Wagner header versus Essential Speed header

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Howdy all! I plan to buy a header, but want to keep my Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle rating, which (as far as I know) means Wagner or Essential Speed. However the Wagner "mild steel" costs $185 while the ES costs > $500! From their websites and from what I've read here the Wagner should help about 7 hp/10 ft/lb, and the ES 8 hp/20 ft/lb(!). This to me doesn't seem enough to justify the huge difference in price. Does anyone know if the Wagner isn't built well (fits poorly, cracks after heavy use, ....) or is a pain in the ass to install? To me I'd rather save $350 and lose 1 hp/10 ft/lb, but the huge price difference makes me nervous it's simply cheap and will just crack after a year. Any input?? Thanks!
 
i was the tester for the wagner header and it was a great header. i got a ceramic coated one as well. Great fit great finish, the welds were great no leaks or anything. save the money to get cams or exhaust or something else.
 
mp5smuggler> Thanks for the info! I'm getting a Racing Beat cat-back exhaust so I'll definitely need the $$$!

toucci> It is ULEV but I added 2 extra cats and plugged my exhaust which makes mine SULEV (but idling is a little rough). No you're right, I was wrong about SULEV.
 
I have a turbo, no cats, 3" open exhaust, no resonator, no muffler, a capped egr valve, and only the first 02 sensor. (and it runs kinda rich too!)

I guess mine would be UHEV

Ulta
High
Emisions
Vehicle

(rockon)
 
You could always lower your emissions by filling the trunk with charcoal, the engine bay with white doves, dousing the whole thing with kerosene and lighting it on fire. :) Just kidding, nice car!
 
If your options are these two, go with the Wagner.

Essential Speed's header is vaporware (non-existant) and their customer service (lack there-of) sucks big header pipes...
 
Essential speed has a crappy rep on this forum! I would go with the one
from Andy. I have his header(S.S) plus down pipe and mid with cat.
 
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Cool beans. Thanks for the great feedback all, I'll definitely go with the Wagner, probably mild steel to save money (I don't care what it looks like).
 
the E/S header is gorgeous but their rep on the boards have gone into the toilet as of late. for the money the wagner is a deal. I have the stainless version of this header and I LOVE IT. No CELs and sounds great, especially with my Magnaflow Catback. I am not a pro on the materials but I would think it would be worth your time to get the stainless or if you get the mild steel to get it coated as mild steel gets more brittle with time and the heat involved and will most likely fail can crack sooner. just my 2 cents though.
 
Thanks for the tip! I didn't realize the issues with mild steel, but searching the forum I see what you mean. I'll go for the SS.
 

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