in the end, buy what you like, screw what others have to say. Buy whatever makes you happy. If you have the $ and want to save some weight and gain some midrange-highrange power, go with amuse/toda/j's, but if you want a compromise, buy a used one of those. Just the last 2 months more than 3 used toda header was put to sell. anywhere from $650-800 shipped.

As for the broken bracket, who cares? the header is light enough where that bracket is pretty much useless either way. Why bother with customer service on a useless part?

 

Yep, the marketing stuff says stainless. The price is right in line with their competition; as to value, you're on your own here

 

Most modifications offer little return as far as power gains go in the S 2000. Around $100 per hp seems about average on most NA cars. That's about what the JDM headers give you. Sure a supercharger with aftercooler will give you around 100 hp for around $5500 plus installation and plus dyno tuning. So, it seems as if the JDM "pricey" headers give about the same bang for the buck.

As far as people who buy JDM parts jsut so they can say "I have all these JDM parts. Look at me and my JDM parts. I've more JDM parts than you have JDM parts. You're non JDM parts are gay compared to my JDM parts.", well I think they are tards.

However, true JDM heads who carefully select parts to extract the fullest potential of their car are in my opinion not fashion victims, but are true sports tuning philosophists who should be admired for their hard work and patience. I fall into this category. While it would be easy to get a DC Sports header (for next to nothing) just so I can have a header, it would be more rewarding to have the new J's Racing piece. You see, the new J's Racing piece fits more into my sports tuning philosophy.

The original question asked in this thread was why do JDM headers cost so much. Compare the top JDM headers to the only domestic offering (DC Sports). Most well designed JDM headers (Toad, J's, Feels) make around 10 hp and save 10 pounds or more. DC Sports, however, loses 1 or 2 hp and saves the same weight. You are paying more for the JDM piece because of it's better design and increased power output. And you don't need a magnifying glass to see a 5% increase or more in wheel hp.

 

This is why you should not buy grey market products. If you purchase from authorized distributors/retailers, you get better warranty support (instead of none). I learned this lesson the hard way with a non-authorized distributor purchase of the Spoon Sports titanium shift knob in which the welds broke (like most others who had the first run with weak welds). Now I can't return it and its a $120 paper weight. And its not even good for that because it only weighs a couple of ounces.

 

DC Sports are not the only domestic offering.

I don't know how to say this without appearing rude so apologies in advance, but anyone can hold any opinion they want to if they are selective or ignorant of the truth.

The fact is, the second someone says 'JDM' I smell fashion victim. My personal tuning philosophy is "Buy the most performance I can afford". I don't give a rats where it came from. If it's good and I can afford it I'll buy it.

 

Is this that 'JDM quality' you referred to before?

 

Hey, titanium is tricky to weld. Its understandable. They replaced everyone with an updated version with stronger welds that was purchased from an authorized delaer. That's pretty good customer service if you ask me.

 

Please list the non-JDM headers that make power and are cheaper than their JDM counterparts and I'll be the first in line to get one...

 

Sorry, I'm not a procurement service.

Please note that I didn't say there was a better and cheaper USDM header. Just that you are incorrect when you say that DC Sports is the only one.

 

Sorry, but if you produce a product and it falls apart in the hands of the public that is not an example of 'good quality'. That is an example of poor quality control.