Now I know I am gonna get burned for not using the search button, but I did use it and when I asked "best headers" it came up with a list of about 500 posts. And I couldn't search through each one to find my answer. All I want to know is which one of these 3...not including the comptech because I am trying to avoid spending that much. So please click one of the following based on: Ease of install (any modifications required) and quality (welds, material).

 

I got my mechanic to remove the rusted bolts under the car, (needed a torch).. and I got him to loosen the O2 sensor.. he did both for free, took a couple of min.

A buddy and I installed my Megan headers without a problem in a couple of hours... it wasn't as simple as changing a tire, and not too much harder than installing a CAI.


Hey Sonny....

Not Installed Yet:
Neuspeed Sport Springs 1.75 Drop
AEM V2 Cold Air Intake
Slotted Rotora's
EBC Green Stuff Pads
Denso Iridium Spark Plugs
Upper And Lower Grille Inserts
Hella Optilux 2550-Oval Angel Eye Foglights

Coming Soon:
Neuspeed Catback Exhaust
Wingswest Body Kit
And now Headers..

If you install all of these at once, you won't recognize your car anymore... each MOD changes the demeanor and attitude of the car... I'd love to be in your shoes.. I'm just starting to feel the gains from the Megan headers (5 days for the ECU to adjust), I can't imagine adding all of your MODS at once...

 

The Stone headers have been around much longer than the other 2, only time will tell if the other 2 are any good long term. I have the 3rd batch of Stone headers and everything fits just right and they seem to be of good quality. I would buy the Stone ones if I were you

 

Thanks for the responses guys....still can't decide-hopefully by the end of this poll I will have made my decision



oh and............................................... .....bump!

 

I would go with the stone headers since they have been around the longest and I dont think anyone has had any problems with them.

 

anyone with the alphawerks got anything to say about them.

 

by far comptech headers are the best, how come thier not in the poll?

 

From the first post, "...not including the comptech because I am trying to avoid spending that much."

 

oh ok, now i get it thanks for clearing that up. is alphawerks something new?, never heard of those?

 

To my knowledge they have been around for about a year.

 

Sonnys99TL:

I would go with alphawerks because i have heard very few fitment issues and quality issues than the OBX and Stone headers.

If money was the case then you can either try the OBX or Stones which are an ok alternative. I have heard a lot of people have problems with cracking on the OBX and a few fitment issues with stone headers but not much.

I would rather go with alphawerks because first off they are on sale right now in a GB over at the CL forum and I have heard to my knowledge only one fitment issue which was taking care of.

Where as OBX, damn I cant count. But you can get lucky and get a good OBX header that won't give any problems as some members have them for many years with no problems but thats if you happen to get a good one... \

Bottom line from the feedback i have seen I would rather go with alphawerks.. Probably the next best thing after comptech...

 

ya I would go with Stone or Alphawerks for sure over OBX. The only issues with Stone were earlier and fitment issues, OBX has cracking and weld issues all the time - compared to the other brands.

 

My reason for picking up the Megan Racing Headers was solely the price.... I wasn't going to spend $1000 for Comptech Headers, I didn't want to spend $600 bucks for Stone or Alphaworks and I didn't want to get the OBX because of a few cracking issues. Once I saw the Megan headers for $189 shipped I grabbed them...

We did a comparasion of the Alphaworks headers and the Megan Headers in another thread titled "headers" Origional Eh!


Interior Pitures of my Megan Headers


Interior Pictures of PDX3.2TL's Alphaworks Headers along with his comment from that thread.




I don't have a pic of the Alphaworks Headers welds, but I'll post two pics so people can compare the weld quality..

These are the Megan Headers.

 

ya those welds look nice, you should be good to go - especially for that price!

 

Great, thanks for the comparison. Those Megan Header welds do look much cleaner. Now for those of you with the stone headers, What were the fitment issues and how did the welds look in those?

Again thanks ya'll I would pass rep points around but i guess AZ doesn't care about anyones rep anymore.

I appreciate everyones help.

 

Anyone has a website that i can purchase megan header?? also part number??

 

You get what you pay for...save a little more and get Comptech.

 

Where can I get the Megan Headers from?

 

www.meganracing.com or get lucky and find one on e-bay.

 

if the comptechs were only a couple hundred more then I would get them but since I would have to almost double the cost of others it's not that easy to do.

I would like to thank all for your comments...Looking at the actual poll it seems to be pretty close so that not really helping I will just have to take into account all of your comments. Just a FYI, I was well aware of the weld and cracking issues of the OBX headers which is why they are not an option on the poll, so there is no need to deter me from buying that make.

 

I just heard from someone who was able to pass the CA emissions portion of the smog check, but failed the visual inspection due to a performance air filter... The guy had to contact K&N for the sticker that showed that the product was CA smog approved...

My understanding is that the Comptech headers are the only ones that come with such a sticker... I know it is a lot to pay for a "sticker", but if it means the difference between passing the visual or not, I may end up saving up for the Comptechs...

 

I installed my Headers a few weeks ago... and I got them tightened down by the mechanic just before he did my emission testing two days ago... I slaughtered the emission test.. not even close to a avg score.. one of the catagories allowed a max of 70 (not sure what exactly) and my TL scored a 1...

Please don't imply that the headers will effect your emission testing in a negative way, and there had been ZERO proof the comptech headers are better for emission testing.

I understand you were not trying to imply that, you were just trying to clairify it for yourself.. I assure you the Comptech headers have NO emission beneifts above the other headers in this post.

 

Agreed... Your are correct that there are no emissions benefits from a technical perspective (and thanks for recognizing that this was not my intended message)... The only thing Comptech provides to you, that all the other mfgs do not provide, is a sticker claiming to be CA emissions approved... (or at least that is my understanding)...

From a technical perspective, the comptech headers should be no better or worse than any of the other brands...

 

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165956

Josh
Excelerate LLC

 

I personally have the OBX headers and so far, so good (been about 18 months).

If I had to do it all over again I would have just bought the Comptech's from the beginning since they're the only header out there that hasn't had one problem. Worth paying their price for that piece of mind. At least I think so.....

 

New Batch Megan headers are HERE! You guys should be seeing them on ebay in a few days

 

cool...i'll keep an eye out.