SharkTuner pricing
08-15-2007, 02:46 PM
#16
Nordschleife Master
John,
I knew you could find a way. As I posted the other day in Andrews thread, I too think there is a much larger market for these. I wasn't really sold on the SC idea but now that I've seen the Turbo I am 80% sure I will end up buying one in the next few months. I was looking for ways to make a custom map, but as i said if you could get the thing down to less then $1000 I think you would sell a bunch more. I know you can do it if you just play with the recipe a little.
I don't know how much is left to be gained with a stock car, but the biggest hurdle to me in adding a supercharger or turbo is the engine management. This prevented me from doing things wit BMW's, i just don't know electronics, but you've completely (to my knowledge) eliminated that hurdle and I see the shark tuner being an essential tool to owners with boosted 928's.
Also I would much prefer to buy my own for $1000 then pay $300-$500 to rent one. See what you can come up with with a second batch.
Also cfc928gt's idea of posting a weekly or even monthly topic about how to do different things with it is great. You should probably try and produce a dvd which covers all the functions of the tuner and they ways to use it. I much prefer this to a dense book or manual to read. I think allot of us on here would appreciate a DVD too. But thats not essential.
Would there be a way to have a spanner add on to the shark tuner for those of us that don't have those. Anyway to combine them?
My ONLY issue with the ST is the cost, but i know how much it costs to produce the thing and I don't want to even guess what you've got into the whole project. Its unfortunate that when all is said and done this may not make you much money at all. But I certainly appreciate the outside the box thinking that you have to even try, let alone bring something like this to market. But I think the market is much larger, Specialists i am sure plans to sell a bunch more TS kits as well as Murph, and I think once people see some numbers and get some feedback from the Turbo (ABBY?) then that will also be a consideration. But all of these things IDEALLY need the custom mapping, which at $1000 for the tool to do that, I think this really is a no brainer then.
Also I think you should try and source a chip burner to sell as a complete kit. I wouldn't know the first place to find one, i suppose Ebay for a used one but I would much prefer using one thats detailed in a manual that you produced.
Maybe you can do a whole package with "everything you need" (minus the laptop) for $1200?
I knew you could find a way. As I posted the other day in Andrews thread, I too think there is a much larger market for these. I wasn't really sold on the SC idea but now that I've seen the Turbo I am 80% sure I will end up buying one in the next few months. I was looking for ways to make a custom map, but as i said if you could get the thing down to less then $1000 I think you would sell a bunch more. I know you can do it if you just play with the recipe a little.
I don't know how much is left to be gained with a stock car, but the biggest hurdle to me in adding a supercharger or turbo is the engine management. This prevented me from doing things wit BMW's, i just don't know electronics, but you've completely (to my knowledge) eliminated that hurdle and I see the shark tuner being an essential tool to owners with boosted 928's.
Also I would much prefer to buy my own for $1000 then pay $300-$500 to rent one. See what you can come up with with a second batch.
Also cfc928gt's idea of posting a weekly or even monthly topic about how to do different things with it is great. You should probably try and produce a dvd which covers all the functions of the tuner and they ways to use it. I much prefer this to a dense book or manual to read. I think allot of us on here would appreciate a DVD too. But thats not essential.
Would there be a way to have a spanner add on to the shark tuner for those of us that don't have those. Anyway to combine them?
My ONLY issue with the ST is the cost, but i know how much it costs to produce the thing and I don't want to even guess what you've got into the whole project. Its unfortunate that when all is said and done this may not make you much money at all. But I certainly appreciate the outside the box thinking that you have to even try, let alone bring something like this to market. But I think the market is much larger, Specialists i am sure plans to sell a bunch more TS kits as well as Murph, and I think once people see some numbers and get some feedback from the Turbo (ABBY?) then that will also be a consideration. But all of these things IDEALLY need the custom mapping, which at $1000 for the tool to do that, I think this really is a no brainer then.
Also I think you should try and source a chip burner to sell as a complete kit. I wouldn't know the first place to find one, i suppose Ebay for a used one but I would much prefer using one thats detailed in a manual that you produced.
Maybe you can do a whole package with "everything you need" (minus the laptop) for $1200?
08-15-2007, 02:52 PM
#17
Supercharged
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Originally Posted by RyanPerrella
Also I think you should try and source a chip burner to sell as a complete kit. I wouldnt know the first place to find one, i suppose Ebay for a used one but I would much prefer using one thats detailed in a manual that you produced.
But Ryan, don't forget about the WBO2 sensor... That adds another $300~$400.
08-15-2007, 02:59 PM
#19
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Ok... dodn't know. DR's kit includes it too, IIRC. Not sure if Murf's does or not. The point is that the STer needs it to operate correctly, so it's not a "complete" kit if you don't already have a WBO2. I know... I'm being pickey, but it's little crap like this that some peopl edon't realize they need to have in order to make it work, then they find out they have to buy another $400 item and they strat trash talking the product. Personally, I think the $950 would be a good price for the box - I'm already set with the EPROM programmer. 
08-15-2007, 03:06 PM
#20
Nordschleife Master
HA HA,
I see, i am excited too. But i dont have anything to tune yet, so i need to get a blower or turbo then i will really be excited. I figure I have time, John wouldnt state a price if it wasnt even a possibility. I had thought about $1000 but $50 bucks less certianly works for me. I would think John would need a few months at the very least for this new series to designed and produced.
I would still like to have a cheaper spanner option, and ideally a way to combine the two, although I would see the spanner as a once every couple months tool as opposed to the ST which once set-up would be maybe a once a year thing to play with at the dyno.
I see, i am excited too. But i dont have anything to tune yet, so i need to get a blower or turbo then i will really be excited. I figure I have time, John wouldnt state a price if it wasnt even a possibility. I had thought about $1000 but $50 bucks less certianly works for me. I would think John would need a few months at the very least for this new series to designed and produced.
I would still like to have a cheaper spanner option, and ideally a way to combine the two, although I would see the spanner as a once every couple months tool as opposed to the ST which once set-up would be maybe a once a year thing to play with at the dyno.
08-15-2007, 03:07 PM
#21
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John:
I'm definitely in at $950 with the "limitations" you describe. In the US, we would price it at $949.99 and get even more sales.
I hate to leave the 85-86 and the OBs out of a deal. I think it makes more sense to offer a separate pre-87 version for similar deal price rather than a full-MY version for the current full-price. Separate versions (pre-87; post-87) would generate far more sales, as there are a lot more guys with early cars who would buy a personal copy at $949.99 and a shop intending to offer tuning services could just buy both. Whatever works best for you.
Also, I haven't looked at the AUX inputs. I'm sure some would like to monitor EGTs and other variables. I hate (from a business standpoint) to see you have to produce more than 2 versions, but I'm not sure how your costs are parsed. With some production methods, additional skus add little/no incremental cost when you factor in the cost and selling price of the additional features. So, you might offer an array if it doesn't screw up your software production and manufacturing.
I'm definitely in at $950 with the "limitations" you describe. In the US, we would price it at $949.99 and get even more sales.
I hate to leave the 85-86 and the OBs out of a deal. I think it makes more sense to offer a separate pre-87 version for similar deal price rather than a full-MY version for the current full-price. Separate versions (pre-87; post-87) would generate far more sales, as there are a lot more guys with early cars who would buy a personal copy at $949.99 and a shop intending to offer tuning services could just buy both. Whatever works best for you.
Also, I haven't looked at the AUX inputs. I'm sure some would like to monitor EGTs and other variables. I hate (from a business standpoint) to see you have to produce more than 2 versions, but I'm not sure how your costs are parsed. With some production methods, additional skus add little/no incremental cost when you factor in the cost and selling price of the additional features. So, you might offer an array if it doesn't screw up your software production and manufacturing.
Last edited by Bill Ball; 08-15-2007 at 03:34 PM.
08-15-2007, 05:47 PM
#26
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Thanks very much to you all for your very useful comments so far !
We are kicking ideas around here to see what final formula we can come up with to get to that target price. It may be we can do something clever with Aux inputs.....
LH2.2 and EZ-F are much more difficult to include, but we will keep an open mind on that at present.
Very intersseting sales figures from Rick for the 85/86 vs the later cars.
What I can't afford is to built 100 units and be left with 50 unsold...
Yes, the SharkTuner was always aimed at the boosted cars and strokers. There is some benefit to tune even a stock car. Every car is slightly different, so stock chips don't always bring out the best they are capable of.
Certainly the advert of bolt on power kits for the 928 has given the car a new lease of life...
We do have quite a bit of built in diagnostics in the SharkTuner already, we have discussed adding some more monitoring functions as well. It's all time...
Please keep the comments coming !
We are kicking ideas around here to see what final formula we can come up with to get to that target price. It may be we can do something clever with Aux inputs.....
LH2.2 and EZ-F are much more difficult to include, but we will keep an open mind on that at present.
Very intersseting sales figures from Rick for the 85/86 vs the later cars.
What I can't afford is to built 100 units and be left with 50 unsold...
Yes, the SharkTuner was always aimed at the boosted cars and strokers. There is some benefit to tune even a stock car. Every car is slightly different, so stock chips don't always bring out the best they are capable of.
Certainly the advert of bolt on power kits for the 928 has given the car a new lease of life...
We do have quite a bit of built in diagnostics in the SharkTuner already, we have discussed adding some more monitoring functions as well. It's all time...
Please keep the comments coming !
08-15-2007, 05:47 PM
#27
Range Master
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even with the additional stuff I would have to buy, sounds like $300 for the WBO2 ans $150 for the prom burner, $950 is a price that tis hard to pass on........ especially given I have so much unchecked potential in my, as yet shark tuned, Murpf stage 2.
08-15-2007, 06:12 PM
#28
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John:
With guys waiting MONTHS with money down for stroker cranks and many other items....I can't see that there would be much resistance (pun intended) for a sold to build approach.
Ken
With guys waiting MONTHS with money down for stroker cranks and many other items....I can't see that there would be much resistance (pun intended) for a sold to build approach.
Ken
08-15-2007, 06:16 PM
#29
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Originally Posted by John Speake
What I can't afford is to built 100 units and be left with 50 unsold...