steel or aluminum hotpipe

[Vboyq]

have the chance to buy a steel(powdercoated) mandrel bent hotpipe brand new from heavy throttle for an s13 sr20det for 100even shipped with a blitz BOV flange already welded on... that seems plenty worth it to me but my question is which is better for a hotpipe steel(powdercoated) or aluminum?

[ca18guy]

Is it stainless steel? If its SS it won't rust (or atleast rust as fast) Aluminum will rust faster (though none of the alumin. parts I own have any rust I'm concerned about)

[Jeff240sx]

Originally Posted by ca18guy

Is it stainless steel? If its SS it won't rust (or atleast rust as fast) Aluminum will rust faster (though none of the alumin. parts I own have any rust I'm concerned about)

Powdercoating won't rust at all
Anyway, steel is cheaper, and easier to work with, but powdercoating and steel both will not allow heat transfer, so your intake charge will not get cooler post-intercooler. Aluminum is lighter, a better conductor, but harder to work with.
Up to you. If money is an object, get the HT pipe.
-Jeff