This is my opinion through my years of selling parts

First I will talk about real platinums not the Bosch imitations.

Real platinum plugs serve just one purpose! To last longer than normal copper core plugs. Platinum and Iridium and other precious metal plugs conduct electricity better than copper does therefore they do not wear like normal plugs do under regular driving conditions. Most automakers are putting platinums in cars these days so they can extend their service life due to long warranty coverages.

The down side of platinums are that they run hotter than normal copper. I say this describing the heat that is retained on the actual center electrode. Copper dispurses this heat better to the ceramic part better than platinum does. This means that platinum plugs in performance oriented cars and trucks is especially bad.

Do not beleive the hype that platinum burns better or creates miracle horsepower, they don't, they will only last longer between 60-90k versus 30k tops for copper core.

On to the dreaded Bosch Platinums!

These are possibly the worst plug ever invented!

But due to very aggresive marketing they continue to sell well.

The problem with these is that they have little to no electrode extruding from the insulator. It looks like the tip of a needle. This has been their problem from the get go, Bosch must know this but they do nothing about it to keep the cost of the plug down. The only thing they do is mask the problem with multiple tips. They are worse than the razor company's are about the number of blades.

A spark is going to travel to the tip that is the shortest distance from the electrode plain and simple. All the multiple tips do is mask the little spark their is.

Obviously the plugs work and do generate a spark. This much is obvious, but unless your car is burnig its fuel and air mixture perfectly you will have small amounts of carbon deposits building up on the center elctrode that will cause the Bosch plugs to misfire. Normal copper core plugs and real platinums, with their large electores will burn off this build up and you would never notice it, but the Bosch plugs do not and will eventually give you a headache.

I do like Bosch plugs, their Supers and Silvers are good plugs. they even make some real platinums for specific cars such as VW's and some late model Mercedes. But these are vehicle specific! Fake Bosch Platinums are a universal style plug, they are not vehicle and engine specific like most spark plugs.

I hope this helped answer some questions regarding platinum plugs.

Please post your own comment and opinion, I would like to hear yours, agreeing or disagreeing.

 

+1 on the bosh platums[:'(] I hate them too

I lov NGK vpower plugs. I have them an I noticed a big difference in idle and response.

 

I have just always stuck with the Champion truck plugs.

 

I just took out my Bosch 4 our of my truck, it idled funny and my gas mileage was down to 11 mpg, put on Champion $1.56 plugs and it's back up to 17 mpg and idles fine. When I took out the Bosch plugs, after only 100 miles of driving, they were covered in carbon deposits. What a waste of 36 bucks.

 

putting the bosch platinums in my truck wasthe worst idea ever, mpg went down 2-3, and they run like crap. as soon as its warm enough im going to switch them out. Champions are the plug of choice it seems. what about autolite?

 

My personal preference is always NGK ( preferably the V-power) but Champion and Autolite's are still good plugs.

I wouldn't touch Motorcraft even if I owned a Ford though.

 

I am currently running Autolite platinums and while it runs fine I believe I have lost mileage from running just the regular Autolites. I'll probably go back to them in the spring. I have tried the Champion "truck" plugs and mine ran terrible-misfiring and TERRIBLE mileage. I was very surprised by this since Champions have always been the plug of choice for MOPARS. I don't know what the difference would be with the truck plugs but I only ran them for a couple of days before I pulled them.

 

I have the Bosch Platniums in my truck, but I don't have anything to compare it to. So you're telling me if I go buy NGK I will see better MPG and itwill idle better. How much do NGK normally cost?

 

Cheaper than Bosch Platinums.

 

Im not saying necessarily for your vehicle it will make a difference, but the burnt up champions definitely gave me better mpg then these new bosch plats. it idles better once its warmed up though, but sort of sputters until then.