1. Here's the when this thread came out - April 22, 2018, Post #1:
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2. Next, here's the following thread from January 27, 2018, Post #1, four months prior, where VTT is showing their turbos. I'll even include snapshots below, for those that don't wish to click through:
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@Ranger, can you further clarify what you were trying to convey?
Filippo
You need to understand product lines to understand what is going on here. The OP's turbos consist of the same turbo components offered by VTT as part of their Standard Stage 2/2+ setups. However you are linking in pictures of their "GC Reboots".
This stuff is not rocket science people. The Chinas contact all of us vendors and try to do the same thing, some take the bait and some do not. It is extremely evident by anyone who can look at picture to see who is who in this regard. Regarding logos this is not an issue, if we want to engage business with a China for castings they would add our logo as well- no big deal but count on a MOQ to get it done. It is 100% fair to say that IF You see a logo
casted into any turbo housing, China is making them. They will literally do back bends to get our business, so adding a bead on an inlet or a logo to the casting is the least of the worries. They are also willing to do the entire build (actually they prefer it and there should be a big "duh" as to why) from the housings to the wheels to the assembly to everything. We have had many discussions with them over this and they still email us until this day asking if we are going to be interested in binding into any order with them.
Now, all of this said, if you are getting your VTT turbos (not from today forward, but including the past) with a VSR balancing sheet that names Hobest (the manufacturer of VTT's VSR) and/or VTT themselves then it is very likely they are at LEAST rebalancing them or truing up the balancing the best they can in house. BUT if you have NO paperwork for the balancing record, it is most likely they are just adding on a label and repackaging and sending it your way with no additional efforts. If we were VTT, rather than saying "our stuff has a logo so it is ours"; we would've certainly mentioned that you all are getting a dated balancing record that shows we had balanced your units in-house... so this should certainly be considered as a valuable resource for vendor validity on each turbo unit. We in particular balance all of our turbos to .1g levels across the entire VSR range which is the best values achievable, and a level of quality you'd never get with a China built turbocharger.
Regarding the aforementioned "GC" lineup, they were initially made by Zage and they had an exclusivity agreement for the product with VTT to get the product line "moving into the USA market" effectively as possible- and they indeed hit the jackpot with some good marketing. This business relationship seized to exist later last year, as we had the ability to purchase whatever it is that we wanted from that point forward. Alongside this what was determined was that VTT had Zage's components copied with apparently the same company who makes the regular China Stage 2/2+ setups, which is why they have the same logos and cast iron based turbine housings now. Ultimately this means cheaper parts and better profits, and most likely more parts to end up on Ebay within the next 6 or so months. Lastly the word on the streets is that the relationship with VTT and Zage ended quite unhealthily, and they are not really engaged with one another anymore; but we guess that is neither here nor there at this point as they now have engaged with another manufacturer from the area who can also get it done with their Zage copied "reboot" design. There is certainly some irony in China copying China's own stuff, but it happens and they are all used to it- it is a way of life and they seem to take it fairly lightly and continue on as needed to keep products moving.
On a final note some may like the truth and some may not; but the above is 100% the truth and about all you need to educate oneself on these matters and do whatever it is they may wish with their product of choice.
Rob
