ZilviaKid

haha i lol'd

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1989 Nissan 240sx - Hatch - Sr
2006 Honda Ruckus - Fat & Low

C. Senor

it sucks that shit happens, but that is the nature of people and the nature of business. some one always tries to bring something similar for a cheaper price.

i dont think i can say i dont have any knock off parts on my car. and i dont have stuff like jic or cusco suspension....which consists of most the aftermarket stuff that is on my car. i can't afford some of the top-of-shelf stuff like that. but i do what i can. pertaining to this specific topic. i dont think i would buy knock off parts. they are close, but i (personally) dont think it's the same. but that's why i have the oem crap.

the majority of the people that buy 240's are kids. they dont have a lot of money, and are in the state of yeah i got this kit or part for my car...i'm so cool. so that' doesnt really help with buying the "good" stuff.

i say "good" stuff because you never know with the knock off stuff. like my suspension, the multi links in the rear are from a brand i never heard before, and i've only heard of one other person running them on a 240. but they have lasted me for almost 2 years dailying. i got them for availability. for every other brand in my price range...for comparison i was originally going to go with battle version once again not jic or cusco, but rather decent i believe...i would have had to wait a full week more to get the parts. at the time my 240 was my only means of transportation, so i needed it up and running as soon as i could get it. that may also have something to do with people buying certain parts.....for availability.

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Don't forget to tell your mom, she ran out of eggs this morning!

Ethix

First, let me just say that I honestly don't care if people run knock-off parts.

Now, here's what I think the problem is.

It all comes back to Form over Function. The 240sx scene (and pretty much the whole import scene) seems to be more interested with looking good than having a car that performs well.

People say they run knock-off aero because they can't afford real aero or because they don't want to destroy $1500 kits......so don't run aero. It isn't helping your car (most likely) perform better.

You're trying to look cool like those pictures you see in all the Japanese car magazines and videos without spending lots of money. Sometimes the cars come out looking good, but you definitely lose the cool factor when everyone knows you only paid like $500 on ebay for your aero and the cars you're trying to replicate had real aero.

The car doesn't have to have aero and 19x12 wheels and candy paint to look good and perform well. I think everyone would be more impressed if you took that $500 you spent on ebay aero and bought some quality performance parts with it.

Example: CrimsonRockett's car in his sig looks awesome. A kouki front bumper on that thing and it'd look perfect. No knock-off aero required.

Anyway, I can't believe I typed all that and I'll be surprised if anyone actually reads it all but that's just what I think.


Now, does anybody know where I can get some knockoff aero for my Subaru?

kingkilburn

How about the real deal companies come out with nice gear with less features at a lower price point? Some one could make a kit out of materials with drifting in mind so when you do bash it oh well. Still made by the name brand, but out of lesser materials.

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G O L D E N B E A R R E P U B L I C

HyperTek

^^ factor in import costs and fees..

It would be easy for those ebay companies to make their own kits and just sell those cheap.. but usually they lack creativity, or resources to make their own shit, since copy and paste is pretty easy.... or their designs just suck, or the market mostly catering to "JDM" looks

I made the rear spoiler for my fc, had someone contact me about making it in cf and giving me one.. ive yet to consider giving it up because once I do, i no longer own the piece and dont get anything out of it really.

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Keep it Classy

SlideWell

like Logan said, if you choose to use a knock-off product, choose wisely.
i know a guy with an S14 that loved the fact he used knock-off parts on the whole car.
i know a guy with an R32 GTR that cant stay away from ebay and is always lookin for the better deal.
i know a guy with a real rhd s14 silvia that uses knock-off shit and rattle cans his car.
what i do know about these 3 people is they havent been in the scene as long as us older members. does age have something to do with it? maybe, maybe not. all around, i think its simply the person. no matter how bad i want a FMIC, i wont settle for an ebay interfooler. ill wait and save for the Blitz i want, the one that is dyno proven to give me the most gains, even when a ex-employee of the shop pushed me to just get a Greddy. most people these days arent into waiting for a supreme product, not paying for it. they want what looks just like the others and does the same thing, whether it be coilovers, seats, or a steering wheel. what bugs me is i see too many trying to be Dori Dori, and yet...does anything about their car truly represent them as a person? i believe a car should, and i have chosen my parts accordingly. from an industry standard, working in the business, its very hard to cope with. i buy the best of the best, recommend the best of the best, but in the end, you have to work with peoples budgets and personalities. i factor in greed. within the past few years, a lot of people wanted to get rich, and quick. and look what happened...for those who know the market values in Japan, will know that they really arent much more here. i think we are so fortunate to have this great forum with awesome people on here that hook us up with the real stuff at great prices.

Sleepy240

What really gets me is you people think that knock offs are destroying these HUGE companies. Greddy did the whole bankruptcy thing not because of knock offs, how about because of a piss poor economy, ZERO marketing especially here in the states, maybe they should have been a little smarter with their R&D. Sure people knock them off, it happens in EVERY single industry. I'm not worried if Greddy or HKS or some "big" player like that drops out of the US market or ANY market for that matter, frankly I think its for the better. If they drop out somebody else will be FORCED to develop "new and innovative" products. They will be forced to use some money on R+D and those companies that are truly a waste will simply fade away. Starting back from square one certainly can't make things much worse than right now

aznpoopy

i've heard alot of rhetoric and very little in the way of facts

how much does it actually cost to develop an aero set
what kinds of costs are being subsidized by the higher price tag associated with genuine aero
to what extent is the higher cost attributed to the fact that the manufacturer lacks efficient US distribution infrastructure

if those costs are minimal, then knock off makers aren't undercutting manufacturers. instead, manufacturers are pricing themselves out of the market. who would buy knock off when genuine is the same price?

Om1kron

I build my car for me, and only me.

as far as knock off parts and non knock off parts I would have to weigh the functionality of that product vs the functionality of the knock off and then compare the quality of the part.

For instance, Stance just released an oil block adapter that is pretty much without a shadow of a doubt a knock off of the tomei oil block adapter, and includes fittings and o rings and stuff just like the tomei block does...

For the price and the function of this part. I have no problem picking stance over tomei, nobody is going to jack my car up, and give me a +1 rep on a tomei oil block running to my filter relocation lines. It's just not going to happen.

The seat that came in my car is some shitty knock off bride seat, and the sad thing is granted the seat is faded all to hell. It's more comfortable than my old RECARO SRD (before they became recaro sports or whatever) and it doesn't move itself everytime I get in and out of the car so I have to re-adjust it.

Does it burn a hole in my ass that it's big and fake and i'm doing a lot of quality work on my car right now, candy apple volks, authentic vertex kit, 250 dollar lug nuts. I think I'm at least 100 dollars in on just materials I've purchased to sleeve my engine harness and as much as I would like to address that shit for peace of mind.

that shitty seat can stay right where it is until I can do it right and just get my bride gais low max seats and rails shipped to me all at once. But please believe If I sit in those panda garage or car part hook up knock off's and they feel just the same as the low max seats for 80 percent less than the brides (since i'm not even buying fia compliant seats) then I'll go with those seats and call it a day.

Doesn't bother me one bit, someone is always going to down you for buying some fake shit to validate what they spent on parts. This isn't a fashion show, not everybody here makes 20+ an hour and gets to spend a check and a half on their car's every month.

Some people have kids, rent, mortgages, school loans, credit cards, stupid shoe habbits, social lives and those things cost money too.

Try spending some knock off money trying to get some pussy and see where that gets you on a friday night. So you gotta cut the budget short somewhere, I don't promote the wackness and I seriously don't condone a fully built megan racing car especially when they pawn the products off to be original when they're blatant knock off's.

Just build your car for you and have respect for your fellow man, and if you cant afford shit, do what you can within your means and stop stealing other peoples cars for shit regardless of the reason. - that's to the thiefs reading as I know you guys post here too.

that's all I gotta say on this topic.

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Wayne

Maxstyle

What about that new company? The company that was built after Greddy and HKS fell. Is that company only allowed to grow to a certain point before you believe they should fall as well? And wouldn't you want a company with experience and history as a manufacture? It seems like you are just anti big business. I'm sure that's not what you meant by it, but it really does sound that way. As a person in the industry (and I know many others like me) I've taken a pay cut to insure that products. And look at the value of Yen to Dollar. right now it's only at 90yen. And imagine trying to pay the engineers that developed the product for the next one. How about the artist that designed the bumper they have to get paid to continue the work. I'm an advocate of education. You go to school, you earned the pay. I really don't like that whole well I don't have a good job thing either. I used to make about $8 an hour and still found a way to get a deal on new quality parts.

EroGori

Isn't buying used parts just as bad for the industry as buying new knock off stuff?

Teknolust72

I understand your economic theory here, but if you tried to apply it to the Aftermarket industry, then it will not hold up. The major reason why knockoff companies are detrimental to most industries is that they can maximize their profits by minimizing their developmental costs. Megan, God Speed, Circuit Sports, etc will always be cheap because they stole EVERY design aspect from the qualified engineers of reputable companies, and then go even further to reduce costs by having products made in sweatshop conditions with inferior parts.

If you remove the reputable companies from the equation, do you think Megan Racing will hire a TEAM of Race Mechanics/Engineers to develop their product. I highly doubt it. And I dont see how as a consumer you can "force" them to do so...and honestly, would you WANT them to?

You might even liken this situation to your current job. Have you ever had a manager, or someone in a high position, who clearly is not suited for that position, but yet he is still manager? Most of the time, that dumbass got promoted because all the good people in front of him either moved on to something else, or got fired. So can you FORCE him to step up his game? I highly doubt it...and honestly, wouldn't you want him to still be your manager?

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HyperTek

Om1kron i understand that your car came with the seat, and it happens to work/not broken, so you have the idea to keep it since it works just fine.. no problem with that.. Now would it have been your first choice to get that seat if it was originally up to you? Following your build, you seem to be a guy of good tastes/quality of parts etc.

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Keep it Classy

datboibrad

what i never understand is why people cant seem to save up for the parts they want? be it knock off or big name brand? you buy what you can afford, true. BUT whats so hard about saving up to get what you really want? its seems as tho most people i know who settle for the first thing they can get is because they feel that they have to have things NOW. whats the point of an overnight project?

Om1kron

I don't even know the difference between real brides and fake ones, so I would probably be that stupid guy that picked up a pair on the cheap to find out they're re-covered nrg seats or something and have everyone point and laugh.

I'm not the type of guy who has taken a lot of pride in caring for the vehicles I drive. I wash my cars with shit from wal mart, I have NEVER used zaino... wtf people spending 150-600 dollars to wax their cars, wtf is that shit. I just like driving!

If I can mod my car to do that then I am happier than a pig in shit, only when I want to go over the top and do an exhausting "i'll never want to do this shit again" build like my s14 will I go and look for nothing but authentic shit.

I'm trying to get a masa motorsports aero bonnet for my s14, RHDJapan is working with me to get the hood, anybody here spend 2000 dollars on a hood for their car before.

didn't think so.

my s13... oh yeah siebon and stock junk yard hoods are looking REAL GOOD right now. You feel me?

My s13 most likely will have a vertex kit on it as well unless there is a god and I can get my hands on an m sports aero kit without sacraficing my left nut to get it. It's going to be my daily so i'm looking for "I DONT GIVE A FUCK IF IT GETS STOLEN" mods to it.

so if some cocksucker takes my car, i'll laugh at them like I knew the car was a piece with fake ass rainbow skittle flavor colored bride seats or whatever in it.

If it's a track whore who gives a fuck, let them spend double the money on replacing failing knock off's. If I am at the track and something breaks on my car, i'm not going to be "oh those are megan tie rods and i'll need that to get home, nah it's knock off I don't play that shit"

fuck it a tie rod is a tie rod. All you need is some slap ass who can copy your cnc specs and pump it in a machine, it's not like anchient monks at the top of mt fuji hand engrave the threads on the bolts holding my car together lol.

sigh i'm just bored and at work, how is everyone else doing.

OH AND GO DOLPHINS!!!

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Wayne

ESmorz

Because you might die tomorrow.

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Teknolust72

Which is why I hurry to spend all my money..!!!


OFF TOPIC:
Om1kron, I dont think a MASA hood should cost that much. Don't place your order yet until I get back to you. I think I should be able to get that hood cheaper.

And I can get M Sports aero for sure, so if you want a quote let me know!

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Sleepy240

No where I did a say that the company can only grow to a certain point but all these "big" companies could have made sacrifices to control THEIR costs along with THEIR profits especially in these dire times. I'm not anti-big business I actually work for a big business company. Frankly I've taken a paycut, I have friends who have lost their jobs. Hell my own mother lost her job after 35 years with a company. You talk about having new products developed and I haven't seen jack in recent years. Blah blah I like education too etc, I have a college degree and I make more than $8/hr does that mean I should only buy top shelf parts? Should I only live in a house I can barely afford month to month? Quality is what you want it to be and what you expect it to be, people don't buy Megan parts expecting HKS quality they know what they are getting yet people still wanna harass and bother them.

How do you figure this economic theory does not apply to the aftermarket? It applies to EVERY market. The aftermarket tuner industry isn't all by its lonesome, sure it has some unique aspects to its problems but they are generally the same as other industries. Person A makes something, person B makes it cheaper, person C still makes that even cheaper. And I don't see why your going to put certain companies down notches simply because they LACK the R+D of companies that are currently going bankrupt. Guess what there IS a reason for that and not all of it the knock off aspect.

If the big players are removed these companies for your example Megan, will either HAVE to use some R+D and produce new HIGHER quality products or they will simply fail as a company. And absolutely I would want them too. Competition is what creates new innovative products, even HIGHER quality products because people want their share of the market. I think the biggest problem is large companies just EXPECT to own a certain percentage of the market and now guess what they are shit outta luck, part of it is their fault. In all honesty if you DO NOT believe the profit margin on a $1500 body kit mass produced out of fiberglass or urethane products is INSANE then you sir are mentally ill. (Just an example I could easily rattle off a few more) These companies have certainly made their money and long passed the cost of the R+D now its just money out of their pockets and they are not happy.

This statement is pretty confusing, people do not get promoted simply because the people above them get promoted. That is absurd, I'm sure it can happen but your gonna say the majority of the time? Performance and work ethic always have something to do with it. Any company, no matter how small or large is going to be smart about promotions. And of course you can FORCE him to step up his game by stepping UP your own game. Especially if by your logic hes a total dumbass it should be a cake walk.

Om1kron

Remember no commercial sales unless you're an advertiser. but that doesn;t mean you cant pm me info about s14 kouki masa motorsports aero bonnet (not the s14.5 front end conversion hood) and an m sports aero kit for an s13. That would be greeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaat.

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Wayne

ESmorz

Want to know why cars suck?

I paid a thousand dollars for my Corolla. The wheels I want for it are two thousand dollars. Unless Rota makes some knock off's lmao.

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Teknolust72

I understand your point, and I also agree that knock off companies are not the ENTIRE reason of things like Greddy going bankrupt.

I guess deep down, I'm a sucker for for the old school way of doing things. You build a car out of passion, and you put on parts from companies that share/embody your passion.

I just wish more people had the same philosophy.

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Erjay1

I say buy what you can afford and stop complaining and worrying about what other ppl buy. If you can afford brand name parts, good for you, you will probably have the better car. If you cant afford brand name parts and have to resort to knockoff's, then good for you, it might not be the best car out there but its your car and you put it together.

Seriously, why does it matter what ppl buy? Knockoffs are everywhere and here to stay. No matter what you or anyone else does, they will never, ever go away. Just worry about what YOU put on YOUR car and move on with your life. You might live longer with one less thing to stress out about.

Companies are going bankrupt because ppl just arent buying stuff anymore, knockoff or not. With the world's economy the way it is all businesses are affected. People prefer to spend money on life's necessities rather than car parts. That's life and there is no point in ranting about it because it wont change and quite frankly, most people dont care. Im here putting in my 2 cents because Im bored and have nothing to do at work.

turtl631

I'm not gonna touch on everything covered here, but a lot of parts being made by Japanese companies aren't the best engineering by any means (almost all coilovers, Tein's travel consuming camber plates, etc.). I'd like to see more American companies make legit parts...there are already some, e.g. Battle Version. Veilside180SX started making housings for some pretty nice dampers, someone else was designing spherical bearings. I feel no allegiance to Japanese industry at all. Whoever can produce the best designed and most functional part gets my dollar vote. Aero I really don't give a shit about. It'd be cool if somebody tried to make something with some actual emphasis on *gasp* aerodynamics, but obviously it's all about style, so that probably won't happen. I've never seen so much hatred for "knockoff" stuff though. Do you resent Kohl's for selling a collared shirt with stripes since some designer company sells something almost identical for 10x as much?

DMaxUSA

I only resent Kohl's because they enslave my asian brethren in sweatshops....

That and the stuff they sell doesnt turn me on....

But that's off topic....

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dmax-us.com

Om1kron

I bought 3 pairs of pants at kohls and a pair of shoes, all 4 items equally suck and I regret these purchases.

that is all...

back on topic!

I'm going to buy a stance oil block adapter... engine failure is soon imminent.

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Wayne

ESmorz

And I wish I had an Aston Martin and at the end of a 10 hour shift burning confiscated marijuana come home and bang Mila Kunis.

However, life sucks and shit sucks.

Everyone get the fuck over it and do what you want. The market will take care of itself if it's meant to stay around. If it doesn't... oh well to bad so sad. You're a human, adapt.

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HyperTek

so lets all appreciate and increase knock off parts!!! cheap 240sx for everyone!!! Ill tell my lil cousins and their friends to buy 240s, get the parts on ebay.. boooyah!!!!!! Ill be 40 years old and still driving 240sx !!

do what you want. theres no prestige in that. oh well ive already moved on and accepted that the game will not be the same. Im more worried about theft in a daily driver i probably wouldnt consider another 240sx..

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Keep it Classy

Jakob

guess why my s14 is still stock? right i cant afford good coilovers so i keep it stock instead of putting some megans on it. there is a saying that i think fits to some people here:

"if you dont have the time and money to do it right the first time, how do you want to afford to do it a second time?"

im saving up to do it right the first time, no matter how long it takes.

it makes me sick because on the german forums there is a guy who really has some fabrication skills and he copies bride consoles, ikeya bearings and what not. and now he even wants to copy the ikeya formula sequential shifter and the bee-r rev limiter just to sell it cheaper and make his pockets full for the cost of other companies. i mean wtf seriously? why steal their ideas?

i rather keep my car stock then get fake and/or cheap shit.

to me my car means a lot. and it deserves something better then an ebay short shifter etc...

PANGES

You're all posers. You should all sell your cars and buy Fords, since they were the originators of cars. When you buy your Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Chevy, etc, those are all knock off copies of the original Fords that were invented first. I hope Ford doesn't get emo and close down. Then no one will ever figure out how to make a car ever again and we'll all be stuck walking.

Hell, even if HKS, Greddy, Cusco, Whatever the hell goes out of the business and closes down, someone will eventually need to make more go fast parts and put the R&D into it and make it as new cars come out. People need to eat so they'll make quality parts when the big names are gone, because customers will want them, because everyone wants to look good or go fast. Then after they do, someone else can come along and copy their idea and the cycle continues. Welcome to earth. Who was the first company that came out with the telephone again?

I agree you should pay your respects and support your local shops, who work very hard and don't hesitate to help you out when you need it though, but I doubt anyone will pay $1000 for a part when a $500 part works exactly the same and makes you the same or more power for half the price. It just doesn't make sense. If you really feel bad, maybe you can buy the $500 part that makes more power and then mail the extra $500 you have burning in your pocket to the original company that came up with the original design.

But wait... Wont your wife and kids be unhappy this x-mas that daddy spent $1000 on a part when he could've just bought a $500 part that works just as well and bought them that Xbox 360 they've been wanting all year? Congratulations! Now you've hurt your family AND Microsoft!

Cliffsnotes: Just buy cheap shit if you want. Someone will hurt in the end whether it's the restaurant you can no longer afford to eat at because you paid $800 for an HKS manifold vs. a $400 Megan manifold, or maybe the 76 gas station you can no longer go to, because you don't have enough money and have to go to Arco. Or fuck, maybe Coach will hurt, because now you're too broke to buy your girlfriend a quality purse, because you just bought an expensive Cusco strut bar vs. Megan and now you gotta goto Hong Kong and buy her a knock off purse. Congratulations! No matter what choice you make, you hurt someone. You should all just go kill yourselves now.

Merry Xmas!

Love,

PANGES

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I can't, but Chris Brown sure can.

Teknolust72

A million posi rep for you!!!!

Keep that passion, cuz thats whats gonna bring you and your car to the next level....

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