Why are headers so much $$?
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Joined: May 2009
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From: Longwood
2006 E55
Why are headers so much $$?
I have been in the performance industry for 15 years and a new 06 E55 owner.
I am confused on header pricing. I can get Corvette/GT500 stainless headers including Jet hot coating for 1/2 the price of E55 headers. Is it just that because it is Mercedes name is attached to it? I can get custom stainless headers made for $3k at several custom turbo shops and seems way overpriced.
Just curious....
I am confused on header pricing. I can get Corvette/GT500 stainless headers including Jet hot coating for 1/2 the price of E55 headers. Is it just that because it is Mercedes name is attached to it? I can get custom stainless headers made for $3k at several custom turbo shops and seems way overpriced.
Just curious....
Last edited by madgoat; Jun 5, 2009 at 03:17 PM. Reason: finished
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From: PA
S600, GL450, GLC 43
I have been in the performance industry for 15 years and a new 06 E55 owner.
I am confused on header pricing. I can get Corvette/GT500 stainless headers including Jet hot coating for 1/2 the price of E55 headers. Is it just that because it is Mercedes name is attached to it? I can get custom stainless headers made for $3k at several custom turbo shops and seems way overpriced.
Just curious....
I am confused on header pricing. I can get Corvette/GT500 stainless headers including Jet hot coating for 1/2 the price of E55 headers. Is it just that because it is Mercedes name is attached to it? I can get custom stainless headers made for $3k at several custom turbo shops and seems way overpriced.
Just curious....
Okay, it also has to do with supply and demand. For every 1 MB header that is sold, there is probably 10-20 corvette headers sold. Or at least that is what most of the fabbers around here say.
By the way, I agree fully with you as I have had custom 1 off headers made for my toys a heck of alot cheaper as well
See yeah
PS: If you REALLY want a price shock check out MHP prices for tunes
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From: Tacoma WA
Bicycle
This is amazing, I to just bought a E55 and coming from a srt4 I am vary familure with the diabloSport. The prices for a tune or anything else is just crazy. This is the singel best news I have heard sine I got the car. I'll pm you for any more details.
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My little brother has an SRT-4 and he uses a Diablosport Predator handheld tuner. Is that your company or do you just resell the handheld? It would be really cool if one could be developed and sold for the E55 for around the same price as the SRT-4 tuner . He only paid around three bills for it 
I agree that everything for the E55 is so expensive. When I started modifying my cars, I bought headers for my MX-6 and GTP. Added together, they both cost less than the price of any aftermarket E55 headers. Some E55s are getting old and many owners are second/third generation owners that did not pay the original 80-100K price tag. A lot of us are not filthy rich, but we're not afraid to modify our cars.
. He only paid around three bills for it I agree that everything for the E55 is so expensive. When I started modifying my cars, I bought headers for my MX-6 and GTP. Added together, they both cost less than the price of any aftermarket E55 headers. Some E55s are getting old and many owners are second/third generation owners that did not pay the original 80-100K price tag. A lot of us are not filthy rich, but we're not afraid to modify our cars.
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From: Philadelphia, PA
2008 A8L, 2002 996TT X50, 2009 X5
Yeah - didn't think it was bad at all, especially given the borderline "group buy" threads that get started around here solely created to drum up business for MBW non-vendors, and which seem to be a direct violation but yet remain (perhaps they're viewed as too harmless to deal with)?
OP simply mentioned that *allegedly* Diablosport is working on a handheld tuner for BMW and MB, that should go for a few hundred bucks and be available "next year" - given the vague generalities of the post, and the fact that a LOT of aftermarket "vaporware" comes and goes without seeing the light of day, I don't get why a moderator deemed the information a violation and "deletion-worthy" - perhaps whichever moderator chose to remove the information can chime in with a valid reason.
OP simply mentioned that *allegedly* Diablosport is working on a handheld tuner for BMW and MB, that should go for a few hundred bucks and be available "next year" - given the vague generalities of the post, and the fact that a LOT of aftermarket "vaporware" comes and goes without seeing the light of day, I don't get why a moderator deemed the information a violation and "deletion-worthy" - perhaps whichever moderator chose to remove the information can chime in with a valid reason.
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Happens all the time here, the vendors do pay the bills on this forum. Well- they do on every forum- but this is the only one that I've seen taht actually deletes ANYTHING the vendors don't like or report.
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From: Glendale Arizona
C55,SL55,C63
The reason why headers are so expensive is... Most headers are small production runs. when you think about Vette's and mustangs or even shopping at Costco. Buying in bulk i will most always lower the price. There are lots of Mustangs and Vettes out there versus the small amount of AMG's.
Small production runs are not very cost effective or lucrative for fabricators and its labor intensive. Jigs have to made and a whole bunch or R&D. Now doing this for the maybe 20 sets or so of AMG headers isnt that profitable when compared to the man hours it takes to make them.
Also Alot of headers for large production runs are sent over sea's to be duped for a much lesser cost. I deal alot with over sea's vendors in my family business and If I want 20 items made they wouldn't do it. Now if I wanted 200 or 500 items then they would do it pending on what it is.
If Mercedes were a dime a dozen like Vette's and mustangs in term or production numbers parts would be cheaper and their would be a lot of choices in terms of headers for your car.
Small production runs are not very cost effective or lucrative for fabricators and its labor intensive. Jigs have to made and a whole bunch or R&D. Now doing this for the maybe 20 sets or so of AMG headers isnt that profitable when compared to the man hours it takes to make them.
Also Alot of headers for large production runs are sent over sea's to be duped for a much lesser cost. I deal alot with over sea's vendors in my family business and If I want 20 items made they wouldn't do it. Now if I wanted 200 or 500 items then they would do it pending on what it is.
If Mercedes were a dime a dozen like Vette's and mustangs in term or production numbers parts would be cheaper and their would be a lot of choices in terms of headers for your car.
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'03 E55, Range Rover Sport Supercharged, Ducati 748R
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CLS55 AMG 030
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'03 E55, Range Rover Sport Supercharged, Ducati 748R
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From: Norte America
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A friend sent me these photos of a E63, it had custom headers made (shorties or midlength?), x-pipe, and magnaflow mufflers.....don't know whose car it was, but I thought you guys might like to see some custom work and pictures are always fun...
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CLS55 AMG
