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A friend of mine used to have a genuine Rolex but, when people asked him, he used to tell them it was a Chinese copy!
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Had a similar one a couple of times n/bound Stafford services on M6. "Just finished the show mate (except he didn't say 'mate'!) got some clothes left over, need to get rid of them before I go back to ..."
I politely declined and left him to go and find someone else. I am guessing they were either fake or nicked and I can manage without them.
cheers,
Stu
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If it sounds too good to be true,it probably isn't(true).
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Some curious arguments going on here. 'All governments support terrorism', 'All businesses are bent', therefore it's okay if I slip a few quid to someone in the same boat provided my fake Rolex still works a few years later. Eh?
Welcome to the pre-takeaway philosophy club...
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Has anyone here said any of these things, MO?
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Before I ask you to keep to motoring related subjects I must tell you this story, even though I may be accused of indulging in hypocrasy ;)
Friend of my father was on his way back from Hong Kong a few years ago, when he was asked by customs if he had anything to declare. He produced the 5 watches that his son had asked him to get for him.
The Customs Officer asked "Are those original or counterfeit sir?"
Traveller "What's the difference to you?"
Customs Officer "If they're genuine we take 20%, if they're fake we confiscate them all"
Traveller "They're genuine allright - here's your 20%" as he handed the Customs Officer one watch.
...and now to motoring please ;)
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Last one then!
My mate Bruce, a mechanic, (motoring) yes really, never got caught by anybody. He bought a carpet from one of these guys and even he had to laugh after he rolled it out with a mate and a huge cardboard tube hit the far wall!!........oh! well.
vbr..MD.
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Has anyone here said any of these things, MO?
>>
Pretty much, yes:
Western governments pump more into terrorists pockets than any number of fake watch sellers.
A lot of governments are composed of ex terrorists
this applies to most global companies that I know of. You would be a bit naive to think that only "criminals" behave illegally
if I can't tell the difference, why should I care?
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if I can't tell the difference, why should I care?
A Belgian man has been jailed for six months for wearing a fake Rolex .
www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1587840.html
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>> Has anyone here said any of these things, MO? >> Pretty much, yes:
But 'Western governments' doesn't mean 'all governments' or even 'all Western governments' (I don't know what the poster means either, but that isn't the point here).
and 'most global companies that I know of' doesn't mean 'all businesses'.
Sorry to be so nitpicking, but it seems to me that those adopting a moralistic (or even paranoid in a strangely cold-war sort of way) tone towards people who buy schlock from dodgy salesmen haven't really got the hang of the capitalist system. Goods known to be stolen are another matter of course. And if you want to wear fake bling, stay out of Belgium (see other post).
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Andif you want to wear fake bling, stay out of Belgium (see other post).
There was recently a story on TV (Watchdog?) about Customs/Police in Italy stopping tourist?s cars, confiscating fake goods and fining the tourists.
The story I love is the woman who bought a Burberry watch off eBay for her daughters 21st then sent it to 'back' to Burberry when it went rusty after 6 mths. How thick are some people?
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My $10 dollar fake R*l*x that I bought in Phuket kept time to about 1 sec/six months! Far better than my wife's real one, and better than my Seiko.
Had it for five years, until we were burgled. Pity the poor crook who thought he had £2,500 of watch to sell!
To bring it back to motoring, do you remember the BMW ad on April 1 that warned of fake Beemers. The only way of telling was that the blue and white quadrants on the badge were reversed!
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My $10 dollar fake R*l*x that I bought in Phuket kept time to about 1 sec/six months! Far better than my wife's real one, and better than my Seiko.
>>>>
Are you sure it was a REAL Seiko???
When I took my fake R*l*x to the local market for a battery change, the chap informed me that it wasn't a bad movement. He reckoned that he's seen some fake watches with Seiko movements.
My battle scarred Seiko, purchased in 1979 still keeps perfect time.
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The quartz movements are often used in more expensive watches(I've several costing a fiver or less and which keep perfect time) are used in more expensive watches.
The car park scam has been featured on Watchdog or similar programme and the individual behind it was shown at the door of his very expensive house. He not surprisingly refused to give interviews.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What's for you won't pass you by
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Just suppose, for a moment, someone did make and sell a 'fake' BMW for a few grand less than the real thing. Would there be howls of outrage, or would people think 'if I could get away with it I'd give one a go'?
Now, the mark-up on expensive watches is phenomenal: the materials cost is small, overheads reasonable, brand value huge -so you pay for the badge.
So there are some similarities with cars. You pay more for brand X because its image is 24 carat, while everyone thinks brand y is everyday tin. WEhether brand X really does the job better than brand Y is a matter of opinion.
That said, I'd rather have a Jaeger LeCoultre than a Seiko.
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Just suppose, for a moment, someone did make and sell a 'fake' BMW for a few grand less than the real thing.
It might because of skimping on materials be lighter than the real thing and therefore able to stay out of the way more often than most BMWs :oD
That said, I'd rather have a Jaeger LeCoultre than a Seiko.
>>
Yes, even if it kept worse time which it probably would. And no one would bother to steal it because it wouldn't be three inches across covered with diamonds and they'd never have heard of Jaeger LeCoultre.
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There was a really nice advertising campaign in the US last year for the BMW Mini, warning to be on the look out for fake Minis. Don't know whether it was used in Europe but it was highly amusing.
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While I have no problem with fake watches and who sells them. This is only the tip of the iceberg, fake spare parts concern me. The oil drilling business is starting to suffer from fake high value spares which cost a fortune in lost time and repairs. More to the point are we all sure that the turbine blades or HT bolts on our aircraft are OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)may be BA or Easy Jet are OK but what about the little shuttle plane to get you to your island paradise after a long haul flight?
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Good point Jim M - also watch out for counterfeit prescription drugs, cigarettes and auto parts. Quite how you can tell as a consumer I'm not sure, as there are reports of fakes getting into the supply chain of reputable distributors. However, if you do buy from a large distributor, then you've got some chance of claim on their insurance should a fake item cause a problem.
Buying for cash from a guy with a white van is a no-no, but I guess we know that already.
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Buying for cash from a guy with a white van is a no-no, but I guess we know that already.
Is it OK if he'll take a cheque, then?
I can't help noticing the element of paranoia in this thread with all this talk of massive worldwide criminal organisations funding terrorism and so on.
Of course we don't want people to be killed or bacteria made resistant by useless counterfeit drugs. Although resistant bacteria pour out of the developing countries anyway, owing to the unregulated sale of real antibiotics in markets: people buy as many capsules as they can afford, perhaps just one or two, effectively inoculating any bacteria they may be carrying. I doubt if many dud medicines get into the chain in Europe, likewise lead rotor blades and putty drill bits.
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You might be surprised at what fakes get into Europe.
I work for an IC (Integrated Circuit) manufacturer - i.e "silicon chips".
There have been quite a few examples both of counterfeit ICs copying both ourselves and our competitors.
There is also the recycling of sub-standard parts to consider.
There have been examples of ICs removed from surplus boards, being cleaned up and sold as new ; in many cases these are failed printed circuit assemblies where one of more of the ICs was faulty to begin with or damaged by the removal and cleaning process.
In other cases lower grade ICs have been remarked as expesnive high grade ones.
I shudder to think of the possible parallels within the auto industry - think brake pads, tyres etc.
Chris Muriel, Manchester
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In other cases lower grade ICs have been remarked as expesnive high grade ones. I shudder to think of the possible parallels within the auto industry - think brake pads, tyres etc. Chris Muriel, Manchester
Don't know much about electronics. If forged ICs work but are shorter-lived than the branded product I can see it might be a nuisance to budget tinkerers, but hardly a disaster. With brake pads, tyres etc. you're talking about 'pattern parts' and cheap brands. Where safety or security are involved in either electronics or motoring, people are motivated to pay top prices for the real thing. Where not, perhaps not.
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The oil drilling business is starting to suffer from fake high value spares which cost a fortune in lost time and repairs.
Will this be the excuse for the next series of price hikes? Creative, if nothing else...
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Lud
a 2 second Google brought this:
www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=12...1
Article Date: 03 Sep 2004 - 0:00am (UK)
UK - The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is recalling batch number 65542 of counterfeit Reductil 15 mg Capsules following discovery of counterfeit material in the UK supply chain.
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Point taken LY, there is a worldwide problem (please note:not caused by a worldwide conspiracy!), but the item also confirms what I said: an apparently innocuous counterfiet anti-obesity drug detected in the UK supply chain, and removed, was only the second such incident since 1994.
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Lud, try this then:
www.pfizer.co.uk/template2.asp?pageid=294
"July 28th 2005, London. Pfizer Ltd. today urged the British Government and European authorities to commit to actions to safeguard the integrity of the medicines supply chain across Europe. This came after the recent discovery of a quantity of counterfeit Pfizer medicine in the UK medicine supply chain.
The recent incident related to the discovery of a specific batch of counterfeit Lipitor ® (Atorvastatin) 20mg, batch number 004405K1."
"Atorvastatin has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack or angina (chest pain) in people with coronary heart disease risk factors, such as hypertension, ..."
Bit more serious, IMHO.
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Bit more serious, IMHO.
Quite so, and again, point taken. Also again, the regulatory authority stressed that the case had been an isolated incident. I am not saying counterfeiters aren't a threat (in the case of medicines anyway. But in properly run countries (he said gazing up to heaven and crossing his fingers) counterfeit medicines are soon detected and anyone found responsible prosecuted. If we start getting a flood of them and no one does anything about it, which must be more or less the situation in some countries, then we will be in trouble. Meanwhile, take care when travelling.
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>>More to the point are we all sure that the turbine blades or HT bolts on our aircraft areOEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)may be BA or Easy Jet are OK but what about the little shuttle plane to get you to your island paradise after a long haul flight?
>>
No buts.
Google "counterfeit aircraft parts" produces plenty of hits including questions in the house.
A health warning on the sites below. If you worry then end here.
www.lubbockonline.com/news/120896/plane.htm
www.midtod.com/98autumn/airline.phtml
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Expect a revival of the passenger shipping industry, vastly preferable to flying anyway.
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Well the Chinese have actually made fake cars. Well ok copies. Copies so good that parts were interchangeable with the real deal. Its a big worry to the car manufacturers.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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While I have no problem with fake watches and who sells them. This is only the tip of the iceberg, fake spare parts concern me. The oil drilling business is starting to suffer from fake high value spares which cost a fortune in lost time and repairs. More to the point are we all sure that the turbine blades or HT bolts on our aircraft are OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)may be BA or Easy Jet are OK but what about the little shuttle plane to get you to your island paradise after a long haul flight?
>>
Yes you are spot on here.
Fake aircraft parts is virtual epidemic globally, a huge amount of engine, braking and other parts being made in China with inferior quality materials and production techniques. There has even been a trade in written-off aircraft spares being fed back into the value chain. Unfortunately I dont even think the big airlines are immune from sometimes unwittingly buying some of this kit.
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There was a really nice advertising campaign in the US lastyear for the BMW Mini, warning to be on the look out for fake Minis. Don't know whether it was used in Europe but it was highly amusing.
Surely it already is a fake Mini.>>
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Surely it already is a fake Mini.>>
Tee hee! But not a fake, sierraman, a 'classic replica', like a plastic Porsche F55 Spider with a VW engine although a good one of those might be very pleasant... pity in the case of the Mini the replica's actually better in almost every way, but you can't have everything. No one would buy it if it was worse.
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Henry K and Roly are correct in highlighting the world wide problem of non OEM spares in the aviation and oil business.
It just so happens that one part of my business means that I am responsible for purchasing millions of pounds worth of such items every year.
I repeat what I said above , would you be happy if the aircraft that you were flying in had counterfeit part in its Rolls Royce engine ?
Non OEM spares in the aviation and oil industry is a world wide problem.
In any industry where safety is paramount we buy nothing unless the correct certifications are in place , often not just from the manufacturers of the item but we also require details of the origin of materials used in construction and witnessing of tests by independent inspectors.
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