SPARK PLUGS

[c4racer]

can anyone explain why Bavarian Auto sells the NGK BKR6EQUP for $21.95 each?

Amazon has them for $7.95 each and shows the list price is $10.95

What gives?

[juppalgae]

"Iridium plugs will make your engine more exposions inside but MORE VIBRATIONS inside, that may lead yr engine SHORTer life ............ "

cited from one of the threads. what do you guys think?

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by c4racer

can anyone explain why Bavarian Auto sells the NGK BKR6EQUP for $21.95 each?

Amazon has them for $7.95 each and shows the list price is $10.95

What gives?

Be sure they are the same part number. As you can see from BavAuto's site below, although both Bosch plugs say FGR7DQP (first and third plugs), but the part numbers are different. These are the recommended plugs for my 02 4.4i

As CharlieHustle pointed out above, there are Bosch and NGK plugs that look similar to the BMW recommended plugs, but there are differences and some plugs are recommended for a reason.

I would only use the one with the exact BMW recommended part number.

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by juppalgae

"Iridium plugs will make your engine more exposions inside but MORE VIBRATIONS inside, that may lead yr engine SHORTer life ............ "

cited from one of the threads. what do you guys think?

I think you should by either the NGK or Bosch plugs above that say BMW recommended. Get that exact part number and don't sweat it.

[c4racer]

Originally Posted by FSETH

Be sure they are the same part number. As you can see from BavAuto's site below, although both Bosch plugs say FGR7DQP (first and third plugs), but the part numbers are different. These are the recommended plugs for my 02 4.4i

As CharlieHustle pointed out above, there are Bosch and NGK plugs that look similar to the BMW recommended plugs, but there are differences and some plugs are recommended for a reason.

I would only use the one with the exact BMW recommended part number.

yes - same exact PN NGK is on Amazon for $7.95 as the one recommended by BMW and sold by Bav Auto for $21.95. Seems strange.

BKR6EQUP

Amazon.com: NGK BKR6EQUP Multi-Ground Spark Plug , Pack of 1: Automotive

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by c4racer

yes - same exact PN NGK is on Amazon for $7.95 as the one recommended by BMW and sold by Bav Auto for $21.95. Seems strange.

BKR6EQUP

Amazon.com: NGK BKR6EQUP Multi-Ground Spark Plug , Pack of 1: Automotive

Those do not appear to be the BMW recommended part number. If you scroll down and look under Product Features, it lists part #3199.

Look at the photo of the BavAuto site I posted above. Although both Bosch plugs say FGR7DGQP, they have different part numbers for the OEM plugs and the Platimum 4 Plus plugs even though they are both labeled FGR7DGQP. Do you see what I mean? I would guess that although NGK makes OEM plugs, they (just like with Bosch) make other cheaper plugs that will fit, but are not OEM. The OEM recommended plugs from both NGK and Bosch are two or three times as much as the cheaper ones from the same brand.

Here are the exact plugs recommended by BMW for your 03 4.6is. Notice both supplemental part number don't match up with what Amazon has as their part #, but the OEM plugs from BavAuto and RealOEM.com do match.

[J.Belknap]

Originally Posted by juppalgae

"Iridium plugs will make your engine more exposions inside but MORE VIBRATIONS inside, that may lead yr engine SHORTer life ............ "

cited from one of the threads. what do you guys think?

I think that's silly. Iridium conducts better than Platinum, and provided the heat range was right, would be less likely to knock.

But, as FSETH said,

Originally Posted by FSETH

I think you should by either the NGK or Bosch plugs above that say BMW recommended. Get that exact part number and don't sweat it.

[c4racer]

Originally Posted by FSETH

Those do not appear to be the BMW recommended part number. If you scroll down and look under Product Features, it lists part #3199.

Look at the photo of the BavAuto site I posted above. Although both Bosch plugs say FGR7DGQP, they have different part numbers for the OEM plugs and the Platimum 4 Plus plugs even though they are both labeled FGR7DGQP. Do you see what I mean? I would guess that although NGK makes OEM plugs, they (just like with Bosch) make other cheaper plugs that will fit, but are not OEM. The OEM recommended plugs from both NGK and Bosch are two or three times as much as the cheaper ones from the same brand.

Here are the exact plugs recommended by BMW for your 03 4.6is. Notice both supplemental part number don't match up with what Amazon has as their part #

I get your point. And if it truly is a different plug, I don't mind paying more for it. But if the plug is really identical but they use 2 different PN's and the only difference is price, well that is another matter.

Does anyone know if NGK really makes 2 different plugs under the BKR6EQUP number?

I checked with my local auto parts store and they sell the same PN BKR6EQUP for $9.95 and it is listed as the "OEM plug". Whatever that means.

[m5james]

BMW gives different parts numbers to the same parts between different cars (I learned this in the M5/540/740 world), so I'd just buy the correct NGK part number and be happy.

[FSETH]

Originally Posted by c4racer

I get your point. And if it truly is a different plug, I don't mind paying more for it. But if the plug is really identical but they use 2 different PN's and the only difference is price, well that is another matter.

Does anyone know if NGK really makes 2 different plugs under the BKR6EQUP number?

I checked with my local auto parts store and they sell the same PN BKR6EQUP for $9.95 and it is listed as the "OEM plug". Whatever that means.

Refer back to post #5 by CharlieHustle. Bosch (who is an OEM supplier) does it, so I would say it is not out of the question for NGK to do the same. The actual part numbers from the cheaper NGK plugs on Amazon.com are different from the BMW recommended plugs on Realoem.com, so it appears so.

Really, the plugs only need to be changed every 100k or so. Why not just buy the part number BMW recommends?