH for around $3,500. Fortunately, Eurocharged currently is holding a C63 header group buy for $3,000 plus you will receive a FREE handheld programmer with our V5 tune. Now that's some bang for your buck




Old 06-07-2016, 11:47 AM
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Old 06-07-2016, 02:25 PM
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I ended up purchasing the Friedrich Motorsport headers for $1,459.78 + $105 DHL shipping. They'll take a couple weeks to ship which is ok with me as long as I don't have to pay $3700 (shipped) in total for JUST the headers. These comes with headers and mid pipe but I'll look for cats because I don't want the gas smell and to have a better tone. Currently I have EC xpipe instead of the resonator.

I will write the review once I get them installed which I won't get to do till end of July probably (I plan on installing the carbon intake and have it tuned for all so I don't pay for a retune).
Old 06-07-2016, 03:30 PM
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Originally Posted by xKryptonite
I ended up purchasing the Friedrich Motorsport headers for $1,459.78 + $105 DHL shipping. They'll take a couple weeks to ship which is ok with me as long as I don't have to pay $3700 (shipped) in total for JUST the headers. These comes with headers and mid pipe but I'll look for cats because I don't want the gas smell and to have a better tone. Currently I have EC xpipe instead of the resonator.

I will write the review once I get them installed which I won't get to do till end of July probably (I plan on installing the carbon intake and have it tuned for all so I don't pay for a retune).
Very interesting. You planning on doing the install yourself?
Old 06-07-2016, 03:40 PM
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Originally Posted by glennhl
They have to amortize the development and tooling costs over a lot fewer units.
Correct. Summit buys Mustang and Camaro headers by the container-load. C63 headers? If you added up all the C63s that have headers in the world it probably wouldn't add up to a month of LS header sales.
Old 06-07-2016, 03:41 PM
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Originally Posted by sales@eurocharged.com
Typically you will see LTH for around $3,500. Fortunately, Eurocharged currently is holding a C63 header group buy for $3,000 plus you will receive a FREE handheld programmer with our V5 tune. Now that's some bang for your buck
Good price.
Old 06-07-2016, 04:20 PM
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Originally Posted by AMG3.2
Very interesting. You planning on doing the install yourself?
A friend of mine has a performance shop and he builds cars for racing so I'll have him install it for me (living in downtown with no garage makes it hard working on a car).
Old 06-07-2016, 04:26 PM
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You made the plunge!

I'm glad you chose Friedrich Motorsport over the others. German parts for a German car is such a rare occurrence nowadays.
Old 06-07-2016, 05:14 PM
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Originally Posted by xKryptonite
I ended up purchasing the Friedrich Motorsport headers for $1,459.78 + $105 DHL shipping. They'll take a couple weeks to ship which is ok with me as long as I don't have to pay $3700 (shipped) in total for JUST the headers. These comes with headers and mid pipe but I'll look for cats because I don't want the gas smell and to have a better tone. Currently I have EC xpipe instead of the resonator.

I will write the review once I get them installed which I won't get to do till end of July probably (I plan on installing the carbon intake and have it tuned for all so I don't pay for a retune).
I'm looking forward to your review since this is a much better option money wise. Are you planning to do a before and after dyno run? I did that on a 2006 Corvette I had when I went with LG Long Tubes and I picked up 29 rwhp, but more impressively I picked up 40 pound feet of torque in the mid range.
Old 06-07-2016, 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Speedriven1
Correct. Summit buys Mustang and Camaro headers by the container-load. C63 headers? If you added up all the C63s that have headers in the world it probably wouldn't add up to a month of LS header sales.
While true, there would be more headers sold across the '63' cars if headers were more reasonably priced
Old 06-07-2016, 09:32 PM
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Slightly off topic, but, doing aftermarket parts on American cars is a walk in the part in comparison to German cars. You can do headers with your eyes closed on most of these LS-equipped motors.
Old 06-07-2016, 11:56 PM
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Originally Posted by glennhl
I'm looking forward to your review since this is a much better option money wise. Are you planning to do a before and after dyno run? I did that on a 2006 Corvette I had when I went with LG Long Tubes and I picked up 29 rwhp, but more impressively I picked up 40 pound feet of torque in the mid range.
I'll probably do a dyno before and after. But I'm thinking maybe I should do the headers only at first to see the gains just to compare it to other available brands. This could be a better option in the future if the gains are similar to other brands. We will wait and see!
Old 06-08-2016, 01:07 AM
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Interested. Who makes these headers? I already have the handheld programmer from EC and your tune, would I get further discount?


Originally Posted by sales@eurocharged.com
Typically you will see LTH for around $3,500.
Fortunately, Eurocharged currently is holding a C63 header group buy for $3,000 plus you will receive a FREE handheld programmer with our V5 tune. Now that's some bang for your buck






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