Does This Sound Right?

[wdfifteen]

I ordered a set of spark plugs for my Speedster from a place called NGK-Sparkplugs.com. I paid through PayPal - $4 each and free shipping. I got an email from the seller through PayPal saying they've been shipped. Now I'm having second thoughts. The seller's name is apparently not NGK-Sparkplugs, it is now LOK KAN TANG and the plugs are being shipped from Hong Kong!
How can a seller legitimately buy spark plugs from NGK at any price and ship them for free to the US? I'm afraid I'm going to get some Chinese knock-offs that are going to come apart in my engine. Anyone have any experience with this?

[stomachmonkey]

How can Ramen be made, packaged, wholesaled, shipped, get marked up and still sell 4 packs for only $1.00?

Not sure but does sound a bit sketchy.

If you can't cancel the order at least you are only out $25.00.

Could be worse all things considered.

[motion]

My favorite is the 16' rebar at HD for something like $1.50 made in China. How do they do that?

[beepbeep]

Gigantic slow-moving container ships.

[gtc]

I've wondered about that, also. I think they must have much cheaper international postage rates than us, though it seems like the USPS should have some agreement preventing that. I've bought some bike parts from Hong Kong, and the air freight is dirt cheap.
What model plugs were they?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by gtc

I've wondered about that, also. I think they must have much cheaper international postage rates than us. I've bought some bike parts from Hong Kong, and the air freight is dirt cheap.
What model plugs were they?

They are BP6HS. They are the only non-resistor plugs I've found in the right reach and right heat range for 356SC engines.

[stomachmonkey]

Could be a retailer who buys excess inventory, fire sales, bankruptcies, NOS.

The question is how common is that plug?

If it's a hard to find item due to lack of application it makes it less likely to be fake.

As in, too much effort for too small a market.

[gtc]

Um... you can buy those on the real NGK website for less than that.
http://www.ngk.com/SearchResults.aspx?kw=bp6hs

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by gtc

Um... you can buy those on the real NGK website for less than that.
NGK - Search Results: bp6hs

They are somewhat cheaper. $15.46 vs $16.00. But neither site is the company NGK. Both claim to be resellers.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Could be a retailer who buys excess inventory, fire sales, bankruptcies, NOS.

The question is how common is that plug?

If it's a hard to find item due to lack of application it makes it less likely to be fake.

As in, too much effort for too small a market.

Good points, Monkeyman. They are apparently so uncommon that Bosch doesn't make them anymore. I would really like to use a Bosch plug in my Porsche, but the only spark plug still available that matches the original Porsche specifications is this NGK.

[techweenie]

I buy cables and other small stuff from China all the time at $0.99 with free shipping. It always gets here and it's almost always (90%) good/functional stuff.

[rusnak]

Back in the day, it was cheaper for us to ship an entire boat full of pistachio non-splits to China, have some Chinese ladies with little hammers hit them open, put them back on the boat and ship to the USA for packaging than to just have them processed here.

I buy around 2,000 pumpkin carving kits every year for $.35 each and sell them for $5.00 How is that possible?

[Tobra]

I used NGK plugs in my air cooled bug for several hundred thousand miles. Mechanic friend told me he liked them better than the Bosch many moons ago.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by techweenie

I buy cables and other small stuff from China all the time at $0.99 with free shipping. It always gets here and it's almost always (90%) good/functional stuff.

Good to hear.

My concern is that these aren't genuine NGK, but cheap knockoffs.

[techweenie]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Good to hear.

My concern is that these aren't genuine NGK, but cheap knockoffs.

Yeah, sorry, my response was more about shipping price. Personally, I'd be wary about the genuine-ness of the plugs.

[gordner]

It is my understanding that under the Chinese postal system, all foreign destined commercial packages ship free through the Chinese postal system. They only pay for the handling at the destination country.

[scottmandue]

I have bought a couple watches from Hong Kong, granted they are Seiko's not Rolex's but they are real Seiko.

{watch geek mode on} Matter of fact several of the big Japanese watch makers produce watches only for the Asian market that can't be bought in the states {watch geek mode off}

[LeeH]

Fake NGK Spark Plugs

[Norm K]

Originally Posted by motion

My favorite is the 16' rebar at HD for something like $1.50 made in China. How do they do that?

Currency manipulation.

[Steve Carlton]

I'm happy as can be with my $50 Fuchs...