Carl Fausett

Every once in a while I see a post to a thread that asks "why are the 928 Supercharger kits so expensive compared to Mustang kits" (and others).

I offer these two explanations:

1) Economy of Scale: There is a very significant cost in labor and materials to develop a good, reliable, working kit for a given automobile. Of course, we hope to recoup that investment in sales. In our case, I think we can reasonably expect to sell maybe 200 kits for the early 928 over the next 5 years. Contrast that to being able to reasonably expect to sell 2,000 or more Mustang kits - and spread your R&D costs out over that many sales.

Nothing new here. This is common in all short-run production products.

2) Completeness of Kit This is the REAL point I'd like to make. In our opinion, the installation of your supercharger is part of the FUN and bragging rights to your friends ("Look what I did"). Any omission or frustration will detract from that fun - and your satisfaction with your purchase.

We are a Powerdyne and a Vortech Dealer, and I can speak with first-hand experience exactly what can be found within a typical Mustang SC kit.

This is what the customer gets in the box for their 5.0 Liter Ford Mustang when they send in their $3,994.00:

This is what the customer gets in the box for their Porsche 928 when they send in their $4,495.00:

We figure you are going to install your SC on your 928 on nights and weekends when the hardware store is closed - so we want to give you EVERYTHING you need. I do not want you to have to come out of the garage for anything but pizza and beer. Besides - sourcing little metric do-hickeys and what'll work parts is OUR job, not yours.

Now, because we are a Murf928 dealer, I have also put Tim Murphy's kits in boxes and shipped them. His list is about as complete as our own, like us, including every wire connector, hose clamp, and do-hickey you need without exception.

Please recognize how the inclusion of an intercooler alone adds hundreds to the cost of the kit - and is not included with the Mustang units at all. The intercooler, the radiator, the water pump, the gauges... it adds up fast.

And both of us have detailed instruction manuals with pictures that guide an owner step-by-step thru the installation.

With all of this, I have a question: "Why are those Mustang kits so expensive?"

rixter

what an extensive list! thanks for the full breakdown Carl

Steve J.

OK, I gotta ask... What's the JB Weld for??

Tony

Having done a bit of fabricating myself now , I will say one thing....Carl you forgot an item or two!!

TIME and BRAIN POWER


2 items that you cant put a tangible price on, so you dictate your own and pass it on to the customer. If people dont like it, tough $hit. Time spent in RnD and other areas is something you will NEVER get back.

In the words of VISA..."Priceless"

Until you get a kit from Andy, Tim, Carl , John or build a stroker you may not have an idea of the time that is involved in getting the final product together.

Gretch

Because a well designed "system" always costs more than "parts"..............Kinda like why a 928 was more expensive than a mustang.......

heinrich

Damn Carl. Great idea laying it out like that. I dont think I received any JB Weld in my kit

Imo000

I hate to point this out, but the Mustang kit contains alot more parts than just what was listed above and for around $2900. After all it is a bolt on basic, but COMPLETE kit. You compared a basic kit for a Mustang to an extensive one for a 928. There are kits available (for the Mustang) out there that are close to or as complete as the one your sell for the 928.

I agree with your point and cost argument but, try to compare apples to apples next time.

Carl Fausett

I knew I was gonna get **** about that.

The instructions say "your supercharger installation is now complete. Now, lets take it foe a drive. mix a liberal maount of JB Weld epoxy and smear it on the drivers seat with the spatula provided. Get in the car, and affix your seat belts. Wait 15 minutes for the JB Weld to cure before driving."

Carl Fausett

IMO000 - show me the ad for the complete Mustang kit with complete parts list what you receive for $2900.

and no, I compared our Basic kit - what we call "Stage 1" to the Mustang kit from Powerdyne.

Here you go: http://www.proficientperformance.com...ode=K10171-101

Imo000

The basic Mustang kit only contains what you need for a BASIC installation. Your basic kit is NOT basic at all (and that is good). It's like comparing a base model Civic to a base model Caddilac. They are both "base models" but one really is a base while, the other (the Caddy) is fairly loaded with option.

The price that you have is very good, especially if compared to the parts that you receive with it. I will look up the exact price of a basic SC kit for a Mustang as soon as I have a bit more time.

Imo000

Here are a few for example. I didnt' have time to look for all the vedors for pricing, but it should be enough for now. I'm sure the part list of the Mustang kits can be obtained from the maufacturer's website.

As you can see, Basic SC kits for a Ford Mustang are extremly cheap.

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...42&prmenbr=361

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerc...61&cgrfnbr=670

Carl Fausett

You may be missing my point.

Stay away from kits designed for 6 cyl and 4 cyl Mustangs. Focus your comparison between 5.0L Mustangs and 4.5, 4.7 and 5.0 L 928's as I have.

Then go see what you get. The parts list for their kit.

My POINT is, there is "complete" and there is "COMPLETE" ... and a lot of difference between the two.

heinrich

Since my supercharger alone costs over 2,000 dollars, I don't think another 2k for a complete kit is a problem at all. I don't see on that site what is included with their kits, but it looks as if the kit plus supercharger end up being more than i paid for mine altogether.

Gretch

Carl, (As you know) In business there is always the pressure to lower prices to appeal to the next marginal level of potential customer. At some point the question of exactly what business one is in has to be answered. Sticking to the core competencies of the organization is generally a practical policy designed to optimize everyone's satisfaction (management, shareholders, customers, emloyees).

I don't happen to agree with some of the opinions stated on this site as to the priorety of things customers look for in these "kits", in part because there are several classes of "customers" and they all have different prioreties.

There is absoutely nothing wrong with selling a kit that cost more than some classes of customers think it should, so long as you are meeting your sales goals....

Kinda reminds me of a story my builder told me. He had just finished a year long project for me and he was using it as a reference work for some potential customers......One of them said to him, "I like it a lot, can you build me one for half the price?"

I think Tim has taken, (and held) the high road with regard to the quality of design, completeness, ease of install and personal availability. He continues to do that, personally for me as well as other customers that I am aware of. That he chose to partner with you says a lot about your integrety, in my opinion. This level of integrety comes through in dealing and speaking with Tim. For me, more so than with any other alternative I had available to me when I made my choice......and I am comfortable with that same assessment today.

That Tim is a man of his word, is the number one reason why I spent $8,000 with Tim, rather than several thousand less, (or more) with other suppliers of "928 go juice". When price is the first consideration for potential customers, sometimes you should just let them go somewhere else.......

Imo000

I'm not disagreeing with anyone here. I'm only pointing out that the part list that was originally stated for the Mustang kit was very inaccurate when compared to the 928 kit. In the 928, kit every bolt, washer and clamp was listed. On the Mustang kit, even the SC mounting bracket was left out from the stated list.

If one desires to list every single part of there 928 kit and compare it to another, then please also list every single part for the kit that is compared to.

As for pricing, the 928 kit is very good.