Seriously, $2400 for a cat back exhaust?
04-30-2010, 08:03 AM
#31
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My Ride: e60
get it for the price
or dont
:l
...dont see y u felt the need to bitch about it
its a want not a need
take 2 steps back and to the left towards another exhaust system
or dont
:l
...dont see y u felt the need to bitch about it
its a want not a need
take 2 steps back and to the left towards another exhaust system
04-30-2010, 08:03 AM
#32
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My Ride: 2011.5 Alpine White E90 M3 | Black Novillo Leather | Carbon Fiber Leather Trim | ZCP | ZP2 | M-DCT | Navigation | Moonroof | 6FL Mods: TMS 12.5mm spacers all around l Hawk HPS Brake Pads l OEM M3 Edition Grills l Paint Matched Side Gills l Key Hole D
OP, might want to start another thread asking for 535 members with RPI exhausts to posts their experiences....this thread has gone a bit OT
04-30-2010, 08:03 AM
#33
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04-30-2010, 08:08 AM
#34
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04-30-2010, 08:17 AM
#36
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My Ride: Current: '08 535i
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'95 M3 (swapped)
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Swapped '95 S50 with '99 S52 3.2L bored/stroked to 3.3L, kept OBD1
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Thanks for the replies. Read em all and there are valid points. Appreciate the feedback.
So, I suppose economies of scale don't apply to RPI because volume isn't there?
My guesstimate is that break even on RPI's R&D likely came after they sold the first 20-30 of these, max.
If you found out the hard costs on the RPI system were $500-700, would you still feel the same way? Anyone worth their salt knows that raw materials on this setup don't warrant this price tag. However, RPI has a right to charge whatever the F$%# they want....er, whatever the consumer will pay.
Just for clarification, I'm not cheap.
And I'm the biggest advocate of capitalism you'll find (I'm a business owner myself). Yet, my question stems from the sticker shock I experienced when I saw the price. Opportunity cost would likely push me to another performance part before sending a check to RPI....at this point.
So, I suppose economies of scale don't apply to RPI because volume isn't there?
My guesstimate is that break even on RPI's R&D likely came after they sold the first 20-30 of these, max.
If you found out the hard costs on the RPI system were $500-700, would you still feel the same way? Anyone worth their salt knows that raw materials on this setup don't warrant this price tag. However, RPI has a right to charge whatever the F$%# they want....er, whatever the consumer will pay.
Just for clarification, I'm not cheap.
And I'm the biggest advocate of capitalism you'll find (I'm a business owner myself). Yet, my question stems from the sticker shock I experienced when I saw the price. Opportunity cost would likely push me to another performance part before sending a check to RPI....at this point.
04-30-2010, 08:28 AM
#37
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Thanks for the replies. Read em all and there are valid points. Appreciate the feedback.
So, I suppose economies of scale don't apply to RPI because volume isn't there?
My guesstimate is that break even on RPI's R&D likely came after they sold the first 20-30 of these, max.
If you found out the hard costs on the RPI system were $500-700, would you still feel the same way? Anyone worth their salt knows that raw materials on this setup don't warrant this price tag. However, RPI has a right to charge whatever the F$%# they want....er, whatever the consumer will pay.
Just for clarification, I'm not cheap. And I'm the biggest advocate of capitalism you'll find (I'm a business owner myself). Yet, my question stems from the sticker shock I experienced when I saw the price. Opportunity cost would likely push me to another performance part before sending a check to RPI....at this point.
So, I suppose economies of scale don't apply to RPI because volume isn't there?
My guesstimate is that break even on RPI's R&D likely came after they sold the first 20-30 of these, max.
If you found out the hard costs on the RPI system were $500-700, would you still feel the same way? Anyone worth their salt knows that raw materials on this setup don't warrant this price tag. However, RPI has a right to charge whatever the F$%# they want....er, whatever the consumer will pay.
Just for clarification, I'm not cheap.
And I'm the biggest advocate of capitalism you'll find (I'm a business owner myself). Yet, my question stems from the sticker shock I experienced when I saw the price. Opportunity cost would likely push me to another performance part before sending a check to RPI....at this point.Sorry but unless you have done manufacturing then you really dont have any understanding of the cost of it. People think companies get a return of their initial investment relatively early on and that is hardly the case.
Raw materials have gone up considerably in the last 10 years, almost 1000% in some fields.
On some of my fathers products, we had to sell nearly 1000 pieces before we would get any money back, in a niche market, that is highly tight wadded.
t-304 and other metals that comprise this system is not cheap by any means, factor in the molding process to make the shapes clear the underneath of the car, now factor in the other gear used to produce it with performance gains
You are talking about hundreds of pieces that they have to scrap before they find the correct version. All at a loss mind you.
What I will state is that the price is in fact MSRP, and nobody likes to pay that, especially me. I think only suckers pay full MSRP on anything.
So give RPI a jingle or talk to a vendor who sells RPI and see what kind of a discount they might be able to give you if you are genuinely interested in this exhaust.
04-30-2010, 08:35 AM
#38
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http://www.meps.co.uk/Stainless%20Prices.htm
t-304 prices
all 304, hot coil, plate etc are all above $2500 per metric ton
how much t-304 do they use in each exhaust? in each production exhaust? in each prototype exhaust?
that is a huge amount of money just for the material, not even including the bending, welding and shaping process which requires other expensive equipment.
t-304 prices
all 304, hot coil, plate etc are all above $2500 per metric ton
how much t-304 do they use in each exhaust? in each production exhaust? in each prototype exhaust?
that is a huge amount of money just for the material, not even including the bending, welding and shaping process which requires other expensive equipment.
04-30-2010, 09:23 AM
#39
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My Ride: BMW E60
Model Year: 2016
Maybe Big E can chime in, but if I recall correctly, while I was there at RPI, I heard that each of their exhaust system is hand-made.
Someone correct me if I am wrong.
Someone correct me if I am wrong.
