Dave helms upgrades... question on value/cost?

I used marine grade J1527 fuel hose. Approved by the US Coast Guard, and the cost was around $15 for the length I needed.
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Yeah, it is hard for me to learn to spend money on over priced products.

 

I love these threads

 

It really belongs in Religion and Politics.

 

excellent advice for the fuel fill hose.
thanks ernie.

 

And others have a difficult time reading English. If Ernie shouts loud enough people think he is right.

 

That is the hose you used from filler neck to fuel tank...correct?

 

Generally I avoid heated discussions. But I just installed Dave's hose kit on my 575. The original gaskets were leaking, and replacing the hoses made sense while I had the intake off. I considered replacing them with OEM, sourcing and making my own, or going with Dave’s kit.

I'm more than capable of sourcing my own hoses. So is Carl. But I don't want to spend the time and labor to do so. Engineering a new system for nearly any application is usually more costly and problematic than the initial estimate. BTDT many times, and I don’t desire to do it here.

My observations:

Dave has spent time, money, and thought into configuring a kit that appears to be of very high quality. It installed easily. And if you're trying to finesse that lower hose in the bottom of the valley, his is already sized for it. The same goes for trying to persuade the larger upper hose that sits above it. Neither job is easy, and the hoses have specific shapes to accommodate the fitting. A less-than-optimum shape could probably be forced in there, but I generally prefer to install parts that are designed to fit.

Time and mileage will be the true durability test. I’d rather not pull that intake manifold off again anytime soon.

There’s another aspect of this being overlooked as well, IMHO. Dave is investing the aforementioned resources of time, money, and analytical thinking skills into keeping these cars running. He has also helped many F-car owners solve problems of their own without charging a dime for sharing invaluable advice and knowledge.

Back when my old 550 suffered that timing cog failure, Dave spent several hours on the phone with me advising how to handle it. I offered to pay him, and he wouldn’t take it. He also never tried to sell me any of his products. I sent him a Moto-Reva harmonic meter just to say thanks, and he called me again on his own time to talk about how the repair was going.

I may be a lone voice, but I’d like him to keep developing more products to keep my car on the road. Part of that hose kit profit goes to doing just that.
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Extremely well said, Bryce. I don't know Dave but I've read enough of his posts here to know that he is a true car guy and a class act. We are fortunate to have him in the Ferrari world. I understand that not everybody can or will pay the prices for his parts but I can't understand the vitriol against him just for the fact that he sells high end parts.

Beautiful 575, BTW. Is it back up and running?

 

Well said.

 

Very well said. There are Dave bashers and I am not one of them. I recognize that his solutions are the best technologically and well put together. God bless him for all the business he can get. I am just not able to pay those prices so I have to settle for something less perfect.

 

I am sure Dave is a great guy and this discussion is not a personal attack on the man.

Anyone can fit whatever they want on their car. SRI hoses may well be the best hoses on the market and if you wish to spend that sort of money on hoses - good for you. But please don't try and justify the additional expense by claiming that without SRI hoses your Ferrari will spontaneously combust.

These cars are 'hobby cars' to most owners. As such the temptation to overstate the care required gives the car increased significance and importance in the mind of the owner.
Common examples I have heard of on this forum include:
- Very strict warming up procedures, which imply that there is a F1 engine in back.
- Annual changing of all fluids which imply that the coolant system and gearbox are very special high tech designs.

To me, the fitting of these hoses serve a similar purpose.

Just my ten cents worth...

 

Hope so, because unless he's running a top fuel dragster, the diameter is awfully big for a regular fuel line.

D

 

I like hoses they are one of my fetishes

Gas and coolant are different spec.
Marine spec fuel is very good.
Submersible fuel even better.
Then use is put into play.

 

This is 1000% correct

 

How true

 

sorry...have been away.

if there is a special bent hose on the 550, then I support the SRI hose.

however, I did all of the hoses on my 308. As I recall they were all straight hoses. They were no big deal. They certainly did not cost what I have seen advertised on the SRI site. I remember using BMW hose that was the same size that someone on FCHAT or Ferrari list had used. This was maybe 8 years ago, and I have had no problems. I appreciated the help at the time. As this post started, this gentlemen was asking for help and an opinion. I gave mine based on my experience with my 308. My 308 still runs and I have had no fires.

Earlier this year, I did the hoses on my 512tr. I did it myself. All radiator hoses are straight cut. The hoses between the tanks are straight. No bends. I even dropped my fuel tanks and replaced the rotting rubber with fuel stable material. I replaced all hoses connecting the tanks. I posted this to help all of you (look) It cost less than $10. You may also see that I removed both radiators, had them serviced, and replaced the cooling hoses. I think there were 4 of them. Very easy to get to with no special bent hoses. How these can all cost over $1000 is crazy.

I am quite frankly APPALLED at the price SRI is asking for the straight cut hose. That is my opinion from someone that did it myself. If it makes you feel better using his hose, then go buy it. It will devalue your original Ferrari just as much as other aftermarket parts. I will gladly be nice to all of you, help you, and tell you all how great all of you are too......if you will just pay me $2000 every time you call. Just my opinion. Call now, operators are waiting.

 

I have installed the SRI hoses on a 550, Tr, and next week in a mondial. They are a fantastic product.

 

Do you make more profit using these hoses? Usually I find that the higher the price for the part, the more margin people make.

 

The margin is very slim. In fact my customers have provided the kits for me to install.

You would be very surprised the margins an exotic repair shop works within.

My margins on BMW parts is far far...far better.

 

I like the kits from SRI. The fact that they are "kits" with everything needed makes them especially appealing. Otherwise, where I live, I'd have to run all over central FL to get what I need... one piece here, another there and so on. Online from other parts houses is even worse, wrong items constantly, and again, one part here and another piece there.

 

Wade, I take all my hoses down to Oreilly's, they let me go to the wall of hoses, and within 15minutes I match up every single one of those hoses, including all four short ones at the radiators. $100. One stop shop.

 

IMHO radiator hoses are not as critical as fuel line hoses.

 

Its indeed my impression that Dave is sponsoring to a few here to keep threads like this alive...Every XX weeks there is someone who starts a thread like this telling how good his products are. Its simple a way to push people buy products...well know marketing strategy !

enzo52

 

I'm not so sure about that. In fact, that is a strong accusation to which you have zero proof.