Answers.Body: <p>According to Bricklink, the <a href="https://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?S=42125-1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">42125 should contain</a> 4 pieces of <a href="https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=41678&amp;idColor=5#T=C&amp;C=5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double Split</a>, which looks like the one the instructions show:</p>
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/dk24B.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/dk24B.png" alt="Red Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double Split" /></a></p>
  <p>However, it has a mold variant* called <a href="https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=69819&amp;idColor=5#T=C&amp;C=5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double Split, Reinforced Sides</a>, which looks like the one you have:</p>
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/4eoMT.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/4eoMT.png" alt="Red Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double Split, Reinforced Sides" /></a></p>
  <p>Based on this, I'd say your set is probably authentic, just got parts from a different manufacturing batch due to mold transition or surplus pieces.</p>
  <p>The occasional color variance between pieces in the same official set that are supposed to be the same hue is known for a long time, that doesn't indicate a counterfeit item.</p>
  <p>If you want to be sure, you can consider how you have acquired this particular set: on one end of the spectrum, buying directly from LEGO.com 100% nets you an authentic one. On the other end, buying for a tenth of the official price from a noname pop-up webshop will almost guaranteed to be a knockoff. Other retailers and private sales occupy some position between these two.</p>
  <p>You can also look for LEGO markings, which should be present on most pieces. If your set was new and sealed in a box, and you've found LEGO marked pieces, you can rest assured it is an original one.</p>
  <p>Or you can contact LEGO directly to ask if that mold variant has ever been put into an official set of this model.</p>
  <p>*Edit: a mold variant is a piece that has largely the same functionality, maybe with minor changes in possibilities or strength. See <a href="https://bricknerd.com/home/molds-over-time-how-part-updates-change-build-techniques-12-15-22" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this article</a> for several examples.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2024-02-09T16:15:00.387Z
Answers.Text: It would probably be worth briefly explaining what a “mold variant” is. It might well be self-explanatory for many readers, but just in case…
Answers.UserDisplayName: KRyan
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2024-02-09T17:53:11.170Z
Answers.Text: What really bothers me is how visible the dot left from the manufacturing process is… Right on top and the original piece seemed flawless at the angle
Answers.UserDisplayName: eYe
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2024-02-09T19:59:06.560Z
Answers.Text: Yeah, the mark definitely has me wondering if they could have injected from the other side which would normally be at least semi-concealed by the axle running through the part.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Dan Is Fiddling By Firelight
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2024-02-10T13:05:31.560Z
Answers.Text: It is also probably worth mentioning that while many color variations are definitely well known, a visible spot like that is usually considered a production flaw and is worth [reporting as a “broken” part.](https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/replacementparts)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Nathan Stohlmann
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2024-02-12T08:31:44.077Z
Answers.Text: @NathanStohlmann If, by "spot" you mean the white dots on the circled parts - those are known artifacts of the injection molding process and not grounds for part replacement. But if you mean "visible spot" as in "location of the part in the finished model that can be seen", then yes, you're right.
Answers.UserDisplayName: zovits
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2024-02-09T08:30:26.360Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2024-02-10T12:14:07.940Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2024-02-10T12:14:07.940Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: zovits
Body: <p><a href="https://www.lego.com/en-ca/product/ferrari-488-gte-af-corse-51-42125" rel="noreferrer">Ferrari 488 GTE (42125)</a> is my first Lego technic set and I’ve noticed that some pieces differ in the shade of the red/maybe even the type of plastic and also don’t match the diagrams and pictures from other folks’ assemblies posted on the Lego.com. Is this a counterfeit concern and, overall, does this happen a lot with Lego technic as it does seem to be damaging the look?</p>
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/lKhVo.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/lKhVo.jpg" alt="Simplified/mismatched pieces" /></a></p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2024-02-09T17:52:04.430Z
Comments.Text: The color variation is relatively normal, color matching is difficult to begin with, but especially so with injection-molded parts. FWIW, the variance seen in your photo is not too horrible as far as LEGO parts go, and you may have some success hiding it in this case by using lighting with a lower color temperature (for example, low-wattage incandescent lamps instead of LEDs or CFLs) simply because of how that affects perception of reds and oranges.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Austin Hemmelgarn
Tags: <technic><piece-information>
Title: Pieces Differ in Color/Shape from Diagrams and are Missing Lego Writing
UserDisplayName: eYe
ThreadText: # Pieces Differ in Color/Shape from Diagrams and are Missing Lego Writing
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2024-02-09)
  
  [Ferrari 488 GTE (42125)](https://www.lego.com/en-ca/product/ferrari-488-gte-af-corse-51-42125) is my first Lego technic set and I’ve noticed that some pieces differ in the shade of the red/maybe even the type of plastic and also don’t match the diagrams and pictures from other folks’ assemblies posted on the Lego.com. Is this a counterfeit concern and, overall, does this happen a lot with Lego technic as it does seem to be damaging the look?
  
  [![Simplified/mismatched pieces](https://i.sstatic.net/lKhVo.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/lKhVo.jpg)
  
  **Tags:** technic, piece-information
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: The color variation is relatively normal, color matching is difficult to begin with, but especially so with injection-molded parts. FWIW, the variance seen in your photo is not too horrible as far as LEGO parts go, and you may have some success hiding it in this case by using lighting with a lower color temperature (for example, low-wattage incandescent lamps instead of LEDs or CFLs) simply because of how that affects perception of reds and oranges.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2024-02-09. Score: 10 | Accepted answer
  
  According to Bricklink, the [42125 should contain](https://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?S=42125-1) 4 pieces of [Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double Split](https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=41678&idColor=5#T=C&C=5), which looks like the one the instructions show:
  
  [![Red Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double Split](https://i.sstatic.net/dk24B.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/dk24B.png)
  
  However, it has a mold variant\* called [Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double Split, Reinforced Sides](https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=69819&idColor=5#T=C&C=5), which looks like the one you have:
  
  [![Red Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double Split, Reinforced Sides](https://i.sstatic.net/4eoMT.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/4eoMT.png)
  
  Based on this, I'd say your set is probably authentic, just got parts from a different manufacturing batch due to mold transition or surplus pieces.
  
  The occasional color variance between pieces in the same official set that are supposed to be the same hue is known for a long time, that doesn't indicate a counterfeit item.
  
  If you want to be sure, you can consider how you have acquired this particular set: on one end of the spectrum, buying directly from LEGO.com 100% nets you an authentic one. On the other end, buying for a tenth of the official price from a noname pop-up webshop will almost guaranteed to be a knockoff. Other retailers and private sales occupy some position between these two.
  
  You can also look for LEGO markings, which should be present on most pieces. If your set was new and sealed in a box, and you've found LEGO marked pieces, you can rest assured it is an original one.
  
  Or you can contact LEGO directly to ask if that mold variant has ever been put into an official set of this model.
  
  \*Edit: a mold variant is a piece that has largely the same functionality, maybe with minor changes in possibilities or strength. See [this article](https://bricknerd.com/home/molds-over-time-how-part-updates-change-build-techniques-12-15-22) for several examples.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: It would probably be worth briefly explaining what a “mold variant” is. It might well be self-explanatory for many readers, but just in case…  
  > **username_0**: What really bothers me is how visible the dot left from the manufacturing process is… Right on top and the original piece seemed flawless at the angle  
  > **username_4**: Yeah, the mark definitely has me wondering if they could have injected from the other side which would normally be at least semi-concealed by the axle running through the part.  
  > **username_5**: It is also probably worth mentioning that while many color variations are definitely well known, a visible spot like that is usually considered a production flaw and is worth [reporting as a “broken” part.](https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/replacementparts)  
  > **username_2**: @username_5 If, by "spot" you mean the white dots on the circled parts - those are known artifacts of the injection molding process and not grounds for part replacement. But if you mean "visible spot" as in "location of the part in the finished model that can be seen", then yes, you're right.  
  
  ---
  
  