WARNING: Fake PRL IC showing up on eBay

fin density looks similar between the knockoff and real one. PRL doesnt state that they are using any specific core online. It wouldnt surprise me if PLM found the same supplier and is just putting cast end tanks on them. it looks to be a similar fin per inch and has the same numbers of bars and plates.

23Red said:

After re reading my reply I guess it sounded like I was comparing Injen to PLM. I was genuinely asking if the Injen intercooler was legit.

Click to expand...

honestly, I'd buy an Injen over the PLM, Id probably still go PRL just bc the price difference in the 2 isnt much and I like the r&d prl put on civicX to follow

There's a photo on the "10th gen civic" facebook page of a PLM core with some channels welded shut on the inside.

Roadcone said:

these are 450 on amazon btw... if the flanges are flat and things line up i'm probably going to try one as i think the billet end tanks are 3000% overkill.

Click to expand...

The PRL billet inter-cooler is a steal at $749.99. Imagine if you owned a BMW, those aftermarket inter-cooler cost more and they aren't billet.

i remember when I had my BRZ and PLM came out with their nameless performance knock off header. when FT86speedfactory started selling the PLM most of the community tor them apart for it.

you will have popele that will buy the cheap one, it is what it is and i can understand not wanting to spend money. sure billet end tanks are overkill but id rather give my money to the people that take the time, do the research and build the part. not the company blatantly taking someones design did no performance testing or research.

Honestly... It's an air to air intercooler. There is nothing complex or difficult about it. I can understand why folks would go with the cheap option- what exactly are they risking? Especially if it is an actual copy of a designed and tested product?

I'm not saying we should all go buy knock offs- there is many a good reason to support these legitimate companies, but for a product like an intercooler.. I dunno... You aren't risking a ton. An intercooler is likely the one thing I would maybe cheap out on- you can't see who makes it, it gets beat up by rocks every day, and all it does is cools the air (which yes, that is super important but is also a super basic function) and I haven't heard of tragic failures, anywhere, of the PLM IC.

I'm at a loss on this one. I feel like an IC upgrade will happen eventually, but I'm far from decided on how to proceed. Just playing devil's advocate here, is all

SixxSpeed said:

Honestly... It's an air to air intercooler. There is nothing complex or difficult about it. I can understand why folks would go with the cheap option- what exactly are they risking? Especially if it is an actual copy of a designed and tested product?

I'm not saying we should all go buy knock offs- there is many a good reason to support these legitimate companies, but for a product like an intercooler.. I dunno... You aren't risking a ton. An intercooler is likely the one thing I would cheap out on- you can't see who makes it, it gets beat up by rocks every day, and all it does is cools the air (which yes, that is super important but is also a super basic function).

I'm at a loss on this one. I feel like an IC upgrade will happen eventually, but I'm far from decided on how to proceed. Just playing devil's advocate, is all

Click to expand...

the sourced a cheaper core which is china trash. The 2 Ive seen pics of have rows of fins welded closed here is one also density Mr Devils Advocate

Right, so it performs at 90-95% efficiency of the legitimate one then? So it's still likely better than the OEM. Unless it's completely welded off inside and no air actually makes it through

The thing is, I bet you they've sold a number of these already, but no one is willing to come forward and admit it. No one wants to get their balls busted for their decision.

Ugh the more I think about this, the less appealing it sounds. I feel like I've gone full circle from "nope" to "well maybe" back to "nope"

ctrmofo said:

Buyers beware! Fake IC are showing up on eBay and are exact copies of PRL's design.

Company doing this is called PLM - Private Label Manufacturing and is all done in China. You will get what you paid for.

Contact @PRL Motorsports for the real thing and more info.

Click to expand...

Doesn’t look like their claiming to be a PRL i/c, it clearly says PLM. They’ve been around for years making replica parts from Asia. So what else is new? Parts like these are what justify the extra $150 for authenticity. At the end of the day, who cares? It’s been happening for years and it helps separate the quality builds from the “ricers” for lack of better words

wEaK Squad said:

Doesn’t look like their claiming to be a PRL i/c, it clearly says PLM. They’ve been around for years making replica parts from Asia. So what else is new? Parts like these are what justify the extra $150 for authenticity. At the end of the day, who cares? It’s been happening for years and it helps separate the quality builds from the “ricers” for lack of better words

Click to expand...

We know they never claimed to be PRL, but the owner literally purchased a PRL in his name and shipped it China, 3 months later a nearly exact replica down the the color of the hosing comes out. Its just shitty business. We know they source shitty cores. At the end of the day, anyone who has ever spent time doing R&D cares that someone else stole hundreds of hours of their work for $700 and some chinese parts and labor.

dallasjhawk said:

We know they never claimed to be PRL, but the owner literally purchased a PRL in his name and shipped it China, 3 months later a nearly exact replica down the the color of the hosing comes out. Its just shitty business. We know they source shitty cores. At the end of the day, anyone who has ever spent time doing R&D cares that someone else stole hundreds of hours of their work for $700 and some chinese parts and labor.

Click to expand...

It’s nothing new. It’s been happening for years.

wEaK Squad said:

It’s nothing new. It’s been happening for years.

Click to expand...

Well the point is just because its been happening for years, doesnt make it right. And if you buy crap like that then you are part of the problem

typeaarrr said:

The PRL billet inter-cooler is a steal at $749.99. Imagine if you owned a BMW, those aftermarket inter-cooler cost more and they aren't billet.

Click to expand...

its a pointless flex in my opinion. I'm sure there are people who want to talk about how they have billet end tanks but I'd rather have an extra 300 bucks in my pocket and zero loss in functionality or reliability.

As for turbo BMW parts, If you're putting anything more expensive than a VRSF stepped intercooler on something like a 335 you're just wasting money. https://www.vr-speed.com/vrsf-7-5-s...-kit-07-12-135i-335i-n54-n55-e82-e90-e92.html. I've seen this one specifically last for years on multiple cars making pretty big power on 20+ psi daily.

Thereviewer said:

Say what you want but i posted my review. Its unbiased and shows the temps of the PLM
https://www.civicx.com/threads/plm-intercooler-review.36082/

Click to expand...

If they made a non-billet version of it and offered it at a more reasonable price that didnt involve a few hours of CNC time... they'd have those PLM sales instead.

My genuine, BNIB PRL FMIC was $568 shipped. It can be had cheaper than MSRP.