add-ons are crazy expensive

[fartingchicken]

Why are add-on parts three times more costly than they should be? Really, why should a cold air intake cost $200+? Simple add on parts like a headlight splitter cost $100. This is even with competition for things like exhaust and air intakes. Production cost cannot be even half of what they are selling for.

 

[Mr_Q]

LOL!

Dude, we got it CHEAP. When I had my 350z your average air intake setup cost $350 to $600! Cat-back exhausts ran $450 to $900.

Modding Stangs is one of the cheaper ventures out there.

 

[DarkFireGT]

But parts for these Mustangs are more expensive than parts were for SN95's when they were new. Prices will go down eventually, but they really should be going down by now.

 

[fartingchicken]

They are artificially high prices. With competition, say in the computer or digital camera world, prices drop to about 1/3 or 1/4 of what the initial prices began. Competition has not brought down prices.

 

[LV51FER]

Some parts are expensive but some, like my billet lower grille from www.foryar.com at just over 30 bucks is so cheap that I couldn't actually buy the raw materials for that price, let alone make one that didn't look like cr*p.
Similarly, my GT500 spoiler fully painted for $150 just shows that there's a lot of profit in most of these parts.

 

[dvf1973]

well the upgrades on my roush im expecting to be around 20k or so? I dont think that will include labor...yeah oit pretty outta hand, but toys are expensive and its our dumb asses for paying 100bucks for a 10inch long piece of plastic... although we have to remember thecreation and engineering of these parts is substantial and they wont sell a ton of them like they do needed parts, so less demand means a higher price margin as the work to create needs to get paid for...the guy whom worked for ford designing all of their late ninties early 2000s is a younger guy and he really influenced all cars of every make and model, I watched a special on him a few years back and really liked his overall attiitude and drive... 2 weeks or so ago he came into my studio and got a little tattoo by my artist jimmy, he was super polite and outgoing, jimmy didnt know who he was until I brought it up, What impressed me was the fact that as wealthy as he became he was really cool and only made mention of his job once in light conversation...this guys loaded loaded too...moral of the story. well its that someone had to create from nothing something, and a car is a big something, all of the little add ons and misc extras and interiors and aerodynamics...then other engineers have to create tools and molds and so on and so forth to make all of those things, they do this every year for every car, thats so beyond the publics scope...heres a test, sit down with reactive foam, some carving tools, fiberglass mixtures, more tools and create a functionally useable engineered piece, then remaster it and produce it perfectly in huge quantities... now I will step down from my soapbox....

 

[stangdude2000]

Remember, at the beginning of the product lifecycle, they have to recover all the money that went into R&D, prototyping, and tooling. And remember, engineers don't work cheap. Often times companies will start out with high prices to recover the intial costs sooner rather than spreading it out over years and years. It is also a type of price discrimination. Some consumers are willing to pay say $500 for an intake. The company will charge this price until they don't feel they can sell a meaningful number at this price anymore, then drop it to $300 to catch all the buyers that are willing to purchase for that amount. Think iPhone.

Perhaps in the S197 situation there just isn't as much response to modifying as they were expecting?

 

[blacksheep06]

The MAC offroad Prochamber was $260 on the sn95. I paid $460 last year for the same thing on my 06.

Axle backs seem high to considering there's not much to them other than mufflers. I paid 390 for my FRPP stingers. Lot of money for basically 2 glasspacks, 2 tips, and a couple feet of pipe.

Lets not even talk about headers.

 

[DarkFireGT]

Remember, at the beginning of the product lifecycle, they have to recover all the money that went into R&D, prototyping, and tooling. And remember, engineers don't work cheap. Often times companies will start out with high prices to recover the intial costs sooner rather than spreading it out over years and years. It is also a type of price discrimination. Some consumers are willing to pay say $500 for an intake. The company will charge this price until they don't feel they can sell a meaningful number at this price anymore, then drop it to $300 to catch all the buyers that are willing to purchase for that amount. Think iPhone.

Perhaps in the S197 situation there just isn't as much response to modifying as they were expecting?

More people are modding S197's than SN95's or Fox's were being done when they first came out. The problem is these companies are greedy. Most of their products have been out for several years and they've sold thousands, yet still retain high pricing. There's a set or two of axlebacks out there that cost $600. Headers for over $1500! No drop in supercharger pricing. It's not like they reinvented the wheel. Most of the parts were just adapted from previous models. It is a problem and it isn't normal for the Mustang market.

 

[blacksheep06]

More people are modding S197's than SN95's or Fox's were being done when they first came out. The problem is these companies are greedy. Most of their products have been out for several years and they've sold thousands, yet still retain high pricing. There's a set or two of axlebacks out there that cost $600. Headers for over $1500! No drop in supercharger pricing. It's not like they reinvented the wheel. Most of the parts were just adapted from previous models. It is a problem and it isn't normal for the Mustang market.

I agree with darkfire as far as R&D goes, "they aren't reinventing the wheel".

Plus we're already in the 4th model year of this generation now and the prices aren't dropping on much stuff.

 

[sohcman]

We actually have it pretty good.

Some parts are a little high... wait and they'll come down a few bucks.

Don't wait, and enjoy your car now.

What's $20?

The more we buy, the more different products they design.

And we have the benefit of many parts fitting both the V6 and GT models.

Go price a custom dual exhaust for a Porsche 911.

Saw one over $4,000

We got it pretty good.


SOHC

 

[DarkFireGT]

We actually have it pretty good.

Some parts are a little high... wait and they'll come down a few bucks.

Don't wait, and enjoy your car now.

What's $20?

The more we buy, the more different products they design.

And we have the benefit of many parts fitting both the V6 and GT models.

Go price a custom dual exhaust for a Porsche 911.

Saw one over $4,000

We got it pretty good.


SOHC

There's a very tiny market for 911 stuff. So not only is there no competition, there's not buyers. There's plenty of competition and buyers for products for S197's. There's no reason we should be paying these prices for S197 stuff. As stated, we are going on the 4th model year. SN95 stuff is half the price (sometimes less) than S197 stuff, and it was never this high to begin with. It's just like ADM's on the Shelby's. Dealers and parts manufacturers are screwing us over.

Those who don't agree have obviously never owned a Mustang from a previous generation, and don't realize how cheap parts are supposed to be. Pypes and SHR seem to be the only good values in S197 parts. Everything else is overpriced.

SHR's louvers are made of lexan and completely replace the rear window. Most companies sell cheap ABS stick-ons for more than SHR sells theirs for. CDC, Roush, Saleen, Street Scene, etc... They all sell their stick-on ABS plastic louvers and scoops for more than SHR's lexan louvers. And they've all sold more than SHR has because they've been on the market longer. Corporate America is getting greedy, and it's swallowing it's consumers whole.

 

[Swordsman]

I agree completely, but this fact remains: it's our fault. We don't HAVE to have any of this stuff. Every time you buy an overpriced item, you're encouraging their behavior. They don't care if you like the price, they only care if you paid or not. If they continue to sell a satisfactory number of units, why ever bother lowering the price?

~SM

 

[DarkFireGT]

I agree completely, but this fact remains: it's our fault. We don't HAVE to have any of this stuff. Every time you buy an overpriced item, you're encouraging their behavior. They don't care if you like the price, they only care if you paid or not. If they continue to sell a satisfactory number of units, why ever bother lowering the price?

~SM

That's why I don't have cams, heads, supercharger or longtubes.

 

[blacksheep06]

The s197 is a hot item with a lot of enthusiasts and the aftermarket knows just how enthusiastic we are about these cars. That's the reason for the prices on this model.

 

[BREDn07]

blacksheep nailed it! +100 for that bro...it's called supply and demand, ever since the mustang was re-designed 05' the aftermarket world was happy.. they saw $$$ signs...we have it cheap! my exhaust (cat-back) for my civic 10yrs ago was $700, with $700 for my stang now i bought the whole exhaust set-up from the block to the rear end.

Darkfire you made a lot of strong points...

like the saying goes "you gotta pay to play" and plus here's the problem too, let's ask ourselves "is it a want or need" ,did we need a new mustang or we wanted one, i'm guilty both ways my lease was up on my 04' plus i wanted the mustang, did i need the aftermarket stuff..NO and of course i wanted the stuff. So with that said... we have to pay to play or sit on the bleachers.

 

[fartingchicken]

nope

Nope, we don't have it cheap. $80 for a decal, $100 for a headlight splitter, $1000 cam, $5800 supercharger, $400 for axlebacks (counting the shipping), $600, counting the shipping for shocks/struts. I see hood pins for $60, when I paid what, $8 in the 70s? Nope, we don't have to have it, but I don't like bumpy rides, slower than expected acceleration, etc. I'll buy some of the stuff, but most of it I'll pass by. There has to be some demand to show people want it, but not such a buy-in that they think they can keep charging too much. It looks to me like price agreements/fixing amongst the different suppliers.
The bottom-line goal of sales is to make you dissatisfied with what you have, and get you to want and buy what they are selling.

 

[gashog]

Nope, we don't have it cheap. $80 for a decal, $100 for a headlight splitter, $1000 cam, $5800 supercharger, $400 for axlebacks (counting the shipping), $600, counting the shipping for shocks/struts. I see hood pins for $60, when I paid what, $8 in the 70s? Nope, we don't have to have it, but I don't like bumpy rides, slower than expected acceleration, etc. I'll buy some of the stuff, but most of it I'll pass by. There has to be some demand to show people want it, but not such a buy-in that they think they can keep charging too much. It looks to me like price agreements/fixing amongst the different suppliers.
The bottom-line goal of sales is to make you dissatisfied with what you have, and get you to want and buy what they are selling.

It could be worse.

but yeah, the parts are pricey. they'll come down bud, don't worry.

 

[BREDn07]

your totally right fartingchcken...what was a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk and gas in the 70's, we got people buying bottled water these days all of a sudden we are paying for drinking water, did that happen back in the 70's...these companies are not in it for giggles they are in it for PROFIT! they are thinking the same way they have to spend a lot of money to stay on top or get smoked by the guys next door and it cost millions from R&D to production and then marketing, some companies break even some make millions..it works hand in hand...there's prices out there that don't make sense like JBA, Bassani! what are you really paying for a nice looking weld, the finish of the product! i paid $199 for axle backs and they work fine, of course people out there will tell you different, that's what they want you to do, word of mouth is the best advertising out there! just because you buy air jordans, doesn't mean you'll play like him but you'll look good in them, right!. i don't know your finances you just have to pick and choose where your money goes, that's life in general

 

[blacksheep06]

ever since the mustang was re-designed 05' the aftermarket world was happy.. they saw $$$ signs...

Especially when they saw people paying thousands OVER msrp for a 05 Mustang GT in 2004. They new they had themselves a cash cow from that moment on.