Spotting the counterfeit
We wanted to shed some light on a topic that we deal with every now and then – COUNTERFEIT PARTS, KNOCK-OFFS, DUPES! We know this this isn’t new to some of you, but there may be others that are new to the scene who do not realize how big and how damaging the counterfeit market is in this industry.
Counterfeit parts can cause some major headaches for the consumer. Often times, these knock-offs fail miserably and do major damage to cars. If something like a counterfeit fuel pump goes bad and leans out a setup, you can do some serious damage to that engine! Some of these companies are getting really good at making identical replicas of the real thing, don’t get duped!
You know the old saying “If it seems too good to be true, it is”? Well, that’s certainly the case with counterfeit parts. If legit websites are selling a part for $400 and you see the same part brand new on eBay or Amazon for $150, chances are, it’s a fake. It’s easy for the consumer to get lured into that false sense of security, especially with Amazon since they are known as a reputable online purchasing site. Unfortunately, the number of shady companies going through Amazon to sell counterfeit parts is on the rise, folks. Spend a little more money and save yourself a whole lot of trouble…STAY AWAY from the ‘steals and deals’. Purchasing counterfeit parts is bad for you – the consumer – and bad for the industry, too. Knock-offs devalue the original brand and cause issues within the entire automobile industry.
Below are some examples and hopefully will give you an idea on what to look for.
The consistent finish and fitment of Pro Series Intake Manifolds is the result of care taken by the foundry to produce high-quality parts as demanded by Skunk2. Clone manifolds can be identified by their irregular casting marks near their badges (2), unpredictable finishes and blemishes, and slightly square-shaped plenums (1). Genuine Skunk2 Pro Series Intake Manifolds can also be identified by their acid-etched, stainless steel nameplates. Notice the slightly rounded corners and shiny appearance when compared to the clone. Also notice the make-shift, trimmed corners on the clone manifolds Pro Series nameplate. Once you know what to look for, spotting the clones, and then avoiding them, is easy.
Why upgrade your intake manifold to only be limited to a 66mm throttle body? Skunk2 Pro Series Intake Manifolds allow for port-matching as large as 75mm to allow you to extract the most power out of your engine as possible.
Pro Series Intake Manifolds feature smooth transitions from plenum to runners and clean parting lines for optimal air flow. Each runner entry is smoothly tapered, much like an air horn. A rough, V-shaped transition from plenum to runners within the clone manifolds is the result of a poor design and careless manufacturing. The results prohibit proper air flow and decrease performance.
