MrKoo

So it is coming time to replace my spark plugs, I’m at 107k now, I’ve been doing some research and found that not only are there fake ngk plugs but also fake denso’s. I bought a set of denso spark plugs from eBay for 23$ shipped. And I went to my local dealer and bought spark plugs with my discount(because i know someone that works there) for 76$, here are some comparisons and you will see I circled some spots that looked off on the eBay plugs and there are some side by side comparisons as well, night and day difference if you have them side by side but if you only bought fake plugs they look almost real, the packaging color was off a little, and one major thing I noticed was the part number on the box, 3 had light black print and the other 3 had dark black print, the real ones were in between light black and dark black. Another thing as well was the genuine parts text location, one box was off and only showed G and a little of E, the rest had G and mostly E. The plastic that would protect the tip on the fake plugs was too short and you can squeeze it almost flat, material of it was too soft and the cut was not straight, the real plugs had a less see through composition and was a lot longer to protect the tip and I could barely squeeze it as the plastic was harder. Also look at the prongs on the sides of the plug, the real one was taller, fake one was lower. Enjoy and buy real plugs from the dealer! Too many horror stories I’ve read around the internet, after some investigation I found that the eBay seller said they were from the USA only to find out they are 100% China




Real plug boxes

bclexus

I don't buy anything off eBay that might be counterfeit. eBay sellers of things like Duracell batteries, Gillette razor blades, Oral-B toothbrush refills, AirPods, memory cards, camera lens, tools, etc. are notoriously known to be selling fake products. Amazon is much better, but... (I hope the Justice Department deals with this sometime in the near future.)

I like the convenience of buying online, but I only buy things (that could be fake) from reputable 'brand' businesses (e.g. Lexus dealerships).

If the price is outlandishly low, there is usually a good reason for it - it's FAKE!

You own a Lexus, not a Renault - why not buy your parts from a Lexus dealership?

IcyBishop

Nice writeup, but I wouldn't make much of the part number printing on the boxes.
I work with a lot of ink coders that do that type of printing and quality/consistency varies all day long.

The differences in the actual plugs are what matters!

peasodos

iTrader: (1)

The price would be a big red flag to me.

robd88

Anyone who believes these are a genuine set of 6 Lexus/Toyota spark plugs that are brand new for $22.25 with shipping needs to learn a lesson.

82ndABN

This is the New Reality we all must acknowledge. China - or the folk populating China - are indeed super duper copy cats.
Almost ANYTHING we treasure as "real" "genuine" they can and will copy.

I agree the low low co$t should be a big red flag, but what if they wise up and start up-pricing to within 20-30% of full cost. Then that flag would go away.

I thank the original poster for the photos documenting how close the copycats are to the real thing.

Nice to care enough to SHARE!

coolsaber

Good stuff on raising the alarm. Just a side thought tho, why are folks buying toyota branded spark plugs? Isnt just easier to pick up the exact same plug from your local auto parts store? OE from the dealer is great, but get the same for less for OEM parts (NGK or Denso) from AAP with a coupon for less

peasodos

iTrader: (1)

The real danger is if they priced it close to Lexus prices(maybe $10 less), most people would not think twice about it.

bclexus

Wonder how many people install these fake spark plugs (or whatever the counterfeit parts may be) and then publicly complain about the terrible performance of their vehicle...giving the car brand a bad review/reputation?

Im2bz2p345

Excellent write-up and photos @MrKoo. Thank you for sharing here. If price wasn't a red flag, I honestly would never be able to tell if these were real or fake unless you have both side by side like you.

Spark plugs are crucial component of a vehicle and are replaced so infrequently that I always pay a higher price to purchase them locally from a reputable place. If it was something like a fake cabin air filter or some light bulb, I wouldn't care as much, but nothing like spark plugs.

Thanks again,

~ Im2bz2p345

Cwang

These poor cars wouldn't have expected to endure such stinginess for at least a decade :P
I bought my genuine plugs on Ebay but paid $100 from a dealer in America so I'm confident they're real. And the car works.

The origin of the parts is also another key indicator - from Japan is far more believable than from China.

Byprodrive

iTrader: (1)

Yeah,why would you go to a stealership when you can get the same or better for half the price at any auto parts store??

Cwang

Piece of mind. These are very expensive cars so why would an owner squibble over a small amount of money?

Slickride

About a month ago, I watched a video online about the fake plugs. Be careful.

JeffKeryk

I recently bought a set of Toyota coils for our trusty Tundra (200K).
Price was like $35 per coil. I asked; the seller said these were genuine Toyota coils.
The OE Denso runs around $56 each... These are great coils; I have used them in the past on our Acura TSX.
Upon inspecting the EBAY coils, they appeared identical to the originals, PN, color, etc. I installed them.
The 4.7 V8 ran even smoother and it's a real smoothie as you know...
About 100 miles later, #5 cylinder developed an intermittent misfire.
It is POSSIBLE I did not push the connector on all the way, but I kinda doubt it.
I put one of the originals back in and she's fine.
I emailed the seller but have not received a reply.
Are they fakes? I think I was taken hook, line and sinker.