Savage-wp

I have been trying to get headers for my car for some time now. First I tried DPE in Australia, but they couldn't provide the necessary paperwork that our stupid reserve bank needs.
So then I contacted IPE, and a guy by the name of Philippe responded to my mail. Initially he was very reposnsive and answered all my questions. At this point service was great. I have a friend who owns a Performance parts import business, so I emailed IPE to let them know I was going to purchase the headers, and that my friend would contact them to arrange. He contacted them, and initially everything went smoothly. They sent the quotes for shipping etc. So we paid the money, and they responded to say they received the payment, and they would send us the tracking number once the goods shipped. Then 2 weeks went by with no contact. So we sent them emails for a week, before we got a response. They said the goods were being manufactured at their factory in Taiwan and had to be sent to Germany. We were not told that they did not have stock in Europe. We were told it should take another week. Another week goes by, and nothing. Again, our emails go unanswered. Almost 2 weeks go by before we finally get told they had delays at their factory, but it shipping from Taiwan now. Another week and nothing. More unanswered emails. Another week or so before we get told it's on route to Germany. 2 weeks ago (Friday) we get told it's landed in Germany, and we should have the tracking number that Monday. Since then we have heard nothing. We have sent countless emails, but no response.
It's been 2 months now since we paid them the money, but we still don't have the goods.
We have now given up and have initiated a PayPal refund.

So to anyone thinking of buying IPE, stay far away. Their customer service is shocking.

xKryptonite

When you get your money back, check Friedrich Motorsport headers. They're half the price of iPE headers shipped! I paid about $1600 shipped to my door. Took about a week to ship from the day I paid. And they're identical to iPE.

Savage-wp

I actually contacted Friedrich before I contacted IPE, but Freidrich do not make for right hand drive cars.

Savage-wp

Well, my fun with IPE Europe continues. After getting no information from them, I made contact with IPE headquarters in Taiwan to see if they could speed things up. They informed me that they no longer work with IPE Europe and that IPE Europe is selling a counterfeit product. We emailed IPE Europe to find out what was happening and we also emailed PayPal. IPE Europe then claimed that they broke away from IPE HQ. So we asked what product we are getting, to which he replied genuine IPE. In the meantime PayPal said that they would refund the money. IPE Europe contacted PayPal saying he was shipping the goods so they must not refund. The goods arrived here in South Africa, and we received the refund from PayPal. So we emailed IPE Europe saying that we would happily pay him if the goods were genuine.
We opened the box and the product looked different to the pictures we had received from IPE. We took pictures and emailed them to IPE HQ in Taiwan who confirmed that what we had been sent was not manufactured by them.
We then contacted IPE Europe to say they can arrange for DHL to collect their fake product. He then replies saying that we should rather keep his German manufactured product. I replied saying that the whole delay according to him was waiting on manufacturing in Taiwan. So he is clearly lying.
I have had no response.
We are going to order directly from IPE in Taiwan in the new year.

roadkillrob

Wow quite the ordeal and a good PSA for others thinking of purchasing in the future - crazy what you have gone through and how much BS was involved. Good luck getting the real stuff in the new year.

Slow_c63

iTrader: (1)

MBH

Savage-wp

MBH is great. I have heard good things about them. But very expensive.
My friend who brings in the goods for me did try and get pricing from MBH or a MBH dealer, but had no luck.

Slow_c63

iTrader: (1)

You get what you pay for. High cost = High Quality = High Customer Satisfaction

I got mine for 2500 through dealer.... I dont see how people can afford these cars if 2500-3000 is a lot of money for them. Beats me, at least.

Savage-wp

Unfortunately I live in South Africa, which is the *** end of the world, so shipping costs are expensive. Then factor in our very poor currency and the exchange rate to the dollar. Then we get hit with import duties. By the time I land a set of MBH Headers you are looking at more than 3 times the average monthly salary here in SA.

Slow_c63

iTrader: (1)

You must be very fortunate to drive the car that you do then. If headers are at more than 3 times your salary then I wonder what your car is... O.o

604 C63

It seems to me that there are more complaint threads about header manufacturers/vendors than just about all other products combined.

What the hell is it with headers that there is always something shifty happening?

Savage-wp

3 times the average monthly salary. Not mine.
Average monthly salary in SA is approximately R18000.
Which equates to roughly $1286 per month.

Slow_c63

iTrader: (1)

I meant to correct my wording, just never got around to it.

How much does an AMG go for down there, like yours, for example?

Jasonoff

http://www.autotrader.co.za I bet you a benjamin you can look it up.

Savage-wp

2014 507 editions are going for around the R800000 to R900000. Which equates to $57000 to $64000

Vpatriota

Straying way off topic here, mate. Maybe you haven't seen the post where OP says he was mislead to buy a fake item, regardless of being an iPE or a MBH.

I can relate with OP living in South America, where import duties turns anything into 2 or 3 times more expensive.

When you say "You get what you pay for. High cost = High Quality = High Customer Satisfaction." it sounds like iPE is a cheap company. For you in the US, a couple hundred more, for us in some other countries, 500 usd easily turn into 1500usd. So, would what would you choose?

Now to OP: I've ordered mine from them and everything went well all the way from Taiwan to São Paulo. I've done pretty much exactly as you did. I have a friend that owns a performance shop in São Paulo, and he did all the job. If it matters, he dealt with a guy named Paul.

Wish you good luck working that out. Best of the best.

Savage-wp

Thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear you had good dealings with IPE Taiwan.
I'm going to get directly from them as well.

Kriston

This is Conducive to what I have been saying on here.

IPE / Agency Power / Friederich Motorsport - All are the same headers manufactured in Taiwan.

The European (distributor not manufacturer) Simply buying the same headers at a fraction of the cost they would purchase it from IPE with there markup. They simply by-passed IPE and went straight to the manufacturers.

Its funny - because on C63 Owners Club, a Taiwanese company offered the headers for LHD cars for $1000 bucks for 10 sets. $600 bucks for 15 sets! and they look eerily similar to the brands above.

I have the Agency Power headers for 3 years and no issue, I wont worry about quality too much, they are decent.

thesaintusa

Not surprised on the difference in pricing.

FWIW by ex-wife's in-laws make cardboard boxes in Vietnam that are used to ship furniture to Europe, which is then partially assembled in Northern Europe and sold as 'high end European furniture'. By coincidence the table that we had as a dining room table was made in Vietnam for $100, sold for $7000.

$100 costs
$1500 cost to the 'designer'
$3500 to the store
$7000 to the consumer

Thankfully I did not pay the full retail, but definitely more than it cost to make. A scratch on the under surface which cannot be seen unless lying on your make and knowing where to look resulted in a significant discount with the final price between $1500 and $3500. Store didn't make any money or lose any, the manufacturer replaced the table at cost to the store and STILL made money.

Not hard to see how you can still make $$$ selling headers at $600/set when they come from SE Asia.

shaun.barnard

Oh the Americans do not understand how f@#ed we are with the R/Dollar situation in our country. What is pocket change to them is a months salary to us in their money. Such a shame for us needing parts

layzie12g

IPE is made in Taiwan?

Slow_c63

iTrader: (1)

I would like to apologize to the OP for silly questions and going off topic. It wasn't my intention. I was just trying to communicate. I hope everything works out for you.

To better educate myself, I did some research on average annual salary in S.Africa, which is roughly around 365,000 Rand, around 26k USD. I don't mean to sound racist, but my search stated that was for the white population. I'm not sure how reliable my sources are, so don't take my word for it. Meaning, if an average person was to purchase this car they would have to give up almost three years worth of salary and possibly 20-25% of their annual salary for headers...

Again, very sorry OP, I didn't meant to come across negative.

Savage-wp

No need to apologize. I did not think you were coming across negatively.
You were making conversation.

Savage-wp

Yes. IPE is made in Taiwan.

Savage-wp

They are very lucky. And they have access to an almost endless supply of aftermarket parts.
If I lived in the States I would build a toy with over 1000hp.