red Teggie

Which would you choose?

My current header is pretty dented up due to crappy roads and the fact that h22 motor sits low doesn't help either.
So, as a x-mas gift to myself, I was thinking of getting one from one of our sponsors.
What's kinda funny was that a bunch of sellers, ( including Sublimnal, tech0w, TDM products) are offering same style headers at exactly same price ($292 with holiday sale) and the same free shipping and extension pipe.
So, I was wondering if all these sellers are doing some sort of drop shipping from the same factory from China, or if the products are different, but they are matching each other's price?
Also, for those who has either, how's the clearance and performance gains?
The sellers do make it seem like these are selling like hotcakes, so someone out there's gotta have them, right?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Happy New Year guys.. :D

Libertariat

If you're going to go cheap I guess TDM is alright.

If you want to see real gains from a header you should save up a bit longer for a hytech, SMSP, or a bisimoto header.

The TDM header is a "Tri-Y" It's neither 4-2-1 or 4-1 as your title was inquiring. It's kind of both.

red Teggie

Yeah, I see your point, but the "Tri-Y" style headers are also called 4-2-1. Since basically it's 3 y shaped pipes merging exhaust flow from 4 to 2 to 1, I called it 4-2-1, but same thing.

You say TDM is better, but if you look at the other sellers on hondamarketplace, they seem to be carrying the same exact thing (Same design, same price, same free shipping, and same free extension pipe)
Please look at following threads to see what I'm taking about.

TDM's thread: https://honda-tech.com/forums/performance-45/christmas-new-years-clearance-special-10-35%25-off-all-products-2876814/
Sublimnal's thread: https://honda-tech.com/forums/showth...472056&page=19
tech0w's thread: https://honda-tech.com/forums/showth...2478671&page=7

So, back to my question, are they selling the same thing?

Also, I could get hytech, rmf, bisi header, etc. since I could afford it. However, as I mentioned before, h22 swap in a lowered eg and roads where I live don't mix too well, and I'm going to end up ruining a $1000+ header in a year or two. So I'd rather save some $$ and get a cheaper alternative.

Libertariat

The $1000 header will stand the roads a lot better since the higher price is usually because of much higher quality steel. I've seen plenty of pictures of dented headers over the years and the high quality headers don't break/dent nearly as easily as DC sports/etc.

Or maybe it's that people who can afford the nice headers tend to be older and wiser and know how stupid it is to be dumped since driving around like that ruins your suspension and your handling simultaneously.

red Teggie

haha.. you couldn't be more wrong on so many levels.
Usually the $1000 price is not because of the materials (unless it's something exotic like Ti), but to cover the R&D cost, and the labor of hand-building the actual headers one by one, here in the U.S. The sellers mentioned above can get it cheaper since they probably had some Chinese factory copy said $1000 headers.

Also, what's being older and wiser and having more money have anything to to with this? You're not trying to imply that I am poor, stupid enough to slam my car to ruin my suspension and handling, are you?
You sure are having a hard time comrehending the questions being asked. lol..

0Bisimoto

Red,
Good grade, quality stainless steel is not cheap, and the higher end headers are not made in China. In addition, custom made headers are superior in power production, and the Bisimoto line of Headers are right up your alley: Manufactured for lowered/slammed cars. The collector exists in front of an engine, and only the downpipe goes under pan for impeccable clearance.
The can also be designed for H22 engines in EGs, hence no need to modify the Bisimoto headers for such a swap, and they also clear a/c and p/s.
For power figures, visit www.bisimoto.com/forum
For prices, www.bisimoto.com/store

Thanks, and I hope that helps.

Libertariat

I'm surprised you really think that a $1000 Bisimoto or Hytech header is made with the same steel that cheap TDM or other replica headers are.

Thanks bisi

red Teggie

No, i never said they were made from the same materials.
Sure, if you are paying $1000+, you'd expect quality and i'm sure reputable guys like bisi would use quality material.
The point i was trying to make was that the difference in cost between these custom headers and their chinese made counterparts has more to do with labor cost and r&d cost than pure material cost.
Bisi- thanks for chiming in. I'll take a look at your store.