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

[<isham-research.freeserve.co.uk@pop.pol.net.uk>]

>>OK, if the install is laborous, I would concede. But it's still alot of
>>money (to some people, and especially given the value of the car).

> Well, I don't specifically know what memory chip they are using but the chip itself likely costs well under $5.00 if that makes you feel any better.

> When the product is intellectual, the cost is the design, development and marketing, not production.

The chip is trivial to the point where it's economic to supply a set of
chips with slightly different mapping for the customer to try.  The
cost analysis is the same as with any consumer product.  What does the
steel in a wood screw cost?  What do screws cost?  Ever tried to make
one?

The ultimate argument is the price per pound of potatoes that you pay
for potato chips.

There's a lot of time, expense (portable four-gas analysers come out
around $3500, portable logging scopes even more), insurance, tax, etc.,
tucked away in these prices - and the market is very low volume.

In the UK, Superchips (ha!) have been known to charge GBP700+ for a simple
voltage divider circuit on the back of the pressure sensor.  At least
Scott et al remap the ECU _properly_.

--
 Phil Payne
 UK Audi quattro Owners Club
 Phone +44 7785 302803  Fax +44 870 0883933