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The value of any product can be determined by comparing the benefits
to the price.
By C.J. Baker
All
too often, price alone does not indicate the true value
of a product. What's important is what you get for the money — those
benefits that you can really use. For example, if better
materials are used in one product to give it twice the life
of a competing product, then the first product is the better
value as long as it sells for less than twice as much as
the second product, all other things being equal.
The
benefits that establish an automotive product's value can
take many forms: power, durability, reliability, economy
of operation, weight, fit, warranty, etc., etc. Similarly,
the completeness of products or systems can add value. A
product that comes with all of the necessary parts and pieces
for installation is often a better value than one that requires
the installer to buy additional pieces or supply his own
fasteners, clamps, wiring ties, etc. Similarly, products
that include unnecessary parts are usually of lesser value
since they require the customer to buy the unneeded parts.
Worse still,
systems that include replacement parts that aren’t necessary can increase
the installation time and cost.
For example, the Banks
Brake diesel exhaust brake is not only the best exhaust brake on the market, it also
has the greatest value. Banks Brake systems include the exclusive computerized brake
controller (CBC), and a new stainless steel turbine outlet pipe (where applicable).
One competitor offers their own replicated version of the CBC (as a $595 extra cost
option), and others will sell you a separate turbine outlet pipe (again at an extra
charge). The bottom line is that a competitive system winds up being far more expensive
than the Banks systems, which is not only a superior brake, but includes all the necessary
components in the original price. That's value.
Sometimes
using the best material doesn't necessarily mean using the
most expensive material. For example,
consider the stainless steel used by Banks in many of its exhaust
and manifold applications. There are many different grades
of stainless steel, and here's a case where less expensive
happens to be better for durability. We'll simplify things
by lumping the different grades of exhaust system stainless
steel into two categories: 300-series stainless and 400-series
stainless. The 300-series stainless is significantly more expensive
than the 400-series stainless, and the 300-series is classy
material. It will polish beautifully and generally retain its
appearance even when subjected to high heat. Top grades of
300-series stainless are especially durable, and very expensive.
Some exhaust system manufacturers seek to market the benefits
of top 300-series alloys by using a less expensive 300-series
grade, called 304. Make no mistake, 304 is still more expensive
than 400-series stainless. It has just one little problem:
it cracks in high-stress areas when subjected to frequent heat
cycling, such as in an exhaust system. 304 doesn't have the
fatigue resistance of higher grades of 300-series stainless.
The 400-series stainless
isn't nearly as classy. 409 stainless doesn't polish up very well, and worse yet, when
heated it tends to turn a tannish-brown color. It will even develop light surface rust
after time (a condition that does not affect the material's function or longevity),
but 400-series stainless has advantages that offset its appearance: it is a durable
material for an exhaust system and it doesn't crack in high-stress areas or adjacent
to welds when heat cycled. That's why Banks, like the automakers, uses 409 stainless
for its performance exhaust systems. Banks could use 300-series stainless, but it would
dramatically increase the cost of Banks' system, and unless a top 300-series grade was
used, it wouldn't be as durable as 409. It would simply reduce the value of a Banks
system. We should point out that where a polished stainless tip is added to the end
of the tailpipe, Banks does use 300-series stainless for the superior shine and luster.
After all, that's the only part of the exhaust system that's visible on most vehicles
anyway.
If you know anything at
all about Gale Banks Engineering, you probably know where this article is going. Gale
Banks has very high business ethics. Banks is widely known for offering the highest
quality power and braking systems available for light trucks, SUVs, RVs, and motorhomes.
Banks products are the "gold standard" of the industry. The best materials
are used to assure proper function and durability. The fit and finish of all components
is outstanding. Systems include everything necessary for the installation, without any
unnecessary add-ons. Even the installation instructions are the best written and illustrated
in the industry — a benefit that do-it-yourselfers find to be priceless. Less obvious
is the behind-the-scenes engineering and testing that go into every Banks product. That's
value too.
Banks spends more time
and money on product research, engineering, and testing of its products than do any
of its competitors. That's why Banks products fit, deliver more performance than Banks
advertises, and last longer. Little things, like electrical connectors, are not little
things if they don't work reliably time-after-time, year-after-year. That's why Banks
connectors equal or exceed the factory connectors that come on new vehicles. In addition,
proper connectors simplify installation.
All Banks products are
engineered for optimum "fail safe" operation too. That means that in the unlikely
event that a Banks product should fail, it will not render the vehicle unsafe or inoperable
at the side of the road. Again, a good example of this is the Banks Brake supplemental
diesel exhaust brake. Should the actuator or linkage on the exhaust brake ever fail,
the valve is designed to automatically go to the fully open position to permit driving
the vehicle just as if the Banks Brake was turned off.
Eliminating
failure and annoying maintenance is another part of value.
Here are a couple of examples: The computerized brake controller
on the Banks Brake automatically cycles or "exercises" the
Banks Brake valve at each cold start, regardless of whether
the brake is turned on or not. This prevents any sticking of
the valve from soot deposits. And the Banks Brake requires
no periodic maintenance. Another example is the 5/8-inch thick
flanges on Banks TorqueTubes. Ordinary headers have only 5/16-
or 3/8-inch flanges that warp or distort. Such "flexible" flanges
require the use of header gaskets that tend to burn out, especially
when the flanges bend. Banks 5/8-inch thick flanges don't bend,
and they are ground precisely flat for a perfect seal without
gaskets. That means there's nothing to burn out and no periodic
maintenance is required. That's value too.
In truth, value-adding
features can be found on every Banks product. So, what's the bottom line? Do you get
what you pay for from Banks? The answer is yes, and then some. In terms of cost to benefits,
Banks power and braking systems are the best value you can buy. When you can't afford
to make a mistake, buy Banks.
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