Why are Corvette headers so overpriced???
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 172
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From: Thousand Oaks, CA
Why are Corvette headers so overpriced??? I guess this is more of a vent...but the lowest price I can find for brand new C5 headers are the Jet-Hot's at $679 and on average they are $850 for a set of Kooks, TPIS or other similar going all the way up to $1,200 just for headers!!! 
As you can see from my sig, I'm a previous F-body owner and the headers on the F-body are pretty much identical to the Y-body just different routing of tubing...
And when sellers are selling used ones they are wanting/getting around %75 of the new cost...
On that note...anyone have a good deal on C5 headers?
Thanks
As you can see from my sig, I'm a previous F-body owner and the headers on the F-body are pretty much identical to the Y-body just different routing of tubing...
And when sellers are selling used ones they are wanting/getting around %75 of the new cost...
On that note...anyone have a good deal on C5 headers?
Thanks
12 Second Club
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
From: Dayton, Ohio
One factor is the use of S.S. on most syetems. The Jethots are carbon steel that have een coated. Most of the cheaper LT's will be this set-up. I believe the LT's for the Y-body are longer than the LT's for the F-body. If you look under a C5 with LG's or Dynamaxx systems you will see that the primary tubes extend past the oile pan to almost the torque tibe tunnal area. This extra material may be part of the price. One thing you must accept now that you have a Corvette, is the Corvette Tax. Look around here and on the Corvette forum you can pick up LT's used at a fair price. I am consdering the Dynamaxx system for my Vette and the price is 1295.00 delivered from one vendor. This sysem includes LT's, High flow Cats, and a new mid section pipe to conect to the factory Cat-back. For a new system thats not too bad of a price.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 172
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From: Thousand Oaks, CA
Originally Posted by ROJO99
One factor is the use of S.S. on most syetems. The Jethots are carbon steel that have een coated. Most of the cheaper LT's will be this set-up. I believe the LT's for the Y-body are longer than the LT's for the F-body. If you look under a C5 with LG's or Dynamaxx systems you will see that the primary tubes extend past the oile pan to almost the torque tibe tunnal area. This extra material may be part of the price. One thing you must accept now that you have a Corvette, is the Corvette Tax. Look around here and on the Corvette forum you can pick up LT's used at a fair price. I am consdering the Dynamaxx system for my Vette and the price is 1295.00 delivered from one vendor. This sysem includes LT's, High flow Cats, and a new mid section pipe to conect to the factory Cat-back. For a new system thats not too bad of a price.
I think the LG's, Dynomax and the like are worth the money for the longer primaries and nice X-pipe and/or cats... I guess nobody makes a "cheap priced" header...
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Thanks!! i'm glad i'm not the only one that was thinking this.. do any of the headers get signifigant gains over the others.. i was told by one shop in hosuton that will remain nameless that kooks regularly gain 20hp over TPIS headers i was thinking of getting used.. i rolled my eyes and walked out.
too bad fbody headers won't work you can pick up a set for $350 and gain 30rwhp lol
spend 4x that for the same gain is nuts!
also have a question.. which X-pipe works best and has best clearence.. i'm thinkin of doing dual cutouts.. i noticed most vette owners don't do cutouts guess i'm a lil ghetto i'd like the sound w/ the g5x3 extra lopey sound and probably gain a lil bit of top end
too bad fbody headers won't work you can pick up a set for $350 and gain 30rwhp lol
spend 4x that for the same gain is nuts!
also have a question.. which X-pipe works best and has best clearence.. i'm thinkin of doing dual cutouts.. i noticed most vette owners don't do cutouts guess i'm a lil ghetto i'd like the sound w/ the g5x3 extra lopey sound and probably gain a lil bit of top end
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
From: Thousand Oaks, CA
Originally Posted by Insomniak
Thanks!! i'm glad i'm not the only one that was thinking this.. do any of the headers get signifigant gains over the others.. i was told by one shop in hosuton that will remain nameless that kooks regularly gain 20hp over TPIS headers i was thinking of getting used.. i rolled my eyes and walked out.
too bad fbody headers won't work you can pick up a set for $350 and gain 30rwhp lol
spend 4x that for the same gain is nuts!
also have a question.. which X-pipe works best and has best clearence.. i'm thinkin of doing dual cutouts.. i noticed most vette owners don't do cutouts guess i'm a lil ghetto i'd like the sound w/ the g5x3 extra lopey sound and probably gain a lil bit of top end
too bad fbody headers won't work you can pick up a set for $350 and gain 30rwhp lol
spend 4x that for the same gain is nuts!
also have a question.. which X-pipe works best and has best clearence.. i'm thinkin of doing dual cutouts.. i noticed most vette owners don't do cutouts guess i'm a lil ghetto i'd like the sound w/ the g5x3 extra lopey sound and probably gain a lil bit of top end
Yeah, I think there are minimal differences in HP gains over each header. IMO the only ones that will really cause an affect on HP and TQ are the LG's and the Kook's 1 7/8's because of their design and/or size.
Typically you want to go with a "blended" x-pipe rather than a "true" x pipe. An example of the blended version is a Dr gas or what comes in the Kooks X or the LG X.
just to correct you because i feel its necessary. TPiS is the company having their design ripped off, not the other way around. yes it matters i believe its completely wrong what Jet Hot is doing, especially since TPiS was using jet Hot for their coatings. they no longer do.
as for certain LT headers making more power than others, thats crap so long as the primary tube diameters are the same.
as for certain LT headers making more power than others, thats crap so long as the primary tube diameters are the same.
TECH Regular
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 402
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From: STL
Yup, there is hardly any noticeable difference between all the LT headers, in terms of HP gains. It's all marketing ploy.
The biggest difference that I could think of is, it's fitment, type of metal/coating, and finish.
Oh, I have TPIS w/Jet Hot coating LT headers that I need to install. Just need to find some time and get off of my lazy *** and get them installed.
I paid $600 delivered for TPIS, they are brand new. The guy that I bought from sold his vette before installing this headers and just wanted to get rid of them.
The biggest difference that I could think of is, it's fitment, type of metal/coating, and finish.
Oh, I have TPIS w/Jet Hot coating LT headers that I need to install. Just need to find some time and get off of my lazy *** and get them installed.
I paid $600 delivered for TPIS, they are brand new. The guy that I bought from sold his vette before installing this headers and just wanted to get rid of them.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 172
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From: Thousand Oaks, CA
Originally Posted by Snow Dog
just to correct you because i feel its necessary. TPiS is the company having their design ripped off, not the other way around. yes it matters i believe its completely wrong what Jet Hot is doing, especially since TPiS was using jet Hot for their coatings. they no longer do.
as for certain LT headers making more power than others, thats crap so long as the primary tube diameters are the same.
as for certain LT headers making more power than others, thats crap so long as the primary tube diameters are the same.
Market Demographics. The demographic that the Corvette line caters to, have more money to spend. The market will handle that level of pricing, even though there's nothing revolutionary in header design in the last few decades. It's the same reason why fuel will be more expensive on a more affluent side of town versus an economically depressed area.
I put on a set of QTP's and am happy with the results. They mate to a Random Tech pipe and they tuck up well against the bottom of the car. There is a dyno on them right now over on Corvetteforum in the C5 Tech area. 342 HP after headers.
Launching!
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 240
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From: McKinney
I just installed a set of Jet Hot's on my 2000FRC and they were fairly cheap for a vette header. Nice fit, and easy install, especially if your heads aren't there!
Last edited by apexman; Dec 23, 2004 at 05:58 AM.
the QTPs if im not mistaken are a SS version of the TPiS peices. they use the same cat and xpipe from random tech that the TPiS headers do, course that may be the only thing similar about them.
a pair of random tech cats behind any longtube header is a good combo. good power results, not too noisy, and should pass a sniffer test still
a pair of random tech cats behind any longtube header is a good combo. good power results, not too noisy, and should pass a sniffer test still
