There seems to be a big counterfeit market for NGK high dollar spark plugs. After reading and seeing videos I contacted NGK directly. They are aware of the problem but the only solution they said was to buy directly from NGK outlets. Such as Summit, Jegs, are a couple he mentioned. Since the quality of the counterfeits is so good, there's no dead giveaway to tell. The NGK rep. said a great deal on Amazon or Ebay might be suspicious.

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

Does this mean platinum and iridium versions? And not the "low dollar" copper versions?

 

There are a handful, not many, videos on youtube attempting to explain some of this. Ebay and amazon have sellers offering possible fake plugs but also plugs manufactured in other countries for use in those countries and never intended to be sold in north america.This appears to be going on for at least two years by the dates of the uploads...if that means anything.

So yea, don't buy from those sources and get them local from known sources.

 

Pretty much anything worth buying is being counterfeited or "knocked-off" by someone.

High-quality transistors for power amplifiers that were discontinued by Toshiba--counterfeited by using lower-quality transistors made by Toshiba, and re-ink-stamping them with the higher-quality numbers. In fact "Chi-Fi" is a big problem in the Audio world. Respected designs are copied using nice-looking cabinets and Communist-crap internal parts. Heck, there's two companies that used the brand-name "Jolida" for their products--the original company that was started in America to source and import Chi-Fi; and the company in China that actually built the product. When the American changed suppliers for his product, the folks that used to make it for him kept turning out product with the same brand name, that they distributed without the American being involved.

Ladies' fashion which may be sourced from China to begin with, knocked-off by other Chinese or even the same company on the "night shift".

Dirtbags go to China for cheap, high-profit items; then act surprised when the Chinese send look-alikes that are made just as cheap or cheaper, and sell for medium profits. But not all counterfeits are unauthorized versions of China-made product. The Chinese will steal anything they can make a buck from; or misrepresent their product (anti-freeze as a toothpaste sweetener; melamine in grain or in baby formula to fool the protein testing equipment, lead paint, the list is endless.)

You know what's really scary? The USA Customs inspectors still don't test for radioactivity in imported products. We found out by ACCIDENT that radioactive-contaminated product was coming in from Mexico, made from scrapped medical equipment.
https://arizonareport.com/arizona-me...e-steel-rebar/

The best possible solution is to E-N-D trade with China and other Communist nations. Next-best is to reinforce Customs and reform the FTC. Ideally, we'd do all of this.

That wouldn't stop Peru from sending us zillions of counterfeit dollars, though. Who knew that Peru had a big-deal printing industry?

 

Yes, basically the high dollar plugs are being counterfeited according to the NGK rep. My inquiry was on the V-Groove plugs I bought off Amazon. He said to chuck them in the garbage and write it off, not worth the risk.

 

Here's an example.

 

Not to knock Amazon but I have heard the same thing on a Miata forum with plugs, plug wires and other NGK branded items. It appears that Amazon doesn't buy anything from NGK on a direct basses. They ether buy through a another vendor or the stuff they have is counterfeit.

The issue came up when there was a problem with a lot of plug wires that were faulty and somehow got sent back to NGK for testing. They weren't made by NGK. Counterfeit junk! Has me worried as I'm running those same plugs and wires on my rig as I speak.....Tedd