Avoiding counterfeit parts -- Best strategies?

[Marcozi]

There are a few specialty parts vendors online such as FCPEuro. This company typically list 4 parts for the same part #. Huh?
- car company branded ($$$$)
- same part without the car company brand ($$$; aka original equipment (OE))
- part made by a supplier to the car company but doesn't supply this part ($$; aka original equipment manufacturer (OEM))
- aftermarket ($).

The installation of aftermarket cooling system part is strictly verboten.

 

[pghvolvo]

There are a few specialty parts vendors online such as FCPEuro. This company typically list 4 parts for the same part #. Huh?
- car company branded ($$$$)
- same part without the car company brand ($$$; aka original equipment (OE))
- part made by a supplier to the car company but doesn't supply this part ($$; aka original equipment manufacturer (OEM))
- aftermarket ($).

The installation of aftermarket cooling system part is strictly verboten.

I've bought a lot of items from FCP over a few decades.

 

[Luftmasse]

I've bought many Fram Ultra on Amazon (shipped and sold by Amazon) without a problem.

Ebay, is another story.

 

[paulo57509]

I sometimes will contact the manufacturer and ask who their authorized distributors are in my area. I last did this with NGK and sparkplugs.com; confirmed that sparkplugs.com is one of NGK's largest distributors.

Curious how RA can sell the same plugs (NGK 5632) for a lot less than a large distributor - $1.78/ea vs. $4.22/ea. I haven't had an issue with NGK's from RA. Stocking vs. non-stocking is my guess.

 

[Soft Cars]

If I take a part number off a GM site and enter it into Google, I'll find it on Amazon.
If I go straight to Amazon and search for parts under my car's name, I'll never find it on Amazon.

 

[Trav]

I agree that buying from a dealer is the safest option, but also the most expensive. Even the major chain FLAPS can be a bit high. Rock Auto is my go-to, but Amazon can be an acceptable alternative IF (and only if) the part says shipped by AND sold by Amazon, not by "Parts-R-Us". Same concept applies to Walmart as well.

The dealer is not always more expensive, I always check before buying anything and sometimes it is a real surprise when the OE is cheaper than chain parts stores and RA.