4carl

In 1994 I purchased a new F355. It developed a spark plug fouling problem. I decided to replace the plugs and called a Ferrari dealer they quoted me $49 per spark plug for a total of $392 for a set of eight. I thought it was nuts! It was a Champion Spark plug but Champion USA had no record of the number as it was a special Ferrari number part number.

So, I called NGK US headquarters and they were able to cross reference the plug. It turned out to be the same spark plug that was in a Husqvarna motorcycle the cost was $1.51 per plug $12.08 for the set of 8! I installed them it corrected the problem, the car ran great. I wonder if the $19 Porsche brand versus the $6 Bosch brand ($3.50 Bosch/Rock auto)is the same situation. I’m just saying carl

NoGaBiker

Maybe cheap out on plugs but WHATEVER YOU DO don't get tires that aren't N1s!

Seriously, though, fiddy bux a plug, in 1994? That's insane, even in Ferrari-land.


By the way, are you sure the problem with the Ferrari wasn't carbon on the valves?

9elheven

^^^^ Walter Matthau deserved an Oscar for that performance!

4carl

Funny stuff i remember the movie. Today that car a 275/4 GTB is worth 14-16 million.carl

suterusu

QC on the Porsche plugs are much better, even though the part is the same. Porsche specifies a higher spec, thus more rejects.

d00d

Here we go again. :)
May I interest you in a pair of speaker cables for a reasonable $50K?
https://www.thecableco.com/emperor-d...able-pair.html

4carl

I have a hard time believing that any manufacture would have different specifications for the same part number. One for porsche and they sell a lower quality plug under their own brand? Just doesn’t make sense to me.. but then again What do I know? Carl

suterusu

when I say higher spec, I mean higher reject rate during the QC process. i.e. Bosch may specify a tolerance of +/- 1mm in plug gap, but Porsche may say 0.5mm. It is very well known in the industry. This process naturally increases cost and is passed on to the consumer.

Another well known example covered by journalists: Early 2000’s Aston Martin Vanquish fuel pump is the same part as a Ford Superduty pickup truck. The cost difference is staggering.

Now, whether it really matters in theory only, or actual real life is highly debatable. But Porsche may feel like giving a hard time if your engine blows and they find non-OEM spec plugs in. Is it worth the risk when plugs are only $100 and we all can afford it if we buy these cars? Probably not.

This mentality applies much higher up than a plug, btw. Porsche pulls more cars off the line for random QC checks than Audi, or VW... resulting in higher quality finished product. It’s interesting to look into, if you’re ever bored.

Bxstr

My independent shop installed Bosch plugs in my car. Haven't noticed any differences in the way the car drives. There may be a difference but I tend to trust what they do.

loungin

FYI Porsche branded Bosch plugs come in a Porsche box with a Porsche part number that is also stamped on the plug itself.

Are OEM Bosch plugs also stamped with the Porsche part number?

I’m hesitant to get Bosch plugs because often they are blue instead of green so it’s possible/likely they’re made in a different factory or on a different line.

The Porsche part number also suggests that they might be separate lots from regular OEM plugs.

Its common in modern manufacturing to have 100% test sampling. See integrated circuits for example, which Bosch also makes. The metrics will come out as a Gaussian distribution and they define cutoffs for what is acceptable/not. In the case of integrated circuits they also bin the parts and sell the higher performance ones for a premium (higher clock but otherwise identical cpu, lower noise amplifiers, etc)

Compared to the cost of the car, labor or even shipping for that matter, the difference between OE and OEM plugs is a rounding error. My time is more important than trying to pinch pennies on the spark plugs. To each his own. I’m just glad I bought the car new so I have complete knowledge of the service history of the car.

jakermc

The Bosch plug has the same R6 noted as well as the 'FGR5NQE04 Germany' stamped on the plug. The Porsche number is not stamped, but I see that as repetitive to the other markings when it comes to specification.

loungin

where did you get yours from and what color are they?

jakermc

Porsche plugs are green, the Bosch are blue. Purchased from WorldPac.

More interesting to me, the original factory coils are from Beru. The replacement coils we sourced from the dealer are now Borg Warner. WolrldPac is still carrying the OE Beru replacements. Why did Porsche switch from Beru to Borg Warner?

hellboy_mcqueen

It doesnt necessarily mean that PAG has switched. They have generally more than one vendor for providing certain parts, which keeps the prices low.
I have seen for 987 Boxster the brake discs could be produced by Brembo, Textar or Zimmermann. When the Porsche Center orders, they dont know which producer's part will they receive.
I once get Zimmermann brakes installed and after 25tkm, the brakes were toast. I bought Brembo directly for the next round.

For the GT4, the OEM brake discs are Brembo and the spare parts came also as Brembo. I have a spare set in my cellar.

A432

BERU is a division of Borg Warner....they simply switched to Borg Warner packaging