02TransAm/Batmobile

iTrader: (32)

I'll be the first to tell you I am ignorant to what goes into the production of suspension pieces and run the risk of looking like a fool but I thought I'd ask: Why are they so expensive? Isn't it jus' a bent bar with some cut-out brace pieces?

Now I know Founder's Performance jus' came out with their $89.99 kit which I think is reasonably priced for what it is. However, I am a loyalist and would really like to stay with UMI as I've been a customer since 2005. I've jus' benn having a hard time justifying the cost of $209.95+shipping for a bar.

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

You pay to play..

UMI Sales

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for your question 02.

UMI's goal is to be the performance and quality leader with an intense focus on American Made quality. The number of steps required to make our bars, a seemingly simple piece, is huge when you write it all down. We source American Made steel, cut and bend our own bracketry in house and turn our own weld bungs out of American Made hex stock. Our welders get stressed if there's a few thousandths gap anywhere as opposed to just filling a gap and moving the piece through. We sand blast each piece and apply an ultra premium (i.e. expensive) powder coat to guarantee your part looks great and lasts a long time. We cut no corners in poly, rod ends or fasteners. We make our own Delrin parts right here in PA.

Some companies do indeed have lower cost but we trust UMI's value is 2nd to none.

UMI Performance

iTrader: (77)

Ramey makes some excellent points in his above post.

The price the others are offering at $89.99 is shocking to us, when I saw this I calculated the cost of this item and there is very little to no money to be made in that product at that price. I know we all want the best price we can get, I don't blame you. However a business offering a manufactured item needs to make a profit to survive, pay their bills and invest in future products. If you do not make a profit on the item you will surely be out of business in a matter of time.

When we price an item you have a lot of factors built into it, material cost, machine time, bending time, welding, powder coating and packaging. A long with this we also invest time into product testing, research and development. We pay very good wages to have Engineers here at UMI to design and build the best product possible. Ramey (who posted above) is a Mechanical and Industrial Engineer with 15+ years of experience in all aspects of this industry. Employees like this are designed to offer you the best product we can while offering you support 8 hours a day, 5 days a week and sometimes more. We attend multiple trade shows and swap meets through the year as well supplying customers information and showing our quality.

These type of extra's are expensive but it is how we guarantee the product to be the best. We also have many project cars and test cars we use to test and destroy these products before you the consumer receives them. In order to have many different makes and models of vehicle sitting around for daily thrashing is expensive as well, but this is done to insure a properly fitting and working item. Over the next few months you will be seeing more pictures and videos of our test vehicles in action. Not every company is able to supply you this type of data.

Besides the employees, service, testing and technical support UMI Performance is a larger manufacturing operation. We staff upwards of 30 employees and operate from a 35,000 sq, ft facility. We are in this business for the long haul!

toadzq8

iTrader: (43)

Would be curious to know if the Flonders Parts are made off shore or in the USA, at that price I don't see how they can do it without being made in Mex or China. With all the $ I got tied up in my car, suspension would be the last thing to get cheap over. If their parts are made in the USA I will be the first to apologize. It just seems too good to be true. I can't even fab it up at home for that kind of $

Founders Performance

iTrader: (1)

All of parts are made in our facility in California.

VinR1

iTrader: (17)

...in other words, that UMI sticker is worth $120


just joking guys

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Let me speak from experience here.

When you come to the market after someone else, with essentially the same product, you are riding the coat-tails of the leader. As many of you know I've had this happen, it's simply easier and cheaper to copy something than it is to design, test, redesign, retest things to get right.

Further things like LCA's and PHB's, and even the PHB relocation kits aren't hard to make. What you are buying is quality, durability, proven results. Luckily for me the parts I make are more dynamic in their action and a little harder to mimic (though clearly folks try).