ebay cai vs brandname
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: ɯooɹpǝq ɹnoʎ
Vehicle: ǝdnoɔ sısǝuǝƃ
Part is in the name, part is in the R&D, part is the materials being heat treated or coated.
eBay will function just as well if it goes in the same direction/bend. All it is, is a piece of pipe with a filter on it. You don't need an AEM sticker.
AEM probably has the best design for performance, so just find something on ebay that looks similar and save a $100. Or make your own from PVC pipe.
eBay will function just as well if it goes in the same direction/bend. All it is, is a piece of pipe with a filter on it. You don't need an AEM sticker.
AEM probably has the best design for performance, so just find something on ebay that looks similar and save a $100. Or make your own from PVC pipe.
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: ABQ, NM
Vehicle: 2001 hyundai tiburon
what he said ^^^^^.. but don't do the PVC idea imo.. it will be more of a hassle than its worth and look like epic sh*t..
you can get a AEM style with a filter for like 40$ shipped these days.
you can get a AEM style with a filter for like 40$ shipped these days.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 163
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From: Lowestoft-England
Vehicle: F2 Evolution
Brand name ones seem to have been test fitted to the car before going on sale, and thats about the only major difference. I got an ebay one, and the filter ended up 2" away from exhaust manifold, hardly cold, however 15 minutes with a saw and some jiggling about and it was fitted away from the hottest part of the engine. K+N, Piper X etc ones leave the filter in a much colder position without adjusting it.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,782
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From: tampa, FL
Vehicle: 2000 Tiburon
"ebay intakes" might rust, might break at the weld that hold the bracket that supports all the weight of the intake at the bottom under the fender (in our case) it might flake if its cheaply coated, it might rust on the inside sending flakes into your cylinder walls causing damage, it might crack under hot then cold conditions causing failure and check engine lights...
like Majik said, its all about the research and development, and all the manhours it took to design something that wont do all of the aforementioned stuff. I have had my AEM intake for 100,000 miles, and the inside is nice and smooth, the exterior is starting to show some wear as all metals do, but the mounting bracket is still strong, has not bent, the rubber mounting bushing is still good, no cracks, and as a whole its still working in perfect order.
funny the dude above said slap on an AEM sticker. I took my AEM sticker off ! lol. well because i wanted to powder coat it blue... but that never happened.
oh and finally AEM pays big bucks to have a C.A.R.B. (California Air Resource Board) number for the intake, which makes it legal for use in strict California inspections, ebay intakes without a C.A.R.B number will NOT pass inspection.
like Majik said, its all about the research and development, and all the manhours it took to design something that wont do all of the aforementioned stuff. I have had my AEM intake for 100,000 miles, and the inside is nice and smooth, the exterior is starting to show some wear as all metals do, but the mounting bracket is still strong, has not bent, the rubber mounting bushing is still good, no cracks, and as a whole its still working in perfect order.
funny the dude above said slap on an AEM sticker. I took my AEM sticker off ! lol. well because i wanted to powder coat it blue... but that never happened.
oh and finally AEM pays big bucks to have a C.A.R.B. (California Air Resource Board) number for the intake, which makes it legal for use in strict California inspections, ebay intakes without a C.A.R.B number will NOT pass inspection.