So..what exactly is the difference between Kooks and Knockoffs? (in pictures)

[Hicompression]

This is a great post by Maryland Speed. It goes to show you can get essentially the same header from Ebay (OBX) for $600 less than a major brand (Kooks) with similar quality. Props dude!

[Darth_Emma]

Thanks for showing us the comparison. I am glad I went with Kooks. I expect 3 or 4 years from now there may be others who wish they had. Oh wait, they probably don't have their Camaros anymore. I'm planning to keep mine for a very long time and want to put only high-quality parts in mine.

[Smoky10]

Originally Posted by speedbling

wbt I don't want to race but could we meet up the next time I go car shopping, I want you there to negotiate for me. If you can get a challenger rt and mustang for less than a camero that's some skill. Or made you just got burnt on a camero, in that case never mind.

You do realize there is no E in camaro right?

[Sawyer]

Nice comparison. Thanks.

[MarylandSpeed]

Originally Posted by Hicompression

This is a great post by Maryland Speed. It goes to show you can get essentially the same header from Ebay (OBX) for $600 less than a major brand (Kooks) with similar quality. Props dude!

As long as you want a header with oval primaries and less than 1 3/4" exhaust ports. I am pretty amazed.... It takes a real blind eye to look at those pictures and make a statement like that.

[SGOS252382]

Kooks makes great headers. I've used them for years on several of my cars. I've had great luck with them. Kooks also has great customer service.

Maryland Speed also has great customer service and sells products at great prices. I've used Maryland Speed for years going back to my 05 and 06 GTOs.

There's always something cheaper available (catbacks, intakes, headers, etc). But most of us want a high quality product with great customer service. That's worth paying a little extra.

[IndeedSS1]

Wow. Thanks for the comparision. Those Ebay headers a look like garbage.

[brantley847]

Originally Posted by Hicompression

This is a great post by Maryland Speed. It goes to show you can get essentially the same header from Ebay (OBX) for $600 less than a major brand (Kooks) with similar quality. Props dude!

Wow, from those photos you came to the conclusion of the same or similar quality. Impressive...

No one is debating the output, and if you plan on selling your camaro in 2-3 years..yea, the quality wouldn't matter.

[speedbling]

Hard time using droid phone with the predictive text, took me almost 5 minutes just to create an account. Sorry.

[Hicompression]

Originally Posted by MarylandSpeed

As long as you want a header with oval primaries and less than 1 3/4" exhaust ports. I am pretty amazed.... It takes a real blind eye to look at those pictures and make a statement like that.

My OBX were great! See the pic below of one of my OBX header's ports. None of mine were oval. Thanks again for pointing out we can get a high quality header at a lower price than Kooks!

[MarylandSpeed]

Originally Posted by Hicompression

My OBX were great! See the pic below of one of my OBX header's ports. None of mine were oval. Thanks again for pointing out we can get a high quality header at a lower price than Kooks!

Yes it is ovaled. Otherwise it would match the port on the header exactly like Kooks do, and you would not have all that weld slag behind it.

Your header also is less than 1 7/8" because of the weld slag...actually less than 1 3/4". I am certain there are differences in build quality from ebay header to ebay header. Mine was just a random set ordered like anyone else. Not like I called and asked them to send me an ugly header.

We will see on the power difference....

[Smoky10]

Maryland and Hicompression, ya'll do realize you are both arguing and the other isn't going to back down. All it does it make your shop look unprofessional Maryland and well it just shows that Hicompression like myself, is ok with saving 400 to 600 dollars on a product that is only slightly less quality. Although I would like to see the difference in numbers. I've got a real funny feeling there is only gonna be a 1 or 2 hp difference.

[MarylandSpeed]

Originally Posted by Smoky10

Maryland and Hicompression, ya'll do realize you are both arguing and the other isn't going to back down. All it does it make your shop look unprofessional Maryland and well it just shows that Hicompression like myself, is ok with saving 400 to 600 dollars on a product that is only slightly less quality. Although I would like to see the difference in numbers. I've got a real funny feeling there is only gonna be a 1 or 2 hp difference.

I am dumbfounded by the "slightly less quality" bit. If Kooks put out a header with a 3rd the issues that one does, everyone would be calling for their head ven if it were half price. I think most people are looking at the pictures and seeing pretty huge differences. However I guess if you have it in your mind you are only gonna spend $400 on headers, then it it is easy to ignore everything else or call us unprofessional to feel good about the purchase. I guess my think is we really are talking about a header that is advertised as 1 7/8", but has ports less than 1 3/4". That is not "slightly less quality"...that is HUGE.

[Smoky10]

Ok, if it would make you feel better I will just say less than the quality of kooks headers. And I don't have to worry about feeling good about my purchase and neither does anyone else. You get what you pay for, and I'm very happy with what I paid for. Now down the road, if these headers start falling apart and giving me problems I will have to buy so more, and at that point I will not be going back with the same brand. And I'm sorry that you don't believe that arguing with potential customers is unprofessional. Have a great Sunday and please stop beating THIS dead horse to death. FYI, I really wish you weren't so unprofessional, cause I would love to buy the Vararam from you at your discounted price.

[MarylandSpeed]

I sell plenty of headers...based one what I can gleem by posts here and on ebay..I am having more success selling Kooks than other companies selling knock offs.

That being said, I refuse to let it become "Oh you can buy ebay headers and they are the same as Kooks..just half the price". I can't ignore that kind fo a false statement. Now some people told me last round to go buy a set and measure..so I did. Now there is more hatterade. Whatever. I think there are plenty of people who no can make a better decision either way based one my post..and that is a positive.

I refuse to sell Chinese knockoffs. I have to offer quality service and products I can support. I sell DT and Pacesetter (both original, American designs) to cover the value end of the market.

Originally Posted by Axle

I cannot understand why this is still going on! i mean is Maryland Speed losing that much money by guys buying e-bay headers? Brandon you will never get all the sales people are going to buy what they want and that is the way it is, I think you should worry about your health in losing sleep over this, lets move on. I know you do a lot for the guys it will never change. I bought Doug thorley Headers and my ports did not look like the Kooks either but I am happy with them and with the savings I bought other items. The Doug headers perform just as good as the Kooks and now I have some extra HP due to the extra cash. I said this once before handle OBX and Kooks so that your service will cover both ends, the guys who have the extra cash and the ones who don't. Now that would really be a service and you would not lose money. I am not trying to be funny but you cannot win this battle and you being a business man you should worry about making more then trying to change someones mind, it just gets people turned off. By the way I enjoyed your post.

As I suspected..you already have the ebay headers, so of course you are fine with them.

If you don't want to buy from me..that's fine. However I think it is unfair to call me unprofessional. I am the only one who has taken both sets for a side by side comparison. I also put a lot of effort into track testing that Vararam you want and posting the results. However none of that matters I guess.

Unprofessional would be taking people's money for parts I don't beleive in, or operating my business in a dishonest way. Neither of which I have done. I have a stellar repuation here and elsewhere. Customers who buy from us, are normally very satisfied. Not because we are perfect..but because we take care of our customers.

As a consumer, I would much rather buy from a vendor who puts their money where their mouth is, and gives an honest answer..even if it is unpopular. In this case, that is your problem. I called these headers our for what they are, and now your are bent because you have them and don't like the way things stack up. The answer is to call me unprofessional and threaten not to buy from me. If you want take your toys and go home that is fine. I am sure I can find other customer who can see the value in what I am doing.

Originally Posted by Smoky10

Ok, if it would make you feel better I will just say less than the quality of kooks headers. And I don't have to worry about feeling good about my purchase and neither does anyone else. You get what you pay for, and I'm very happy with what I paid for. Now down the road, if these headers start falling apart and giving me problems I will have to buy so more, and at that point I will not be going back with the same brand. And I'm sorry that you don't believe that arguing with potential customers is unprofessional. Have a great Sunday and please stop beating THIS dead horse to death. FYI, I really wish you weren't so unprofessional, cause I would love to buy the Vararam from you at your discounted price.

[BLACK10]

Originally Posted by wbt

Post up your ET's. Let's see some video or time slips.

Keyboard warrior?

You have had plenty of opportunity. Let's see what you got.

his car has 445rwhp, you really think your challenger is faster




OT- you get the quality you pay for

[BLACK10]

Originally Posted by Hicompression

My OBX were great! See the pic below of one of my OBX header's ports. None of mine were oval. Thanks again for pointing out we can get a high quality header at a lower price than Kooks!

This is the slag and flow obstruction he is referring to

[Apex Chase]

Very interesting. Nice post.

[IndeedSS1]

Originally Posted by BLACK10

This is the slag and flow obstruction he is referring to

That shows the poor quality, lack of attention to detail, and or not caring.

[Smoky10]

Originally Posted by IndeedSS1

That shows the poor quality, lack of attention to detail, and or not caring.

I agree it does show that. But then again you get what you pay for.

[brantley847]

Originally Posted by Axle

I cannot understand why this is still going on! i mean is Maryland Speed losing that much money by guys buying e-bay headers? Brandon you will never get all the sales people are going to buy what they want and that is the way it is, I think you should worry about your health in losing sleep over this, lets move on. I know you do a lot for the guys it will never change. I bought Doug thorley Headers and my ports did not look like the Kooks either but I am happy with them and with the savings I bought other items. The Doug headers perform just as good as the Kooks and now I have some extra HP due to the extra cash. I said this once before handle OBX and Kooks so that your service will cover both ends, the guys who have the extra cash and the ones who don't. Now that would really be a service and you would not lose money. I am not trying to be funny but you cannot win this battle and you being a business man you should worry about making more then trying to change someones mind, it just gets people turned off. By the way I enjoyed your post.

The argument you are trying to make is becoming just as repetitive as well..however, he is providing a service for free whether you feel he is or not...

Not all of us were well educated in the details of headers, exhaust, etc etc before we became members. He isn't going to sway your decision, but hell..someone who REALLY was interested in knowing why the price difference between OBX and Kooks would be nice to have people like him remind us why some are at the cost that they are. I don't believe any one here besides the user hicompression actually believes the quality is the same. Some people just don't feel like throwing down 1k+ and are willing to sacrifice the quality...for those people, I have absolutely no problem with them. However, some of us less knowledgable may have been on the fence trying to figure out why some headers are 600 and why some are 1200..for those, he is being very professional and helpful. I don't get how some of you are so blind to that fact? You have your headers, you enjoy them...if you KNOW this is the type of thread it has been in the past...don't read it.

If HIS posts to assist the members of this forum are what pushes people away from Kooks or marylandspeed then I can promise you they were never in the market to drop 1k+ for headers to begin with.

[Smoky10]

Originally Posted by MarylandSpeed

As I suspected..you already have the ebay headers, so of course you are fine with them.

If you don't want to buy from me..that's fine. However I think it is unfair to call me unprofessional. I am the only one who has taken both sets for a side by side comparison. I also put a lot of effort into track testing that Vararam you want and posting the results. However none of that matters I guess..

I don't call me unprofessional due to the work you've done and the time you've invested. I'm saying that you have/are acting unprofessional when it comes to these headers. I mean almost every post I've seen where someone says they have them you come in and bash the headers. To be professional would be to come in say your piece and be done, there is no need to argue with people. I have made piece with the fact that I didn't buy Kooks or ARH headers, why can't you?

Originally Posted by MarylandSpeed

Unprofessional would be taking people's money for parts I don't beleive in, or operating my business in a dishonest way. Neither of which I have done. I have a stellar repuation here and elsewhere. Customers who buy from us, are normally very satisfied. Not because we are perfect..but because we take care of our customers.

That wouldn't be unprofessional it would be dishonest. Selling parts as is to a customer that knows what they are getting isn't dishonest.

Originally Posted by MarylandSpeed

As a consumer, I would much rather buy from a vendor who puts their money where their mouth is, and gives an honest answer..even if it is unpopular. In this case, that is your problem. I called these headers our for what they are, and now your are bent because you have them and don't like the way things stack up. The answer is to call me unprofessional and threaten not to buy from me. If you want take your toys and go home that is fine. I am sure I can find other customer who can see the value in what I am doing.

I do like that you stand behind the products that you sell. And I am not even close to upset about the products that I have purchased. And once more I will say I don't say that you are unprofessional for backing your products or stating your opinion, I think you are unprofessional cause once you have given your opinion, you keep arguing that you are right. When it doesn't matter, we (people) are going to do what we want.

[MarylandSpeed]

So..just finished the dyno test.

It is nice having one of these around for situations like this..

[Smoky10]

[Sawyer]