So, about 2 months ago I found a front strut bar on ProMINI's site that looked EXACTLY like the M7 bar that everyone loves - you know the one with the anti-mushrooming plates and the engine-spanning support member. ProMINI's version, which I learned came from the same supplier, was NOT annodised (plain silver) and did not have the engraved M7 logo, plus it cost a LOT less.

So I ordered it. It was back-ordered, which was midly annoying, but at least they didn't charge my credit card like some others would.

Then today, I got this mail: Dear Sir:

Good news! We just received the Mini stress bar. However, there are some changes that have occured for the better. This item is still made from the highest quality aircraft aluminum, has a new higher end appearance with the same outstanding performance. This is an upgrade version of the old bar. The price will soon increase but we will still offer it to you at the original price quoted.

Problem is, THIS is the "upgraded bar":



So... this bar obviously is NOT the same as the M7 and those bar ends don't look to me like they'll help with mushrooming at all. In fact, the way the bar attaches, it looks to me like it would just pivot on that attachment bolt when put under stress. Does anyone here have any experience with this bar and can tall me I'm wrong? It looks like it might help a bit with stiffening the engine bay, and it looks fine, but I really wanted something that would ALSO support the strut towers.

Oh - one other thing... I'd just cut my losses and go with the M7, but I've learned that M7 does not offer the bar in non-black versions, AND they tell all their resellers that they cannot sell the product at lower than $199.99 (about $50 more than ProMINI's bar, which was the same unit). Am I the only one that finds it frustrating that M7 isn't even making these - just annodizing them and stamping a logo in them, but then they're simultaneously price-fixing them for the resellers?

Sorry to vent, but this is more than a little frustrating...

 

Hey, it's capitalism at its finest. They came up with the design and put it into production, they can price it however they want. I think what you're having trouble getting your head around is that they use a 3rd party to manufacture the part, so you seem to think that they don't "make" the part. Just because it isn't manufactured in-house doesn't mean it isn't their product.

ProMINI probably just contacted their manufacturer and said they'd buy a batch without the M7 logo and sell it on their website. When M7 found out about this, they probably called the manufacturer, had some choice words and forced them to tell ProMINI to change the design or they would stop supplying the item.

 

And it is entirely possible that "new and improved bar" resulted in a patent infringement threat.

 

Ah - I thought that M7 was simply re-selling that bar when I saw that ProMINI had the same item without the annodized finish or the stamped logo. Either way, it seems weird to me that M7 would (or can) dictate the final retail price. I used to work in camera/electronics retail and while we could not advertise lower prices than the MSRP on some items, as the retail outlet we could (and did) set the final price.

Could be - I have no idea, and I'm not accusing anyone of stealing anything... it just looked to me like ProMINI had bought the same basic plate/bar assembly that M7 also used for THEIR version, since ProMINIs was not annodised and did not have a logo. It appeared to me as if M7 used this as a starting point and then made theirs black.

Bottom line is that I want a strut bar that also has the anti-mushrooming plates and that's not black and that doesn't have M7's logo stamped in it... ProMINI's new bar does not look like an "upgrade" to me at all, since it actually does LESS (no strut support from what I can tell). And they want to charge MORE for it? It looks like I might have to wait for someone else to come up with something, unless anyone here has any suggestions.

 

It's called unilateral pricing policy. Technically it's not price fixing, as that is illegal. I deal with it for a bunch of lines in the home A/V business, Bose being the most notorious. You can sell the item at any price you wish, but if you do not sell it at what the vendor suggests then they reserve the right to stop selling to you. This is perfectly within their rights to do. It's both good and bad. Bad becaude you as the consumer would like to find a lower price. Good becasue then you will shop on service and not price. I actually prefer it because with my lines it lets me offer a high service level and still make enough profit to pay for it. That way the customer is happy long term and I can still make money.

 

Buy the M7, because that's the strut bar that does everything you want, powder coat it any color you want, then put a sticker on the M7 logo .