Why is the SBD kit so well priced?

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by Nickosport

Why couldn't Greddy patent the design? BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT IT TO PATENT.

Why? Probably because after a design was patented, even MORE people would scream about the absurd pricing and buy cheap kits.

Cheap designs are a dime a dozen. It's playing whack-a-mole, you just close shop and flip around the company into something else.

-alex

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by Flat_4_Life

If you would pay more money just to stick behind a big brand name you're a tool.

Thanks for calling me a tool.

I'd rather pay more if the company was in motorsports and supporting activities I have a passion in.

I'll be the biggest tool in the whole wide world if it meant my passion (motorsports) was continued in some fashion.

Hell, I'd buy a Greddy kit (if I was in the market for one) just to support my friend Ken Gushi, someone I've known since 2001.

-alex

[wise345]

Originally Posted by HaloFRS

And i agree and respect what you're saying. The main question of the op was why is SBD cheaper. It was never about "you should support greddy and you should never support SBD." Others kept bashing on SBD instead of staying on topic. And yes I'm interested in the kit and was trying to get back on topic the whole time.

My simple question has seemed to spark quite the argument…. all i wanted to know was if SBD was using sub par parts or if it was what i thought and it was just the same kit as GReddy but SBD didnt do R&D and therefore could sell it cheaper.

[Nickosport]

Originally Posted by mav1178

Thanks for calling me a tool.

I'd rather pay more if the company was in motorsports and supporting activities I have a passion in.

I'll be the biggest tool in the whole wide world if it meant my passion (motorsports) was continued in some fashion.

Hell, I'd buy a Greddy kit (if I was in the market for one) just to support my friend Ken Gushi, someone I've known since 2001.

-alex

That's brand loyalty though. I can respect that reasoning(i dont think you are a tool for supporting a company you believe in), as I do it myself. But its a different subject all together. But lets not forget that these people are here to make money, not charity.

On your other point- theres nothing to patent. You can't patent a piping route. Regardless of the configuration of the piping or placement of the turbo, all of these kits work the same. Exhaust gases spin a turbine and a compressor wheel on a common shaft to build the intake charge that passes through an intercooler. End of story.

This is a bit of a unique situation because a large number of the components are the EXACT same, and neither Greddy nor Zage manufactures them. If Zage was a potential customer for Greddy there would be an ethical issue, but there not. Greddy is a packager for turbo kits in this case, as is Zage. They are competitors. Both are customers of the same Asian manufacturer. Although Greddy did pay some (relatively small) amount of money to design some of the parts, their buying power and market share offset their costs.

[Kiske]

Originally Posted by Nickosport

On your other point- theres nothing to patent. You can't patent a piping route. Regardless of the configuration of the piping or placement of the turbo, all of these kits work the same.

STS managed to pattent the rear turbo configuration...

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Kiske

STS managed to pattent the rear turbo configuration...

And subsequently went bankrupt, trying to litigate with copycats.

[GsxrMe]

If the customer service is good and The welds are good. The turbo isn't made of plastic and is the real deal. No matter the price I don't understand.

Does SBD Have good customer service and price? Did SBD structure the company with less overhead? I don't know, I went with FBM and there customer service was fantastic. Maybe just maybe SBD is in the same boat with a lower price and small turbo kit for the people in that market.

[PandaSPUR]

Originally Posted by Nickosport

My point is "what exaclty is so special about Greddy's design?"

The whole reason we are having this conversation is because everyone thinks Greddy gets the bad end of the stick because they have to spend gobs of money developing these. The fact is that it doesn't take gobs of money to develop turbo kits. These kits are not rocket science. Headers are not crazy expensive to develop, and moreover there's noting special about the one they supply. The engineering for the turbo is already done. Its all standard stuff. There's nothing cutting edge about turbo kits for an entry level sport car for a primarily street car market. Its a turbo manufactured by a third party. A hundred bucks worth of charge piping, an intercooler and a header, and maybe a blowoff valve. Every last piece of the greddy kit is contracted out, and they buy in bulk to get a good price. Zage is a smaller company, buying in less volume from the same manufacturers, for a smaller market(not wordwide). Why are they so much cheaper? Greddy's discount from buying in bulk alone should make up the difference. You are paying for a name, not engineering(in this particular case). Manufacturing engineering 101.

Nothing is special about the Greddy design, but the point is that its THEIR DESIGN.

If its so easy to design a turbo kit, why didnt SBD just design their own? There are so many turbo kits for the FT86 but SBD is the only one stealing another company's design.

Would I buy the Greddy kit if I was going turbo? No, I like the full blown kit better. Does that make it ok for SBD to rip off another company? No.

I'd like to hear this saint Chris talk about where their design came from.

[AxisPower]

Wouldn't be surprised if Zage is/was Greddy's original supplier for this specific kit and owns all the tooling/fixturing considering all the components are literally identical from one kit to the other, except the Turbo and BOV.

[spdbydesign]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

I'd like to hear this saint Chris talk about where their design came from.

Zage. We simply import this product, no different than any of their other dealers around the world.

[PandaSPUR]

Originally Posted by spdbydesign

Zage. We simply import this product, no different than any of their other dealers around the world.

Where did Zage get the entire design? Piping layout, exact bend angles, etc etc?

[spdbydesign]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

Where did Zage get the entire design? Piping layout, exact bend angles, etc etc?

If you speak Mandarin, call them and ask the question.

I will not speak for another manufacturer, as I'm simply a dealer in this situation.

If you wish to make contact, their number is on their website.

They are extremely nice and I'm sure would be happy to take your call.

[PandaSPUR]

Originally Posted by spdbydesign

If you speak Mandarin, call them and ask the question.

I will not speak for another manufacturer, as I'm simply a dealer in this situation.

If you wish to make contact, their number is on their website.

They are extremely nice and I'm sure would be happy to take your call.

Unfortunately I only speak cantonese.

But let me get this clear, you willingly did business with a manufacturer selling a kit that looks remarkably identical to the kit of another company, without doing any verification?

[spdbydesign]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

Unfortunately I only speak cantonese.

But let me get this clear, you willingly did business with a manufacturer selling a kit that looks remarkably identical to the kit of another company, without doing any verification?

We are a dealer for Zage's product, which is not Greddy's.

That is my position, as it has been from day #1.

My only concerns are with Zage, as that is the kit we sell.

Zage & Greddy's dealings are between two manufacturers.

As a dealer, my concerns are my customers and insuring their satisfaction.

As long as Zage supplies a high quality product on a timely basis, their internal business dealings are not my place to get involved in.