Why are axlebacks so expensive?

[RockStang]

There is no reason for the costs. I'm sure they all have plenty of excuses about R&D BS but that's such a tired excuse. It's economics. The economy goes down so less people buy things. Manufacturers and distributors raise prices to keep or improve profits and margins. Even less people buy, prices go up further. Idiotic, but it happens. New car prices are a perfect example but as long as people keep buying them for 50% more than the actual cost, the prices will continue to go up until the bubble bursts.

And then you have manufacturers like we are talking about. They are just greedy and know that people will pay the ridiculous prices. If only they realized they could sell twice the product by reducing the price by around 25%. They may not be interested in having their exhaust on every car though. Who knows I guess.

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[kray]

$549.00 delivered to my door for the Roush AB didn't seem all that bad to me compared to some others. Still fairly expensive but the change in attitude that it gave to my car was well worth the price. The stock exhaust just isn't a Mustang in my opinion. If I had a 2014 probably would have left it stock. They have a nice sound stock.

 

[dgc333]

How does it sound? Any videos?

I have an Ecoboost, it was no louder than stock at idle and cruise with a noticeable deep sound at WOT. I latter removed the resonator. That gave some tone at idle while still being quiet at cruise. It is much louder at WOT but not so much that it becomes annoying.

For a daily driver it is about perfect.

 

[craigsix]

got my gibson for $575

 

[powerhogger]

They are expensive because there are idiots like me out there willing to buy them at outrageous prices

 

[mustang_guy]

Its the cost of modding cars these days. The days of cheap bolt on foxbody stuff is long gone. Cant affford it, dont mod it. Complaining solves nothing. There's good options out there for cheaper for those that just want more sound. Mbrp, Mrt, gibson etc.

 

[beefcake]

Another reason I am going w Stainless Works, like the design for one, price point & heard good reviews from a few vendors out there including Beefcake.

Let me know

 

[CM581978]

still almost half the price of catbacks

 

[ForTehNguyen]

get MBRP, cant beat that price for a catback

 

[w3bb3r04]

Going to feel good to have a Stainless Power/MBRP full exhaust for the price of some of the catbacks on the market. Im not about to spend $3k on full exhaust but if someone wants to give me a full ARH system Ill run it. lol

 

[Starman]

It took many years for me to come to the absolute real conclusion that anything related to the "car" industry is nothing more then utter corruption... full of scam artists everywhere.

From the manufacturer to the dealer all the way into maint shops and part... *everything* is corrupt.

Every time I need to do anything with a car (buy a new one, get one serviced, look into aftermarket install) I run into absolutely blistering and uncanny scam artists.

for example, I just went into a local shop known for doing local Mustangs and they wanted to charge me 5+ hours of shop time at $100 an hour to install springs. Everyone here says at the absolute max it should take them 3 hours and 2 is the most realistic.

No many people really *know* cars so the vast amount of scamming that goes on out there to the general public has to be crazy...

We all know its true and the majority of people here are car smart enough to catch these scams in the act.


These exhaust systems are probably made for ~$50 each and shipped from their manufacturer in China.

 

[Cascadia_302]

I learned a long time ago that this car crap can be expensive. So I figured the best way to off-set some of the labor expenses was to learn to do some of these jobs (that don't need super specialized tools or equipement) myself. It's a hell of alot easier these days with the internet, youtube, etc than it was years back when I had to buy manuals, or books, or go to libraries for service info.
I know not everyone is cutout for this stuff but it was something I could save money on. Just buying parts can be expensive enough.

 

[ScottsGT]

It took many years for me to come to the absolute real conclusion that anything related to the "car" industry is nothing more then utter corruption... full of scam artists everywhere.

From the manufacturer to the dealer all the way into maint shops and part... *everything* is corrupt.

Every time I need to do anything with a car (buy a new one, get one serviced, look into aftermarket install) I run into absolutely blistering and uncanny scam artists.

for example, I just went into a local shop known for doing local Mustangs and they wanted to charge me 5+ hours of shop time at $100 an hour to install springs. Everyone here says at the absolute max it should take them 3 hours and 2 is the most realistic.

No many people really *know* cars so the vast amount of scamming that goes on out there to the general public has to be crazy...

We all know its true and the majority of people here are car smart enough to catch these scams in the act.


These exhaust systems are probably made for ~$50 each and shipped from their manufacturer in China.

One does have to be extremely careful these days. As far as the 5 hours on the springs, they are probably charging "book" time. Just like we had in the autobody industry, there are published figures shops use on time. It all adds up. If you are a crappy, slow mechanic/body man you barely survive. If you are good, know how to take proper shortcuts, you can make good money. Ex: Co-worker had an old early '90's S-10 Blazer he was trying to swap the motor in. He has zero ability to think through a mechanical situation and he read the service manual and insisted the motor had to be pulled as per the book. The top two bolts in the bellhousing hit the firewall. Book said to unbolt the body from the frame and lift the body 3" to pull the bolts out.
I told him to loosen the bolts, pull the motor forward away from the bellhousing and then loosen more. Eventually, he would have his block free without spending an extra 8 hours removing the body from the chassis.
He came in the next Monday and said. "Hey, that little trick really worked!"

Son has a friend, a really stupid friend with wealthy parents that are in their 90's. Kid drives a beat to crap '96 V6 Mustang convertible. His trans went out and my son gave him the name of a great shop that just rebuilt his V8 trans in his '95 GT. We paid $1600.
This "general Mechanic" shop supposedly rebuilt his trans and then they changed all the bulbs in all the lights and all the fuses.:eyebulge: You know, because they were old and about to go out. Preventative maintenance and all that shit. Oh, to the tune of $4000 for a $1500 car.

I learned a long time ago that this car crap can be expensive. So I figured the best way to off-set some of the labor expenses was to learn to do some of these jobs (that don't need super specialized tools or equipement) myself. It's a hell of alot easier these days with the internet, youtube, etc than it was years back when I had to buy manuals, or books, or go to libraries for service info.
I know not everyone is cutout for this stuff but it was something I could save money on. Just buying parts can be expensive enough.

Keep in mind some of those expensive specialized tools can be rented for free too!
I've learned that going cheap on parts have bit me in the ass many times. I was a really faithful Advance Auto shopper. Until every damned thing I bought went bad after a 6 month time period or less. From bad machining on water pump faces where they blow out gaskets constantly, to brake boosters that fail after 6 weeks. I once went through 4 alternators for a Lexus before I got a refund and went to O'Reillys for one. It lasted until he killed the car. Lifetime warranties are great to offer, but I don't care to be doing the same repair every damned weekend!

 

[rumble]

Has anyone tried the jba axle backs, they are 414.00. Just wondering.

 

[Major League Infidel]

Across the board, exhaust systems are high. Overhead to run a business is a bitch. But price a '05-'14 exhaust to a '15-'16 and look at the difference.

I think some of that has to do with what's included with the exhausts now. when I put headers on my 03 cobra they were roughly 500 bucks brand new in 04. then I had to buy the mid pipe which was another 400-500 IIRC and then the borla stingers were 700. so catbacks for the 15s are in the 1k-1500 range depending on what you chose and I was into the x pipe and Borlas(for my 03 Cobra) then for 1200-1300.

for me its a better bang for the buck to go ahead and do a full catback considering axle back pricing.

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