Austrlian owners: interests in the Minuni N1-Street exhaust system?
12-09-2001, 01:42 PM
#12
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Originally posted by Takashi KazuMori
How much is considered minimum? 10hp? 20hp? Minus the cat, another 5hp - 7hp or so max. I don't know if so any part of N/A power performance tuning is considered a waste of money since you will never justify the amount of horsepower in cash returns, considering removing the weight from the stock exhaust system is so dramatically different. No doubt, gaining the expected horsepower output is a good thing.
How much is considered minimum? 10hp? 20hp? Minus the cat, another 5hp - 7hp or so max. I don't know if so any part of N/A power performance tuning is considered a waste of money since you will never justify the amount of horsepower in cash returns, considering removing the weight from the stock exhaust system is so dramatically different. No doubt, gaining the expected horsepower output is a good thing.
As far as I can see, my next step in terms of performance improvement is putting wet weather track tyres on the car (Bridgestones or Dunlops). I can justify this in two ways 1). my current tyres will have worn out and need replacement anyway; and 2). the performance enhancement will be much greater than an upgraded exhaust would give me.
12-09-2001, 02:04 PM
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by 2kturkey
[B]
Takashi, for me to justify a new exhaust it would need to offer a 10% power improvement (i.e. 18KW) , cost under AUD$1,000 and sound pretty good. I would also need to be at the point where the current exhaust is rusted out and needs replacement - this is not something I would be bothered doing just for the heck of it. I personally am not too concerned about weight savings.
[B]
Takashi, for me to justify a new exhaust it would need to offer a 10% power improvement (i.e. 18KW) , cost under AUD$1,000 and sound pretty good. I would also need to be at the point where the current exhaust is rusted out and needs replacement - this is not something I would be bothered doing just for the heck of it. I personally am not too concerned about weight savings.
12-09-2001, 02:53 PM
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Takashi, what is your problem with us?
Nobody cast any opinions on the Minuni exhaust, we've never seen one!? And neither have you. You're just guessing as to what it is even like.
We were discussing if there was any interest in the product locally.
If you think we are all such idiots, let us be, we'll surely shoot ourselves in the foot/feet. We'll all lose every event we enter and you'll be there lapping us all.
Nobody cast any opinions on the Minuni exhaust, we've never seen one!? And neither have you. You're just guessing as to what it is even like.
We were discussing if there was any interest in the product locally.
If you think we are all such idiots, let us be, we'll surely shoot ourselves in the foot/feet. We'll all lose every event we enter and you'll be there lapping us all.
12-09-2001, 03:29 PM
#15
Whereas this exhaust looks good and doesn't embarass itself on the dyno (in terms of the sort of improvements we can expect from any S2000 exhaust system) I think Aus sales might be an uphill battle. Assuming it could be landed here for the same price as it lands in the US (it's made in Japan) it would be at least $AUD1300.
It can't promise "30hp" (like the HiTech) and keep it's integrity (unlike HiTech
). And it doesn't have a well known tuner sticker on it (Mugen, Spoon, etc) to impress the riceboys. So we have to be real about it.
It's beautifully made, looks great (subjective), sounds great (subjective), weighs less, and probably has as many extra ponies and turns as any other well researched exhaust made for the S.
Can an equivalent single exhaust be made locally? Sure! Can we be bothered dealing with the manufacturers and wading through the bullsh!t (a la Hitech)? Do we have the time to do the R&D so we aren't going backwards?
Personally I can't justify $1300 for an exhaust that looks good, sounds great (although not according to the cops) and from which I expect little or no gain in power.
It can't promise "30hp" (like the HiTech) and keep it's integrity (unlike HiTech
). And it doesn't have a well known tuner sticker on it (Mugen, Spoon, etc) to impress the riceboys. So we have to be real about it.It's beautifully made, looks great (subjective), sounds great (subjective), weighs less, and probably has as many extra ponies and turns as any other well researched exhaust made for the S.
Can an equivalent single exhaust be made locally? Sure! Can we be bothered dealing with the manufacturers and wading through the bullsh!t (a la Hitech)? Do we have the time to do the R&D so we aren't going backwards?
Personally I can't justify $1300 for an exhaust that looks good, sounds great (although not according to the cops) and from which I expect little or no gain in power.
12-09-2001, 04:08 PM
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Originally posted by DC2SpecR
10% of improvement that cost under AUD$1000 will just happen on turbo charged car unfortunately, and I dont think the exhaust of S2000 will rust out because it is a full system stainless steel exhaust.
10% of improvement that cost under AUD$1000 will just happen on turbo charged car unfortunately, and I dont think the exhaust of S2000 will rust out because it is a full system stainless steel exhaust.
12-09-2001, 04:57 PM
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i guess we'll have to do some more marketing before trying to sell the Minuni brand.
i apologize for the typo, but nobody's infallable and i hope you can accept that apology.
the problem with marketing is that they're rather expensive, and the costs associated with the marketing campaign is always absorbed by you, the consumer.
Dyno chart (baseline was done with Mugen Titanium exhaust)
Some video clips:
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid01.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid02.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid03.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid04.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid05.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid06.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid07.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid08.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid09.AVI
it's true that the Minuni (MIN - first 3 letters of my last name, UNI - last 3 letters of my partner John's name) is a new player, but i have every confidence that we design, engineer, and manufacture quality parts. each exhaust comes with a 2 year warranty against manufacturing defect and muffler rust-throughs. i had to take a class on what the differences are between a good and a shitty muffler, and i know of no exhaust system that i've gotten for the S2000 (with the exception of perhaps Neuspeed) that offers anything over 1 year warranty. you may not believe it, but there's a science behind building mufflers. just ask your local muffler shop: how are the fiberglass packed? what's the material pattern? what's the density? how thick is the stainless mesh around the center core? how is the center core attached to the main muffler assembly? there are much more questions to ask, but if your muffler shop guy can't answer it, i don't think he can tell you how long the mufflers he sells will last either.
Minuni is also carrying a line of 19 inch forged wheels that were originally made for the Porsche/Ferrari market. the company making the forged wheels is an OE factory making forged pistons for Arias and JE. they also make OE forged wheels for the Dodge Viper. their other line of forged wheels are extensively tested in baja races on off-road vehicles and the top 5 ranking drivers prefer their line of wheels.
Minuni is also going to carry a line of 4 piston brake system made by Brembo through an exclusive arrangement we made.
do you see a pattern here? if we wanted Minuni to be some POS made for poseurs aimed at mass market, i'd go through my contacts in China and Taiwan (no offense to my friends there). i can cut the prices of the exhaust systems by up to 40%, but i would never be able to offer the warranty i have on Minuni products.
a good chunk of what you're paying for on Spoon, Mugen, Apexi, or any other products out there is their marketing costs. my marketing plan consists of mainly word of mouth. i must say i dare not make shitty products nor lie to my customers about my products' capabilities, or else i will suffer the consequences.
i apologize for the typo, but nobody's infallable and i hope you can accept that apology.
the problem with marketing is that they're rather expensive, and the costs associated with the marketing campaign is always absorbed by you, the consumer.
Dyno chart (baseline was done with Mugen Titanium exhaust)
Some video clips:
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid01.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid02.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid03.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid04.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid05.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid06.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid07.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid08.AVI
http://www.importdevelopment.net/temp/tempvid09.AVI
it's true that the Minuni (MIN - first 3 letters of my last name, UNI - last 3 letters of my partner John's name) is a new player, but i have every confidence that we design, engineer, and manufacture quality parts. each exhaust comes with a 2 year warranty against manufacturing defect and muffler rust-throughs. i had to take a class on what the differences are between a good and a shitty muffler, and i know of no exhaust system that i've gotten for the S2000 (with the exception of perhaps Neuspeed) that offers anything over 1 year warranty. you may not believe it, but there's a science behind building mufflers. just ask your local muffler shop: how are the fiberglass packed? what's the material pattern? what's the density? how thick is the stainless mesh around the center core? how is the center core attached to the main muffler assembly? there are much more questions to ask, but if your muffler shop guy can't answer it, i don't think he can tell you how long the mufflers he sells will last either.
Minuni is also carrying a line of 19 inch forged wheels that were originally made for the Porsche/Ferrari market. the company making the forged wheels is an OE factory making forged pistons for Arias and JE. they also make OE forged wheels for the Dodge Viper. their other line of forged wheels are extensively tested in baja races on off-road vehicles and the top 5 ranking drivers prefer their line of wheels.
Minuni is also going to carry a line of 4 piston brake system made by Brembo through an exclusive arrangement we made.
do you see a pattern here? if we wanted Minuni to be some POS made for poseurs aimed at mass market, i'd go through my contacts in China and Taiwan (no offense to my friends there). i can cut the prices of the exhaust systems by up to 40%, but i would never be able to offer the warranty i have on Minuni products.
a good chunk of what you're paying for on Spoon, Mugen, Apexi, or any other products out there is their marketing costs. my marketing plan consists of mainly word of mouth. i must say i dare not make shitty products nor lie to my customers about my products' capabilities, or else i will suffer the consequences.
12-09-2001, 05:16 PM
#19
What we really need is an independent (I trust Richard implicitly, but those who haven't dealt with him personally have a right to be skeptical) dyno test under the right conditions from stock to Minuni.
I guess we are still not looking for massive leaps in power as it has been said over and over again that an exhaust works best in cahoots with intake and headers and the rest.
Does sound good in the vids and I'd suggest bundling a horn upgrade as it might be necessary as per no.6.
I guess we are still not looking for massive leaps in power as it has been said over and over again that an exhaust works best in cahoots with intake and headers and the rest.
Does sound good in the vids and I'd suggest bundling a horn upgrade as it might be necessary as per no.6
.
12-09-2001, 05:18 PM
#20
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Keep up the good work Mingster. You'll always have trouble selling in Aus because of our weak currency, but then we're also a very small market for you. Your approach is admirable and you deserve success.