A turbo kit is a set of parts that lets you add a turbo to your car. It’s meant to boost the engine’s power, but it has to be installed and tuned correctly to work safely.
Aftermarket just means parts that aren’t made by the car’s original manufacturer. They can be great, but quality and fit can vary a lot depending on who makes them.
Gaskets are the seal(s) that stop fluids or gases from leaking where parts connect. With performance parts, the gasket has to handle heat and pressure, so quality matters.
“White box” means a part is sold without a well-known brand name on it. Since it may come from different sources, you can’t always count on the same quality or reliability.
In aftermarket and swap/turbo projects, electronics can include sensors, wiring, and engine control components that must communicate correctly with the car’s systems. The host’s point is that electronics are often where unbranded or low-cost parts fail—through wrong specs, poor shielding, or inconsistent behavior.
A flex sensor is a small electronic part that detects how much something is bending. On a car, it can be used to measure movement so the car can respond correctly.
Ethanol is a type of fuel alcohol that can be mixed with gasoline. Because it behaves differently than regular gas, the car may need a different tune to run safely.
A “tune” is the car’s settings for how it runs—like how it meters fuel and timing. If something important stops working, the car can switch to backup settings that may not match the tune you paid for.
Suspension is what helps the car ride smoothly and stay stable over bumps. If suspension parts are fake or low quality, the car can handle unpredictably.
Center caps are the pieces you see in the middle of many wheels. Knockoffs may copy them to look identical, but that doesn’t guarantee the wheel is actually safe.
They mean turbochargers bought from an online marketplace (like eBay) instead of a reputable performance brand. The point is that these can be hit-or-miss and may fail sooner than you’d expect.
R and D means research and development—basically the testing and engineering that goes into making sure a part works reliably. They’re implying the parts may not have had much of that.
They’re saying the turbo ended up being something they had to keep fixing or replacing. Instead of being a permanent upgrade, it turned into a recurring problem.
They’re talking about the seals inside the turbo that keep oil and exhaust from leaking. If the seals wear out, the turbo can start failing and you may need to replace parts sooner.
Car
VQ community
“VQ” is Nissan’s engine family that a lot of car tuners like. So the “VQ community” is basically the group of people who modify Nissan cars with those engines.
This means the car uses one turbo, and it’s mounted toward the front of the engine bay. The piping then routes exhaust and boost to the engine in a specific way.
They’re talking about a specific turbo kit brand that’s been engineered to fit and function correctly. The point is that knockoffs may not match the original’s fit and quality.
“Interference” means parts can hit each other inside the engine. If the turbo kit parts don’t fit correctly, it can mess up clearances and lead to a serious damage risk.
This is copying a part by scanning its shape into a computer. The host is saying that copying the shape doesn’t automatically mean the part will fit and work safely like the original.
A turbo manifold is the part that collects exhaust gas from the engine and feeds it into the turbo. If it’s poorly made, debris or defects inside can cause problems once everything heats up.
Quality control means inspecting parts to make sure they’re made correctly. The host is saying the copied turbo manifolds weren’t properly checked before shipping.
Welding slag is residue left over from welding. If it’s trapped inside a turbo part, it can come loose when it gets hot and cause damage or flow problems.
MIG welding is a common welding method that uses a wire and gas to make the weld. The host is saying the knockoff parts were tacked and not finished/cleaned properly.
TIG welding is a more precise welding method that typically produces cleaner, higher-quality welds. The host is saying the real process should use TIG welding, but the knockoffs didn’t do it right.
“Fit right” means the part lines up correctly on the car. If it doesn’t, it can be hard to install and may not work properly.
Term
swap it out
“Swap it out” means they replace the bad part with a new one. Legit sellers usually make it easier to fix problems if something is defective.
Term
EB
Here, “EB” sounds like a place to buy parts where it’s harder to get help if something is wrong. The speaker is saying you may have trouble getting a replacement compared to buying from the actual manufacturer.
It’s a part that sits on top of your car’s fuel tank. It usually includes the fuel pump and the parts that measure fuel level, so you can replace that module instead of replacing the whole tank.
This is a connection point in the fuel system where the car controls fuel pressure. If that opening isn’t made correctly, the fuel system may not regulate pressure the way it should, which can lead to drivability issues.
A recall is when a company admits a product has a problem and tries to get it fixed. The goal is to replace or correct the bad parts so they don’t cause issues.
Chain of custody means keeping a clear record of who had the item and what happened to it. It helps prove the part’s history if there’s a problem or a claim.
“Knocking off” refers to copying a popular wheel design and selling it as a substitute without authorization. In the enthusiast context, it’s often discussed alongside safety and quality concerns, because the fake part may not be engineered or tested to the same standards.
Here, “rep” means a replica—an aftermarket part that looks like a real wheel. The host is saying some replicas are trying to be replicas, while the ones they’re criticizing are just straight-up copies.
“Rip-offs” means fake copies of a wheel. The speaker’s point is that these aren’t even trying to be honest replicas—they’re just copying and selling them.
A billet shifter is a car shifter made from a solid piece of metal that gets machined into the final shape. People like them because they look nicer and feel more solid, but some cheap copies are made to look the same.
Term
torque spack
This is about how tightly bolts are supposed to be tightened. The point is that the fake part is matching the original’s assembly details, not just the look.
A “direct rip-off” means a fake part that copies the real one very closely. It may look the same and be made similarly, but it’s still a copy rather than a legitimate product.
“Race proven” means the part has been used and tested in actual racing, where failures are more likely to show up. The host is saying that experience matters when you’re trusting expensive parts.
Brembo is a performance brand best known for high-end braking components like calipers and brake systems. The host compares unknown “white box” brakes to Brembo, implying Brembo has a stronger reputation and testing history.
Here, “liability” is basically the risk of something going wrong. The host is saying that well-known brands tend to be safer because they’ve been tested more.
Injectors are the parts that deliver fuel into the engine. If they’re not right, the engine can run poorly because it’s getting the wrong amount of fuel.
Injector Dynamics is a company that makes performance fuel injectors. The point here is that they test their parts a lot, so you can feel more confident using them.
Term
CC
“CC” is a way to describe how much fuel an injector can flow. It helps you match the injector to your engine so it can supply the right amount of fuel.
The Acura NSX is a fast sports car made by Acura. It’s designed for performance driving, and some owners modify them to make them even quicker. That’s why it can be mentioned when people talk about serious drag or performance builds.
Instant gratification means buying something now because it feels good right away. Here, it’s about choosing the cheaper part immediately instead of waiting to afford the better one.
A “dopamine hit” is a quick feel-good reward your brain gets. The host is saying social media likes and attention can make people want to buy and post parts faster.
“Rip off parts” means cheaper copies of popular performance car parts. They may look similar, but the materials and quality can be worse, which can affect how well they work.
APC is mentioned as a company that sold an aftermarket intake. The host is basically saying some of their products were copied and weren’t great quality.
An air filter cleans the air before it goes into the engine. If you remove it, dust and dirt can get inside and cause extra wear over time.
Term
fake Jordan's
This is a comparison to counterfeit goods: the host is arguing that people who wouldn’t wear fake luxury sneakers still make questionable choices with car parts. The point is about perceived risk and quality control, not the sneakers themselves.
A double standard means people judge two things by different rules. Here, the host is saying people are skeptical about fakes in other areas, but are more willing to accept questionable stuff for cars.
Knockoff parts are fake versions of real car parts. They might look right, but they can be made with cheaper materials and may not work as safely or reliably as the genuine ones.
Longevity here means “will it keep working for a long time?” The point is that some builds look great at first, but later they fail or stop running—especially if the car is driven every day.
Hoses move important fluids or pressure around the engine. If the hoses aren’t good quality, they can crack or leak and cause problems.
LIVE
What's up, Nick? What's going on?
Same stuff, different day.
Yeah. I saw something on Instagram recently with BoostedBoy Kyle, and it looks like they're...
He's putting together a budget bill for a contest, I think it's what Cladest McFarland,
and he basically put together a swap, turbo kit, the whole thing for like five grand.
Oh my damn, that's super cheap. How do you do that?
He mentions in the video that it's all T-MU stuff.
And I was like, oh, it's kind of interesting.
Definitely a very like, YouTube-y type thing to do, but I'm very curious to see how it
plays out, like once this thing releases, once it actually shows up.
See, that's the problem when we get into some of these aftermarket...
After aftermarket companies, let's say.
After aftermarket.
After aftermarket.
You run into a unknown, let's say.
You know, yes, the parts might be the same.
Yes, they might be using the same gaskets, little things, this, that, the other thing.
It's all coming from the same place, let's say.
But do you know that firsthand?
Do you have experience with the product?
Things like that kind of start to scare me, because coming from inside the industry,
we did get a lot of parts that were, let's say, not branded or white box or whatever
you want to call it.
And it was hit or miss.
Electronics was always a problem.
Flex sensor, you know, no-name flex sensors scare me, because they would just stop reading
in the middle of, you know, running ethanol through the car and they would default and
your tune would go crazy and the car would try to eat itself.
So not good.
Not good at all.
So those things do, those things kind of concern me and, you know, I see these guys on YouTube
doing it and I get where it's coming from.
There's a, with everybody feeling financial pressure right now and we still want to be
able to do these things, we're trying to find ways to save where we can.
And you hear, hey, this part is made at this factory in this country and I know they're
bringing it in from this country.
I'm going to call them directly and get that part made and get it in myself.
Let's hope that it's 100%.
That's the case.
Let's hope that they use the same parts that they are using in that person's components
also in yours, because you don't know.
There might be proprietary agreements in place with that manufacturer where they can't use
some of the technology that is in say, you know, uh, valving for your shocks, let's say.
They might have a proprietary valve that is not able to be used by another company and
they say, Hey, we made this one that's kind of similar, but it's not exact.
And that, that I feel like sometimes it's smarter to work with an established brand where
you know the product.
And you have people that have experienced with the product for a decade, let's say.
It's always better to work with a brand that has established it's done the testing that's
done the R&D.
This has been a problem.
It's been a sticking point for, for decades, right?
Not just in the last, you know, 15 years or something like that.
Like this, this goes back years and years with knockoff companies, uh, doing electronics,
doing, uh, suspension, um, you know, even, even simpler stuff like, like a header or,
or like an intake, you know, something, something basic like that.
The question is why now is it so much more acceptable to, to do this type of thing compared
to let's say, I don't know, 20 years ago.
Now it's like, it's almost like people feel as if they're sticking it to the men by kind
of going or skirting around and going with the cheaper option.
So, you know, obviously in the wheel, the wheel business, we see a lot of wheel stuff.
Uh, my feet is, you know, flooded with wheel stuff, um, naturally.
And I keep seeing like, you know, a lot of people buying, uh, wheels, we'll just say
from overseas and they're kind of like getting away with it because it's extremely cheap.
Right.
That's way cheaper than buying the actual, the actual wheels, you know, and they, they,
they put the tires on, they mount them up, they drive around for a week and they're like,
see, these are just like the real thing.
They're the same exact thing.
They even have like the, the center caps are exact copies.
That's kind of their, their, um, their proof that this stuff is just as good.
Long term, who knows.
It seems really risky to me to buy something that your life sort of depends on.
You're on the freeway, you know, doing 70, something goes wrong.
I mean, it can go real wrong.
Right.
And then it goes the same for, for suspension as well.
If you want to talk about performance aspect, putting like a no-name, just some like random
turbo on, on a car and just hoping for the best to me as insane, but I know it's been
done before it's works.
Right.
Like boosted boys is a good example because they built some, you know, they built some
incredible cars over the years.
And I know before when they were still based out of Colorado, they were doing like eBay
turbos.
They would call them eBay turbos, right.
They were even selling them with boosted boys labels on them.
And you know, who knows where those came from and what kind of R and D was put into them,
but they were working right there.
We can big power with this.
Crazy.
So funny enough, I had a eBay turbo multiple times on the SRT four and it ended up being
a service item more or less.
Like I was like, all right, the seals going to blow in 10,000 miles.
Let's say it wasn't that, but whatever.
You know, I knew that there was going to be a failure.
Yeah.
And you know, there was something to be said that there was a time where that was even
going on back, you know, now we're talking 13, 12 years ago.
So it has been a thing in this industry.
I just think now there's a social media push towards it.
Like it's kind of like a movement of like, Hey, as you said, like sticking it to the
man, let's say.
But I also think it's like people feel like that if they're paying more for something
that looks the same, they're getting screwed.
And there's sometimes more to that than just what you're looking at at surface level.
So prime example, turbo kits are big in the VQ community.
A lot of these guys do like a front mounted single kind of similar to the treadstone kit
that came out years ago.
They're copies of the treadstone kit.
We had one come in and they got it off of online and nothing, nothing was correct.
You know, the flange was a little bit off from where it would normally be.
So the turbo doesn't sit exactly right.
So now you're at interference issues and then it's those small little nuances when you work
with the real product that's been, you know, engineered and tested and there's a massive
R&D push behind it versus somebody goes in 3D scans a product and just replicates it.
There's a difference there.
And even down to like the quality control of the product itself, we had turbo manifolds
that had, I was, you know, the turbo manifolds had like welding slag still on the inside
from where they would like tack it with a MIG welder before they would go through and
like actually weld it with a TIG weld.
And you would see like a piece of welding wire sticking out into the weld inside of the runner.
And I'm like, what's that going to do to the turbo when it breaks loose, when it gets hot?
Like no, there was no quality control.
And I think that's the concern that I also have is that if the guy that is manufacturing
the part is in quality control in the part, you don't have the man in between such as
the seller, let's say, the parts company that Q sees it when it comes in the door.
And then you don't have the customer able to know what they're looking for to quality
control it.
Eventually something's going to go wrong because you have three times that that mistake could
have been caught and it's not.
I mean you would think right like that.
I agree with you, but there could be the situation where like you're the guy that bought a bunch
of knockoff stuff over the years and you just got lucky.
You kind of like streamed your way through all the parts you got just happened to work
out the way they were supposed to.
You never had a single issue.
You had these knockoff wheels, knockoff turbo, all these different fuel components and you
just got lucky.
Like you made it all the way through.
I think there's, we should say like with real authentic parts, there's always a chance
you're going to run into something that doesn't work as it should.
There are still issues, right?
You can buy the highest quality manifold and it doesn't, something was off with the machining.
You got a bad batch, whatever it is, the difference being you can typically go back to that manufacturer
and be like, hey man, this thing doesn't fit right.
And then they go, oh, our bad.
Send it back, we'll swap it out or you order the rock.
Whatever it is, whereas with like, getting off EB or something, good luck.
You know what I mean?
So there's something to be said for that.
Prime example, I had that happen with a fuel company, a fuel hat assembly from a very reputable
brand and I got to tell you the customer service that they provided was outstanding.
And that's something to be said.
There was no way, it was literally like, hey, that we're shipping it out overnighting it
to you, it will be there tomorrow type situation because I had a car dead.
You know, essentially the whole fuel system ripped out of the car and there was a, the
pressure regulator port in the fuel hat sending unit was not drilled out.
There was a manufacturer in de facto.
They had a recall to their sellers, but if something happened where the customer bought
it and the seller wasn't able to contact them, it slipped through the cracks.
And that's what happened.
But they were outstanding.
You know, take a picture, send it to us as soon as they saw the picture, they were like,
yep, we know what's going on, no problem.
And the fact that they had one ready to go out, let's go there.
That was also key to that situation.
Like they knew the problem and it was available and they had a solution right then and there.
Sometimes when you get into these companies, the, for the overseas company or the aftermarket
company, you run into an issue where you're not able to get in contact right away or there's
a massive delay in time where you're talking days upon days of back and forth communication
and then a massive ship window because that part is not stocked within the United States.
So it's coming from out of country.
So now you're shipping it in has to go through customs.
I know I'm word vomiting here and it's a lot of information, but there is a chain of custody
that takes place before it gets to you.
And sometimes that chain of custody gets really long when it, when it turns into something
coming from across the ocean.
Yeah.
I mean, do you think now, because you mentioned earlier social media, and I know we kind of
harp on it a lot because it's such a big part of what we do, right?
It's in our lives every day.
But do you think now with social media kind of portraying these like bargain buys, it makes
a bigger difference on the younger generation because they're like, look, why am I going
to spend $2,500 on wheels?
But I can get these from this no name place for, you know, 900 bucks.
And it's the same thing.
Even has the logos, even though it's bootleg.
So the issue I also have is, it's from an ethical standpoint and it's kind of irking
me and that we're not, we're not teaching the next generation of car guys to respect
the fact like the fact that we're outright knocking off a very, very, very popular wheel
and not even hot.
It's not even like they're trying, like there were companies out there that made reps of
the wheels.
You know, that was the thing.
But these are not even trying to be a rep.
They're not even trying to pay homage.
Oh no, it's just.
They're outright rip-offs.
You're stealing.
Like, and I hate to be the moral guy in this situation, but at the end of the day, you're
stealing.
We don't, we don't want.
It's not just, it's not just wheels.
I mean, that's not just, that goes for all the parts, right?
If you're, you see these like billet shifters that are like obvious rip-offs of a cutie
or you see like, or hybrid or all these different companies, it's, it's identical.
Like down to the, the, the number of bolts used, the torque spack, everything.
So it's not like they're trying to hide it and be like, oh, this is, this is a better
one.
You change the color on it, make it, you know, make it red instead of, instead of purple
or something.
No, it's still, it's a direct rip-off.
Yeah.
And I, and I have a problem with that.
You know, like my kids are both car enthusiasts.
I'm very blessed, you know, both of my kids are into cars and neither of them, like they
both understand, like there's something weird about that to me.
Like I, and I, and we've had this conversation because of course my son being, you know,
of the TikTok generation has shown me that these guys are, oh my God, look, they got
a set of these wheels that are normally $7,000 for 600 bucks.
I understand.
And yes, I understand that they get milled and they're cut on a machine and the aluminum
is the same, you know, quote unquote, and this is the same, that's the same.
They do the same thing, this, that and the other thing.
Sure.
If all, all apples are the same in the bunch, no problem.
But what happens when they're not?
Or what happens when somebody at that place says, ah, you know, we're not making the money
we should be making on this, cut that, cut this corner, no one will ever know.
Or it's not going to affect anyone.
Or you know, there's so many unknowns that, that reputation and trust within a company
that you're working with outweighs sometimes that benefit.
And that's what, that's what I really struggle with with this is that it's a big, big ass
to just go, you know what, I have a beautiful project car that I've spent a ton of money
on and I'm going to trust these brakes that came in a white box that the guys said are
you know, that the guy selling me the product is telling me is outstanding.
But I don't know, it doesn't have a decade of experience.
You know, it's not a company that's race proven.
You know, it's the guy that I found online that said he'll make them to the what I want.
And it looks, and it's similar to the, the Brembo's that I wanted.
And I know we talked about this before and maybe I'm a, you know, I'm gatekeeping or
being a purist, which you guys can tell me in the comments below if I am.
But it's a, it's a struggle that I have, you know, I've seen what bad parts do on a dyno.
I've seen what bad parts do on a street.
And it's not to say that it can't happen with name brands, but I feel like the risk is less.
I feel like you're, you're assuming less liability when you go into it that way.
When you know that a company like Injector Dynamics has put their injectors through massive amounts
of rigorous testing, you're going to trust putting those in your motor versus grabbing
some box off of online that have, you know, that say that the right CC that just might
be the right, you know, calibration tables and might work the same and they might all
match and put that into your fully built engine.
If you are, I applaud you because I'm not that brave.
I want, I want data.
I want proof.
I want reputation.
I want experience when I pick that product.
Yeah, it does feel like the, the people that are more dependent on the no name stuff that
they're, you know, they're saving up buck or two are not doing as deep of a dive build
as some others.
Right.
I think, you know, we opened up talking about boosted voice.
Like obviously they can, they have the money and the means to do super high level, but
they have incredible drag builds, right?
You've got multiple NSXs and stuff like that.
This is more of a sort of an adventure, right?
Try something a little bit different.
And I'm very curious to see how it turns out.
I'm, you know, I'm locked in.
I want to see how it goes.
But I think with the guys that are building simpler vehicles, like they want to lower it,
they want to put wheels on it.
They probably want the turbo sound, you know, maybe not look for a huge horsepower, but they
want like, you know, they want the whistle, right?
So they're willing to purchase that no name turbo and throw it in there to get that.
I just, man, it's crazy to me to think like you've got a BMW or something and you're buying
like a $300 turbo and putting it in there.
And then just the inherent risk that comes with that to me is insane.
I can never do it personally, but I'm also a lot older for me is like, you know, save
up your money until you can get exactly what you want and get the best of it.
Right.
So it's just a different mentality.
And I can't say that it might, maybe it would have been different if I grew up in like the
social media era.
Maybe I would have thought differently, but for me, it was like, you know, getting information
from the people that were older than me.
They're like, no, you don't, don't, don't buy that fake stuff, like save your money and
get the proper stuff.
So you, you make the build exactly the way you want it reliable, reliable, right?
And it does exactly what you want it to do.
You don't have to worry about all that stuff.
So yeah, maybe if, maybe if I grew up and with like the social media age, like in that
age, maybe I would think differently, but I, but I feel like because the people that
were, you know, before me, they were kind of teaching me how to do things were so adamant
about like just saving your money and getting exactly what you want the right parts and
not having to, to worry about all that drama.
It just a different feel, you know what I mean?
So when I, when I see it, I just go, oh man, like, why, why did you do that?
And this is like, you know, social media, YouTube, everywhere.
I don't typically see it too much out in the wild.
If I go to like a cars and coffee or something, most of the cars that are there, I think
have, you know, authentic parts.
There's a few here and there, but I think it's more shared openly on social media because
they want to kind of show like, like I said there, like, look, I bought the same exact
part about this turbo for $300.
Where if you get a precision one, it's $1,300.
I saved a thousand dollars.
That's crazy.
And everyone's like, sure.
I'm like, yeah, man, that's what it's all about.
But look at the difference in quality, like look at precision is like the highest quality
compared to what you have.
To me, I just don't understand it.
I don't get it.
I don't get it.
Yeah, they definitely do, right?
Especially when you put the filter on it.
That's really, I think that's part of it is we live in an age where it's one that instant
gratification, it's a lot easier to buy a $300 turbo than it is to save up for a $1,600
turbo.
Yeah.
And that's a big part of it.
So you get the instant gratification, you get the dopamine hit that we get from having
the cell phone out and getting the likes and looking at social media.
So it's definitely something to do with that.
But I also think that it's the presentation of it's looks similar.
It looks the same.
So what's the difference?
And I think that comes with experience yet again, I'm not bashing anyone.
Like I fully get like, I cut corners on Asakit.
As we said back on a bunch of episodes ago, many moons ago that we used to go to the junkyard
and steal out and take out parts from the cars there because it was cheaper than trying
to buy aftermarket parts.
So we had the grind and don't get me wrong.
And there were cheap rip off parts.
Like I know you remember APC as you know, and their cold air intake.
It was, you know, it was a direct rip off of the AM one with like some freaking, you
know, toilet paper air filter stuck on the end of it, essentially.
And it wasn't good quality, but you could go right down to advanced auto part and pick
one up.
You know, so I'm not, you know, it wasn't that different in the grand scheme of things.
It was different, but I still don't think it was as much as we think that it is now.
I think there was always this need to try to save money where we could and make performance
where we could.
Sorry, rephrase that.
I feel like there was always a need to make performance and save money where we could.
And because of that, those brands did exist back then, but I think it was almost like
we self-regulated.
It was a little bit more of like, Hey, man, why are you running that?
Like go get a, you know, save up your money.
As you said, the OGs would come in and be like, What are you doing?
You're going to destroy your car.
Why are you running an open air filled, open intake pipe with no air filter on the end
of it or whatever, you know, whatever dumb thing we were doing that week to try to be
fast and furious.
It was really, I think, a lack of knowledge being passed down also.
I think there was a disconnect where we didn't teach these guys like, Hey, I know why you're
doing it, but maybe think about why you're doing it.
And hopefully we resonate with some people and I'm sure I'm going to get flamed in the
comments also that we don't know what we're talking about.
We're old and, you know, that's okay.
But isn't it interesting though, like if you think about this from the perspective of the guy that
would save a thousand bucks or let's say he saves 300 bucks by buying some nonium turbo,
right?
But that same guy would never, ever be caught dead in fake Jordan's, right?
Like he'll spend however much, I don't know how much to go for now.
I'm not, I'm not really in that world, but let's say, you know, $400 on a pair of
Nikes that cost, you know, probably seven bucks to make in some other country, but he would never
buy the fake ones, right?
Like he wouldn't be caught dead.
So it's almost like when it comes to the car stuff, there, it's almost like a double standard,
right?
Like in that, in that arena, you know what I mean?
No, no, no, no, no.
That part's very interesting to me.
Yeah.
Or even like, you know, like the designer shirts and stuff like that, like they'll put the money
out for that, but, you know, not for the car parts.
And that part is, it's really strange.
And I wonder if that same group that I just talked about, I wonder if that same group is more
willing to put money into the outside of the car to make sure that it looks good from far away.
But then when, when it comes to the performance and the stuff inside that you don't always see,
they'll cheap out on that stuff.
You know what I mean?
It puts up the appearance and the sound, but in actuality, it's, you know, it's not the same thing.
It kind of reminds me of the days back when, you know, the no be days where you're, when the car
you'd go up to it and everything looked like to the nines and you're like, Oh man, this thing
must be a beast and it pops the hood and it's a bone stock single cam.
It would like the with the plastic air filters still and like dust in the engine bay and you're
like, wait, what just happened?
But no, it definitely brings back those memories where it's like, maybe that maybe that's all
they want, though.
They don't want to be bothered with the headaches that we all have from trying to squeeze more
performance out the car also.
You know, it's a different generation and maybe car culture has changed.
You know, we're, as I said, world.
Yeah, I think that, you know, this is all talking about sort of outliers too, right?
There, there are people that we're talking about that, that cheap out of a lot of stuff, but
there's a whole other group of people that don't, they're the opposite.
They'll do whatever they can to get the absolute best performance out of their vehicle and their
hardcore and their, you know, maybe their drifting or street racing or whatever it is they're
doing and they'll go a hundred percent, you know, all out.
There's certainly a divide there, but I'm just wondering now why it seems like it's so much
more acceptable for people to be using knockout parts or, you know, completely fake parts as
compared to, you know, years ago.
And I do think social media and YouTube is probably the biggest part of that because you
see guys that you follow, you know, using some of these parts and it works.
Like the vehicles run, they make power, they get in the dyno or maybe they go to the track
or whatever and it does the trick.
Long term, a little bit different, right?
Because most of the YouTube builds, they're usually there, you know, they're kind of a
flash right there, there for a little bit, get the content and sort of move on to the
next build.
Longevity is where you gotta, you know, you gotta think about it.
And then also if it's a daily driver too.
It's always funny when you see like one of the cars that you know was a project car in a
YouTube video and you're watching it for a long time, they built it, everything was great.
And then for the next two years, you see it sitting in the back of the shop gaining dust
in the video because it doesn't run.
And then all of a sudden he's like, yeah, it ran for a little bit.
And then it's like, but why did that happen?
Because yeah, it's a lot of it's built for production.
It's a T at the end of the day.
YouTube is a production.
It's a TV show in a lot of regards.
And 100% I totally get that.
Well, I think the consumers forget that a lot of times we're on the, you know, we're kind
of in between because we deal, we interact a lot with people from that space.
But if you're just a consumer of media, you sometimes get sucked into thinking it's, you
know, it's the reality TV problem.
Reality TV is not reality.
And it's the same thing.
YouTube's not reality either.
And I think sometimes people forget that.
Except for real housewives.
That one's real.
But I hear what you're saying, though, because like with the YouTube stuff, the, with the YouTube stuff,
I think a lot of people don't understand like how much of a job that is for those guys to be like
pumping out content, you know, even weekly.
And I see that I see the comments that are completely like, man, you haven't posted in two weeks.
I was like, dude, they're probably just living their lives.
They're trying to catch up.
So yeah, yeah.
So I can't even imagine the amount of pressure if you're like, you know, you've got over a million
followers and you're just trying to, trying to like keep that, keep that thing going.
It's so difficult.
Brutal.
Like, and I got some of the guys out there that really have big followings, like, and they have
small teams sometimes.
And that's what's really like, you know, like, uh, Devin and Milla, for instance.
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's a, that's a pretty one man band.
I mean, I know I think he's got like help from the wife and things like that in the
background and friends and stuff, but it's not like he's got a big production team.
It's not, not like the guys over at throttle where they have a whole team of mechanics and
you know, editors and video guy, like.
But then you also look, you know, if you compare those two, but like with throttle, I mean, they
are pumping out the content, right?
Oh, a hundred percent.
No, no, they're like, hanging out like a car week.
But that.
Yeah.
The one day turnaround things are insane to me.
Like that's, that's a lot of work, you know.
But yeah, film like, you know, we, we do some car filming here now at the shop and to be
able to just get that down and be able to film that out and be able to use it.
It's got to be a lot.
You know, it's got to be, be a lot of work.
Yeah.
So I mean, I guess the question now is like for the people that are watching, where do
you stand on this?
Are you, are you okay with using knockoff parts or maybe to a certain degree?
Is it the performance, the aesthetic?
Where do you stand on it?
I know where we stand.
The bigger question is also, where do you draw the line?
Are you okay with running it after a no name ECU?
Are you okay with running no name fuel components?
Do you trust hoses that come off of eBay?
Like that's more of like the thing.
Like I certain things just kind of scare me.
So I want to know what you guys feel you can cut the corners on and what you can't.
Yeah.
Or maybe you don't cut the corners at all.
You're one of those people that's a little bit older and you just save your money and do it slowly.
Paycheck by paycheck.
So either way, let us know and catch on the next one.
About this episode
The hosts debate whether TEMU-style performance parts belong on a real car, using “real vs. fake” examples across turbos, sensors, wheels, and fuel-system components. They argue unbranded “white box” parts can be hit-or-miss, with electronics and sensors being especially failure-prone, and that cheap turbo setups can create dangerous outcomes like interference or seal failure. They also question how social media makes short-term dyno/track results look convincing while long-term reliability gets ignored.
Is using “KNOCKOFF” parts off TEMU or AliBaba acceptable for your build in 2026? Let’s dive in.
Knockoff aftermarket parts are everywhere in 2026. A quick search on TEMU or Alibaba can uncover products that look almost identical to parts from respected brands like Acuity, Skunk2, Spoon, HKS, and more—often for a fraction of the price.
So what’s the catch?
In this episode, we compare genuine aftermarket performance parts against the cheap copies flooding the market. We break down where the money goes, what separates a reputable manufacturer from a copycat, and whether the savings are actually worth the risk.
Because while many of these parts are manufactured in Asia, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re made in the same factory, with the same materials, tolerances, testing standards, or engineering behind them.
The results might surprise you. Would you run a knockoff part on your build?
2026 Behind the Wheel Podcast | All Rights Reserved
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