[nsjames]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

FCP seems great, but I can tell you they shipped me fake Bosch coils that were Chinese junk. I put them in and every single one misfired within 7 miles. Sure, they give you a refund, but they are selling fake parts and I think they know it.

I highly doubt that.
I've never had a problem.

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

FCP seems great, but I can tell you they shipped me fake Bosch coils that were Chinese junk. I put them in and every single one misfired within 7 miles. Sure, they give you a refund, but they are selling fake parts and I think they know it.

That’s a pretty serious accusation to just throw around. I’m not doubting the coils sucked but it would help to post something more concrete than just your opinion.

I’ve spent an embarrassingly large amount of money with them and I’ve never had an issue with the authenticity of a product.

These days it seems like even the best manufacturers are cutting costs and QC, so perhaps it was just a bad batch of coils?

Originally Posted by nsjames

I highly doubt that.
I've never had a problem.

Me too…

[2one3E90]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

FCP seems great, but I can tell you they shipped me fake Bosch coils that were Chinese junk. I put them in and every single one misfired within 7 miles. Sure, they give you a refund, but they are selling fake parts and I think they know it.

WTF NO WAY! I got NGKs and they were good

[mainbearing]

I buy plugs off rockauto, no problems there. Bosch coils I picked up from a local store but would have preferred NGK coil off rockauto as well, but NGK was not available at the time.

Maybe the problem was Bosch. It could also be some shady customer sent those coils back and FCP just put them right back on the shelf.

A couple of parts I got well did not look as new as they should be for sure (as I do with rockauto). I do wonder where FCP buys their stuff sometimes. Rockauto closeout deals maybe? LOL. My Bilsteins came from rockauto and not FCP, and mounting bolts and nuts from Silver Springs for a reason.

[BayMoWe335]

Bosch coils are known to be trash and BMW changed their recommended replacement to Eldor, which I have and would 100% recommend. They are running perfectly on a basically FBO N54. Eldor are used in the Rolls Royce BMW engines and seem to just be overall more reliable.

I’d recommend Eldor over anything, but Bosch are for sure trash and I wouldn’t use Delphi, NGK, or any discount coil because BMW recommends Eldor. Especially if you’re tuned. My 2 cents.

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by mainbearing

I buy plugs off rockauto, no problems there. Bosch coils I picked up from a local store but would have preferred NGK coil off rockauto as well, but NGK was not available at the time.

Maybe the problem was Bosch. It could also be some shady customer sent those coils back and FCP just put them right back on the shelf.

A couple of parts I got well did not look as new as they should be for sure (as I do with rockauto). I do wonder where FCP buys their stuff sometimes. Rockauto closeout deals maybe? LOL. My Bilsteins came from rockauto and not FCP, and mounting bolts and nuts from Silver Springs for a reason.

I’ve heard bad stuff about RockAuto as well, especially with Coils and Plugs. Basically, you can’t be sure unless you go dealer or reputable shop. My BMW guy I trust completely is a BMW Master Tech says it’s not possible to be completely legit and sell parts for what FCP sells. He said it’s hit or miss. Some of their stuff is legit, but they have a lot of return parts, used parts, and gray market stuff in their mix bc they are buying discount parts.

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

I’ve heard bad stuff about RockAuto as well, especially with Coils and Plugs. Basically, you can’t be sure unless you go dealer or reputable shop. My BMW guy I trust completely is a BMW Master Tech says it’s not possible to be completely legit and sell parts for what FCP sells. He said it’s hit or miss. Some of their stuff is legit, but they have a lot of return parts, used parts, and gray market stuff in their mix bc they are buying discount parts.

I’m sure your BMW guy is great, but I’d take his opinion with a grain of salt. He’s a BMW Master Tech—not a CFA or CPA—and he certainly doesn’t understand the complexities of running a business like FCP. In no way am I suggesting one career is better, I’m just saying it would be similar to a financial analyst saying it’s not possible to repair Problem A with a car, or suggesting there’s no way a tech could fix Problem A or B in less than X minutes.)

FCP did over $100M USD in sales in 2020 according to a news release a while back. At their current rate of growth, they’ll hit $500M in sales in 2025. My point is that their business is huge, and as a result they’re able to buy things for amounts that might not make sense to you, me, or your buddy. They also got there by doing things right and not by being greasy AF.

I don’t understand his bit about FCP’s low prices. I’ve always found FCP’s prices to be on the high side, definitely compared to RockAuto, and often compared to others like ECS or Pelican. Obviously I see value in their Lifetime Replacement, but I really hate paying more upfront . FWIW, the parts guys at the dealership I used to work at are very good to me, and their prices are often lower than FCP’s. And I don’t get cost—they’re still making money.

I know the fact I’ve had nothing but great experiences with them doesn’t mean everyone has, but I do struggle a bit with the notion they sell grey market or flat-out knockoff items. The reputational harm that would come from that would be so far from worth the bit of money they’d save…

Oh, and yes: RockAuto kinda sucks ass. Their prices are super low, shipping to Canada is quick and fairly priced, and I’ve never gotten fake shit from them, but my god do they ever package things poorly… They use these cardboard boxes that make Kleenex look like titanium.

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

I’m sure your BMW guy is great, but I’d take his opinion with a grain of salt. He’s a BMW Master Tech—not a CFA or CPA—and he certainly doesn’t understand the complexities of running a business like FCP. In no way am I suggesting one career is better, I’m just saying it would be similar to a financial analyst saying it’s not possible to repair Problem A with a car, or suggesting there’s no way a tech could fix Problem A or B in less than X minutes.)

FCP did over $100M USD in sales in 2020 according to a news release a while back. At their current rate of growth, they’ll hit $500M in sales in 2025. My point is that their business is huge, and as a result they’re able to buy things for amounts that might not make sense to you, me, or your buddy. They also got there by doing things right and not by being greasy AF.

I don’t understand his bit about FCP’s low prices. I’ve always found FCP’s prices to be on the high side, definitely compared to RockAuto, and often compared to others like ECS or Pelican. Obviously I see value in their Lifetime Replacement, but I really hate paying more upfront . FWIW, the parts guys at the dealership I used to work at are very good to me, and their prices are often lower than FCP’s. And I don’t get cost—they’re still making money.

I know the fact I’ve had nothing but great experiences with them doesn’t mean everyone has, but I do struggle a bit with the notion they sell grey market or flat-out knockoff items. The reputational harm that would come from that would be so far from worth the bit of money they’d save…

Oh, and yes: RockAuto kinda sucks ass. Their prices are super low, shipping to Canada is quick and fairly priced, and I’ve never gotten fake shit from them, but my god do they ever package things poorly… They use these cardboard boxes that make Kleenex look like titanium.

To be fair, he’s seen a lot of parts from FCP that are fake to the point he won’t install them anymore because he’s had too many failures. He’s seen a lot of parts he knows are used too. I do think their lifetime replacement on stuff like fluids is actually a strange policy, even though it sounds good. I also think this is how used and junk parts get in their inventory. Customers send back fake stuff and they take it, maybe mistakenly putting it back in shelves for sale. I don’t know, but I got fake parts for sure. They may not knowingly have fake inventory.

And I can tell you I definitely got fake parts. I have 2 Master’s in finance and slip ups can happen the bigger the company becomes too. I’m in no way suggesting ALL their parts are trash. I am using Spark Plugs and Eldor coils from them at the moment, no issues. They made it right. But they may be getting too big to completely manage their supply chain.

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

To be fair, he’s seen a lot of parts from FCP that are fake to the point he won’t install them anymore because he’s had too many failures. He’s seen a lot of parts he knows are used too. I do think their lifetime replacement on stuff like fluids is actually a strange policy, even though it sounds good. I also think this is how used and junk parts get in their inventory. Customers send back fake stuff and they take it, maybe mistakenly putting it back in shelves for sale. I don’t know, but I got fake parts for sure. They may not knowingly have fake inventory.

And I can tell you I definitely got fake parts. I have 2 Master’s in finance and slip ups can happen the bigger the company becomes too. I’m in no way suggesting ALL their parts are trash. I am using Spark Plugs and Eldor coils from them at the moment, no issues. They made it right. But they may be getting too big to completely manage their supply chain.

Damn—that’s surprising to hear. I’m honestly surprised that he won’t install their parts anymore due to issues, because I’d think that would indicate it’s a very big problem. I guess I’ll have to watch closely with future orders.

You’re right that the rapid growth and pursuit of a painless customer experience can come at a cost. The speed with which I was refunded for a recent (new parts) return would indicate they probably didn’t look too closely at what I sent them, haha. Fortunately for the next guy I’m honest and they aren’t used, but I suppose there are always going to be people who cheat.

Glad to hear they made everything right for you. They have always been super easy to deal with for me, too.

[mainbearing]

I did do a search and did see that they are a very fast growing company. Good for them. Given the amount of returns they likely received, I have no doubt some shady customers might have pulled a fast one on them. IMO FCP really needs to up their returns game like do not mix raw and cooked foods and give the customer a diarrhea.

While I agree with some of what the mechanic said, I would not go as far as thinking they knowingly did so. As I said, I do wonder where they buy their stuff. For now I am off FCP.

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

Some of their stuff is legit, but they have a lot of return parts, used parts, and gray market stuff in their mix bc they are buying discount parts.

[Fritzer]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

FCP seems great, but I can tell you they shipped me fake Bosch coils that were Chinese junk. I put them in and every single one misfired within 7 miles. Sure, they give you a refund, but they are selling fake parts and I think they know it.

Like replica Bosch coils? They said Bosch on them but you discovered they were Chinese how?

[IllSic_Design]

LOL I SERIOUSLY doubt FCP is selling knockoffs. I have ordered tons of parts from them and EVERY time it has been exactly what it was supposed to be.

[gxe2se]

Yes, I doubt they are fake. However, Febi started moving their manufacturing to China so that might impact your perception of the quality parts. I believe in FCP's lifetime warranty and their policy for free shipping over $49 which is a good business practice. I never had an issue with the replacement part... just need to follow the steps. (My 2015 order of bosch coils failed this year in 2021, but was able to get replacement seamlessly.)

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by Fritzer

Like replica Bosch coils? They said Bosch on them but you discovered they were Chinese how?

Yes, appeared to be Bosch from packaging and logo, etc.

1) I weighed them to the nearest gram. They were 25 grams lighter than stock Bosch that came installed from factory. I am original owner so I know my originals were legit.

2) The packaging had serial numbers which I did check on the Bosch website, and they could not verify they were original.

3) They had an odd smell, almost like they were burned.

4) The packaging just seemed off. Like used somehow.

5) I had misfire codes on every cylinder in under 10 miles. I am tuned, so I’m guessing these coils might work ok on a completely stock engine. Tuning software reads codes (MHD).

Eldor coils COMPLETELY solved my issue, not a single misfire since. Spark plugs seem to be fine. Eldor coils also from FCP and weigh more than even the stock Bosch genuine coils. Better part.

I’m guessing FCP didn't realize these coils were fake. Their supplier perhaps sold them as real and they were intricate fakes. But I have no doubt they were fake.

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by mainbearing

I did do a search and did see that they are a very fast growing company. Good for them. Given the amount of returns they likely received, I have no doubt some shady customers might have pulled a fast one on them. IMO FCP really needs to up their returns game like do not mix raw and cooked foods and give the customer a diarrhea.

While I agree with some of what the mechanic said, I would not go as far as thinking they knowingly did so. As I said, I do wonder where they buy their stuff. For now I am off FCP.

I am not at all and never did suggest they did it on purpose. I think their loose return policy has created the issue without them realizing it. Either that or their low prices are because they are letting suppliers slip a little and taking the low bid. 100%, these Bosch coils were fake Bosch.

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by IllSic_Design

LOL I SERIOUSLY doubt FCP is selling knockoffs. I have ordered tons of parts from them and EVERY time it has been exactly what it was supposed to be.

I’m glad it’s been fine, but I can guarantee I got fake Bosch coils from them. I listed how I am so sure they are fake. I weighed them to the gram.

I went back to FCP for my Eldor replacements and zero issues. FCP did the right thing and refunded the other coils, no questions asked. The spark plugs from them are working flawlessly too.

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

I am not at all and never did suggest they did it on purpose. I think their loose return policy has created the issue without them realizing it. Either that or their low prices are because they are letting suppliers slip a little and taking the low bid. 100%, these Bosch coils were fake Bosch.

ok yeah that makes a little sense, I can see how possibly their return system could cause some issues if parts aren't checked 100% or the person checking isn't being careful or know what to look for.

It just seemed like you were saying they were knowingly selling fake parts and all that, but now that you explained it def seems plausible.

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

Damn—that’s surprising to hear. I’m honestly surprised that he won’t install their parts anymore due to issues, because I’d think that would indicate it’s a very big problem. I guess I’ll have to watch closely with future orders.

You’re right that the rapid growth and pursuit of a painless customer experience can come at a cost. The speed with which I was refunded for a recent (new parts) return would indicate they probably didn’t look too closely at what I sent them, haha. Fortunately for the next guy I’m honest and they aren’t used, but I suppose there are always going to be people who cheat.

Glad to hear they made everything right for you. They have always been super easy to deal with for me, too.

I won’t say too much, but he said M3 control arms from them were 100% used and didn’t have the right stamp. Again, they took them back and provided others, but they shipped bad ones initially.

And I get my BMW guy owns his own shop and wants to sell parts, but I’ve known him 10 years and he’s a stand up guy and a BMW expert. He fixed things the dealer couldn’t.

They have great service, no doubt, but I do have first hand evidence they’ve shipped bad parts and second hand evidence an experienced mechanic won’t install their parts. He will install parts from other sources he trusts, so he won’t just do work if you buy his parts.

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

I am not at all and never did suggest they did it on purpose. I think their loose return policy has created the issue without them realizing it. Either that or their low prices are because they are letting suppliers slip a little and taking the low bid. 100%, these Bosch coils were fake Bosch.

I think you kind of alluded to it earlier, but I have to wonder if someone didn’t just pull a fast one and send back fake coils in place of the real once’s for a new-product return… What your buddy is saying would indicate the problem runs deeper, in which case they must be dealing with some sketch-a-letch distributors.

Considering how heavily they rely on business from the enthusiast community, I’d think turning a blind eye to QC and letting problems like this go unchecked would be a great way to ruin your reputation and harm your growth. Your average consumer sure as hell isn’t weighing and smelling their coils—I doubt they’d attempt to change them at all—but what you did to determine they were fake is something many of us on this forum could relate to. My point? Enthusiasts would be the wrong crowd to try to systematically deceive. Then again, I didn’t smell my last coils, so maybe their strategy is working after all .

[BayMoWe335]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

I think you kind of alluded to it earlier, but I have to wonder if someone didn’t just pull a fast one and send back fake coils in place of the real once’s for a new-product return… What your buddy is saying would indicate the problem runs deeper, in which case they must be dealing with some sketch-a-letch distributors.

Considering how heavily they rely on business from the enthusiast community, I’d think turning a blind eye to QC and letting problems like this go unchecked would be a great way to ruin your reputation and harm your growth. Your average consumer sure as hell isn’t weighing and smelling their coils—I doubt they’d attempt to change them at all—but what you did to determine they were fake is something many of us on this forum could relate to. My point? Enthusiasts would be the wrong crowd to try to systematically deceive. Then again, I didn’t smell my last coils, so maybe their strategy is working after all .

No question. My mechanic’s biz is so good, I doubt he’s just shaming them to shame them. He’s installed aftermarket and parts I’ve brought in from various sources, even commenting the catback exhaust from Cobb is like art and high quality.

That said, this might be an incident completely related to fake coils. I know coils are heavily faked from doing reading on them. That’s where I got the idea to weigh them.

The M3 control arms…who knows. Maybe it was a just a story or maybe FCP has dishonest customers and a mediocre process to weed out returned parts. They do accept basically anything to return. I returned those fake coils and have no clue what they did with them.

[mainbearing]

Deja vu.

That was why my last two shipments were ordered from Rockauto and RM European. Looks like my tension struts and wishbones will be too.

Originally Posted by BayMoWe335

4) The packaging just seemed off. Like used somehow.

[2one3E90]

Originally Posted by mainbearing

Deja vu.

That was why my last two shipments were ordered from Rockauto and RM European. Looks like my tension struts and wishbones will be too.

I got that deja vu before looking out the window and seeing the bus pour out with skaters and I was eating a old cake