Virus

iTrader: (1)

This will probably be moved, but I thought that I would post it in here since I'm talking about a 5th gen intake.

I removed my FrankenCar intake today. FrankenCars refusal to return both emails and phone calls finally got the best of me and I will no longer have their products displayed in my Maxima. The couplers were dryrotted and very hard to get off. I installed the Berk w/Apexi today and I have to say, it's definately a step up from the FrankenCar. The couplers are absolutely beautiful. Not only do they look very nice, they are much more rigid than the FrankenCar couplers. The Berk midpipe appears to be just a tad shorter than the FrankenCar and it is much lighter since it's made of aluminum. Lighter midpipe, stronger couplers and shorter midpipe length kept the entire assembly perfectly straight and it's perfectly in the sweet spot between the strut tower and the battery. The FrankenCar was so heavy that it sagged ever so slightly and caused it to rub up against the strut tower causing wear on the Apexi filter's plastic.

Bryan sent these before my payment went through PayPal. How many people are willing to do this? Bryan went out of his way to not only make a superior product and his customer service is unequalled. Truth be told, I think many of us would rather have a "slightly" inferior product as long as we get "superior" customer service. I would like to say thank you to Bryan for accomplishing both aspects mentioned above.

Virus: Shawn

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

Interesting...I hear alot about problems with Frankencar.....I have a FC intake w/Apexi, which was shipped very quicky and fit/finish were perfect (so obvioiusly I have not had to call/email them back for any reason).....

as to the "sag"...did you use the bracket to mount it to the strut tower? Mine has no sags and the coupler appears to be in great shape, even after this brutal ice/salt/sand/ice/snow/ice winter...

goes to show, that especially with these smaller companies there's alot of inconsistency with customer service and product quality.....

Just curious - why do you say the Berk is "inferior" to the FC intake? I have the FC and am happy with it, but just wondering why one is better/worse than the other?

Virus

iTrader: (1)

I actually said FC was inferior to Berk. I'm not talking performance wise. Both share the same indentical design with exception that the Berk is a tad shorter. therefore performance should be pretty darn close. Berk has incredible silicone shiny, very sturdy couplers that come in Blue, Black or Red, very nicely polished midpipe that looks similar to the Injen's, rather than the dull powder coated Frankencar. FrankenCar's ends aren't cut perfectly, but rather look like someone cut them with a hacksaw. The Berk intakes welding is extremely well done and almost unnoticeable compared to the backyard welding job of the FrankenCar. If you look on the inside of the FrankenCar midpipe you will notice that the outside bar petrudes inside making the airflow somewhat disturbed, the Berk is entirely even throughout the middle of the midpipe. I'm sure this probably doesn't equate to any significant difference. The FrankenCar coupler that I got that attaches the MAF to the Apexi filter was way too long. The FrankenCar couplers look like he went and bought tubing from a local auto store and cut them in the kitchen. However, I got his regular couplers and not his silicone couplers. I did try to get the silicone couplers from Steve, but after 2 months of emailing and calling, I just gave up. Last but not least, the Intake brace broke, which is a problem with the FrankenCar. It works fine without it, but it is very heavy and puts alot of strain on the couplers. The Berk full intake is very light and doesn't need a brace at all.

2k3TitaniumSe

iTrader: (3)

So Berk and FC aren't exactly the same?

Virus

iTrader: (1)

Berk is a tad shorter. I didn't measure the length, but it's like 1/4 inch or so shorter. Same design. Berk shiny polished T6061 Aluminum, FrankenCar Powerdercoated Steel.

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

Virus, thanks, that's what I had previously thought...but you wrote: "Truth be told, I think many of us would rather have a "slightly" inferior product as long as we get "superior" customer service" so by that I thought you were saying the Berk was the "slightly inferior" product with the superior customer service.

Like I mentioned above, I think in small companies sometimes the quality varies. My Fc intake has very clean cuts and the outside bar does not protrude through (I would put photos, but it's damn cold out), and my couplers appear to be very high-quality -and I've been working on classic car rebuilds for years and have a pretty good eye for quality.

Maybe because you have a 3.5 and mine's a 3.0, they are a little different or have some different parts from Franken.

Either way, good luck with your Berk, hope it works great for you!

Virus

iTrader: (1)

Ah, on the 3.0 I don't think you have the long bar in the middle of your intake do you? I'm not bashing FrankenCar for their product. FrankenCar makes great stuff and their intakes produce the highest hp out of all of the other intakes. (Berk excluded because it's the same design and should show the same dyno results) It's just my personal opinion that Berk makes it better and cheaper with better customer service to boot.

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

Yeah we have the long bar in the middle too...as to bashing - hey doesn't matter to me! As long as the product does well by me, no worries! Believe me, over several years of working restoring a couple of classic cars, I had several occasions where I got poor-quality work/products from very reputable companies...so I know how you were feeling with your Frankencar intake issues...good that the Berk worked out for you, nothing worst than being dis-satisfied with a product, no matter how much others may like it!

Frankencar on my 2k with long middle pipe..I think the 2k has 3 vacuum? attachments at the end and the 2k2-3 only have 1 or 2, right? hehe and I like the red to brighten up my boring engine bay!

Virus

iTrader: (1)

Actually the product was great, it was the customer service that ticked me off

irish44j

iTrader: (38)

hehe, sounds like "nissan"

SEmy2K2go

iTrader: (10)

I also would like to say thanks to Bryan and Berk for making a good product and backing it with good service. I have the K&N setup, and am very pleased with the gains I have received by adding this mod.