Di Fillipo Performance Exhausts Closing Down

[Tonner Matt]

Just read online that DPE will be closing down at Christmas time

http://www.lsxperformanceparts.com....nce-exhausts-dpe-closing-down-after-19-years/

 

[VF Ute]

Another Aussie manufacturer gone. Shame as I have mostly heard positive comments about their product.

 

[VESSVBLACK]

I guess that leaves a bit of a dilemma for walkinshaw as DPE manufacture there systems.
I've noticed over the last year or so , performance shops who use to whole heartily sell and use DPE, moved to other ones like hurricane. In WA street quick pulled the pin on DPE after long affiliation with DPE products.
I guess economy, freight costs etc can crumble a business these days whereas you have xforce with stout business marketing ect,having there systems made in China no doubt a fraction of Aussie exhaust companies.
I run a full big boy DPE on. My Cam VE, always sounds awesome

 

[exanVZ]

I guess that leaves a bit of a dilemma for walkinshaw as DPE manufacture there systems.
I've noticed over the last year or so , performance shops who use to whole heartily sell and use DPE, moved to other ones like hurricane. In WA street quick pulled the pin on DPE after long affiliation with DPE products.
I guess economy, freight costs etc can crumble a business these days whereas you have xforce with stout business marketing ect,having there systems made in China no doubt a fraction of Aussie exhaust companies.
I run a full big boy DPE on. My Cam VE, always sounds awesome

I had a big twin 3" DPE on my old SS and i have a twin 3" stainless manta on my ute and i think the manta sounds a lot better, it's also attached to a 6L not a 5.7L so that might help. Manta are made in Cunderdin too. I can't see DPE selling many exhausts to people buying the new commodore so that might be a big factor in their decision, I believe Manta make a lot of other exhausts for 4x4 market etc. so they are hopefully not going anywhere.

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The way I see it is that DPE only had a small range, mainly Ford and Holden, and now that the new Holden is what it is, that leaves only the Mustang for higher volume performance. With older Falcons and Commodores being a lot cheaper now, the cars will generally already have some sort of exhaust or the buyer wouldn't spend more than the car cost to put a DPE on it. As well as the influx of Chinese systems, his market is getting smaller and I would imagine his sales are reflecting that.

I saw Empire doing a 3" stainless catback for the VE/VF for $899, how do you compete with that?

 

[mpower]

always thought they were over priced for what they offered - but i'm talking out my *rse here as I'm no expert. they just seemed like high end stuff out of my price range. That said the whole industry will be boutique once electric goes mass adopt.

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

always thought they were over priced for what they offered - but i'm talking out my *rse here as I'm no expert. they just seemed like high end stuff out of my price range. That said the whole industry will be boutique once electric goes mass adopt.

What is "high end stuff" really? I mean steel costs what it costs, a muffler is manufactured using the same materials (mostly), paint costs basically the same. There is some automation involved in manufacturing OEM parts but performance systems are all hand made. Most companies have computer aided benders, but it still takes a person to load the pipe and select the program, then assemble the parts in a jig and weld it all up and paint it. What makes a DPE system "worth" more than other systems?

I have never liked the way they sound, too raspy and unrefined for my liking, but they weren't a bad system. I agree ghat they were over priced, most exhausts are over priced. I can't justify the retail price, that's why I did them so cheap. The import systems will get more and more popular because they are cheap.

 

[mpower]

high end, i dunno maybe better build quality or materials stuff like that. coatings, any extra stuff you can think of.

 

[VS 5.0]

What is "high end stuff" really?

Marketing.

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Marketing.

Probably the most accurate factor.