You do make some very valid points HP Addict, so I will explain myself.

First off, I didn't mean to single out AWE. It's just the first name that popped into my head. AWE/APR/ASP/Milltek/MTM, etc. All of those companies overcharge for downpipes.

Regarding the money question. If we are looking at driving pleasure, and having a car you love, then ofcourse you wouldn't buy the fleet of Kias. However, downpipes aren't something that other people see, nor do downpipes specifically give you enjoyment from owning them. You enjoy the added performance, but other than that, they stay there, unseen and unknown. So, my point with the price points was that even if the downpipes aren't up to AWE/Milltek/APR/ASP/RS4 standards, you could buy 4 sets of them (with a free catback thrown in) before you even came close to the price of 1 set of AWE pipes. Nobody has reported any problems with the SSautochrome downpipes yet, and they really don't look as horrible as some people make them out to be. Yes the welds aren't great. yes they most likely use thinner gauge tubing, but other than that, if they fit, and work, I can't see how the "big name" downpipes would provide enough power increases to warrant atleast a 5 times greater price tag. There's also the fact that even if you do need to replace them, you can do so cheaply.

So, yes, if you were trying to be cost conscious (like in this example), you would buy the fleet of Kias, because then you'd be able to drive for the rest of your life just switching out between your fleet of Kias. The guy that spent all of his money on an R8 won't really have that option, and it won't last him for even half as long. I'm not implying anything about durability here, just the fact that the Kias are "disposable" and you have more of them. If one of the Kias dies, heck, you've got a few more, just toss it. You could do the same thing with the downpipes. Just buy 5 sets right now, and if one ever craps out on you, hell you've got 4 more just sitting there, brand new, waiting for you. Not the case with the "big name" downpipes, and not the case for the guy that bought the R8.

Yes, the K04 kits are expensive, but that's a "legitimate" area to be expensive. The Audi Bi-Turbo system is quite complex, and all the software/hardware that comes with it is unique and needs quite a bit of research. The kit's are also designed to be factory reliable, so the cost to buy a kit is not nearly as ridiculous for what you're getting as an exhaust and downpipes.

Let's say with all the "big name" companies that produce downpipes for S4s, the price for a set comes out to be, what, about $1500-$1600? Let's compare that to, say, a WRX. HKS, a very well known, established company makes a downpipe for the WRX for (.....drumroll...) $175.00. Ok, fine, we need two of them, so $350. Let's add $100, just for the heck of it, since there might be a few more bends here and there, or some more engineering involved. So, $450, worst case. Why on earth is it "alright" then, for the Audi aftermarket to charge a fortune? I realize that it's more complicated than the CEO just randomly deciding to charge whatever he wants, and it is driven by market demand, but it's just inexusable.

Hope I cleared some of it up.

 

any other kits out there that are arround this price.

 

No. There are no kits out there that are even CLOSE to the price they sell these for.

They look decent, and some people over at Audizine have reported success. For the price you're paying here, it's probably worth the experiment.

 

Just what i wanted batteries, a good counter argument

 

****, out of stock. have to wait 30 days..[:@]

 

Phew! I was anticipating that you would drop a bomb on me or something in your response. I'm glad you understood my points. In principle I do agree with you, though. There is no doubt that the absolute quality and fit and finish of the name brand downpipes is vastly greater.

If somebody handed me $2000 and told me to do with it as I please, I would definitely go with a well known Audi tuner for the downpipes. Even if I could keep whatever change I had left over to spend on other upgrades, I would just spend the ~$1600 on a set of well known downpipes, have much less change, but I would atleast have absolute peace of mind and know that the company I bought them from has tested and stands behind their product 100%.

My only issue with the S4 aftermarket is that all the prices are "locked together." An AWE cat-back costs about $1000. An APR cat-back costs about $1000. A Milltek cat-back costs about $1000. The only "relief" is Borla, which costs about $700-$800. Comparing this to the aftermarket cat-backs for a Mustang, there is MUCH greater choice and price dispersion. For Mustangs, a basic Flowmaster cat-back costs about $350. The next step up, Magnaflow and SLP cost about $450-500, and then come the more exotic Bassani and Borla catbacks, which tend to cost $600-700. There is just so much choice, whereas for the S4, if you want cheaper, it's Borla or nothing.

Another long post. Dang it! I just have too much to say about this topic. Haha.

 

I still really can't get over the cost ... it is one heck of a deal.

stainless is about 15 to 20 bucks a foot with 2.5 inch pipe, including the time to make, plus materials, just makes it seem like they can't be making much or any money.

In regards to the quality of the welds, with stainless you need to seal and back purge inside the pipe with argon, at around 15-20 cfm otherwise the backsides of the welds will get sugared and the welds are ****, and pipes will disintegrate quickly...

Anyone who has purchased them and has them, before the installation look inside the pipes and make sure that the welds on the inside are just as shiny or shiner than the ones on the outside, if they are black they are sugared and I would suggest getting your money back.

Shawn

 

Some pictures here: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=169453

 

Oh wow I was told sixty days. CRAP. Oh well what can you do? As for the welds, if they are bad like it is talked about here and on audizine, I will just cut them, clean them up, and weld them myself DUH. I can weld but not fabricate pipes sooo.... that's my plan. (in 60 days )

 

phew, thank you guys for coming to a conclusion on that debate. I thought this was going towerds Audizines posts.

So is it 30 or 60 days?