Rant: my gripe with ARP.

[Mr. Burns]

Purists and Rich people need not apply

I'm at the end of my rope with this company.

I'm in the market to get some headbolts to build my engine for boost.
ARP, traditionaly is the winner and best recommended for this application.

however, the engine I'm building is not so much "rare" it's just not as common to build. it's VERY common to boost these engines with the BMW crowd.

I can get an ARP headbolt kit for $109 from Ebay for a 1988-1990 BMW M3 S14 engine.
I can get an ARP headbolt kit for $229 from either VAC motorsports, or Ireland Engineering as they are "custom ordered" for any one of the MILLIONS of E30's produced from 1985-1991.

That my friends, it's market manipulation and not cool in my books.

Significantly increasing the cost of something that is in demand for many people is poor business ethics.
I'm almost tempted to go with Metric Mechanic Blues at a 1/3 of the cost.

I wear a size 13.5 shoe.

Nike/Reebok doesn't charge me more for having larger then average feet.

Shaq wears a size 23, and needs custom shoes....therefore, they;re trully is a "one off" design thats required.

my headbolts aren't exactly some rare precious gem in the field of modifying engines...it's pretty white bread common.

I can use my brilliant analogies all day, but i'm sure you get the point.

there is likely a little more then handfull of operational S14 engines out there, that actually require aftermarket headbolts, ...charge the public $109 for them
There is a small country of fanatics that mod the most popular engine BMW made in the 80's, so charge them $229?

fawk that.

end rant

[Eric]

229-109=120


tripple?

[Mr. Burns]

229-109=120


tripple?

gah edited, just flew off the handle with over dramatization.

[nando]

facepalm?

go ahead, go with metric blues (which don't have anything to do with Metric Mechanic). who gives a fuck? you're talking about $200 headbolts for a motor nobody in the aftermarket cares about. you're lucky you can get them at any price.

also, there are more headbolts in an M20 kit than in an S14.

metric blues aren't headbolts, either.

you're in trouble if you're trying to build a boosted motor and an extra $100 for headbolts is going to break you..

[Mr. Burns]

as a business owner myself, I tend to have a biast opinion and observe the practices of other companies taking advantage of consumers.
it simply urks me.

as posted in the title header, simply a rant.

[nando]

you're a fucking moron.

if you don't want them - don't buy them. they don't even make an M20 specific bolt, they have to be modified for them (cut down from another app).

[Mr. Burns]

you're a fucking moron.

if you don't want them - don't buy them. they don't even make an M20 specific bolt, they have to be modified for them (cut down from another app).

jesus chill out, it's simply an opinion.

[MR 325]

So where's the link to the $109 set on eBay?

ARP makes the BEST fasteners for performance engines, that's all there is to it.

[MR 325]

Also, are you building an S14 or an M20? You can not compare the head stud sets as they are different.

[Mr. Burns]

2 things-
the ebay link is actually for rod bolts from ARP on a S14...at a quick glance, I thought they were studs.
I stand corrected.

furthermore, I did NOT know that the headbolts were custom modified to fit the M20.

in no fashion was I looking to offend anyone, or ruffle any feathers. I was clearely not up to speed on the way that the aformentioned company produced these materials, and for this I apologize.

/end

[MR 325]

Kind of a big difference between a rod bolt set for a 4 cylinder engine and a head stud set for a 6 cylinder engine.

IE has the M20 ARP head stud kit for $225. They're worth the price.

[Mr. Burns]

Kind of a big difference between a rod bolt set for a 4 cylinder engine and a head stud set for a 6 cylinder engine.

IE has the M20 ARP head stud kit for $225. They're worth the price.

and with that said, I've just completed my order with IE8-)

[browntown]

Somewhat tangential, but I was going to use the *m30* arp studs for my build until I realized that they don't have the shoulder in them that locates the rocker shafts. Clearly a stock thread pitch stud applied to a different engine without consideration to the specific needs. After talking with paul burke about it, I'm sticking with bolts. I'm not a boosted application though.

[MR 325]

Somewhat tangential, but I was going to use the *m30* arp studs for my build until I realized that they don't have the shoulder in them that locates the rocker shafts. Clearly a stock thread pitch stud applied to a different engine without consideration to the specific needs. After talking with paul burke about it, I'm sticking with bolts. I'm not a boosted application though.

Can you elaborate on this shoulder and how it locates the rocker shafts?

[10Toes]

you're a fucking moron.