Fake NGK plugs on Amazon
- Thread starter JeffKeryk
- Start date
Seeing this thread I wouldn't even think about buying expensive OEM coolant from Amazon. I buy a lot of my motor oil from Amazon. I may have to reconsider. Every time I hit the "place order" button on Amazon I feel like I'm putting someone out of business.
Scott
Scott
After seeing the rounded electrode on Marc's TSX plugs, I decided to inspect one from our TSX. These plugs have maybe 38K...
When I installed these, I remember the old plugs with 90K looking great. Sheesh.
Electrode? We don't need no stinkin' electrode! Sheesh.
When I installed these, I remember the old plugs with 90K looking great. Sheesh.
Electrode? We don't need no stinkin' electrode! Sheesh.
Another set of fakes…After seeing the rounded electrode on Marc's TSX plugs, I decided to inspect one from our TSX. These plugs have maybe 38K...
When I installed these, I remember the old plugs with 90K looking great. Sheesh.
Electrode? We don't need no stinkin' electrode! Sheesh.
I sure as heck ain't buyin' no more from Amazon. I ran over to O'RAeilly and paid $15 a piece. Now I'm mad but happy.When you receive them, google the return address
I hate thieves!
Sometimes they have bucket sales too. Buy the bucket @ full price. But anything you can fit in it to overflowing can be at least 20% off.
Sometimes they have bucket sales too. Buy the bucket @ full price. But anything you can fit in it to overflowing can be at least 20% off.
That 20% bucket sale works online, too. In fact, if you order online, you don't even have to buy the bucket
I guess ya'll don't consider the dealer? I have 2 that I buy from. I get everything from Lexus dealer that I can. What I can't,
I get from Toyota dealer. One advantage I have is my many years of working with them. I now have great working relationships.
It really helps when I needed a $7 engine clip for my '98 LS400. My Lexus PM even put in the 2 pins for me at no charge. I do
go online to verify I ain't getting shafted and so far (last 20 years) I have been treated very fair.
It's a shame all dealerships aren't as good as mine. There is a sweet spot between price and quality and service and help
and availability. I'm gonna tell you this, sometimes it is hard to not buy from someone that is soooo much cheaper. It is very
hard. But once you get in your 60's or have gained more wisdom (hopefully like JeffKeryk
I am kidding) you will see it's not always
and only about the dollar.
I'm not gonna rehash all my fake purchases.
I get from Toyota dealer. One advantage I have is my many years of working with them. I now have great working relationships.
It really helps when I needed a $7 engine clip for my '98 LS400. My Lexus PM even put in the 2 pins for me at no charge. I do
go online to verify I ain't getting shafted and so far (last 20 years) I have been treated very fair.
It's a shame all dealerships aren't as good as mine. There is a sweet spot between price and quality and service and help
and availability. I'm gonna tell you this, sometimes it is hard to not buy from someone that is soooo much cheaper. It is very
hard. But once you get in your 60's or have gained more wisdom (hopefully like JeffKeryk
I am kidding) you will see it's not alwaysand only about the dollar.
I'm not gonna rehash all my fake purchases.
I have used Champ plugs in my Harley Sportster for years. No issues.I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as a fake Champion spark plug, so you could order those on Amazon and you would get a real deal Champion plug........
Had a neighbor with a FORD Focus and she had bought some maintenance items and asked me to install. She has gotten Champion iridium from O'Reilly's along with some oil, filter, air filter, etc. I gapped them as per the recommendation and installed them. 4 years later and she had around 50K on them and no issues yet.
My point is it seems champion plugs get a lot of hate. I have never had an issue with them.
I think it's more engine or electronics dependent. Japanese (or Japanese heritage) engines tend not to like them and sticking to NGK or Denso seems to be the best bet for those.
For my own vehicles, I tend to stick with OEM for plugs. But, I have no reason to say Champion Iridium wouldn't work in my Hyundai's and Kia's. No personal experience anyway.
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Oh, for sure! The most disrespectful thing you can do is steal, particularly from those that work. We have a special kind of hatred for thieves. And we paid about the same for our plugs, lol.. same ballpark..
I *was* going to make a new thread, however I just had an experience very recently with the scare or threat of fake (NGK) spark plugs. The tl;dr version is that the plugs were in fact authentic and I got a GREAT deal.
The longer version shares more details on the topic (of, specifically, real NGK plugs and fake NGK plugs.)
Firstly, my experience involved EBay not Amazon. I've bought parts off Amazon for about the past two years possibly three... I find I prefer EBay for specifically auto parts. Navigate through what are sometimes strange and generic blanket descriptions and you can usually find what you are looking for. I prefer EBay to Amazon. I would use Amazon in limited circumstance.
I purchased NGK plugs from EBay. I bought from a third party seller. I chose a low, but not the lowest, price.
Here is a key point: I chose NGK Ruthenium HX. This is important because the NGK rep told me that their two most faked plugs are Laser Platinum and Iridium IX. Personal note: I purchased both of those for use on my vehicles previously, as well as G-power and V-power. I like and prefer NGK products for spark plugs on Japanese cars.
Another tl;dr - the tech said they either "have not" or "have not really" encountered any fake NGK Ruthenium HX plugs.
He told me that the fakes come from China, and that while customs is more on alert for these things now, some still slip through.
In my instance.. The packaging looked clean and crisp, printing looked rich and full in color. For the box/packaging.
As to the plugs themselves: The metal looked clean not dirty, there were not any machine marks. And this is where the differences between the products become apparent.. whereas on a Laser Platinum, if it says only JAPAN on it, that could indicate a fake; on a Ruthenium HX, that is exactly as it should be, and indicated genuine. Also the special weld on the ground insulator that is said to make more (most?) complete combustion. They said that would be harder to fake.
A poster said it would only be a matter of time before "they" (they = the fake and counterfeit plug manufacturer facilities in China, that then steal the NGK name and put it on their fake product) make a fake Ruthenium HX. I don't know about that.. That one would be too obvious. The Laser Platinums have a dimple that can be faked and fool the naive...
Here is some info on what to look for in a fake plug, since we are on this topic: (again, the information for a Laser Iridium is not 100% interchangeable with a Ruthenium HX, but still is very helpful for generalities.)
Also, the phone number for NGK if you want to ask them based on Lot # if you have a real or fake plug if in doubt is
NGK CUSTOMER SERVICE
1-877-473-6767, dial #3
hours: 8:30am – 5:00pm
Monday-Friday EDT
https://www.ngkntk.com/newsroom/blog/emea/fake-or-not/
Again, I hope all this info has been helpful. NGK verified mine were real.. 4 for $48 for Ruthenium HX was a good deal, but not a too good to be true deal.
NGK also reminds me that their plugs have a special plating and the tech told me that they are made to be put in dry, FWIW. No anti sieze. I'll just leave that there, but that is the school of thought I am subscribing to on the matter. (They also told me they should be torqued to between 18 to 22 ft/lbs.)
They say to buy plugs at a brick-and mortar store; If you're like me, and want a good deal (lower price) online.. I use EBay and I will seek out the seller I bought from, now that I know they sold me an authentic, good product.
Be careful with Amazon. Call the number and check, would be my advice.
One of the tells he mentioned is the Cardboard vs Plastic Tube protectors. All the NGK's I have received from RA auto over the years all had cardboard protectors. 
.
.I bought these, NGK 96509, from RockAuto yesterday. I hope they are real NGK. Cost of the Honda ones (12290-5K0-A01) from the online dealer is $27.32 vs $10.02 for NGK 96509 (ILZKAR7E11S).
NGK 96509 Laser Iridium; Pre-Set Gap: 0.044" OE-Recommended Gap: 0.044"; Actual OE Manufacturer.
NGK 96509 Laser Iridium; Pre-Set Gap: 0.044" OE-Recommended Gap: 0.044"; Actual OE Manufacturer.
Check for the cardboard tubes.
My understanding is, RA is a good source. Please post if you have a problem.