Watch what you buy from Amazon or eBay

[opfor2]

So, I've been dealing with a slight annoying rough idle issue for as long as I can remember. I've shot the parts cannon at this thing with no avail. So, after watching the following YouTube video by Royalty Auto Service which got me thinking were did I get the plugs and wires from? Well, you guessed it the ACDelco Iridium 41-110 plugs I bought off of eBay for a whopping $24.00. RockAuto who I believe is one of the most cost-effective places to buy genuine GM parts sells 8 ACDelco Iridium 41-162 plugs for $6.74 ea. or $53.92 for 8 of them. So, what the hell did I expect for 24.00. As you can see by the attached picture, I did NOT get Iridium plugs! After purchasing new plugs and wires from RA I now no longer have any sort of rough Idle, and she purrs like a kitten. Moral of the story, you get what you pay for. BTW I only put 27,693 miles on those fake plugs.

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[intheburbs]

Nothing critical for my vehicles is purchased off eBay. I only buy from auto stores, or Amazon (and only from a dealer or auto parts storefront).

 

[Prospect62]

Good tip that will always bear repeating.

Amazon is notorious for selling counterfeit parts, the bad news is that the counterfeiters have gotten exceptionally good at reproducing packaging to look authentic. I buy a lot of Motorcraft stuff for my Crown Vics and the boxes and wrappers have gotten so good you really cannot tell until you closely compare the part itself - unfortunately by then you've already purchased it.

Rockauto may not be the cheapest, but I've found they somehow manage to weed out the fake stuff and their online database is second to none. They generally get my business for auto parts these days unless I go right to a dealer website.

 

[Just Fishing]

Yeah, i got knock off ngk plugs from ebay before.
Chasing my fkn tail!

I never buy plugs from somewhere that isn't trusted.
Good sources = Local parts store, summit racing, etc.

 

[swathdiver]

I buy parts from Ebay from GM dealers or like driveline shops that also have their own website and brick and mortar store. No issues with counterfeits that way.

 

[Stbentoak]

One way to figure this out is to find out where the current OEM parts are manufactured. If you see a part that is supposedly OEM but it is made in China but all the other parts that are OEM that work are made in, say, Germany. You pretty much know you're getting a knock off. Especially electrical parts.

 

[GMCChevy]

Like you said the low price is a good indicator of what you're getting.

When Rock Auto has really good prices it's usually overstock and warehouses trying to liquidate slow moving inventory.

 

[opfor2]

One way to figure this out is to find out where the current OEM parts are manufactured. If you see a part that is supposedly OEM but it is made in China but all the other parts that are OEM that work are made in, say, Germany. You pretty much know you're getting a knock off. Especially electrical parts.

The unfortunate thing is that OEM GM parts are also made in China, so your statement is not 100% correct.