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Supercharger Cost Question

coz0502

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Hi everyone:
I was thinking about this and figured it'd be a good topic for my first thread. I was enjoying a drink on Monday night and thinking about what's next for my car. I'd love to throw a supercharger on but I just can't justify spending that much money on a depreciating asset.

Which takes me the point of this post. What do you think the breakdown of cost is? If you reply and have insider knowledge, state that please.
Let's ignore installation cost and use a nice round number of $8,000 for this hypothetical supercharger.

I'm grouping the cost as follows:
Material and Labor Cost = $X?
Overhead Cost (marketing, shipping, storage, facility, utilities, insurance etc.) = $X?
Fun Factor Premium = $X?

This is the piece I'm most interested in. Superchargers are cool and companies are in business to make a profit. I don't think anyone would argue either of these. But do you think there is a premium added to the cost of the supercharge kit to the consumer? What I mean by this, is how much MORE is added onto the end user's price on top of what is mentioned above? I look at this as a luxury item, similar to buying any luxury item. A Lexus cost more than a Toyota yet many of those parts are the same. Probably not a great example, but I think you get the point.

This is not meant to be spiteful or insult the many people on here who've added them to their mustang. It's just something I've been thinking about and I wanted to see what others thought. I look forward to reading any replies I get.
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jimmerheck

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I have always been under the assumption that you cant have too much horsepower, up to a point. And then my cousins Mustang blew the motor, was supercharged, at 27K miles. Dont know the details, but do know it blew and the motor had to be swapped. That sealed the deal for me to not buy or consider one. I know there are plenty of them out there going strong, but its still something to consider.
 

Brombones

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Hi everyone:
I was thinking about this and figured it'd be a good topic for my first thread. I was enjoying a drink on Monday night and thinking about what's next for my car. I'd love to throw a supercharger on but I just can't justify spending that much money on a depreciating asset.

Which takes me the point of this post. What do you think the breakdown of cost is? If you reply and have insider knowledge, state that please.
Let's ignore installation cost and use a nice round number of $8,000 for this hypothetical supercharger. I paid about $7000.

I'm grouping the cost as follows:
Material and Labor Cost = $X? About $1000 to get my Vortech installed this year.
Overhead Cost (marketing, shipping, storage, facility, utilities, insurance etc.) = $X?Shipping was free. No other real costs associated with overhead other than changing the supercharger oil every 7500 miles.
Fun Factor Premium = $X? Subjective. For me, well worth the cost. The car breaking traction at 75 mph when you floor it is insane. Can't wait to get some stickier tires on it, I bet it is going to launch like a beast.

This is the piece I'm most interested in. Superchargers are cool and companies are in business to make a profit. I don't think anyone would argue either of these. But do you think there is a premium added to the cost of the supercharge kit to the consumer? What I mean by this, is how much MORE is added onto the end user's price on top of what is mentioned above? I look at this as a luxury item, similar to buying any luxury item. A Lexus cost more than a Toyota yet many of those parts are the same. Probably not a great example, but I think you get the point. Hard to tell. Vortech builds their units so there was a waiting period before they could get it assembled. My car puts out 677 rwhp with a bad catalytic converter that was pulling 9 degrees of timing at the upper range of my rpms. Once I get my catless headers, this will be a 700+ hp car. I am enjoying the hell out of it.

This is not meant to be spiteful or insult the many people on here who've added them to their mustang. It's just something I've been thinking about and I wanted to see what others thought. I look forward to reading any replies I get.
 

hemistar1

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why not start fresh with a a new 2020 build from Lebanon Ford? You get a warranty and you get the price of the blower added into financing. A nice PP1 or PP2 would do and then you donā€™t have to worry about engine/transmission age Issues.[/QUOTE]
 

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Kleiss1

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How about having my dealer put a Roush on my 2018 base manual? Warranty?
 

Outnumbered

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I may be wrong, but I read this question as being more about manufacturing cost and mark up to retail.


Material and Labor Cost = $3000
Overhead Cost (marketing, shipping, storage, facility, utilities, insurance etc.) = $1000
Fun Factor Premium = $4000

of course profit is lumped into fun factor premium. If you put a 50% markup before the premium, the fun factor premium added is $2000.

maybe I completely misread this question...
 

GreenS550

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To answer the question, you can purchase a complete kit that will make over 600rwhp for $6,500 right now. Just call Beefcake or Lethal and they will give you a quote.
The two that I feel most comfortable with are Whipple and Procharger. Both entry kits will make good power but the Whipple kit will make more power at the entry price. I know this because I dyno'd my Bullitt and my '18. The Whipple made 100 more RWHP with their stock kit. 625 at 7,000 and ran perfectly. The kit on my '18 made 525 at that same RPM with the same dyno.
The Procharger is much easier to install and you can upgrade to big power easily, but you can do the same thing with the Whipple.
If you are looking at max power for the price, my opinion is get the Whipple.
 

GreenS550

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How about having my dealer put a Roush on my 2018 base manual? Warranty?
I met a guy at the dragstrip that bought his car new from a Ford dealer that put a blower on it, I think it was a Whipple. His engine went under the warranty and they put a brand new engine in at no cost. He was running high 10s with the dealer setup and no issues with the replacement engine.
 

Littleredd

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The Whipple made 100 more RWHP with their stock kit. 625 at 7,000 and ran perfectly.
This is more inline with my eventual plan for the car. 650rwh on pump 91. I don't drag and not much you can do traction wise with the 750+ cars.

Plus, it's hot AF in vegas during the summer. Whatever I get will need AAA+ cooling!
 

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GreenS550

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The horsepower I quoted is a Whipple tune 91 octane
 
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coz0502

coz0502

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I may be wrong, but I read this question as being more about manufacturing cost and mark up to retail.


Material and Labor Cost = $3000
Overhead Cost (marketing, shipping, storage, facility, utilities, insurance etc.) = $1000
Fun Factor Premium = $4000

of course profit is lumped into fun factor premium. If you put a 50% markup before the premium, the fun factor premium added is $2000.

maybe I completely misread this question...
You're not wrong, this was my thought process. Stated another way, is a supercharger just another part in the eyes of manufacturers or is it the "creme de la creme" of the aftermarket performance world that a premium is added because providers know the end user will pay for it.
 
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coz0502

coz0502

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my two cents?!?

if you canā€™t wrap your brain around rebuilding your engine...donā€™t slap a blower on it, period.
That wasn't the question, although this thought has crossed my mind. Currently I'm just under 70K miles and have about a year and 1/2 left on the loan. I love the car. If I still feel that way when it's paid off putting it in the garage and making it a fun car with a rebuild and more power is a good possibility. I'm lucky, I have a friend and neighbor who is a used car tech at a Kia dealership, been a mechanic for over 20 years and has helped me many times with add ons for my car.
 
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coz0502

coz0502

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why not start fresh with a a new 2020 build from Lebanon Ford? You get a warranty and you get the price of the blower added into financing. A nice PP1 or PP2 would do and then you donā€™t have to worry about engine/transmission age Issues.
[/QUOTE]

I'm not currently considering FI. This is a conceptual question for discussion. My background is in Finance and Economics, I've spent my entire career in various analyst and management roles. I'm just thinking out loud and was interested in what others on here thought.
 

GreenS550

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Chris, in re-reading your original post, I realize I haven't really properly addressed the questions you have asked.

The cost breakdown you are asking can't be answered by any of us unless we are privvy to exactly the manufacturing costs, commissions, etc from manufactureres like Whipple or Procharger. It is my understanding all, or nearly all the components of these blowers are manufactured in the U.S. However the long delay Whipple had this summer makes me wonder if their raw materials (aluminum, steel, plastic components) are made elsewhere like China, Mexico, etc. I know the Corona thing seriously delayed the shipment of steel from China and made it nearly impossible to find a new car hauler earlier this year where most assemblers get their raw materials.

In examining the parts I have received and the shipping from both Whipple and Procharger it is my assumption that there is not that much profit in these things. Many, many parts of precision fitment and there must be a ton of R&D, patent costs on top of the manufacturing.

I have had 5 supercharged Mustangs. I put all of them on myself or had it done professionally. All except one I sold for more than I paid for the car itself. Yes, I lost money but perhaps 5-7K and drove them for 1-3 years and put 7-30K miles on each. It is entertainment for me, but getting the car itself for the right price makes it a rather cheap form of entertainment and lots of fun!

The fun factor of driving a car with nearly twice the power it was originally made for and the tire burnings at 50-60-70 miles an hour changes the car to what most of these youngsters call a "beast". It also becomes more and more addictive to make it faster and faster, better traction, reduce wheel hop, and on and on.

I am in the camp that I will do either a tune only or a blower only for power. Done with headers, loud exhaust (unless stock as in the case of the newer Mustangs with Active Exhaust which is awesome).

As far as price, expect to get more for your car with a blower but not more than about 1/2 the price back. More serious mods or exhaust hurts sales in my experience.

Remember that once you supercharge it, many of the rest of the supporting parts are now inadequate to deal with the power. And, as you firm up suspension parts you increase NVH. There is a reason the GT500 costs twice the price of a Premium Mustang GT.
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