A car expert is going viral on TikTok after sharing news that seems too good to be true: You can buy the parts to make your car’s engine on Temu.
User @thatkswappedek said he was alerted to this discovery via another content creator. The other user, he said, apparently warned drivers against buying car parts from certain companies because he said they all buy their products straight from Temu.
That led @thatkswappedek to search Temu for himself, and he said he found a treasure trove of information.
“Why did nobody tell me you can buy a [camshaft] kit from Temu for your LS [engine] for only $162? This might be a game-changer,” @thatkswappedek said. As of Tuesday, his video highlighting his recent discovery amassed more than 149,600 views.
Can you buy car parts from Temu?
In his video, @thatkswappedek featured some of the products he found on Temu, including headers and turbo header build kits.
While these products typically cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars, they were listed for fewer than $200 on Temu.
“This kit anywhere else is almost $1K and they’re selling it for $162,” @thatkswappedek said.
The content creator proceeded to highlight several other products sold for cheap on Temu, including engine mounts (which cost $22) and turbo header build kits (for $130). As a result of the low prices, @thatkswappedek expressed skepticism toward Temu’s products.
“Is this even real? Is this fake? Should I order it and see if I get it?” @thatkswappedek asked about the items he found. “This is dirt cheap.”
He then announced a plan: to buy the products and attempt to build an engine using products exclusively bought from Temu. He showed viewers a screenshot of his receipt, which confirmed that he bought a steam kit ($28) and alternator ($50), among other products.
“As soon as these come in, I will let you know if these are legit,” @thatkswappedek said. “Maybe I will uncover something that no one has done yet… I just [have] to know.”
Temu is known for selling weird products, which oftentimes don’t work
Temu has long attracted shoppers to its site because it sells products for cheap. However, many users have found out the hard way that these items often don’t work properly.
One shopper told CBS News that she purchased a $15 flexible garden hose that didn’t work. Another customer said she bought three couches from the site that turned out to be doll-sized.
Temu’s products are cheap because they’re sourced directly from China. This cuts out the middleman and allows the site to sell items at significantly lower prices than other retailers.
These products don’t often work, though. According to CBS News, more than 100,000 reviews received three or fewer stars. It noted that products that received four or five stars still had reviews where customers expressed concerns about deteriorating quality or long shipping times.
Notably, this hasn’t stopped content creators from shopping on the platform. In November, one man said that his dad bought Reynolds Wrap from Temu; another shopper said she bought heels from Temu that were already worn.
“At Temu, we believe everyone deserves access to quality products at prices that make everyday life better. We’re thrilled to see creative stories and customers using our products to solve real-life problems,” a Temu spokesperson told a Daily Dot. “If customers need any assistance, our customer service team is available online 24/7 to help.”
@thatkswappedek #greenscreen yoooo this is crazy cheap #temu #engines #parts #truck @Temu ♬ GTA San Andreas Theme (Remake) – Ben Morfitt (SquidPhysics)
Viewers warn against buying Temu’s car parts
In the comments section of @thatkswappedek’s video, several viewers warned against driving a car with a Temu-built engine.
“I’m curious to see how long it lasts until it blows up,” one user said.
“Then the motor grenades itself,” another quipped.
“I would bet money the valve springs would break in no time causing piston/head damage,” a third viewer wrote.
Others were more interested in seeing @thatkswappedek complete his experiment.
“Kind of scary, but it would be entertaining,” one commenter said.
“Temu build would be sick,” another echoed.
“Commenting so the algorithm brings me back for this Temu engine build,” a third user added.
“If it holds up, that could be a game changer,” a fourth user wrote.
But as some viewers noted, one YouTuber already tried and failed to make an engine using Temu-purchased items.
“El cuh Pedro did it and his truck blew up,” one viewer said.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @thatkswappedek via TikTok comment.
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