You can't really compare the price from fastech to a US distributors price. When these hit fastech they will probably be $20'ish (11-14 in quantity right now) and that would be a great price for simple vv/vw stick batt. The Itaste VV is a fine inexpensive batt as this would be. The great things is that anyone that doesn't want one doesn't have to buy one; isn't choice great?
