Hi,

So just wondering. I've been looking at front mount inter coolers, not really for me but just browsing. I see the price ranges from £85 to like £400, and I ask is there a real quality difference with a more expensive one say over a cheap China one?

I had a look on aliexpress (direct from china whole sale thing) and there is crazy cheap ones. Why would a £400 forge one be better?

I'd assume it's like anything, the cheaper the unit the worse the quality.

Maybe the welds would be rubbish/untidy, Probably not put together all that well ect..

If it's a kit, horribly thin tube, and terrible quality jubilee clips.

Think of it like a cheap universal backbox and a Magnaflow system.

That's my 2p anyways

Edited 14 May, 201412 yr by MaxVW

I've got one of the cheap intercooler a and tbh the quality is really good and the welds are nice and neat. Not tacky looking or anything and it will do what it's meant to.

The main difference is the cheap ones have cast ends welded to the core. But the cast ally quality is really good and not like monkey metal at all and I know this as I've modified mine and re welded different angle pipes onto each end.

The expensive ones are fabricated ends. Probably thinner plate to save weight and the cores maybe more efficient but some of the big companies buy Chinese cores and make their own ends for them.

A lot of people use the Chinese ones and they work well and do what they are designed to do. Cool the inlet air