Are these Knock Off Parts or OEM? | FerrariChat

Are these Knock Off Parts or OEM?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Carolina Dyno, Oct 1, 2020.

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  1. Carolina Dyno

    Carolina Dyno Rookie

    Apr 25, 2013
    40
    I purchased a set of spark plug wires for a 550 Maranello engine I'm using in a customers 330 P4 replica and was shocked at what I received. They look nothing like the original and are very poor quality, I have to assume made in China or similar. Since there was no mention that they weren't genuine Ferrari parts I emailed Ricambi to confirm. They claim they are in fact OEM Ferrari parts. This leaves two options, Ferrari is selling absolute garbage as OEM parts when cars pass a certain age. or Ricambi is labeling knock offs as OEM... Anyone experience similar issues?

    Pictures attached showing Ricambi's response and the plug wires. The cylinder numbers look like someone used a squirrels teeth to cut them. Half are even on upside down. Then there's the super cheap plug wires and boots that lack the original Ferrari logo.

    I'm curious what you guys think is going on here.
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  2. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

    #2 Ricambi America, Oct 1, 2020
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2020
    These came to us from Ferrari for your order. To suggest that we're somehow trying to relabel, disguise, or mislead a customer is deeply insulting.

    Complain about the quality of Ferrari parts all you want. But, accusations regarding the integrity of my company or my actions is not something I'll take lightly.
     
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  3. Nuvolari

    Nuvolari F1 Veteran
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    Sep 3, 2002
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    The parts Ferrari supply now are NOT necessarily from the same manufacturer or supply chain that the OEM assembly line parts come from. Car manufacturers are only required by law to supply parts for 10 years after manufacture so 550 Maranello parts now available directly from Ferrari often are sourced by Ferrari though lower cost channels.

    This is a reality and if you don't like it then INSIST on only buying NOS parts that have sat on the shelf for years and pay the steep premium these parts command.

    As for questioning Ricambi on a public forum, that is very poor form after you did not receive the answer you would have liked. Ricambi runs a first class operation and their reputation is spotless for a reason.
     
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  4. Carolina Dyno

    Carolina Dyno Rookie

    Apr 25, 2013
    40
    #4 Carolina Dyno, Oct 1, 2020
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2020
    There's a reason the title is a question not a statement. That said look at it from my point of view, either Ricambi or Ferrari is absolutely robbing people here so either way it's a big accusation. I couldn't know which of the two it is but my suspicions were made worse by the fact that the packaging was clearly not OEM and there isn't a single Ferrari logo to be found on the box, packaging, or parts.

    Which would you suspect? Ferrari or the online parts dealer?

    @Ricambi America I had to ask the question for my customers sake, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't figure out what's going on here. I can't take the company I ordered parts from word with no proof when there is such a glaring quality issue. I personally wouldn't want these plugs on a Honda let alone a Ferrari so it's a bit shocking.

    If this is just what Ferrari does to it's customers and everyone knows it I really haven't affected you at all, surely it's been talked about to death on the forum.
     
  5. freshmeat

    freshmeat F1 Veteran

    Aug 30, 2011
    7,257
    Wait, so said item was "open, inspected, repacked" and shipped out as-is anyways? Despite the flaws/defects?
     
  6. Carolina Dyno

    Carolina Dyno Rookie

    Apr 25, 2013
    40
    To be fair if this is actually normal for Ferrari what can they do about it. I was sort of curious what they were inspecting for though, if this is a pass I'd hate to see a fail.
     
  7. dm_n_stuff

    dm_n_stuff Four Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Couple thoughts.

    If you had an issue with these wires, I'm pretty certain Daniel would have taken them back and refunded you, did you ask him?

    I'm not sure what the exact issue is? No Ferrari Logo, wires that are numbered less than professionally? I dunno, they look ok to me, and frankly, if you want NOS wires for that, they're still not going to be period correct for a P3/4 replica, which probably didn't have Ferrari branded wires in the 60's.

    Did the motor run OK after you installed them?

    Are you accusing Ricambi of a switcheroo?

    D
     
  8. vjd3

    vjd3 F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 3, 2005
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    Instead of an accusation disguised as a question -- because "does Ricambi sell knock off parts" is still an accusation -- better to ask whether others have seen similar poor quality plug wires for older models from Ferrari, because you will still get the answer you are after -- especially when a respected vendor and sponsor of the forum already answered your question privately.
     
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  9. Carolina Dyno

    Carolina Dyno Rookie

    Apr 25, 2013
    40
    I should have added "or is Ferrari the Culprit" or something like that to my original title but it's to late to change it.

    The bottom line here is it sounds like Ferrari is just robbing their customers blind... The point isn't if they are period correct for a P4 (obviously not) or if the car runs, I could make my own plug wires for well less than 1/10th the cost and the car would run just fine. The point is these are ebay/china quality plug wires being sold at $2900/set and apparently it's considered normal... I'm assuming if that's the case it's most old Ferrari parts which is pretty eye opening.
     
  10. paulchua

    paulchua Cat Herder
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    Jul 1, 2013
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    I think if this is OEM, then the flaws and defects would be a Ferrari critique and not Ricambi correct?
     
  11. paulchua

    paulchua Cat Herder
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    Jul 1, 2013
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    Oh, my man, the examples are legion. I have many parts that are OEM Ferrari that is of terrible quality. In many instances, I do go with a modern or competitor cross-part.
     
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  12. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
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    Welcome to the world of Ferrari. :D

    I must say though, for the money you (your customer) is paying, they could have at least stamped a prancing horse on the part. Because you are right,you could have fabricated those for pennies on the dollar.
     
  13. tbakowsky

    tbakowsky F1 World Champ
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Sep 18, 2002
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    I installed a set of these exact wires on a 550 earlier this summer..no issues..every thing fit well, and the car ran great. I gather from your post you are instilling these wires on a Ferrari engine that is in a kit car..so..what the big deal here at the end of the day? This is the wire set Ferrari now provides.
     
  14. GTHill

    GTHill F1 World Champ
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    Jul 1, 2006
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    @Carolina Dyno - It looks like you are new here but wanted to chime in to let you know that @Ricambi America is an amazing business with an impeccable reputation. When I was a newbie I complained about their website and received a few stern remarks. :)

    Daniel has always gone above and beyond what any other company does to make sure people have great parts for their special cars.
     
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  15. lawteam

    lawteam Karting

    May 15, 2009
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    Palm Beach Gardens, FL
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    Evan Fetterman
    they are 7mm silicone covered copper spark plug wires. They certainly do not look in any way defective or poor quality. You are upset because they do not have a prancing horse stamped on? Accusations and insinuations such as you have made are of poor taste at the least and conceivable slanderous. Send them back or just go get a set of wires you llike.
     
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  16. RedNeck

    RedNeck F1 Veteran
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    Wow...coming out guns a blazing. I would have thought it may serve the entire purpose better just to bring up the "issue" without naming names...saying "the supplier" or whatever without blasting @Ricambi America by name. Ricambi takes care of a lot of us here and very few people would ever doubt their integrity, so if there happened to be an actual issue (which there isn't), you would be willing to get a more honest response without emotional attachment a lot of us have to the supplier.

    On the flip side, you just publicly called out a business by name for possible lack of integrity with almost no reason or information, which is classless at best. For shame.
     
  17. DukeDevil

    DukeDevil Rookie

    Mar 14, 2017
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    Chicago
    Full Name:
    T.J.
    I purchased a new set from Eurospares a month ago for my 456 (they had some in stock and I was in a hurry). Was told by Claudio that Ferrari discontinued offering the originals but that these were OEM quality assembled by an Italian parts company. I would guess Ferrari is sourcing from the same vendor given they look identical to the wires I purchased from Eurospares, down to the script on the wire and the cylinder number tags. Whether you like them or not, Daniel likely sourced you the highest quality part you can currently get for this vintage of Ferrari.


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  18. RedTaxi

    RedTaxi F1 Rookie
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    That's crazy money for spark plug wires, but they look just fine. For a replica I would have made up a set myself for a fraction of the cost that would look just as good. I would wager there has never been a spark plug wire made by Ferrari.
     
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  19. 19633500GT

    19633500GT F1 World Champ
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    $2900?

    quality aside, the crime is paying that price to anyone.

    make your own for 1/10th as you say and be done with it.
     
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  20. JCR

    JCR F1 Veteran
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    Mar 14, 2005
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  21. Husker

    Husker F1 World Champ

    Dec 31, 2003
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    I will go out on a limb and guess that Ferrari, just like any other car manufacturer, outsources the manufacturing of the vast majority of the components that go into a Ferrari, to independent manufacturers in Italy and the rest of Europe, Asia, and the world. Some of which are piss poor quality. Ferrari doesn't make its own spark plugs, wind deflectors, screws, bolts, seat belts, air bags, wires, hoses, air horns, harnesses, OX sensors, belts, leather, rubber, knobs, radios, car covers, tires, wheels, steering wheels, starters, switches, relays, batteries, alternators, fuel pumps, instrument clusters, and glass. Ferrari makes the body and basic running gear and that's it, despite all those little horseys stamped everywhere. They also don't make that Ferrari logo'd flat bill you are wearing, either: It's made in some sweat shop in Dong Wong China.

    I sure hope I didn't ruin someone's day.
     

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