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.

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

MJ50

modding MB/BMW/Porsche/etc is completely different from modding domestic/JDM cars...
heck, u can do engine swap on Honda for under $5k...

komp55

I don't think most people will argue that much of current MB "tuner" pricing is still indefensible gouging based on the perceived demographics of MB AMG owners, but to compare Ford performance parts to comparable parts for supercharged MBs is probably an apples to oranges comparison based on production volumes of the vehicles and potential market for the parts.

Your former Cobra can be used as an example. According to the MuscularMustangs website, a total of 19,140 Cobras were produced for the 2003-4 models years. Compare that to the 10,702 E55s and CLS55s produced for the USA market for the 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 model years combined.

If I'm a tuner and have the opportunity to spread development and production costs over a potentially much higher number of units sold, then clearly costs (and corresponding selling prices) can be lower. Also factor in the difference in willingness to mod a $30K car versus an $80K car. Now that the 55s are passing on to second, third and even fourth owners, more will be modded, but that wasn't always the case.

Over the past couple of years, some members of this forum have helped owners immensely by either figuring out what factory parts certain tuners were using (and shamefully defacing the factory part numbers from) - 80mm TB is a good example Jangy or by bringing less costly solutions to market - heat exchangers being a good example. We've also seen the price of headers decline dramatically from just three years ago when there were only one set of long tubes (Supersprint) and a couple sets of shorties (Evosport and Renntech) and a mid-length (Kleemann) available at eye-watering prices. Now there are more choices available at better prices. I think the trend will continue . . .

Full Throttle

Moding a k55 engine is not *completely* different than moding a 2003-2004 cobra engine. People are already using stock Cobra H/E on K55 cars now. Im speaking specifically about Cobras and K55 cars.

Full Throttle

Im going to research the total number of 2003-2004 cobras sold and the total number of 2003+ E55's and 2006 CLS55's. Im not so sure the production numbers and that much lower on the MB side. But i hope the trend continues. Im just not sure im ready to fork over $10,000 to build a 500whp car.

BTW: your car is sick!!!!

stevebez

Economies of scale basically ... and limited supply of vendors doing a good job.

Add to that a demographic of a buyer who all else being equal is not exactly struggling.

loungn14

Thats actually pretty simple.

For headers, say you create headers on a limited run of 20 units. Tooling is expensive as well as materials. Now on a run of 2000 the prices on both decrease dramatically.

You simply can't compare 1 piece machined pulley to the aftermarket E/C pullies that are mechanically dampened. There is a lot more that goes into that, and then add in the limited run pricing as well.

The tuning side of thing shows that the cost associated with purchasing the software and hardware just to do the tuning is very high. Split that cost down by limited number to tunes and add in a small profit and you have to tune a bunch of people just to break even.

JamE55

Tough economy = gouging time! lol

DFW01E55

It's called being a smart businessman/woman, you charge what the market will bear.

If enough people object to the pricing, they don't buy the product and the price comes down.


If you as a business owner don't price to market, you're stupid and not making the profit that you could be making.

These are car parts were talking about, not the pricing of pediatric vaccines to the top 1% of wage earners.

I Like Soup

Yep, simple economics really.

aleksandar1099

There is also the issue of the price on the car and replacement of parts if they go bad due to the aftermarket modifications. Tuners have to take into account the cost of replacing big dollar items in these cars if something goes wrong due to the modifications. Just look at Angela's car (benzgal), her engine went due to a tune, and it was over $28k to replace. Or look at my car, the engine went out, and it was $29k to replace (btw thank god for easycare, i mean really!!!!). So the inflated pricing has some bearing to it. Also, there is the type of customer that you are selling to. Mustang owners, (in general, and I am not putting down them at all) generally will not expect the same level of customer care that would be necessary with a mercedes owner. (Ok, I am catching myself being a little bit naive, but its true). Just look at the cost of the car, $30ish thousand compared to over $100k, not saying that it should constitute huge pricing inflation, but it necessitates some..... IMHO

C2 Turbo

Care to give us some details here...

Dsmed

This has been covered so many times before. Do your research on how many cobras vs. E55 have been sold. And don't forget most people that buy a s/c Cobra buy it with intensions to mod it. majority of MB owners DO NOT MOD their MBs. I see about 40 to 60 MBs roll through the door every day. Maybe 3 a month are modded. For every 1000 E55s maybe 50 will get some bolt ons and maybe a handfull will ever do a motor build up.

Next. I just checked the cost of a ecu for a Cobra. Its $355 list. A MB ecu is around $2000. Instead of complaining about how expensive the stuff is, you should buy a couple of MB ecus and reverse engineer the software. Than you can sell it for $399 like HPtuner.

Supply and demand does not allow for prices like fords and chevys. For every 1 benz at the dragstrip, there are 150+ cobras/vetts/f-bodies. So don't compare prices for components that are mass produced vs. parts that are made 10 or 20 at a time. Call any cnc shop and they will tell you its $500 each to make 10 parts. But its $100 each if you have 500 of them made.

220S

As has already been mentioned: economies of scale.

End of story.

If you assume you can do better, then go into the business. But you won't because you can't. It's strictly an economic issue.

TMC M5

i think komp55 and Dsmed both hit the nail on the head.

Tom

MRAMG1

Please inform me of just "ONE" tuner that has EVER covered a replacment engine

I do not feel that this is a valid point as NONE of them would stand up and say, "I destroyed your engine and would like to buy you a replacement".

I do Appologize in advance to ANY tuner that has actually replaced an engine, and would gladly buy them a beer, and spread the word about their GREAT policy.

Now I do agree with the supply and demand scheme.

Even IF there are as many Cobras as E55's, How many E55's actually mod versus Cobra's

I would wager less than 1 out 30 E55 owners have EVER even thought of moddy their car. Were as the average Cobra owner is propably closer to 1 out 3, IMHO. Hence a MUCH smaller demand, and a MUCH larger price.

SSM AMG

+1 If people buy it, vendors will keep selling it.

jangy

Keep in mind that volume has so much to do with it. We buy handfuls and the cobra guys buy warehouse fulls..

Vic55

God I wish I encountered such prices when I modded my E55

But I knew that I could never get the same or similar products for the same or similar prices as one pays when modding a Stang.....

Hammer Down

Do tell how is that working out? what about the larger one?

VaderSS

Dinan replaced my S/C M3 motor... This was even after a BMW owners club track day!

VaderSS

I think a pully/chip will get you past that and some are only charging $3k

JAYCL600

I charga youa a lota, causa youa cana pay.

CLK FAN

LOL! But so right.

The prices are driven by the deeper pockets that are expected or perceived within the Euro Tuner market class owners. Plain and simple.

MRAMG1

GOD bless Dinan

THANK YOU!!!!



PS: a 01 july/august engine by chance