[Emay]

Kevo you can't be more wrong, sorry to be blunt, that dented spot, even the most tiny of dent is automatically going to be a hot spot because you changed the density of the metal to make it move/dent. Run that car hard at an auto cross, or hot lap it at the drag strip and then climb under there and I guarantee you that the spots dented will be starting to glow or glowing and that's as realistic as it needs to be. I'm not being sarcastic, I'm speaking from real life experience not speculation. There's a reason for mandrel bending and not hammering tubing.

If you understand how hot air and cool air work when mixed with each other, there certainly is going to be a performance loss once any hot spot developes, it's not a matter of a bottle neck, and no one is saying the car won't run. However there certainly is a performance loss.

We are not talking about a single dent here either man, In detail there was multiple in the write up.

Besides, what happens when something goes wrong with them, unassociated to the dents, and you want to exchange them. You think they will take back their newly hammered headers..

Mac's are a better reasonable cost header once you factor in your 12x2, hours of labor for that install. My personal hourly net worth is 40.00 an hour and that's cheap considering my personl time is worth way more than that to me. 40.00 x 24 hours = $960.00 in hourly labor. Man you didn't make out at all. You spent what a set of Kooks or ARH's would have run in personal time alone..

[Kevo]

Thanks for the info Emay. We'll see how they last...

[Emay]

Edited my response because I kinda shot straight from the hip. My bad on that..

They may and should last, you said they were 304 stainless from what I remember. You won't blow a hole in them or anything.. Just need to make sure everyone understands, hot spotting is bad this is why exhaust is such a focal point and highlight in the automotive industry. Good flowing, non turbulant exhaust produces good power. Tried and true testing shows us that. Think about exhaust flowing through a tube with no hiccups, but then passing over a spot that is much hotter, mixing cooler with hotter obviously will disrupt smooth flow. It's the natural way of things. Is there a massive hp difference, not really. However your not getting everything you could have.. Most people want maximum power for their dollars.

[Kevo]

It was 12 hours for install not 24 hours.

[Emay]

12x2 you had two bodies under that car for the duration did you not? You said your helper stayed for the whole time line?

[Kevo]

Yeah I guess, but do you pay twice the hourly rate at a shop because there are two installers working?

[Kevo]

Alright I'm bowing out of defending myself. I bought the headers, installed them and wrote a review. Take it for what it's worth and everyone do what you want. I was doing you all a favor, I don't need a lashing for it.

[Emay]

Kevo, if a shop is putting two installers on a job that is done in under 4hrs by one person, the only way it is economical is if you put two on the job and cut the time in half. No shop is in business working in any other manner. Book time on a header job lists 5.5 and good mechanics are in the industry to beat that time, be paid for the booked amount and move on to the next job doing the exact same thing. That's from the business side.

If I were running my own shop, I wouldn't put two guys on a job requiring one. Two problems there, the techs are losing hours, and that guy wouldn't be worth the air he breathes. I need him to make me money, not cost it.

I'm not asking you to take your ball and go home here. We are all trying to understand your reasoning. Much of it doesn't make any sense at all, thus the questions and explanation. We all understand the economics. I think the majority here though are simply baffled by justifying a product that costs 200.00 or more needing to be massaged in order to fit, and the excess amount of time needed to complete the job. As a consumer, I' not paying 200.00 for something that I have to get creative with to make it work. It's going back to the manufacturer with an FU.. That's just how I would be.

No bashing intended..

[Kevo]

I understand where you're coming from. Install for the headers is around $500 at a shop. I simply don't have that money being in college. On the other hand, I can give away my saturday along with a friend who is willing to help, to put them in and get the job done. My friend put MAC's in his car single handedly with no help and it took him 2 full days (sat and sun) and 2 days after work. He had to fabricate the headers to work with his side exhaust and weld them together. I understand where you're coming from saying that the headers ed up not being economical and all in the end but keep in mind, I bought the headers KNOWING that I was putting them in myself. In the end spending $250 on LT's and spending a saturday putting them in is much cheaper then $1300 on ARH's and throwing them in (still takes 5-8 hours average doing it on jackstands like I did), or $1300 plus another $500 for a header install.
I understand trying to make sense of this whole ordeal but in the end, I have a header system for $250 installed I it was a great deal in my eyes, even if it took massaging to fit. In a world where I am not a colelge student and I have money to blow on expensive headers sure, the Boost Brothers LT's would be unacceptable. For my situation, it works out well, for yours or other people's, you may be able to afford the nicer headers and that's fine. For those who tell me to save up, I don't have a job, nor do I have time for one so that's nearly impossible for that large amount of money required for nice headers. I have a little amount of excess money to do what I want with and I decided to use it on the headers. Again, this is all purely situational and like I said, each person needs to weigh their options and what they can afford to do.