[CL9] New exhaust system.. your thoughts

[Nuci]

I had the same perception about brand name products, until I had a look on the TSX forums in the states, when the supposedly cheap nasty eBay Chinese crap out lasting the reputable brands. Besides the Tsudo brand above may not be a well known name here but it doesn't mean it's not well known elsewhere.

Higher price doesn't mean guaranteed better and cheap doesn't necessarily mean 'guaranteed' falling apart. Just look at the DC sports header for the TSX, compared to the Japspeed Pro-1 at half the price is out lasting the DC sports, and the welding/fitting is excellent. It's just different profit margins, for all we know skunk2 and Tsudo could be out of the same factory in china or USA or Mexico.

Also, just because it's on eBay doesn't necessarily mean it's made in china, the cost of labour is cheap in the states too so the stuff you buy could well be made in the united states. Just like the set of brake rotors I got recently, made in Carlifornia, slotted and cross drilled for $270 shipped to my door, pretty cheap and is the same if not better than the Aussie RDA's which cost almost twice as much, and RDA is made in China.

And Made in China =\= crap. All your TV's are made there, all your iPad/iPhones are made there too. Get those prejudices outta your system.

I wouldn't call DC Sports a quality brand... And the quality on the ebay exhausts can't possibly be as good as your Js Racing, Toda, Buddyclub, etc. A company that sells a catback for $250 is either making a loss or manufacturing their parts from scrap metal. And yeah you're right about Chinese parts not necessarily being crap, however, if I wanted someone to make me a car, I'd ask an Italian or a German. If I wanted someone to make me a coffee, i'd ask a frenchman. And if I wanted someone to make me a catback, I'd go Japanese, or maybe US. That's just me and I know not everyone is that way inclined, but these companies build a reputation for researching and track testing their parts, not from some bloke buying a jap catback, taking it home to his shed, and trying his best to copy it. I'd rather buy a quality second hand catback from a brand like fujitsubo than spend the same money on something from eBay I've never heard of. Just in the same way I'd rather buy a second hand honda over a new great wall car.

I don't buy branded parts so I can strut around saying oh all my parts are toda and jun, look at me. I do it because I know their parts are of the best quality. I'm not too sure about the Euros, but for the DC5 at least, you can buy brand new skunk2 and buddyclub catbacks from eBay for 550 plus shipping. IMO that is a steal.

And true your tvs and ipads etc may be made in china, but I guarantee you they're not designed and researched there. Which is what you pay for on branded parts, the time and research that goes into making a quality catback that will do a good job on the car it's designed for, not one that'll do a good enough job for the price. That's my .02 at least.