So piggybacking on my post from last week I mentioned that people should modify their cars the way they want to and in a fashion that pleases them. If buying fake parts pleases them and gets their car to where they want it to be then so be it. However, I want to present the ramifications and the background to their actions. I also want to explore the mentality behind those that would purchase replica and legit parts.
Legit Parts
Some notable manufacturers within the Japanese sport-compact-car tuning industry are Volk / Rays, HKS, Trust/GReddy, Apex'i, CUSCO, NISMO, BN Sports, etc. These companies put forth enormous amounts of resources into R&D to develop parts for our beloved cars that function well, look good, and maintain a high standard of quality. Obviously, all of this comes at a price and these manufacturers charge premiums for their goods. Lately, there has been an increase in the price of products from these manufacturers as well as a decrease in the amount of new products being released and exported. So why is this?
Replica / Fake Parts
In recent years, there has been a flurry of new companies that have quickly risen to the top and in a sense have become "household names" within the tuning industry. Companies such as ROTA Wheels, Rexpeed, Varrstoen, Extreme Dimensions, XXR, Chaser Aero, and Shine Auto have made names for themselves by knocking off and replicating parts from the major Japanese manufacturers listed (Volk, HKS, etc). These companies turn out the same looking parts at a fraction of the cost. Of course this means that the quality of these products are not as high as the originals but, tuners are tuners so they will modify the product accordingly to fit their vehicles. So why are these companies sooo successful? Who keeps fueling their fire and success?
The state of the car tuning culture has shifted. Gone are the days of actually modifying a vehicle to go fast. A quote by Mike Kojima, a leading authority and valued member of the tuning community sums it up perfectly, "Kids these days are into cool cars, they don't care anymore about fast cars." So if a set of Volk TE37SL wheels are $3200 brand new and require a 6 month wait to receive them.. and a set of Varrstoen 2.2.1 wheels are $900 brand new and are readily able to be shipped to your door within a week, which would the "kids these days" most likely choose? The Varrstoens most likely. Kids these days don't need wheels which were made using advanced forging processes and developed throughout the years to achieve the strongest and lightest wheel possible. They make do with a wheel made with cheaper casting processes that may be a bit heavier but look the part and be just strong enough to handle street duties.
Volk TE37SL Wheel
Varrstoen 2.2.1 Wheel
I said that in my previous post that people should modify their vehicles to their liking and for themselves. However, due to the growth of social media as well as online publications, it seems as if many of these "kids of today" modify their vehicles in a fashion that will get them "e-famous" in the quickness. They will buy the fake body kits, the fake wheels, and do whatever it takes to get their car looking proper, cool, and accepted by the masses on the internet. There are so many cars that have been tuned in the same cookie cutter style posted on the internet. Most of the time these cars are rocking knockoff wheels such as Rota's with replica body kits styled to look like the likes of BN Sports or Vertex and slammed down to the ground with budget coilover suspensions for that Hellaflush look. I mean ya it looks awesome but, what does it really say about the person who built the car? Did they really build that car for them or just to gain acceptance of the internet car community? Can we say that these "kids of today" are still car enthusiasts? Car enthusiasts should want the best for their cars right? So why settle for less? The thing is, the market is so saturated with these sub-par and knockoff parts that having these parts on a vehicle nowadays is actually accepted.
Another reason that people buy knockoffs can be tied into motorsport. Many good drivers and racers in professional competition are sponsored by these companies that produce knockoffs as well. In competition, the part that gets broken most often from rubbing other cars or walls are body panels and companies that make knockoff body panels are making a fortune because those in the motorsport world may opt for replica body panels because most likely they will be damaged when racing and also cheaper to replace than continuously buying legit ones and worrying that they will be damaged.
So what are the legit manufacturers in Japan doing about this issue? It will be naive to say that the big companies haven't been affected by the knockoffs. They will still stick around since they already have that reputation and name surrounding them and those that want quality and legit parts, will still seek out their products. However, the issue is with the smaller boutique tuning shops that used to produce all these cool parts for cars. They are now afraid to produce in fear that their product will just quickly be replicated by somebody with a factory connection in China looking to capitalize. And the thing is, the better the product is, the more likely it will be copied.
By purchasing knock-off parts it is a direct slap in the face to the original makers of the product as the knockoff company is purely trying to profit from the originator. No R&D has gone into the product the knockoff company produces as its already been done. But its not like the knockoff company is paying any royalties to the original company either. Some people as well as some companies argue that these knockoff companies are actually helping the industry by making products that are in high demand more affordable for those wanting to get into car tuning. However, if they think they are actually helping the industry, why don't they try to design some affordable products of their own? Why do they have to resort to completely ripping off the design and hard work of others?
So what is my personal stance on this issue? I'm going to be the first to admit that I currently do have knockoff parts on my cars. I have a Varis-styled carbon trunk lip made by Rexpeed on my Evo and on my drift car I had no problems buying a BN Sports styled body kit from Chaser Aero. I believe that legit parts should be run on aspects of the vehicle that are vital toward performance and safety. I would not run knockoff wheels because I am concerned about their durability and strength. I don't want a wheel to crack driving through the treacherous pothole-riddled roads of Los Angeles. I would not run a cheap and knockoff turbo kit because I don't want it to freakin explode under high boost. I am more than willing to pay more money for the quality and peace of mind that legit parts offer on areas of the vehicle that affect driveability and performance. I'm OK with running knockoff body kits and aesthetics though because chances are I will probably blow up the body kit when I tap a haybale at the track or smash into a cone or if someone else hits me.
Many of my friends run wheels by Varrstoen and ROTA and I don't criticize their decisions. Their cars look good, and we have fun. I can't tell them what to do with their money and with the money they saved from buying the affordable wheels, they spread it out and improved other aspects of their cars.
I guess I'm a bit hypocritical in some regards but, I would like to see the companies that started from knocking off others to begin to produce their own parts. If they have the capability of producing products at such a large scale, why can't they tweak and design something of their own? I want to see the Japanese tuning houses once again start producing more parts for our cars without the fear of being blatantly ripped off.
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