Counterfeit Fits?

there is a problem with name brand goods for mundane tasks being far too costly compared to generic goods.

There is also the risk that the non name brand goods may not have the physical properties to function as the part.

High strength bolts, marked as such from a reputable supplier for $10 versus high strength bolts, made in China, marked as such for $3 and high strength bolts, made in China, marked as such for $3 and a fake that is made of soft iron that will fail at a fraction of the load.

All these bolts are visually idential. The only way is to know your supplier and test samples to destruction as part of an incoming quality control process.

Drugs made in the USA by Pfizer, sold in the USA, versus drugs made in the USA by Pfizer for sale in India, versus drugs made in India by a crrok with a pill press with no acive ingredients.

All these pills are visually identical. The ones for sale in the USA retail for, $10, the Indian one for $2.... this is Viagra. Due to currency variations and the richness of the USA, the same Viagra is sold for $2 each in India versus $10 in the USA, chemically identical as well as functionally identical.

You can also buy Indian made Viagra for 1 cent a pill from people with a pill press, some food dye and some starch = worthless, but it looks the same.

Know your source is the way.

Consumers in the USA, just buy from the Chemists or a brand name shop.

Get to China and all bets are off. You need a high degree of incoming quality checks and these must be applied to each shipment by a trusted employee. If you ue an untrustworthy employee, he will be bribed by a supplier to certify your parts as good and when the engine made with those parts gets to the USA and is powered up, it breaks.

China gets good parts for their own military...at the risk of being shot, but they care litle about the USA.

Wallmart has an army of inspectors making sure what they pay for is what they get.

Unfortunately, much stuff I have purchased that was made in China wasn't worth what I paid for it. This again kinda supports, "You get what you pay for", if you're lucky.

There is a safety concern that is being ignored by what we refer to as knock off parts. The original American manufacturers are having quite a time of it because the unknowledgeable purchasers think they are getting a bargin with a cheap price only to find that they probably made a mistake buying imported junk. Its sad to see this ,but some people learn fast some learn slow and some never learn.

Unfortunately, much stuff I have purchased that was made in China wasn't worth what I paid for it. This again kinda supports, "You get what you pay for", if you're lucky.

Remember, China didn't rip you off, its was all the American business that handled that product before it even got to Wall Mart. By the way, how much "TAX" was paid on that product coming into the U.S. How about the fuel used to truck it. Believe me, ther were a hell of allot of more Americans making money on that sucky product then you think.

Judging from my own personal and professional experience, 'outsourced' and 'off-shore' procurement of goods of all kinds and requirements, combined with the Anglo-Saxon culture of 'trust' has resulted in a 'anything goes, do whatever you can get away with' culture in the goods trade. We, the American consumer are getting more and more lower overall quality merchandise (some really counterfeit) that 'looks like' the brand and quality we grew used to.

I believe we are collectively paying a very high, but often unrealized price in lower performance, shorter lifetime, and even deadly products. All our 'consumer protection' and quality assurance functions have been deliberately gutted or de-funded.

I have purchased fasteners labeled Grade 8 (very high strength) that were really plain iron that failed on initial installation--from a large chain 'big box' hardware store. When I returned the counterfeit item, I got my money back-period. No alarm, no concern. When the 'high quality' braided stainless steel/teflon flexible hoses connecting the hot water heater in the attic started leaking at the ends of the braid and caused some $3500 in water damage to my 2nd floor ceiling, wood floors and walls, the same store denied any responsibility ,liability, OR CONCERN for the defective product masquerading (and priced) as 'high quality.'

I now go out of my way and pay for MADE IN THE U.S.A. whenever and wherever I can for anything that has consequences if it fails, is fake, look but is not high quality.

Do we have a problem? Hell Yes!! But most consumers are too uninformed to know when they have been 'taken.' It's cut cost, do anything you can get away with, obviously the specifications do not matter because the Occidentals never check on them or turn down shipments.'