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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum
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FCP Euro Oil Change
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08-05-2021, 08:47 AM | #23 | |
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I highly doubt that. I've never had a problem. |
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08-05-2021, 09:33 AM | #24 | |
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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? Me too…
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08-05-2021, 11:35 AM | #25 |
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WTF NO WAY! I got NGKs and they were good
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08-05-2021, 11:53 AM | #26 |
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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. |
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08-05-2021, 12:44 PM | #27 |
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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. |
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08-05-2021, 12:48 PM | #28 | |
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08-05-2021, 01:36 PM | #29 | |
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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.
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08-05-2021, 02:27 PM | #30 | |
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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. |
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08-05-2021, 03:34 PM | #31 | |
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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.
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08-05-2021, 04:26 PM | #32 |
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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. |
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08-05-2021, 04:30 PM | #33 |
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Like replica Bosch coils? They said Bosch on them but you discovered they were Chinese how?
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08-05-2021, 04:40 PM | #35 |
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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.)
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08-05-2021, 05:17 PM | #36 | |
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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. Last edited by BayMoWe335; 08-05-2021 at 05:23 PM.. |
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08-05-2021, 05:20 PM | #37 | |
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08-05-2021, 05:22 PM | #38 | |
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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. |
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08-05-2021, 05:24 PM | #39 | |
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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. |
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08-05-2021, 05:27 PM | #40 | |
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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. |
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08-05-2021, 05:52 PM | #41 | |
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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 .
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08-05-2021, 06:54 PM | #42 | |
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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. |
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08-05-2021, 07:17 PM | #43 |
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08-05-2021, 07:29 PM | #44 |
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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
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