The Greek market is full of imitation spare parts for cars and trucks, which adds to the explosive mix of old and poorly maintained vehicles on the roads. Fake spare parts are particularly unsafe, mainly when produced by third-party companies, which are unbranded and unrecognised, primarily Chinese.
Consumers often choose them because they are more affordable than genuine aftermarket parts from reputable companies. However, research shows a painful...sacrifice in quality, safety and durability, News Auto reported.
These parts do not meet car manufacturers' quality and safety standards and may not fit the car precisely, causing significant and costly damage in the future.
Imitation (or counterfeit) auto and motorcycle parts can cause severe problems as they are not manufactured to meet regulatory standards. Unapproved airbags may not provide adequate protection in the event of a crash, and such engine components as spark plugs, oil filters, and air filters can range from damaging the engine to starting a car fire.
Note that many such spare parts are also placed in bad used cars brought by shrewd car dealers from abroad, where after turning the counters, they make the quick repairs needed with such spare parts, with the final victim being the buyer, who, while believing they had found a bargain, pays for it many times over in losses a few months later.
According to the World Trademark Review, these parts' estimated global economic cost to the automotive industry is as high as $2.3 trillion annually. In Europe, an estimated 2.2 billion euros are lost annually from sales of counterfeit tires alone. In comparison, sales of counterfeit batteries grab 180 million euros from the market from official and authorised manufacturers.
However, there are efforts to combat this phenomenon. Government and industry initiatives are being developed to address counterfeit parts.
The U.S. has even created a similar committee that has successfully pushed legislation in several states to ban counterfeit airbags and has expressed concern about selling and shipping counterfeit airbags and other restraint systems on e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba, Amazon and eBay.
In the UK, the government has launched a campaign to raise consumer awareness of counterfeit car parts' dangers and published guidance on how consumers can avoid buying them.
The complex global automotive supply chain is vulnerable to exploitation by the astute. Despite the existence of mechanisms that companies have introduced to trace the sources of spare parts, the astute operate without them with particular comfort.
In summary, the market for imitation car parts is a reality that also threatens Greece. The situation calls for intensified efforts by both government and industry to prevent and combat this illegal activity.
