Why is this sooo expensive?...(Re: M-Lad business practices?)

["The PC Handyman" <pchandyman@intrex.net>]

----- Original Message -----
From: TM <mizutanit@mindspring.com>
Subject: RE: Monkey Lad business practices? (Re: Turbo/wastegate questions -
K24, WG Spring etc.)


> Let me preface this by saying that I don't know Scott nor do I have
> anything to do with him.
>
> That said, $375 is about market price for this mod. TAP wants $400.
> Hoppen no longer does this. Anderson Motorsports wants $400. Intended
> Acceleration wants $600, IIRC. (Why is IA so expensive? Ned says his
> product is markedly superior. Is it?) Garrett Lim of A4 and VW 1.8T
> fame wants $350 to do this. It doesn't sound particular expensive or
> unfair.
>
> If someone really got the mod for $210, then that's unusual, but to
> me, $375 and "about $400" sounds like the same, especially if you
> consider shipping costs.
>
> I want to chip my soon-to-be-mine 5kcstq and am still researching the
> issue, as I am very intrigued at Ned Ritchie's pricing scheme. Why
> he wants 50% more than everyone else, I don't know. If his chip is that
> much better and everyone in the know eventually gets his chip, then the
> price is justified for a markedly superior product. Otherwise, I'll
> either go with Scott or Garrett, considering Scott is much cheaper and
> Garrett is local to me

The reasonable prices that I had in mind but failed to mention were also
from Garrett (http://www.giacusa.com/welcome.html). They sell chips for the
VW motronic 16v for $130. Perhaps they are part of the reason that I started
this flame-attracting thread. Is the Motronic mod much different than the
MAC11 mod?


-Noah