Engineering update: Alpha 5.5L Biturbo Carbon Fiber Intake System FIRST PROTOTYPE
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 35
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From: NW Indiana, southern tip of Lake Michigan
2014 e63, 2012 Callaway Yukon XL Denali, 1971 BMW 2002, 1968 280se, 1961 T-Bird Convertible
Looks amazing and I am sure there will be good gains, but no reason this needs to cost near 5K even in carbon. CF is not really that expensive, and once you have the plug and molds made, knock them out is easy and cheap as any other composite. The lower airbox looks 3d printed and could be done for cheap that way. Creating an injection mold for it would be big tooling costs, but lots of materials in the 3D printing world would hold up just fine. With all the spare manufacturing capacity out there, these could be done and profitable for under 3K, which is what I think the right price for them would be.
You're talking like someone who is making parts for friends. AMS runs a business and they've set price points like a business.
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From: miami / delray beach
2014 E63s amg 4matic, 2009 C63, 2006 E55 AMG , 2001.5 AUDI S4 stg 3+ w/meth
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From: Toronto
CLS63 PP
And a business only makes money when people buy stuff from them, which at 5k you will have less people buying than at 3k. As a business they need to price at the point people see enough value to purchase it. The most these prices should cost to make are $1000 to $1200. Selling 5@ $5k might net them 20k profit. Selling 15 @ $3k makes them 30k profit possibly in a shorter time. I'd buy one tomorrow at 3k, never at 5k. See how that works.
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Mercedes
There definitely is power to be made from changing out bridge pipe. It's probably the single most restrictive part of the exhaust.
The compromise is physical space, as the factory design allows changing engine mounts much easier (and of course cost, lol)
The compromise is physical space, as the factory design allows changing engine mounts much easier (and of course cost, lol)
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From: Russia
GTR
