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This is flat out just bias now, the seem to look the same. What’s different? Material? What will possibly be affected by different material. It’s outrageous to pay $3000 for headers on a 15 year old car. Because it’s not a name brand product, it must be **** correct? Everyone seems to go away from the better deal, I’m legit clueless as to why. Cheap quality = cheap prices?
Regardless I’ll be purchasing the $675 headers and post my “regrets”
This is flat out just bias now, the seem to look the same. What’s different? Material? What will possibly be affected by different material. It’s outrageous to pay $3000 for headers on a 15 year old car. Because it’s not a name brand product, it must be **** correct? Everyone seems to go away from the better deal, I’m legit clueless as to why. Cheap quality = cheap prices?
Regardless I’ll be purchasing the $675 headers and post my “regrets”
No it's only outrageous for you to pay $3k. You think there is only one material under the heading "metal". Gauge, it's alloys, corrosion resistance, brittleness, compression, tension resistance, electrical conductance to name a few. Type of welding, whether it is back purged, whether the pieces are "mashed" together. You get what you pay for. Not everyone wants to deal with the failings often encountered with sub-standard products.
No it's only outrageous for you to pay $3k. You think there is only one material under the heading "metal". Gauge, it's alloys, corrosion resistance, brittleness, compression, tension resistance, electrical conductance to name a few. Type of welding, whether it is back purged, whether the pieces are "mashed" together. You get what you pay for. Not everyone wants to deal with the failings often encountered with sub-standard products.
I sincerely hope it works out for you.
I already know about the metal, alloys, corrosion, brittleness, etc. but how do you know that the cheaper is worse? What if it’s just the name of the headers that makes the price. It’s only outrageous for me to spend $3000? If it was a 2018 I’d most definitely spend more, it’s a 2003 I’m not dropping 3 grand for an 20+ hp and an open exhaust.
I already know about the metal, alloys, corrosion, brittleness, etc. but how do you know that the cheaper is worse? What if it’s just the name of the headers that makes the price. It’s only outrageous for me to spend $3000? If it was a 2018 I’d most definitely spend more, it’s a 2003 I’m not dropping 3 grand for an 20+ hp and an open exhaust.
When the cost of the materials is more than the cost of the entire headers. Are you familiar with the process of back purging? How it works and what it is for? And how much work is involved. If it was paying for a name then why can't the cheap brands do it too, they are at least as well known.
Tw2 i have aus shop that i got my mates c63 headers delivered 2 auckland 2000 nzd. Think they do longtubes for e55 slightly cheaper mybe 1800 or so..let me know if u intereated. Seemed good quality and and fit..
Tw2 i have aus shop that i got my mates c63 headers delivered 2 auckland 2000 nzd. Think they do longtubes for e55 slightly cheaper mybe 1800 or so..let me know if u intereated. Seemed good quality and and fit..
Thanks for the tip. I would definitely be interested in having a look if you had a link? Unfortunately won't be happening for a while though, need to refresh the suspension of the mr2 first.
http://dpe.net.au/index.php?route=product/category&path=44_56 is the aussie company. They dont have pics up for the e55 so id confirm theyre longtubes but the c63 were and they similiar price so i expect they are. Bonus is theyre designed for RHD..
Their nz retailer is this dude here. Dpe have good reviews in aussie v8 crowd and for m156 righthand drives..
I went with XS-Power and I am extremely happy with the results. Customer service was amazing, and my shipment came within a week of ordering. Not to mention whats most important, my performance went through the roof. My story is a bit the same as the original post. My catalytic converter went, and I figured why not upgrade since I'm gonna have to go in there anyways. And there you have it, vrpspeed.com sells a few options. I choose xs-power and i have absolutely zero complaints. Awesome product!!! Below has a few sound clips, sorry if I get a bit chatty.
I went with XS-Power and I am extremely happy with the results. Customer service was amazing, and my shipment came within a week of ordering. Not to mention whats most important, my performance went through the roof. My story is a bit the same as the original post. My catalytic converter went, and I figured why not upgrade since I'm gonna have to go in there anyways. And there you have it, vrpspeed.com sells a few options. I choose xs-power and i have absolutely zero complaints. Awesome product!!! Below has a few sound clips, sorry if I get a bit chatty.
careful ju55thetop, speaking from personal experience; some members on this forum might accuse you of supporting Chinese communism (ChiCom) IP theft, questionable business practices, eBay slave, or even your patriotism cause your buying these LTH that’s made in China. However; that said, after installing 76 scp, HE, ic pump, split cooling, BWK, 550 injectors, 82 TB & tune...nothing compared to the super cheap Chinese LTH! No leaks, easy DIY installation with no fitting or alignment issue. As you described, “night n day” performance difference compared to my other power mods. Best $800 bucks spent and still had $$$$ left over for facelift mirrors, CF spoiler, CF diffuser, E63 bumper/grill & Godhand CF lip all totaling WELL under $3,000 budget compared to the ABC’s LTH brands. Hummm...13 y/o car with 175k miles, invest $3000 bucks on LTH? I went with upgraded XSP LTH because it was recommended to me by a AMG enthusiast who is also a AMG tech that installed one on his E55. No regret No Fear....got what I paid for and then some!
I’m happy with my purchase, not here to satisfy others viewpoints. Simply providing the straight forward review that I was searching for when I was doing my research. Thanks though!
All of the headers that you've all listed on this thread are thin walled China made systems that are just embarrassing to bolt onto a finely crafted, german engineered car. Don't get me wrong, it will "work" but is it worth all of that trouble? Half the time these systems require you to drill out bolt holes to match up due to high speed poorly supervised manufacturing processes which are done in the cheapest and fastest way possible. The ports don't match the gaskets, and half the time they're blocking 1/4" of the port. These companies literally make the exhaust for Honda Civics using the same materials and quality of work and they charge $49.00 on eBay for them.
For those that actually take pride in their cars and want the best system, you need to spend a little more and get something worth while.
We do make an E55 AMG system, and you can definitely see the quality difference in a properly made system. 304 Stainless Steel, and made in the USA using quality materials.
2006 CLS55 IWC, 2003 Black E55 designo interior, 2005 White designo E55
Not worth it
I remember reading some many posts about the long tube headers and in particular the difference between the cheap fake ones and the actually engineered products from American racing and MBH. Well... here I am 3 years later. For what its worth:
do not buy the fakes.
Hard to fit
At least one exhaust port was partially blocked and I only discovered this when I removed the headers from the cylinder head to do engine work.
Leaks from before the primary or precat Oxygen sensors. Leaks that became worse with mileage and time. Poisonous fumes into cabin with windows closed. A real problem in summer as well as the fumes enter even more via window. Suffocating crap. Headaches, mood issues from the noxious fumes.
car is louder as the leakes get worse. Some noticeable vibration getting worse as leak gets worse.
Not to mention SIX front primary o2 sensors that got fried because car is running rich due to exhaust leak. 2 original ones and 4 bosch replacements. Even the bosch sensor for my AFR Guage got fried. The afr Gage was showing rich condition almost always but it didn't seem too bad and obviously car was running pretty ok.
Not to mention I spent about 400 dolars at the exhaust shop to fix the initial leaks, near the x pipe joints. Visited three times.. 400 total. Headers cost around 600 and some change.. so its quite funny to me that i had this around 70% extra cost for leaks!
so long tube headers.. lesson is this: do not put non engineered items on your car, particularly not a quality brand like Mercedes. Its a short lived experience.. fake items are not worth it, and to be fair its a bit offensive to the brands that actually design and engineer these goods. If we look at it from a business perspective; the research, the material, location of the real estate, the employees, then some profit on top- I understand why the headers can't be 600 dollars. I do understand that not many amg 55 units get sold as compared to, for example us domestic vehicle long tubes. So unit price is higher.
Everyone is free to do as they wish. But this was the first time I ever put such an inferior product on my cars. It is the last. Simply leave it stock if u won't spend more for the quality.
I remember reading some many posts about the long tube headers and in particular the difference between the cheap fake ones and the actually engineered products from American racing and MBH. Well... here I am 3 years later. For what its worth:
do not buy the fakes.
Hard to fit
At least one exhaust port was partially blocked and I only discovered this when I removed the headers from the cylinder head to do engine work.
Leaks from before the primary or precat Oxygen sensors. Leaks that became worse with mileage and time. Poisonous fumes into cabin with windows closed. A real problem in summer as well as the fumes enter even more via window. Suffocating crap. Headaches, mood issues from the noxious fumes.
car is louder as the leakes get worse. Some noticeable vibration getting worse as leak gets worse.
Not to mention SIX front primary o2 sensors that got fried because car is running rich due to exhaust leak. 2 original ones and 4 bosch replacements. Even the bosch sensor for my AFR Guage got fried. The afr Gage was showing rich condition almost always but it didn't seem too bad and obviously car was running pretty ok.
Not to mention I spent about 400 dolars at the exhaust shop to fix the initial leaks, near the x pipe joints. Visited three times.. 400 total. Headers cost around 600 and some change.. so its quite funny to me that i had this around 70% extra cost for leaks!
so long tube headers.. lesson is this: do not put non engineered items on your car, particularly not a quality brand like Mercedes. Its a short lived experience.. fake items are not worth it, and to be fair its a bit offensive to the brands that actually design and engineer these goods. If we look at it from a business perspective; the research, the material, location of the real estate, the employees, then some profit on top- I understand why the headers can't be 600 dollars. I do understand that not many amg 55 units get sold as compared to, for example us domestic vehicle long tubes. So unit price is higher.
Everyone is free to do as they wish. But this was the first time I ever put such an inferior product on my cars. It is the last. Simply leave it stock if u won't spend more for the quality.
Ok, i agree.
But, what if my car is 250k mile example and my header is cracked due to bad engine mounts?There is always value that pushes to certain decisions, i am not spending 2400$ on a 5000$ car, and I don’t want to buy used header for 400$ when i can buy long tubes for 450$ 🤷🏻♂️
If you have a low mileage example with full service history that is worth 15-30k - yes, China headers are not worth it.
But most of us have high mileage daily drivers that enjoy wrenching on their e55.
For each their own.
Ok, i agree.
But, what if my car is 250k mile example and my header is cracked due to bad engine mounts?There is always value that pushes to certain decisions, i am not spending 2400$ on a 5000$ car, and I don’t want to buy used header for 400$ when i can buy long tubes for 450$ 🤷🏻♂️
If you have a low mileage example with full service history that is worth 15-30k - yes, China headers are not worth it.
But most of us have high mileage daily drivers that enjoy wrenching on their e55.
For each their own.
You get what you pay for no matter the value of your car. As you say, each to their own. Install is such a pain I never want to take them out ever, let alone every few months to weld up a new leak. Everyone replaces the engine mounts during install I hope.
Thats pretty much the conclusion, every one us must decide what they think is best for their situation.
For me that is going the shorty route due to strict MOT regulations here in the Netherlands. In other words, I need the cats and don't want to spend the money for custom downpipes and sportcats right now. Every year I need to pass emissions; for 2005 and older cars they measure nox gases. For 2006 and newer they scan OBD and if there are not emissions related errors you are fine (even though they can always decide to measure nox). And off course I have a 2005 car
05-31-2018, 08:04 PM
