You're too much. Just because you "slightly" modified the original GT1 v5.1 exhaust makes you legit. Give me a break.
Of course:wink: Take all the break you like, it's your own time.
5.1 was the ultimate design for high pitch, why kill a good design? Kuroda metal house was completely, royally pissed off at GT-ROM even though they did sold about 60 v.5.x models, but it wasn't enough for them to actually profit from it, and now the contract still exist through GT-ROM but with no orders allowed. I had to pull some serious teeth to the final five produced and people were willing to pay $3k for it. Praising your purchase is the biggest tool/support you can have for any venders/products. In this case, praising and loving the product will not help the actual manufactures. It has become a bragging right, which is fine because if you paid to play, you deserve that right.
As for the new players, you have guys put out a muffler that hangs too low and they call it a gravel trap in Japan; you have guys route the pipes to the back and calling it F599 exhaust, and you have another guy routed too many pipes and called it double dragon, which the sound is completely muted; get the point? Why change some thing that is almost perfect, just make it perfect.
Currently, every one is trying to capitalize from the failure of GT-ROM. As of right now 3:00 am, I just received an e-mail from Japan regarding situations with Primers who lost their money. I also confirmed GT-ROM recently filed bankruptcy to dodge the debt to their factory; they are also under investigation from the Osaka PD for their failure to deliver product domestically. Interestingly, international orders were not part of the investigation because they did not receive any International Complaints. Because of it, the word on the street is GT-ROM issued refunds to domestic buyers to avoid legal trouble, but the International buyers were brushed under the carpet. My friend was also amused and puzzled by why Route KS will take that rejected muffler (F599); trying to capitalize on the dismissal of GT-ROM maybe? The NSX market is dying in Japan and those guys are looking for every possible way to squeeze out the last penny. Honda completely killed their future prospect when they ceased the ASC for next year's launch. As for some of the big used NSX venders in Japan, they are hurting big time. The economy drove down the price of used NSX and many of them are in the car more than what they can sell them. It’s a disaster right now in Japan.
Therefore, while this discussion is happening about what's why GT-One 5.x is the greatest muffler, I'm getting PMs from guys who wired the money a year ago to GT-ROM and the product is MIA and can't even get a simple reply from the GT-ROM, they're not even answering their phone. They are seeking help from me and what can I do, not help them? What I have learned on Prime is, when you take your time helping fellow NSXers, they become your friend.
As I have indicated, treasure your 5.1 because the product line is dead; so are all other GT-One products. They are the NSX of the muffler, you can't buy them new, but occasionally you get a nice clean used one. The product line is officially extinct.
So here is the biggest question, if you want a 5.1, what can you do? I have a deal for ten Bel Canto but few jump on it and still PM me about the 5.1, even though the Bel Canto is by far cheaper. It is not easy working with some one 6000 miles away that can barely speak English, try to figure out a good alternative product. I actually contacted the Kuroda metal shop to see if I can get the US distribution rights to the 5.1 but was told YES and two weeks later “NO” due to legal matters with GT-ROM, they are so bitter that they rather see the entire line die.
At least now I know a good factory that is willing to deal with me but there is always a catch – Volume sales. I'm sure you guys have already witnessing the fiasco on other threads, even though as much as I trust the workmanship of the factory, they still do some thing that is not inline with my traditional way of conducting business. The amount of money to be made is not worth my time, if any thing, I'm doing this so my friend in Japan can make some money since he helped me a lot with the NSX-R parts. While at it, I learned a lot of dirt on other venders. Who’s getting what from where, and is certain venders actually produce the parts as advertised while they just buy parts from Japan, etc. It’s a circus behind the door.
It's a dog eat dog world. Eventually you will see ALL good companies stop creating new NSX products, and left over will be handled by small guys who will buy, copy, and sell at a much lower price just to pick up the left over buyers. How many of them can you actually trust?
Make sense?
