FAQ: Buying cheap ebay performance parts

Intended Audience: Anyone considering buying performance parts from Ebay
Technical Level: Low
Duration: 15 minutes
Effort: Low
Result: Excellent, may save you some $ and hassles

!!!Caution/Achtung/Attenzione!!!
Follow this guide at your own risk. You have been warned. We are not responsible for any actions you take. The information contained herein is a guide and should *not* be acted upon with consultation from your local tuner (he/she may not agree with my comments / suggestions). If you are unsure or are not confident don't do it.

This guide is a document in progress among the Skylines Australia car club and is a user orinentated FAQ for people interested in buying performance parts off Ebay.
This lists some of the known baddies out there, what to look for and what standard parts etc are worth and how to pick junk items.

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Bargain hunting
As always, everyone is out to get the best bang per $ for their car (I am too!). there are some cheap parts out there, and some cheap bargains etc
But there is a lot of junk too and some complete rubbish. known baddies are out there, here are some of the the usual suspects

Known baddies
- cheap chinese manifolds
- cheap turbochargers - t04 with no useful specs, T70 model turbochargers, cheap plain bearing or journal bearing knockoffs, t3/t4 with no useful specs and other wierd spec turbochagers with no brand backing (ie: a turbo thats sub $300 is junk)
- cheap cam gears - know baddies, only go with trusted items and brand names
- fake knock offs - there was a swarm of fake apexi turbo timers, be sure u know how to identify a legit from a fake
- incorrect models listed to lure suspects - ie listing a powerfc pro as a pro but its a std PFC - again be sure u know how to identify a legit from a fake (or model change)
- venom brand injectors - these are junker highflow poor spec items, dont even bother
- cheap plenums (no branders) and greddy copies - junk, crap welds, wouldnt rely on it - original greddy items are $1100 new so a plenum for $300 is rubbish
- cheap no brander hard piping kits - poor welds, cheap basic parts, lots of custom work to make them fit - original HKS and greddy items are near $900 new so a kit for $300 is junk


Typical junk cam gears



Cheap junk turbochargers



Cheap junk plenums



Cheap junk hard pipe kits



Research before you buy
But like anything do your research, check the seller, check the item, call them up or msg them etc, ask for proper photos etc
If you are buying a Xeplex Twin turbo manifold to suit BCNR33 search on google for the item, if you find no matches or hardly any info, chances are its junk
Search on SAU for what you are buying, if you see a KKR turbocharger for $250 search on SAU for "KKR" youll find out why its "SO Cheap"

Understand the risks
Like always with online auction style bidding be prepared for risks, if you buy a set of pistons for $800 there is a risk they may not arrive
I'm not saying it happens every day, but it does happen and has happened to people in the past. there is always a risk with online face-less auctions when buying from indivdual people.
This level of risk is removed when dealing with places such as online parts shops such as nengun, greenline, importmonster etc as there is tracking, you are covered and can get refunds etc
Much like when you goto a local shop to buy say a new water pump, you can take it back, get a refund, ask for support if its dodgy or non-legit etc.

Good news & bargains
But the good news is there are bargains out there. people write off their cars and want to sell stuff cheaply. people buy lots of apexi avcr's in bulk and then them cheap individually etc.
People sell their old hardware taking up space in the garage so they sell it cheap. demand drives the price with the ebay style auctions so if a few dudes want it, its going to go up, and up etc.
If no one wants it, youll get it cheap or at least at the lowest price the guy is prepared to auction it up for. check the users feedback and read the comments.
The feedback doesnt guarantee they wont rip you off, but it helps prove they are half legit and do sell/send their items correctly.

Understand the standard price before you bid
ie GTR R34 front calipers will go for $1000 cos people want them. if you see GTR 34 front calipers for $400 with a "buy it now" option, theyre probably fake or non-legit or he is a rip off.
However if they start at $400 and the guy has decent feedback and no-one else is bidding on them then you might get them significantly cheaper. he might not know what they are worth which could also explain the low price. this is unlikely but could be possible. but just remember, beaware of the risks (see part #4 above) and that you may not get them item if they are a dodgy trader.
A hks turbocharger (any model) is going to be at least $1000 sub because of the brand, so if you see a pair of hks 2530s for $900 then it wont be legit, or they are shagged.
A decent ball bearing turbocharger is about $1500 and a pair of good GTR twins is around $2000 at least. a stock rb25 turbo is around $300 and a pair of stock GTR turbo's id say $500-$600.

Shit costs money - whats the real cost
Theres no magic secret, a turbocharger costs money, a manifold costs money, so dont expect a good turbochargers for your std car for $350, its going to be junk.
and lastly cheap items like turbochargers etc may work and be ok, but they may require lots of work to make them fit and bolt up.
the flange is different, the gate is different, the flap opens the wrong way, the bearings are poo and so on, so look at the whole package and not just the single item your buying.
much like buying a set of EVO calipers, sure you might get them cheap but if its going to cost another $500 to make them fit and line up with rotors etc it could be easier/cheaper in the long run to buy Skyline stuff in the first place.

Check the fine print too. Many sellers sell things like one camber arm rather than a pair and then force you to buy another one to suit. Dodgy!

i have a spool brand cam gear that i wanted to get rid of that looks like the real deal... and only the other day was in a tread where i was told that others have used these and have positve feedback towards the strong construction and quality of this particular brand make of performance parts.

the list also included other spool named performance parts that are quality improvements and upgrades.

unsure of the origin of the part but no doubt it would be chinese, but as paulr33 states, make sure you do the reasearch, check feedback from people that have used the part/mod and in many cases ask professional opinions.

'SPOOL' are from our very own SAU member Spoolup, he's a skyline nut and has taken the time to develop good parts for top-hp buildups...definately good parts

good thread

my exhaust shop told me dont bother with ebay turbos most of them are junk

A mate has them on his r32 rb20 and they are great. I have been told that with the cheap cam gears the main thing to do is replace the screws that come with them and mos the time they will be as good as anything else. But all in all a good read.