Looking to do headers and high-flow cats - Page 2 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

LCPLPunk · 09-12-2016, 01:13 PM

sscamaro, so what happens when you pay less for something and it's just as good as the more expensive version? I mean, lots of people have bought Speed Engineering headers and all I hear are great reviews....

Is that extra almost $1,000 really worth it for the Kooks? Are you getting $1,000 more worth of power?

sscamaro · 09-12-2016, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCPLPunk

sscamaro, so what happens when you pay less for something and it's just as good as the more expensive version? I mean, lots of people have bought Speed Engineering headers and all I hear are great reviews....

Is that extra almost $1,000 really worth it for the Kooks? Are you getting $1,000 more worth of power?

Does that price include cats?

pyroguy · 09-12-2016, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sscamaro

Does that price include cats?

Nope. Since the recent influx of Speed Engineering fans, I've been trying to figure out what they are all about. If you go to www.speed-engineering.com you can find info about their headers and what they look like to me are knock offs of Stainless Works/Power headers. If you actually include the O2 extensions, new gaskets, and off road pipes the headers are about $150 cheaper than comparable Texas Speed headers. The primary area that I see as an issue is the availability of high flow cats. On their webpage you cannot get cats to go with them. Possibly there's other places you can, but I'd rather have a one stop shop for my headers like you sscamaro.

PalmerGA · 09-12-2016, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miller8907

I really like my stainless power lts.

Me too! Great fit and quality, sound improvement, and awesome power bonus when coupled with a SCT DynoSteve tune.

PalmerGA · 09-12-2016, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spike III

And i know everything on my car or what I own isn't made in America. But when I can that is what I buy. {just me}

So do I but I figure since my SS came from the factory with many foreign made and/or assembled parts on it, no sense in paying double for headers. Stainless Power LTs work just fine for me so far.

jcampos · 09-12-2016, 04:51 PM

I have TSP headers, perfect fit and finish. Excellent mid priced LT's in my opinion.

LCPLPunk · 09-12-2016, 05:30 PM

Good heavens, Stainless Works/Power are still $1,000. For the money I'd buy the Speed Engineering ones and then spend a couple hundred more for cats. Another bonus for me is that they are in California and so I'll save a bunch on shipping. :P

Speed Engineering headers - $350
Aftermarket cats - $300 (taking a guess here)
Total: $650

Texas Speed with cats - $800ish

Kooks with cats - $1300ish

Stainless Power/Works - $1025

Kopterman · 09-12-2016, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCPLPunk

Good heavens, Stainless Works/Power are still $1,000. For the money I'd buy the Speed Engineering ones and then spend a couple hundred more for cats. Another bonus for me is that they are in California and so I'll save a bunch on shipping. :P

Speed Engineering headers - $350
Aftermarket cats - $300 (taking a guess here)
Total: $650

Texas Speed with cats - $800ish

Kooks with cats - $1300ish

Stainless Power/Works - $1025

Your missing the coating here. Figure ~$200 for coating

Speed Engineering - cats - coating. $850

Texas Speed - cats - coating. $1000

Stainless Power - cats - coating. $1225

Kooks - cats - coating. $1220. (What I paid)

Ohhhhhhhh. Suddenly cheap headers aren't so cheap anymore!!!
Kooks are worth it. End of story.

pyroguy · 09-12-2016, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCPLPunk

Good heavens, Stainless Works/Power are still $1,000. For the money I'd buy the Speed Engineering ones and then spend a couple hundred more for cats. Another bonus for me is that they are in California and so I'll save a bunch on shipping. :P

Speed Engineering headers - $350
Aftermarket cats - $300 (taking a guess here)
Total: $650

Texas Speed with cats - $800ish

Kooks with cats - $1300ish

Stainless Power/Works - $1025

You do realize that there is a difference between Stainless Works and Stainless Power. Stainless Works in made in the USA and is warrantied forever, where Stainless Power is made in China and warrantied for 2 years. Also there is a significant price difference between the two. SW is $1,225 and SP is $825. Besides, cats cost around $400 which brings your pieced together headers to $750ish pre-ceramic coating which could be $200 up to $400 additional. I agree with Kopterman, the "budget" headers aren't so budget anymore. Ceramic coated and catted Kooks don't seem too bad at $1,250-$1,300.

BLU DUCE · 09-12-2016, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pyroguy

You do realize that there is a difference between Stainless Works and Stainless Power. Stainless Works in made in the USA and is warrantied forever, where Stainless Power is made in China and warrantied for 2 years. Also there is a significant price difference between the two. SW is $1,225 and SP is $825. Besides, cats cost around $400 which brings your pieced together headers to $750ish pre-ceramic coating which could be $200 up to $400 additional. I agree with Kopterman, the "budget" headers aren't so budget anymore. Ceramic coated and catted Kooks don't seem too bad at $1,250-$1,300.

And come also with a life time Warranty.

miller8907 · 09-12-2016, 08:22 PM

If I remember it right I paid around $750 for my stainless powers with hfc from rdp. Might have been a sale going on at the time.

LCPLPunk · 09-12-2016, 10:23 PM

Well, if you are going to add a coating for $200 then of course the price goes up. As for me and my car, I'm going to spend the $350 on Speed Engineering headers and call it a day. I'll dyno my car with the SE ones and you can dyno your car with the Kooks and we'll see how much the power differs.

Kopterman · 09-13-2016, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCPLPunk

Well, if you are going to add a coating for $200 then of course the price goes up. As for me and my car, I'm going to spend the $350 on Speed Engineering headers and call it a day. I'll dyno my car with the SE ones and you can dyno your car with the Kooks and we'll see how much the power differs.

The point I was making is people keep comparing apples to oranges on these headers.

They quote the price of the cheap ones without cats or coating then quote the price of kooks that Include cats and coating.

Just about every comparison on this board has done this. Fact is kooks don't really cost that much more and are made very solid and very very nice.

I'm not claiming any difference in power. Never have, never will.

LCPLPunk · 09-13-2016, 10:36 AM

Fair enough Kopterman.

09-12-2016, 08:22 PM	#25
miller8907 Drives: 2014 1SS/RS LS3 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 621	If I remember it right I paid around $750 for my stainless powers with hfc from rdp. Might have been a sale going on at the time. __________________ 2014 1SS/RS LS3 AGP TT, Custom TSP Cam, 4L80E Swap 1/4 mile- 9.53 @ 145mph

09-12-2016, 01:13 PM	#15
LCPLPunk USA-1 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS L99 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Near DC Posts: 1,893 View My Garage	sscamaro, so what happens when you pay less for something and it's just as good as the more expensive version? I mean, lots of people have bought Speed Engineering headers and all I hear are great reviews.... Is that extra almost $1,000 really worth it for the Kooks? Are you getting $1,000 more worth of power?

09-12-2016, 04:51 PM	#20
jcampos Drives: 2014 Chevy Camaro SS Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: San Antonio Posts: 821	I have TSP headers, perfect fit and finish. Excellent mid priced LT's in my opinion.

09-12-2016, 05:30 PM	#21
LCPLPunk USA-1 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS L99 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Near DC Posts: 1,893 View My Garage	Good heavens, Stainless Works/Power are still $1,000. For the money I'd buy the Speed Engineering ones and then spend a couple hundred more for cats. Another bonus for me is that they are in California and so I'll save a bunch on shipping. :P Speed Engineering headers - $350 Aftermarket cats - $300 (taking a guess here) Total: $650 Texas Speed with cats - $800ish Kooks with cats - $1300ish Stainless Power/Works - $1025

09-12-2016, 10:23 PM	#26
LCPLPunk USA-1 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS L99 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Near DC Posts: 1,893 View My Garage	Well, if you are going to add a coating for $200 then of course the price goes up. As for me and my car, I'm going to spend the $350 on Speed Engineering headers and call it a day. I'll dyno my car with the SE ones and you can dyno your car with the Kooks and we'll see how much the power differs.

09-13-2016, 10:36 AM	#28
LCPLPunk USA-1 Drives: 2010 Camaro SS L99 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Near DC Posts: 1,893 View My Garage	Fair enough Kopterman.