Counterfeit Cars

How many people know that car products can be counterfeited? Now, how many people think that their car might have counterfeited car products in it? You might have more than one. I didn't know that people could counterfeit car products. I've only heard of the usual items like counterfeit money and counterfeit checks. I don't know if you would include black market movies on DVDs and black market CDs. I think you would because they are all attempting to make something fake seem like the real name brand item. Let's say that you have a Ford F150 and the cost to get a Ford engine is way too expensive than you planned it would be, but you found someone who can get you an engine that is not of Ford quality but you can still get the brand name on the engine, that would be purchasing counterfeit car products which is illegal. Who wants a real Ford engine when you can get a different engine that is probably cheaper but still have the Ford brand name on the engine to show off to the friends? Why would someone even buy a counterfeit car product? You know you can't take it back to a dealer and get it worked on without them finding out you have a counterfeit engine. The thing about buying counterfeit products is that affects automobile corporations, automobile dealers, and automobile parts sellers all over the world.

In China, criminals have found a cheap way to counterfeit US car products and components and sell them to buyers in China. Not only does this illegal act destroy the reputation of US cars but it also is a risk for car buyers. They have no idea of what they are getting into. Buying a car with faulty car parts is like buying a casket for you. It's a deathtrap. The items that are being counterfeited are spark plugs, shock absorbers, oil filters and fuel filers, fuel pumps, brake components (including pads and linings), suspension and steering components, body panels, bearings, wind shields, tires, headlights, taillights, engine mounts and other engine parts. It's a shame for how some people have to make a living but they have to survive even if it is illegal. There have been many arrests of people in the US who are trafficking these counterfeit products to the US. American authorities have taken it into their hands to penalize these buyers, sellers, and producers of counterfeit car products. The US automobile industry is getting a bad name in China for faulty car products that were thought to be the real high quality product they were purchasing.



Copyright 2006 Congressional Quarterly, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
CQ Congressional Testimony July 20, 2006 Thursday
Headline: Chinese Barriers to Trade

Statement of Brian Duggan Director, Trade and Commercial Policy Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association
Committee on House Small Business Subcommittee on Rural Enterprise, Agriculture and Technology

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