Where's the 5K$+ in supercharger?

[LakeShoreDriver]

Please, enlighten the uninformed. I just don't see FIVE PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS worth of product here, and not including install. Am I cheap? Out of touch? Old? All of the above?

[DEFYANT]

If your talkin about the Trilogy, your about 1K short buddy.

And if we have to explain the logic, you probably would not understand.

I will say this though... it was worth every penny.

[stevengerard]

priorties or all of the above. I had post partum depression after I installed mine - for 24 hours - now I wouldn't take it off if you paid me - well unless it was enough to buy another one

[Cheeseheadbob]

(D) all of the above. :D
Am I cheap? Out of touch? Old? All of the above?

[MikesMerc]

Have you ever seen all the peices of a kit laid out in front of you before? I'm referring to the unassembled components before an install.

You'd be surprised.

The Trilogy kit in particular is pretty shocking to see.

[Smokie]

Have you ever seen all the peices of a kit laid out in front of you before? I'm referring to the unassembled components before an install.

You'd be surprised.

The Trilogy kit in particular is pretty shocking to see.

You mean this:
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/2/4/8/DSCF5156Medium.JPG

[bryanthomas]

Please, enlighten the uninformed. I just don't see FIVE PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS worth of product here, and not including install. Am I cheap? Out of touch? Old? All of the above?

Do you consider yourself to be a car guy?

If you have been apart of the car hobby for some time I shouldn't have to tell you "It ain't cheap."

How much do you think a blower (or any kind of forced induction) should cost? There is a lot of R&D that goes into these kits, not to mention fabrication.

[Cheeseheadbob]

I've been in that garage!!!:burnout:
You mean this:
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/2/4/8/DSCF5156Medium.JPG

[Hotrauder]

You mean this:
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/2/4/8/DSCF5156Medium.JPG

that is just the pieces that Javier was kind enough to add to the discussion. My 6K was spent on the result that those pieces brought to my car and the enjoyment I have with those results. Not just the power, but the power, the driveability, the like stock unboosted performance and the security I feel driving with this much power on tap knowing the engineering talent was invested to ensure that the power level was safe to use without jeopardising my ride. I bought the package, tried, tested and backed by the commitment of a great company and great people. You can buy pieces anywhere, good luck. Dennis:D

[STLR FN]

Please, enlighten the uninformed. I just don't see FIVE PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS worth of product here, and not including install. Am I cheap? Out of touch? Old? All of the above?If you gotta ask then maybe you should find another hobby. Nobody's forcing you to buy ???? kit.
Smokie I'm using that as my wallpaper.:D

[Joe Walsh]

"Yeah, but I've seen Eaton blowers on Ebay for like $1,200.00!!!"

:D ;)

I know, I'm a wise a$$.

[HwyCruiser]

For the supercharger kits sold by our vendors here, you would have to look at the higher end of the offerings for Mustangs, etc., to get a fair price comparison.

There are plenty of kits (not for Marauders) that are non-intercooled, don't provide any additional fuel or air delivery modifications and only basic, generic chip if at all. These would typically provide 3-6 psi of boost and maybe 60-80 additional hp for $2.5-4k range. Substantially cheaper eh?

Start adding intercoolers and req'd accessories (a big jump in $$$ right there), sensors, bigger fuel injectors, fuel pumps or BAPs, MAFs, plugs, air filters, belts, and Marauder specific base tunes in either chip or HHP form to provide a safe 8-10 psi of boost for 160-200 additional hp for $2-2.5k more. Are we still comparing apples to apples?

Back when FIT was still developing their kit, Greg and I had discussed a non-intercooled, low-boost Procharger application in the $3-3.5k range for my car. It would have been do-able, but he suggested I wouldn't be happy with it and would wind up spending more money than I would have otherwise just to bring the power up to the intercooled kit's level. I believe he was right.

There's a lot of n/a mods you can nickle and dime together a very fast car over time and spend nearly as much money, or you can take the big plunge and jump the field very quickly. I guess I did both. Speed costs $$$. I'm not trying to put my hands in your pockets, but how much ya got?

[MarauderMark]

Are you talikng about comparing a supercharger to buliding a high hp motor? Or just complaining that superchargers are costly and not worth the buck?

[ckadiddle]

I see it like this:
I can buy a similar kit for my wife's 2000 mustang gt for about four grand. There are a zillion mustang gt's running around out there. Marauders, only 11000 total produced. Many of those owners will never even think about adding a supercharger. Low volume sales numbers for a VERY small number of cars means there is no way to slash the price based on selling huge volumes of kits. You can't walk into Walmart and get one of these. The kits look like OEM after they are installed. Support from the three vendors has been outstanding from what I have read on this board. I don't know if I will ever be financially able to purchase a s/c kit, but it's darned sure on my wish list.

[bigslim]

Please, enlighten the uninformed. I just don't see FIVE PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS worth of product here, and not including install. Am I cheap? Out of touch? Old? All of the above?
First off, this seeems like a loaded question.

Second, ask the 134+ Trilogy Supercharged owners if they made a wrong decision.

Third, go for a ride in any supercharged car and you will see the answer.

[BAD MERC]

Anyone who has one will tell you - the $6,000 investment is more than justified with the Trilogy kit ( I assume you're asking about that). I asked Claude (CarFixer) about it face to face and he told me the kit was worth twice as much as the price you pay. I have never driven a Trilogy Marauder and I am afraid to because I would sell everything I own to buy one when I find out the potential of the Marauder.

[sweetair]

You mean this:
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/2/4/8/DSCF5156Medium.JPGNow that is truly one of the more beautiful pics I have seen in a while. I remember "my" day like if was just yesterday. Enjoy every moment, they grow up fast.........

[1stMerc]

If you gotta ask then maybe you should find another hobby. Nobody's forcing you to buy ???? kit.
Smokie I'm using that as my wallpaper.:D

You wallpapered your whole house with it. Just kidding.

[Breadfan]

The price of the kits do not appear to be bloated in any way - compare the parts to the overall price, add in some R&D and it's hard to figure how money is made off them...

I have the Trilogy kit. Much of the parts shown above, there are a fair amount that are custom machined parts. Custom CNC of that level isn't cheap, it's quite nice, but not cheap. The blower itself also is a large chunk of that price.

And I agree - any way shape or form, it's worth it. :)

[jawz101]

From what I've read, Trilogy kits were designed with CAD designs directly from Ford. That carries a lot of clout in my book.

You can consider turbochargers too. They're a little cheaper and Pro Charger does have $500 off sales every now and then.
Exhaust is a good upgrade for the money.

I'm getting ready to go back to school :)and that's where my $ going right now.

[Marauderjack]

Smokie.....

How'd that Allen wrench get out of the pile??:confused: :lol:

Marauderjack:D

[Bradley G]

Put a few more dollars to it and get the polished kit W/ braided coolant lines.

[RoyLPita]

If you gotta ask then maybe you should find another hobby. Nobody's forcing you to buy ???? kit.
Smokie I'm using that as my wallpaper.:D

Same here. Thanx Javier.

BTW, I've seen that garage, too. :burnout:

[O's Fan Rich]

Please, enlighten the uninformed. I just don't see FIVE PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS worth of product here, and not including install. Am I cheap? Out of touch? Old? All of the above?

I understand your thought process. I too am one who ,likes to look for "the killer deal". But when it comes to this car and supercharging, it ain't gonna happen. Low production #'s equals higher costs. For instance, a machine operator tools up to make you a fitting. One might cost you $100.00, but order 100 units and the cost plummets to $30.00 each. Volume, baby, volume. I'm just happy there are options available to us.
Let's see...
Trilogy has 2 kits, standard or polished 6k or 7k.
Dennis Rienhart has 2 kits Water to air and the air to air $5900 and $4800
FIT has an air to air kit $4800
And there are upgrades and add ons in each kit that can add to your pleasure!
And there is a turbocharging kit out there that runs in the 5k range, also with options.
I considered using a less expensive Mustang kit and adapting it, examined the use of a factory Eaton setup from a Cobra ( Tom Doan still has it in the classifieds I believe - BRAND NEW!! and he will deal on it and man, his car is sweet with that Cobra set up) I said no to each.

I was going to pull the trigger on Dennis Reinharts air to air with an upgrade or two, then Sully008 gave me a hard shove over to the Trilogy setup. I now await the delivery of #132

[juno]

The first time I saw a picture of a Trilogy kit I realized why they have all the install parties. Pretty intimidating.:D

I have looked at all the Kits anyone makes for a Ford Mustang or Marauder and the Marauder kits from our vendors are top notch. Yes, 5-6K is a lot of coin, but the end result are quality kits with outstanding performance.

If you are wondering about the value you get from a supercharger go to kennebell.net and read some of the articles there. They have the most comprehensive information about superchargers and our motors. (they do not make a Marauder kit, but the info is outstanding.
Then come back here and decide which one you want, Trilogy, FIT, Vortech.
You will not be disappointed. :coolman:

[rayjay]

The kits are exspensive, but since I've been here eveyone who has installed a blower has been more than happy with it. Its not for everyone. I can not personally justify the exspense for myself on my daily driver. I have added other parts to up the fun factor and can justify that for me and keep the wife happy at the same time.

[martyo]

If I was building up another street car, I would definitely go with a Trilogy. Their kit is top notch and the bang for the buck is well worth it.

[MarauderMark]

If I was building up another street car, I would definitely go with a Trilogy. Their kit is top notch and the bang for the buck is well worth it.
Yepperz:up:

[STLR FN]

You wallpapered your whole house with it. Just kidding.Hmmmm.....not a bad idea. As if the wifey doesn't already know I want a supercharger, I think this would definitely put her over the edge towards the looney bin. :lol:

[Blackened300a]

I have never driven a Trilogy Marauder and I am afraid to because I would sell everything I own to buy one when I find out the potential of the Marauder.

Charlie (DEFYANT) was giving rides in his Trilogy Marauder but I declined due to the fact that I would have done exactly as Quoted, Sold Everything I owned to buy one!

[Jerry Barnes]

I will chime in from the manufacturers point of view. This was a big risk for our company to do the Marauder Supercharger Kit. We had design many supercharger packages for Ford products, but Ford paid for the development costs. And believe me they invest tens of millions of dollars to bring that product to market on a production vehicle. We are very small and leveraged our knowledge from past Ford projects, we got 2 free cars from Ford to do our development, we worked on the project when we were not doing billable work(nights, weekends, etc.). We utilized our access to Ford to evaluate existing parts that could be packaged with our kit without the expense of tooling. And after selling 134 kits, I do not think we have made any money.

Let me run through just some of the expense items :

1. 2-3 engineers with masters degrees in mechanical engineering(these guys ain't cheap)
2. CAD software and annual maintanence
3. CAD hardware
4. T1 telecommunications line to move large volumes of data, like a complete Marauder digitally
5. Tooling for the 2 inlet duct pieces alone were $20,000, that's just the tooling!
6. To have just those 2 pieces cast, powder coated and machined is about $500 a set

These are some simple examples, now go back and look at the picture of all the pieces on Claude's garage floor.

Then we have had to make some changes to keep up with the industry. We no longer can use chips that cost $100, we have to use flash units that cost $300, with no price increase.

So why did we do it? Let me share something with everyone.

Strategically, we had to move into other areas of business that were not so closely tied to the U.S. Auto Industry. If you look at our industry numbers, we have had a very difficult 3 years and it ain't over yet.

So, our thinking was we had very talented engineers, we had a huge investment in technology, I have been in the auto industry for 35 years and don't know anything else. I was an executive at Chrysler for 20 years. My wife is an executive at Chrysler for 20 years.

We sure weren't going into the medical field, I can't even spell x-ray.

The after market business is growing double digits every year.

I have loved cars, motorcycles, go karts, etc. all my life

So I(we) made a conscious decision to take our skills and apply them to something we love and seemed to have consistent growth pattern.

If you talk to Donna and she has all the financial data, we have invested heavily in these projects and any profits we eventually make go right into the next project(F150. Mustang, etc.).

We think the aftermarket will be a PART of our future and will require a long term commitment and investment. I hope I am right.

I swore I would not do like others that I have seen and let their passion for cars override the black and white financial responsibility of running a company. OOPS! I am ignoring my own advice.

But, I truely love this stuff! I have made some of the closest friends I have had in my life through these projects. And the comments all of our customers make once they install one of our products, I find more rewarding then any of you can imagine.

I worked for Bob Lutz and Tom Gale at Chrysler years ago and I remember someone asking Bob, "why did you make the Dodge Viper during these difficult financial times at Chrysler?" and his answer was "because we could!". And I feel the same way. It was a huge challenge, but Americans always do things because they can. And after reading Slim's test drive results today about the SRT, Chrysler has had difficult times but always stayed true to their course. I think Ford and GM will do the same.

So, to answer the gentleman's initial note in this thread, yes the kit is expensive. No we don't make big profits from the sale of the kit. In my opinion, it is worth every penny people pay for it. And yes, you have to really love cars and performance to justify that kind of expenditure.

But, in our hearts we do not think we short change anyone. And we stand behind our products for many years to make sure customers feel they aren't left alone after the sale.

Just look at Marty, Dave, Lidio, Mike, Mark(Shakes),Claude, BillyG, Chuck, Defyant, Dennis R., Smokie, Kenny Brown, Cruzetaker. Does it make sense that we spend this kind of money to prove who's got the fastest Marauder, NO! But, I am loving every minute and it keeps juices flowing!

Thanks a lot for reading more then my 2 cents!

Jerry

[ridinclean]

I will chime in from the manufacturers point of view. This was a big risk for our company to do the Marauder Supercharger Kit. We had design many supercharger packages for Ford products, but Ford paid for the development costs. And believe me they invest tens of millions of dollars to bring that product to market on a production vehicle. We are very small and leveraged our knowledge from past Ford projects, we got 2 free cars from Ford to do our development, we worked on the project when we were not doing billable work(nights, weekends, etc.). We utilized our access to Ford to evaluate existing parts that could be packaged with our kit without the expense of tooling. And after selling 134 kits, I do not think we have made any money.

Let me run through just some of the expense items :

1. 2-3 engineers with masters degrees in mechanical engineering(these guys ain't cheap)
2. CAD software and annual maintanence
3. CAD hardware
4. T1 telecommunications line to move large volumes of data, like a complete Marauder digitally
5. Tooling for the 2 inlet duct pieces alone were $20,000, that's just the tooling!
6. To have just those 2 pieces cast, powder coated and machined is about $500 a set

These are some simple examples, now go back and look at the picture of all the pieces on Claude's garage floor.

Then we have had to make some changes to keep up with the industry. We no longer can use chips that cost $100, we have to use flash units that cost $300, with no price increase.

So why did we do it? Let me share something with everyone.

Strategically, we had to move into other areas of business that were not so closely tied to the U.S. Auto Industry. If you look at our industry numbers, we have had a very difficult 3 years and it ain't over yet.

So, our thinking was we had very talented engineers, we had a huge investment in technology, I have been in the auto industry for 35 years and don't know anything else. I was an executive at Chrysler for 20 years. My wife is an executive at Chrysler for 20 years.

We sure weren't going into the medical field, I can't even spell x-ray.

The after market business is growing double digits every year.

I have loved cars, motorcycles, go karts, etc. all my life

So I(we) made a conscious decision to take our skills and apply them to something we love and seemed to have consistent growth pattern.

If you talk to Donna and she has all the financial data, we have invested heavily in these projects and any profits we eventually make go right into the next project(F150. Mustang, etc.).

We think the aftermarket will be a PART of our future and will require a long term commitment and investment. I hope I am right.

I swore I would not do like others that I have seen and let their passion for cars override the black and white financial responsibility of running a company. OOPS! I am ignoring my own advice.

But, I truely love this stuff! I have made some of the closest friends I have had in my life through these projects. And the comments all of our customers make once they install one of our products, I find more rewarding then any of you can imagine.

I worked for Bob Lutz and Tom Gale at Chrysler years ago and I remember someone asking Bob, "why did you make the Dodge Viper during these difficult financial times at Chrysler?" and his answer was "because we could!". And I feel the same way. It was a huge challenge, but Americans always do things because they can. And after reading Slim's test drive results today about the SRT, Chrysler has had difficult times but always stayed true to their course. I think Ford and GM will do the same.

So, to answer the gentleman's initial note in this thread, yes the kit is expensive. No we don't make big profits from the sale of the kit. In my opinion, it is worth every penny people pay for it. And yes, you have to really love cars and performance to justify that kind of expenditure.

But, in our hearts we do not think we short change anyone. And we stand behind our products for many years to make sure customers feel they aren't left alone after the sale.

Just look at Marty, Dave, Lidio, Mike, Mark(Shakes),Claude, BillyG, Chuck, Dennis R., Smokie, Kenny Brown, Cruzetaker. Does it make sense that we spend this kind of money to prove who's got the fastest Marauder, NO! But, I am loving every minute and it keeps juices flowing!

Thanks a lot for reading more then my 2 cents!

Jerry
That post just completely justified the 6 grand that I spent on the S/C. Not that I didnt already feel like it was worth it. Trust me if you really doubt that its worth the money then I'll throw you my keys and then you let me know if it was an enlightening experience or a waste of money

[martyo]

Jerry:

For what its worth, I respect you and your product, as well as the commitment you have to it.

In a time when the automotive industry is in what can euphemistically be described as an upheaval, for a small company like yours to take risks (on hi-po parts no less) takes cajones, balls and chutzpah. Folks need to bear in mind what is happening in the auto industry -- Dana, Meridian, Tower, etc., in bankruptcy already, and GM and others teetering on the edge. With that backdrop, anyone taking risks in your industry right now is to be commended.

Here's to Jerry and Trilogy! :beer:

[Badger]

Charlie (DEFYANT) was giving rides in his Trilogy Marauder but I declined due to the fact that I would have done exactly as Quoted, Sold Everything I owned to buy one!

That did me in as well. Anyone who could trust a product like that enough to give rides convinced me.

Now my kids yell "boost dad boost!" all of the time. They sigh with dissapointment when realize they are in wifey's crown brick.

Worth it all the way!!

[DEFYANT]

I will chime in from the manufacturers point of view. This was a big risk for our company to do the Marauder Supercharger Kit. We had design many supercharger packages for Ford products, but Ford paid for the development costs. And believe me they invest tens of millions of dollars to bring that product to market on a production vehicle. We are very small and leveraged our knowledge from past Ford projects, we got 2 free cars from Ford to do our development, we worked on the project when we were not doing billable work(nights, weekends, etc.). We utilized our access to Ford to evaluate existing parts that could be packaged with our kit without the expense of tooling. And after selling 134 kits, I do not think we have made any money.

Let me run through just some of the expense items :

1. 2-3 engineers with masters degrees in mechanical engineering(these guys ain't cheap)
2. CAD software and annual maintanence
3. CAD hardware
4. T1 telecommunications line to move large volumes of data, like a complete Marauder digitally
5. Tooling for the 2 inlet duct pieces alone were $20,000, that's just the tooling!
6. To have just those 2 pieces cast, powder coated and machined is about $500 a set

These are some simple examples, now go back and look at the picture of all the pieces on Claude's garage floor.

Then we have had to make some changes to keep up with the industry. We no longer can use chips that cost $100, we have to use flash units that cost $300, with no price increase.

So why did we do it? Let me share something with everyone.

Strategically, we had to move into other areas of business that were not so closely tied to the U.S. Auto Industry. If you look at our industry numbers, we have had a very difficult 3 years and it ain't over yet.

So, our thinking was we had very talented engineers, we had a huge investment in technology, I have been in the auto industry for 35 years and don't know anything else. I was an executive at Chrysler for 20 years. My wife is an executive at Chrysler for 20 years.

We sure weren't going into the medical field, I can't even spell x-ray.

The after market business is growing double digits every year.

I have loved cars, motorcycles, go karts, etc. all my life

So I(we) made a conscious decision to take our skills and apply them to something we love and seemed to have consistent growth pattern.

If you talk to Donna and she has all the financial data, we have invested heavily in these projects and any profits we eventually make go right into the next project(F150. Mustang, etc.).

We think the aftermarket will be a PART of our future and will require a long term commitment and investment. I hope I am right.

I swore I would not do like others that I have seen and let their passion for cars override the black and white financial responsibility of running a company. OOPS! I am ignoring my own advice.

But, I truely love this stuff! I have made some of the closest friends I have had in my life through these projects. And the comments all of our customers make once they install one of our products, I find more rewarding then any of you can imagine.

I worked for Bob Lutz and Tom Gale at Chrysler years ago and I remember someone asking Bob, "why did you make the Dodge Viper during these difficult financial times at Chrysler?" and his answer was "because we could!". And I feel the same way. It was a huge challenge, but Americans always do things because they can. And after reading Slim's test drive results today about the SRT, Chrysler has had difficult times but always stayed true to their course. I think Ford and GM will do the same.

So, to answer the gentleman's initial note in this thread, yes the kit is expensive. No we don't make big profits from the sale of the kit. In my opinion, it is worth every penny people pay for it. And yes, you have to really love cars and performance to justify that kind of expenditure.

But, in our hearts we do not think we short change anyone. And we stand behind our products for many years to make sure customers feel they aren't left alone after the sale.

Just look at Marty, Dave, Lidio, Mike, Mark(Shakes),Claude, BillyG, Chuck, Defyant, Dennis R., Smokie, Kenny Brown, Cruzetaker. Does it make sense that we spend this kind of money to prove who's got the fastest Marauder, NO! But, I am loving every minute and it keeps juices flowing!

Thanks a lot for reading more then my 2 cents!

Jerry

Yup, like I said - worth every penny!

[MarauderTJA]

Jerry, I sincerely appreciated your post from a business as well as the prospective of where your heart is with your company. Thank you. Many people who are not in business for themselves cannot fully understand the risks, both financial and personnally it takes on your life.

But your heart and passion is in cars, like all of us here. When I met you at Bradenton I liked you immediately and felt we made a sincere friendship (& DJ too) as well as your passion for our cars. Although I do not have a Trilogy, most of my friends do. I just hope your passion continues for the new projects that you are working on and you do not change direction. I personally believe you are right on when it comes to the aftermarket business and it's growth potential. We have to enjoy our lives to its fullest. And for those who's passion is our cars, the high gas prices or anything else cannot and will not get in the way of our love for this hobby. It is what makes us feel alive.

Keep up the great work for us all. It is greatly appreciated from your past, present and future customers.

TOM

[Jerry Barnes]

Jerry:

For what its worth, I respect you and your product, as well as the commitment you have to it.

In a time when the automotive industry is in what can euphemistically be described as an upheaval, for a small company like yours to take risks (on hi-po parts no less) takes cajones, balls and chutzpah. Folks need to bear in mind what is happening in the auto industry -- Dana, Meridian, Tower, etc., in bankruptcy already, and GM and others teetering on the edge. With that backdrop, anyone taking risks in your industry right now is to be commended.

Here's to Jerry and Trilogy! :beer:

Thanks Marty!

Here's to the Mercury Marauder and all the great people who enjoy owning one!

[Jerry Barnes]

Yup, like I said - worth every penny!

Thanks Charlie and all the other great folks we hang out with!

[Jerry Barnes]

Jerry, I sincerely appreciated your post from a business as well as the prospective of where your heart is with your company. Thank you. Many people who are not in business for themselves cannot fully understand the risks, both financial and personnally it takes on your life.

But your heart and passion is in cars, like all of us here. When I met you at Bradenton I liked you immediately and felt we made a sincere friendship (& DJ too) as well as your passion for our cars. Although I do not have a Trilogy, most of my friends do. I just hope your passion continues for the new projects that you are working on and you do not change direction. I personally believe you are right on when it comes to the aftermarket business and it's growth potential. We have to enjoy our lives to its fullest. And for those who's passion is our cars, the high gas prices or anything else cannot and will not get in the way of our love for this hobby. It is what makes us feel alive.

Keep up the great work for us all. It is greatly appreciated from your past, present and future customers.

TOM

Thanks Tom! You bet we are good friends, along with all those other Florida characters you hand out with!!!

[King Fubar]

I think it's worth every penny...so much I can't wait for the twin screw so I can get that and give the single to the wife.

[MarauderTJA]

I think it's worth every penny...so much I can't wait for the twin screw

Hey Mike, get in line. I'm ahead of you>:flamer: <me .

[Tallboy]

I will chime in from the manufacturers point of view. This was a big risk for our company to do the Marauder Supercharger Kit. We had design many supercharger packages for Ford products, but Ford paid for the development costs. And believe me they invest tens of millions of dollars to bring that product to market on a production vehicle. We are very small and leveraged our knowledge from past Ford projects, we got 2 free cars from Ford to do our development, we worked on the project when we were not doing billable work(nights, weekends, etc.). We utilized our access to Ford to evaluate existing parts that could be packaged with our kit without the expense of tooling. And after selling 134 kits, I do not think we have made any money.

Let me run through just some of the expense items :

1. 2-3 engineers with masters degrees in mechanical engineering(these guys ain't cheap)
2. CAD software and annual maintanence
3. CAD hardware
4. T1 telecommunications line to move large volumes of data, like a complete Marauder digitally
5. Tooling for the 2 inlet duct pieces alone were $20,000, that's just the tooling!
6. To have just those 2 pieces cast, powder coated and machined is about $500 a set

These are some simple examples, now go back and look at the picture of all the pieces on Claude's garage floor.

Then we have had to make some changes to keep up with the industry. We no longer can use chips that cost $100, we have to use flash units that cost $300, with no price increase.

So why did we do it? Let me share something with everyone.

Strategically, we had to move into other areas of business that were not so closely tied to the U.S. Auto Industry. If you look at our industry numbers, we have had a very difficult 3 years and it ain't over yet.

So, our thinking was we had very talented engineers, we had a huge investment in technology, I have been in the auto industry for 35 years and don't know anything else. I was an executive at Chrysler for 20 years. My wife is an executive at Chrysler for 20 years.

We sure weren't going into the medical field, I can't even spell x-ray.

The after market business is growing double digits every year.

I have loved cars, motorcycles, go karts, etc. all my life

So I(we) made a conscious decision to take our skills and apply them to something we love and seemed to have consistent growth pattern.

If you talk to Donna and she has all the financial data, we have invested heavily in these projects and any profits we eventually make go right into the next project(F150. Mustang, etc.).

We think the aftermarket will be a PART of our future and will require a long term commitment and investment. I hope I am right.

I swore I would not do like others that I have seen and let their passion for cars override the black and white financial responsibility of running a company. OOPS! I am ignoring my own advice.

But, I truely love this stuff! I have made some of the closest friends I have had in my life through these projects. And the comments all of our customers make once they install one of our products, I find more rewarding then any of you can imagine.

I worked for Bob Lutz and Tom Gale at Chrysler years ago and I remember someone asking Bob, "why did you make the Dodge Viper during these difficult financial times at Chrysler?" and his answer was "because we could!". And I feel the same way. It was a huge challenge, but Americans always do things because they can. And after reading Slim's test drive results today about the SRT, Chrysler has had difficult times but always stayed true to their course. I think Ford and GM will do the same.

So, to answer the gentleman's initial note in this thread, yes the kit is expensive. No we don't make big profits from the sale of the kit. In my opinion, it is worth every penny people pay for it. And yes, you have to really love cars and performance to justify that kind of expenditure.

But, in our hearts we do not think we short change anyone. And we stand behind our products for many years to make sure customers feel they aren't left alone after the sale.

Just look at Marty, Dave, Lidio, Mike, Mark(Shakes),Claude, BillyG, Chuck, Defyant, Dennis R., Smokie, Kenny Brown, Cruzetaker. Does it make sense that we spend this kind of money to prove who's got the fastest Marauder, NO! But, I am loving every minute and it keeps juices flowing!

Thanks a lot for reading more then my 2 cents!

Jerry

My God, that should be a "sticky", and required reading for everyone on this site.

Just when I thought I couldn't be more proud to be your friend...:up:

[Master]

Well, I knew I bought the right car, and am convinced I've hooked up with the right club. This is what cars are all about. Passion, passion, passion. Keep it up! And, please, keep the Trilogy's coming until I can afford one! Jerry, we're all so fortunate to have someone like you in our midst. Hope to have the pleasure of making your aquaintance one day.

[MI2QWK4U]

I will chime in from the manufacturers point of view. This was a big risk for our company to do the Marauder Supercharger Kit. We had design many supercharger packages for Ford products, but Ford paid for the development costs. And believe me they invest tens of millions of dollars to bring that product to market on a production vehicle. We are very small and leveraged our knowledge from past Ford projects, we got 2 free cars from Ford to do our development, we worked on the project when we were not doing billable work(nights, weekends, etc.). We utilized our access to Ford to evaluate existing parts that could be packaged with our kit without the expense of tooling. And after selling 134 kits, I do not think we have made any money.

Let me run through just some of the expense items :

1. 2-3 engineers with masters degrees in mechanical engineering(these guys ain't cheap)
2. CAD software and annual maintanence
3. CAD hardware
4. T1 telecommunications line to move large volumes of data, like a complete Marauder digitally
5. Tooling for the 2 inlet duct pieces alone were $20,000, that's just the tooling!
6. To have just those 2 pieces cast, powder coated and machined is about $500 a set

These are some simple examples, now go back and look at the picture of all the pieces on Claude's garage floor.

Then we have had to make some changes to keep up with the industry. We no longer can use chips that cost $100, we have to use flash units that cost $300, with no price increase.

So why did we do it? Let me share something with everyone.

Strategically, we had to move into other areas of business that were not so closely tied to the U.S. Auto Industry. If you look at our industry numbers, we have had a very difficult 3 years and it ain't over yet.

So, our thinking was we had very talented engineers, we had a huge investment in technology, I have been in the auto industry for 35 years and don't know anything else. I was an executive at Chrysler for 20 years. My wife is an executive at Chrysler for 20 years.

We sure weren't going into the medical field, I can't even spell x-ray.

The after market business is growing double digits every year.

I have loved cars, motorcycles, go karts, etc. all my life

So I(we) made a conscious decision to take our skills and apply them to something we love and seemed to have consistent growth pattern.

If you talk to Donna and she has all the financial data, we have invested heavily in these projects and any profits we eventually make go right into the next project(F150. Mustang, etc.).

We think the aftermarket will be a PART of our future and will require a long term commitment and investment. I hope I am right.

I swore I would not do like others that I have seen and let their passion for cars override the black and white financial responsibility of running a company. OOPS! I am ignoring my own advice.

But, I truely love this stuff! I have made some of the closest friends I have had in my life through these projects. And the comments all of our customers make once they install one of our products, I find more rewarding then any of you can imagine.

I worked for Bob Lutz and Tom Gale at Chrysler years ago and I remember someone asking Bob, "why did you make the Dodge Viper during these difficult financial times at Chrysler?" and his answer was "because we could!". And I feel the same way. It was a huge challenge, but Americans always do things because they can. And after reading Slim's test drive results today about the SRT, Chrysler has had difficult times but always stayed true to their course. I think Ford and GM will do the same.

So, to answer the gentleman's initial note in this thread, yes the kit is expensive. No we don't make big profits from the sale of the kit. In my opinion, it is worth every penny people pay for it. And yes, you have to really love cars and performance to justify that kind of expenditure.

But, in our hearts we do not think we short change anyone. And we stand behind our products for many years to make sure customers feel they aren't left alone after the sale.

Just look at Marty, Dave, Lidio, Mike, Mark(Shakes),Claude, BillyG, Chuck, Defyant, Dennis R., Smokie, Kenny Brown, Cruzetaker. Does it make sense that we spend this kind of money to prove who's got the fastest Marauder, NO! But, I am loving every minute and it keeps juices flowing!

Thanks a lot for reading more then my 2 cents!

Jerry


That has to be one of the best posts you have ever written. Its wonderful to hear you explain all that went into your decision to do the Marauder Supercharger. I dont know if people realize that Jerry got this project going before he even knew there was a Marauder website! Most know that Jerry met and became friends with Steve Babcock a while before the Marauder hit the pavement. Just the fact alone that he didnt know of a website to market the kit for the Marauder shows the guts and fortitude to make this a success on Jerry's part. As many of you know, I have known Lidio for almost 16 years, and when I bought my Marauder in September, I showed it to him, he hadnt seen one before I stopped by with mine. I was hoping for a little help in the performance department, after all, he recognized the potential in the Mach 1 motor and sturdy trans and told me he would think about what to do with the big beast. In April Lidio showed up at the station with Jerrys #1 to show me what he and Jerry had been working on. I drove #1 and was sold, immediatly, completely. From that point on, for months till my kit was done, the second one ever put together, I watched and learned from Jerry. This behind the scenes pass was unbelievable to say the least, but I learned a lot. I also learned that Jerry and his company were some of the best people I had ever dealt with. I watched Jerry worry about quality of parts and the costs. Anyway, Jerry, you are a class act and I am glad to count you as one of my dearest friends.

Some of you have criticized me in the past for speaking praises for Jerry and Lidio, I really cant say anything more than they both have done nothing but helped and suported my efforts with the car. I get a little defensive in sticking up for them. So in the spirit of Camaraderie here on the forum and the love of the car, I will extend an apology to anyone here I may have jumped on in the past due to my enthusiasm. If I can do that, I think some others can do the same. I agree with others that I really sucks to be constantly at odds with members here.

[blackf0rk]

Here's an idea...how about we not be selfish for a moment, shall we? Lets not think about the massive ammounts of parts that come with these kits and focus on where else the money goes...I will focus on the kit that I have...


1. Where do you think those custom parts came from? Do you really think that staples' "Easy Button" is real, and rains down whatever part you need at a whim? Or do you think it took time, effort, and MONEY to produce the parts?

2. What about the finances that take to run the company, employee the staff?

3. What about all the countless hours of free technical support Jerry and his great team provides?

4. Software, hardware, test vehicles?

It's easy to want something for cost, but these things don't grow on Supercharger Trees you know...

[Rider90]

Do you really think that staples' "Easy Button" is real

http://cgi.ebay.com/Staples-Easy-Button-That-was-easy-NEW_W0QQitemZ7611276513QQcateg oryZ302QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Don't you rain on my parade now...

[Black_Noise]

no one said you have to own a trilogy, or that you need to own a marauder, you can take a black Grand Marquis and put the wheels and exhaust off a MM on it and just say good enough.... it about what you want to spend...

keep it stock, just a chip, maybe a converter and gear, or just go all out and get a s/c, its all about what you want and what you wana spend to get to that point, i wish it wasnt 6k to get the trilogy but if i had the money i would get one...

MY $.02

[LakeShoreDriver]

Been off the net for a while but did'nt expect this much discussion on my thread. I just thought I'd throw a different topic out for discussion,but did'nt expect to get skewered. No everybody on this board bleeds 5W-20 even though I am a servicable wrench and yes, my questions are answered. This is precisely the info I expected to get. On the othert hand, with just a CAI mod, i think I'll leave the 04 as is. I believe it might hold better value without the major mods. Thanks fellas, did'nt mean to rile everybody up

[Bradley G]

If you want your Marauder to retain maximum value, leave it stock.
If you want hair raising, butt puckering SOP, get a blower.
And above all else; You get, what you pay for.
Thanks for the thread.

Been off the net for a while but did'nt expect this much discussion on my thread. I just thought I'd throw a different topic out for discussion,but did'nt expect to get skewered. No everybody on this board bleeds 5W-20 even though I am a servicable wrench and yes, my questions are answered. This is precisely the info I expected to get. On the othert hand, with just a CAI mod, i think I'll leave the 04 as is. I believe it might hold better value without the major mods. Thanks fellas, did'nt mean to rile everybody up