It was explained before. The question is quantity. The material cost is about the same as Japan, but to get similar labor quality and only do the SS version one order at a time, it is not cost effective. A local primer did a pricing and the cost turn out to be $200-300 less depend on the exchange rate, and that's with minimum order of 10.
There is a reason why domestic manufactures only work on simple in-and-out design. And quite frankly, about half the price.
If you observe the domestic market, you will find standard design with pricing that is in line with Japan:
1. ARK DT-S/X $1150-1350
2. Cantrell Endura $1240 (and the basic design was taken from GTLW).
Similar product from Japan
1. Tatiec GTLW $1247
2. Parallel $1247
Those mufflers are not in the same league as GT-One v.5.1, v.4, GT-Extreme, Bel Canto.
If you check out ARMS Engineering, their SS exhaust go upwards of mid $3000.
If I get 50 orders of Bel Canto, and people are willing to deal with questionable SS and labor, I can get them knocked out in China for $1400 each, that's delivered and still make more money than selling/brokering any of the mufflers I get from Japan. But do you want to chance it?
The other way to make it more cost effective is if some one is willing to put up the money and have a container full, this way, you get a better deal for volume pricing, and you save shit load of money of money transfer and shipping. Who's got $100k to stock 50 mufflers that might not all find homes?
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