headers at a decent price
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City MO
Nice write up. I know I was not in a good mood the other night and seeing the "SALE" prices just pissed me off. coming from the F-body world where most f-body owners are young kids and do not have a lot of money I got used to getting performance parts at discounted rates by wheeling and dealing. Example, bought a brand new set of heads for $2,500 that were top of the line when I bought them, then turned around and bought same exact heads used for $1,000 for my second TA.
I still believe the prices they charge us for headers are way high and its just because its for a corvette. the amount of pipe is not much different. I do agree in you get what you pay for and will get a set of Kooks or LG's because I do not want to pay for something twice.
thanks for your thoughts.
I still believe the prices they charge us for headers are way high and its just because its for a corvette. the amount of pipe is not much different. I do agree in you get what you pay for and will get a set of Kooks or LG's because I do not want to pay for something twice.
thanks for your thoughts.
While I agree that headers are overpriced and you can get by with cheaper ones than Kooks and ARH and LG, those are the top of the line ones that you can buy. Full stainless steel, merge collectors, etc and the headers themselves are around $900, the midpipe for the corvettes are much longer than other cars so those are $600-$800 with cats. When you take out the stainless steel you cut the price almost in half. People that live where it snows cannot afford to run aluminized pipes on their headers or they will probably rust in under a year.
I checked Magnaflows website for their under $100 hi-flo cats and although they are cheap and flow better than stock, I do believe the hi-flos from Kooks and ARH flow better. Now I don't have any hard data to support this claim other than I gained 9whp on my 03 Cobra switching from Magnaflow cats to the Kooks hi-flos. Then I swapped to an offroad pipe on that car and gained 3hp/5ftlbs. Different car I know, but I was curious on how the Magnaflow cats affected power.
Many people want the best parts for their car and that is what Kooks and ARH and LG and all those other companies that charge $1500+ for their headers + midpipe are offering. You don't have to go that route, but if they were not available then I guarantee you there would be threads on why there are no good, top-of-the-line headers out there.
I am not rich by any means, I struggle and save to modify my car so I want the best for it. Plus, with their infamous names, if you ever decide to sell the headers they have awesome resell value.
Although I'm young I have learned through all of my heavily modded cars that in this industry, you really get what you pay for. Look at the Corsa catback. $1200+ for an axle back system? Who would ever pay that? Yet look at how many people run Corsa (I am guilty but I absolutely love the sound and it was worth every penny to me).
Some areas you can cut corners but the minute that corner comes back and bites you in the ***, you're going to be paying double what you would have in the first place.
I was considering LG's but I am personally a big fan of Kooks headers. Plus I am a dealer so that kind of helped with the decision LOL. I actually ran 2 sets of Kooks and 1 set of ARH on my Cobra and Kooks on my C6. Quality is one of the best, thick flanges so I don't have to worry about exhaust leaks, fitment is perfect, etc. Come on guys this is a Corvette, not a Honda Civic. And I'm asian so that's alot coming from me
I checked Magnaflows website for their under $100 hi-flo cats and although they are cheap and flow better than stock, I do believe the hi-flos from Kooks and ARH flow better. Now I don't have any hard data to support this claim other than I gained 9whp on my 03 Cobra switching from Magnaflow cats to the Kooks hi-flos. Then I swapped to an offroad pipe on that car and gained 3hp/5ftlbs. Different car I know, but I was curious on how the Magnaflow cats affected power.
Many people want the best parts for their car and that is what Kooks and ARH and LG and all those other companies that charge $1500+ for their headers + midpipe are offering. You don't have to go that route, but if they were not available then I guarantee you there would be threads on why there are no good, top-of-the-line headers out there.
I am not rich by any means, I struggle and save to modify my car so I want the best for it. Plus, with their infamous names, if you ever decide to sell the headers they have awesome resell value.
Although I'm young I have learned through all of my heavily modded cars that in this industry, you really get what you pay for. Look at the Corsa catback. $1200+ for an axle back system? Who would ever pay that? Yet look at how many people run Corsa (I am guilty but I absolutely love the sound and it was worth every penny to me).
Some areas you can cut corners but the minute that corner comes back and bites you in the ***, you're going to be paying double what you would have in the first place.
I was considering LG's but I am personally a big fan of Kooks headers. Plus I am a dealer so that kind of helped with the decision LOL. I actually ran 2 sets of Kooks and 1 set of ARH on my Cobra and Kooks on my C6. Quality is one of the best, thick flanges so I don't have to worry about exhaust leaks, fitment is perfect, etc. Come on guys this is a Corvette, not a Honda Civic. And I'm asian so that's alot coming from me
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,269
Likes: 50
From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'09-'10
Maybe it's because I'm an old Fart, my kids call me a Scotchman and other things, but I like bargains and hate to pay top dollar.
I just had a set of headers installed that Forum Vendor Jhonathan_W was selling in C6 Parts at a very good price because they had a few easily fixed problems. They went on with minimum trouble and look and sound KOOL.
I just had a set of headers installed that Forum Vendor Jhonathan_W was selling in C6 Parts at a very good price because they had a few easily fixed problems. They went on with minimum trouble and look and sound KOOL.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 662
Likes: 1
From: hudson florida
thanks guys, I has two Trans Ams with LS1 motors and spent under 500 for jet hot coated Hooker Super Comps. My x-pipe coated was under 300. Can't believe that these guys want 700-1000 more for a set of headers/xpipes. LS1 is basically teh same as our LS2 and LS3 motors. the pipes are bent a little different to fit a vette vs f-body or gto. Don't need Cats where I am at.
Former Vendor
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,511
Likes: 22
From: Southern MD
Well first off..don't hate vendors for the Corvette tax. Most lines we get a percentage discount..so if we get charged more for a Corvette part it is passed on. This is a really competive market..and while you can make a business out of it..the margin gained on the Corvette tax is definatly not at my point in the distribution channel.
Kooks headers for the G8 or even F-body cost almost the same as C6. Stainless, tig welded headers are expensive..that simple. There is no Corvette Tax per say. There might not be cheap headers like Pacesetter/Hooker for the Corvette...but that is not Kooks fault. Personally, I only put the best on my Vette. You can't really compare the price of a mig welded, half *** coated, steel header to a tig welded steel header. It would be like saying.."Man, the price of a Corvette is insane, you can buy a 06 GTO that is almost as fast for half the price!". The tig welding alone adds a lot of cost because it takes 3x as long as mig welding. Also, a welder who can tig weld good, makes more money because it is kind of considered an art.
You want to talk Corvette Tax?...look at Axlebacks. A quad tip stainless axleback exhaust for the G8 from a major manufactuer can be had for under $400, and none are over $600. Yet with the C6, they all run $800-1300. It's funny how there are like 10 threads complaining about header prices for each thread complaining about axleback prices. I think it is crazy to complain about $1600 headers that give you 30 rwhp, then spend over $1000 on a muffler and some tips..that really don't add power..just sound. And yes..I have seen plenty of people do that. And that $1600 is a coated set up with cats. If you don't want coating or cats, the price is much cheaper.
Kooks headers for the G8 or even F-body cost almost the same as C6. Stainless, tig welded headers are expensive..that simple. There is no Corvette Tax per say. There might not be cheap headers like Pacesetter/Hooker for the Corvette...but that is not Kooks fault. Personally, I only put the best on my Vette. You can't really compare the price of a mig welded, half *** coated, steel header to a tig welded steel header. It would be like saying.."Man, the price of a Corvette is insane, you can buy a 06 GTO that is almost as fast for half the price!". The tig welding alone adds a lot of cost because it takes 3x as long as mig welding. Also, a welder who can tig weld good, makes more money because it is kind of considered an art.
You want to talk Corvette Tax?...look at Axlebacks. A quad tip stainless axleback exhaust for the G8 from a major manufactuer can be had for under $400, and none are over $600. Yet with the C6, they all run $800-1300. It's funny how there are like 10 threads complaining about header prices for each thread complaining about axleback prices. I think it is crazy to complain about $1600 headers that give you 30 rwhp, then spend over $1000 on a muffler and some tips..that really don't add power..just sound. And yes..I have seen plenty of people do that. And that $1600 is a coated set up with cats. If you don't want coating or cats, the price is much cheaper.
Last edited by MarylandSpeed; Oct 3, 2009 at 04:24 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 3
From: Goleta California
Well first off..don't hate vendors for the Corvette tax. Most lines we get a percentage discount..so if we get charged more for a Corvette part it is passed on. This is a really competive market..and while you can make a business out of it..the margin gained on the Corvette tax is definatly not at my point in the distribution channel.
Kooks headers for the G8 or even F-body cost almost the same as C6. Stainless, tig welded headers are expensive..that simple. There is no Corvette Tax per say. There might not be cheap headers like Pacesetter/Hooker for the Corvette...but that is not Kooks fault. Personally, I only put the best on my Vette. You can't really compare the price of a mig welded, half *** coated, steel header to a tig welded steel header. It would be like saying.."Man, the price of a Corvette is insane, you can buy a 06 GTO that is almost as fast for half the price!". The tig welding alone adds a lot of cost because it takes 3x as long as mig welding. Also, a welder who can tig weld good, makes more money because it is kind of considered an art.
You want to talk Corvette Tax?...look at Axlebacks. A quad tip stainless axleback exhaust for the G8 from a major manufactuer can be had for under $400, and none are over $600. Yet with the C6, they all run $800-1300. It's funny how there are like 10 threads complaining about header prices for each thread complaining about axleback prices. I think it is crazy to complain about $1600 headers that give you 30 rwhp, then spend over $1000 on a muffler and some tips..that really don't add power..just sound. And yes..I have seen plenty of people do that. And that $1600 is a coated set up with cats. If you don't want coating or cats, the price is much cheaper.
Kooks headers for the G8 or even F-body cost almost the same as C6. Stainless, tig welded headers are expensive..that simple. There is no Corvette Tax per say. There might not be cheap headers like Pacesetter/Hooker for the Corvette...but that is not Kooks fault. Personally, I only put the best on my Vette. You can't really compare the price of a mig welded, half *** coated, steel header to a tig welded steel header. It would be like saying.."Man, the price of a Corvette is insane, you can buy a 06 GTO that is almost as fast for half the price!". The tig welding alone adds a lot of cost because it takes 3x as long as mig welding. Also, a welder who can tig weld good, makes more money because it is kind of considered an art.
You want to talk Corvette Tax?...look at Axlebacks. A quad tip stainless axleback exhaust for the G8 from a major manufactuer can be had for under $400, and none are over $600. Yet with the C6, they all run $800-1300. It's funny how there are like 10 threads complaining about header prices for each thread complaining about axleback prices. I think it is crazy to complain about $1600 headers that give you 30 rwhp, then spend over $1000 on a muffler and some tips..that really don't add power..just sound. And yes..I have seen plenty of people do that. And that $1600 is a coated set up with cats. If you don't want coating or cats, the price is much cheaper.
I agree with cat back statements for sure, never understood why anyone would pay the price for them. Also if you are patient and shop around you can get a pretty good price on headers. I just picked up a set of brand new AHR Z06 headers with catback xpipe and all the hardware including sensor extenstions all jet coated including the x pipe and the pipes from the xpipe to the mufflers for 1600 bucks shipped to my house. Is it too much, who knows seems worth it to me and I am not even sure I am going to put them on the car for a while because of the warranty.
