Fake Car parts
Discussion
They are still trading, just their grilles don't have the logos:
https://www.xenonz.co.uk/store/p1343/RS1-style-fro...
By the looks they were importing "replica" grilles like these and reselling them: (check the reviews and you can see they are shipped with an actual Audi badge)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000135587710.html
https://www.tradingstandards.uk/news-policy/news-r...
"They bought an Audi radiator grill bearing the “Four Rings” and “RS7” trademark for £249.99. When Audi examined the purchased item they confirmed it was counterfeit. A genuine trademarked version of the same item would have cost £658."
https://www.xenonz.co.uk/store/p1343/RS1-style-fro...
By the looks they were importing "replica" grilles like these and reselling them: (check the reviews and you can see they are shipped with an actual Audi badge)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000135587710.html
https://www.tradingstandards.uk/news-policy/news-r...
"They bought an Audi radiator grill bearing the “Four Rings” and “RS7” trademark for £249.99. When Audi examined the purchased item they confirmed it was counterfeit. A genuine trademarked version of the same item would have cost £658."
deebow said:
Misleading title as they never sold them as genuine parts. they was always sold as replica grills. have bought off them myself as didn't want to pay the insane RRP price on these.
I once had someone reverse into the front of my Jag XF in a car park and then drive off (caught on CCTV but could not identify the number plate as too far away). Upshot was they had cracked the chrome surround on the radiator grille.Although the surround can be detached from the grille centre Jag would not sell it as a replacement part, necessitating purchasing the whole assembly for about £450 plus VAT.
So, I ordered a complete replica replacement off AliExpress for about £75 delivered. Admittedly the grille centre was chromed plastic rather than the aluminium of the original, but the surround was made of exactly the same material as the original, so I detached it from the replica and it popped on to the original centre part easily and was a perfect match.
Two years later the finish on it is as shiny as the day I got it.
If manufacturers didn't gouge for such parts then there would be no demand for the replicas.
Manufacturers are very protective of their trademark and the Germans in particular have well established legal teams all over it. I knew an independent BMW specialist who was very well known and successfully raced BMWs.
His signage on the main road displayed their “roundal” and gave directions to his unit. BMW contacted him and he immediately painted it over but they still went through the High Court and he had to pay them £30k in instalments for using it without their authority.
I can see it from the franchisees point of view who spend millions for the privilege. He should have been non specific and just advertised as a “German marque specialist “.
His signage on the main road displayed their “roundal” and gave directions to his unit. BMW contacted him and he immediately painted it over but they still went through the High Court and he had to pay them £30k in instalments for using it without their authority.
I can see it from the franchisees point of view who spend millions for the privilege. He should have been non specific and just advertised as a “German marque specialist “.
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