Background:
A post last week looked at the significant differences between how Blaze Performance markets its MK7 intake and how Equilibrium Tuning markets the same product.
With my own testing of the Blaze products completed recently the timing of EQT announcing that they are distributing the intake parts presents an opportunity to compare data.
An email was sent to EQT with questions about the claims they are making about the product on November 4th. As of November 10th, no reply has been received.
In the meantime, I encountered another enthusiast who believed the Blaze intake would help improve the turbo spool-up.
According to this person, they were told by EQT that the Blaze intake is the best on the market.
The EQT employee was asked about information that EQT has for how the Blaze intake performs and they indicated they were gathering data.
After pointing out that making claims about how a product performs in support of selling that product to consumers, without yet having data to support the claims, violated truth in advertising laws, the EQT employee reiterated that evidence would eventually be provided to consumers.
Truth-in-advertising
Here’s what the Federal Trade Commission has to say about this approach:
When consumers see or hear an advertisement, whether it’s on the Internet, radio or television, or anywhere else, federal law says that ad must be truthful, not misleading, and, when appropriate, backed by scientific evidence.
Federal Trade Commission
In the state of California, where EQT is based, the law states:
Business and Professions Code 17500 BPC is a California statute that prohibits false or deceptive advertising to consumers about the nature of a product or service.
California Legislative Information
This video from a California law firm speaks to the subject of false advertising:
Bottom line:
Equilibrium Tuning currently does not provide consumers with evidence in support of the claims the business makes for the Blaze Performance intake that it sells.
Comparing the data I have measured with anything from EQT is presently not possible.
Equilibrium Tuning is making unsubstantiated claims about the performance of a product they are selling to consumers. This is a violation of truth-in-advertising laws.
The Federal Trade Commission reports that of the top Frauds that consumers report, Online Shopping ranks #2, with the Auto Related category ranking #3.
References:
Complaints about consumer fraud in the United States and California can be reported to: