Trifecta

Hello World!

Automobiles..a simple mode of transportation to get from A to B. Well, that's what most of society views what a car is for anyway. But, to those that view cars as not only a simple mode of transportation, but in a sense, a lifestyle, I present to you: Street Status.

So how can a box with four wheels, an engine, drivetrain, and suspension morph into a lifestyle for gearheads? Have you ever experienced "getting your car ready for a trackday?" If you're chuckling a little bit, then this blog is for you. If you're reliving that shitty moment when you see the sun starting to peek up as you lay under your piece of shit rice rocket (lets be real, at this point you HATE your car), trying to figure out how why the power steering pump you're replacing (which is supposed to be exactly the same as the one you took out), won't simply just bolt back on. You had all week to prepare the car but, somehow, someway it always comes down to the last minute before you have to hop in the car and drive to the track without sleep of any sort and hoping that your car actually makes it to the track. Even the most menial tasks such as a simple oil change, or replacing a broken gasket, or chasing down a leak in your radiator system somehow manages to complicate itself tenfold as the drain bolt for the oil pan gets stripped as you screw it back in, or you end up accidentally ripping the brand new gasket you just got, or you find out the leak in your radiator system is actually due to a faulty water pump. 

But why do we do this? Why don't we give up when the car we just spent all night fixing and "getting ready" shits itself the first lap out? Why do we come back out the next week or month and do it all over again? Why do we devote a good portion of our paychecks towards cars and take risks such as lying to our bosses and taking extra time off from work itself to go race? Why do we get more excited about seeing a unicorn Nissan Skyline BNR34 GTR rolling down the street than a really really hot Asian-Brazilian mixed girl in spandex jogging down the street  (or is that just me)? Some of us stretch ourselves so thin when it comes to cars that it negatively affects the other aspects of our lives either financially, professionally, or in personal relationships. When a car somehow begins to consume your life and dictates the decisions you make, its kind of a problem. But, for those insane people that consider themselves fortunate enough to have even gotten to taste sleep before a race or trackday and don't even eek out a yawn at 6:00am for a two hour drive to the track, that's what true passion is to them.

We live and work for the moment when that feeling of accomplishment comes and we stand back and admire our cars after installing a new part on it. That fresh excitement to go out and drive no matter what time of day or night it is. That adrenaline rush when you're drifting door-to-door with one of your mates or overtaking a Porsche 911 GT3 through the "Cotton Corners" at Buttonwillow Raceway in your janky garage-built 20-year old Nissan. 

For the people that felt guilty spending money on things other than car parts and used car parts as a standard of measurement for how much something is worth, this blog is for you. If you can relate to any of the situations I brought up above, this blog is for you and I welcome you with open arms. However, I haven't even really talked about what kind of things I want to blog about yet. And, you still don't know anything about me.

So to most of my friends I’m known as “the car guy.” When anyone has any issues or questions remotely related to cars, they come to me. Sometimes I feel a bit dejected thinking “cars” is all I’m good for. However, I have come to embrace this notion because hey, I do love cars.

I’ve been building and playing around with toy cars since I was little. I’ve been playing racing simulation games years before I had an actual driver’s license. After earning my driver’s license, I went and bought a Nissan 240SX drift car and taught myself how to drive stick as well as learned how to drift in the parking lot of my parent’s workplace. Soon after that, I entered myself into drifting competitions throughout the Southwest in Arizona, Utah, Las Vegas, and Long Beach and eventually became one of the youngest professional-amateur drift drivers in the history of the motorsport. When it came time to step up and into the professional realm at the Redbull World Drifting Championships in 2008, I choked. I threw my beloved little Nissan backwards into a concrete barrier at speed effectively totaling my vehicle and all hopes of earning a professional drifting license through Formula Drift.

My Nissan 240SX(S14) at Redbull World Drifting Championships

So why is a dejected, bitter, and washed-up pro-am driver writing a car blog? What authority or voice do I actually have in the sport-compact-car world? Even though I failed at joining the professional ranks, I have tremendous love for the sport of drifting still and I cannot deny that those years spent traveling, drifting at different tracks, meeting all the people, and just driving with good friends were still the best years of my life. I don’t want to focus this whole blog on drifting though, although it is kind of hard to not talk about it since drifting is most certainly the biggest motorsport currently trending in motorsports and especially in the sport-compact car world.

I’d like to talk about critical issues within the car world from many perspectives. Ethical issues can be discussed by talking about the biases that certain judges have in drifting since drifting is a subjective motorsport and all the power lies in the hands of three judges. Legislative issues can also be discussed such as the legality of importation of certain vehicles such as the Nissan Skyline or police profiling of modified vehicles. I love car culture and mostly everything to do with it. However, I too have my own biases which I won’t be afraid to show through this blog. I do not necessarily agree with the “American-way” of tuning and modifying vehicles. I have no doubt that the American way is moving the industry and sport technologically forward but, I like the Japanese philosophy much better and I will try to show the differences.

Like I’ve said throughout, I love cars. My free time is mostly spent on browsing through car blogs, or working on friend’s cars, or modifying and fixing my own cars, or just bullshitting with car buds outside in a parking lot until the sun comes up. But within cars, there’s also a lot of shit that pisses me off and I’d like to bring those issues up to the surface.

I hope you enjoyed my first post and welcome to Street Status.

Profile Post: Christopherhib

There aren't many automotive enthusiasts in the blog-o-sphere that continually post up their own written content about cars. Most blogs just circulate pictures or videos around. I was pleased to find a user who goes by "Christopherhib" through StumbleUpon who not only stumbles much of the same content I am interested in but who also has his own separate blog. Christopherhib hosts his own blog at http://carsandcoolstuff.com.

Chris is a master at utilizing social media to spread awareness of his own website as well as contributing to other blogs and engaging in discussion with other Stumblers. He classifies himself as an enthusiast and passionate lover of Japanese performance cars. Chris posts new content pretty regularly (around 2-3 posts a week) to keep his followers and advertisers happy. The subjects of his postings are about cars obviously but are quite informative as he has his own project car which is a Volvo 340DL that he is converting into a drift car. He documents the status of his drift car build and as car lovers, we love drooling and ogling over what others are doing with their cars in hopes that their progress will spur us on and continue motivating us to complete our own seemingly never-ending car builds. Chris has done his homework and utilizes his blog effectively even garnering a couple advertisers and sponsors. His blog receives anywhere from 110 to 550 new people a day which translates to an average of 800+ views a week and 1700-5600 views a month.

Chris' blog is more of an informative blog rather than a blog that creates discussion and talks about issues within the tuning car industry. He features cars that he sees at car shows and also helps out his friends by showcasing their cars as well. He also provides great resources through his website such as page full of websites/blogs he constantly frequents. Since he is in the UK, I now have a plethora of drifting and Japanese car tuning resources and content to browse through to learn more about how the tuning culture is like in the UK.

My blog differs from Chris' in that it is not primarily focused on technical articles, event coverage, or car features. The purpose of my blog is to share my opinion in regards to the state of the tuning industry and to create more dialogue about key issues that have reared its head throughout recent years. I guess his blog won't really piss anyone off but it may turn off people who do not necessarily have a burning passion for tuning Volvos. On the plus side, his articles are still about cars and the articles he provides are in a way still universal. For example, this article regarding rust repair can be easily applicable to any car:
http://carsandcoolstuff.com/2011/07/finishing-your-rust-repair-and-getting-it-right/

His coverage of motorsporting events in the UK highlight many different types of vehicles and are media heavy providing lots of eye-candy that will appease any gearhead subscribed to the disciplines of drifting, time-attack, or even rally:
http://carsandcoolstuff.com/2011/05/japfest-2011-at-castle-combe-race-circuit-show-report/

Please give christopherhib's StumbleUpon as well as personal website a viewing as he offers a ton of great resources and has great tastes if you're into Japanese tuning and drifting. He has plenty of knowledge about the state of tuning not only in the UK but globally as well. I thoroughly enjoyed everything he has shared through StumbleUpon and I can consider him my quintessential social bookmarking soulmate.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/christopherhib/likes
http://carsandcoolstuff.com/

Voice Post

Car bloggers think they're really cool but, they're really not. There are thousands of blogs about cars, specifically Japanese-tuned cars however, most of them just consist of pictures or witty one-liners, or videos that have been circulating around. With these type of blogs, its hard to discern a "voice" behind the posts as the blogger does not really give an opinion on a particular subject but rather conforms and reblogs other pictures that have been circulating around the web, or teases their subscribers with progress pictures of their own rides. When I stumbled upon JDMphasis, I was pleased to find that he blogged quite regularly and had very strong opinions on his take of what has been taking place within the industry.

JDMphasis's tagline is this: 


"To select automotive enthusiasts "JDM" is more than just an acronym for the Japanese Domestic Market. JDM is not simply rare parts. It is a way of life. A culture. A modus vivendi. JDM is a lifestyle."

"A modus vivendi" ay? I have never heard of that phrase before and especially not when it concerns cars. I had to look up "a modus vivendi" and found out that it essentially means: agree to disagree. From his tagline itself I can already gather that the blogger himself knows that people are not going to like what he has to say but, he's still going to say it anyway. He understands that Japanese automotive enthusiasts subscribe to many different ways in modifying their vehicles. I can tell that he is not only a knowledgeable enthusiast but he also understands positive and negative aspects of the Japanese tuning car culture.

In a post titled "Unoriginal. Unimaginative. Unworthy. Unacceptable." published on March 11, 2013, the blogger starts off by quoting the 19th-century health-conscious undertaker William Banting, "Yet the evil still increased, and, like the parasite of barnacles on a ship, if it did not destroy the structure, it obstructed its fair, comfortable progress in the path of life." The post went on to bash a knockoff wheel company for replicating the brand new lightweight GT racing wheel produced by Japanese wheel manufacturer: Yokohama Advan. But hold up, did he just tie in a historical figure from the 19th-century and relate it to a tuner wheel?! What?! This guy is blowing minds here.

He has great respect for the industry and the amazing parts and development that stems from the legit producers from Japan. However, it is because of this high respect for the Japanese tuning gods that he also looks down upon those and berates those that do not worship the brands of HKS, Trust, Tomei, and the like. From reading his posts, there is an air of superiority and slight haughtiness that surrounds them that is uncommon in the automotive world. But it is also quote refreshing and I find his posts quite entertaining to read.

The author of JDMphasis is fully capable of writing in elevated prose throwing many rhetorical questions out and really showcasing his writing prowess. However, he also takes the time to dumb it down and to really synthesize what he is trying to get at.

For example in his post titled "Disillusioned" published on February 20, 2013. He goes on a tirade about how Nissan USA featured a car on their Facebook paged that was dressed up in replica aero parts. 

"These wheel companies, rightfully so, take umbrage to companies stealing their designs, and they find it necessary to warn potential customers of the phonies and counterfeits permeating the marketplace. As stated above, I embrace these caveat emptor bulletins."

Words like "umbrage" and "caveat emptor" are not words that I come across everyday nor expect to find in a car blog for that matter. It is kind of taboo that to see such topics regarding wheels, exhausts, drift cars, and things along the lines of that surrounded by heightened diction that comes from a well-educated adult. Its a breath of fresh air to see actual dialogue taking place regarding these issues instead of reading the posts of a 17 year-old kid trolling Zilvia.com behind his keyboard and computer screen typing "moar low" or posting about how his brand new XXR wheels are legit as f*ck. 

"The aspect of this I find a bit ironic and, bluntly, hypocritical, is that some of these legitimate wheel companies have no problem featuring vehicles that are sporting their wheels, but are clad in replica aero. We see it all the time. Their brochures are printed with these cars, their websites are full of them, and their fan pages broadcast them daily. Frankly, I don’t get it. Is there no kinship between pioneering companies? Is there no fraternity? No alliance or partnership? No common support for originality and authenticity? I have written about this before (JDMphasis: Authentic Alliance?) and some surely label me obtuse or naïve, but is business that cutthroat that companies have the gall to denounce only the replica companies that steal their designs, and not those other hack companies cashing in on the fruit of other legitimate companies’ labor? Not only do they not denounce them, they feature them! They reward them. Where is the defense of authenticity? Where is the love and loyalty to the culture from which they were born? Is that not from where everything in the aftermarket scene stems? Would these companies have success if it weren’t for enthusiasts like you and me? Have they forgotten what this is all about?"

The blogger is not only angry at the knockoff companies but also at the legit companies as well! He is angry at everyone! He does have a point though. Companies are just watching out for themselves. However, if companies only featured cars that were 100% legit with no corners cut, there wouldn't really be much out there. 

"Let me put it another way… Nissan is showcasing a car tattooed with a replica company’s logo on a fake Amuse front bumper. We are all aware that Nismo is the performance division of Nissan. Like many other parts from many other JDM companies, many of the Nismo aero parts designs have been stolen and replicated. Thus, Nismo has suffered at the hand of replica companies. That said, do we think Nissan would be willing to showcase a Z33 on their Facebook page that wears a big decal advertising a replica company on a bumper that looks identical to the popular Nismo V2 front bumper? Perhaps the same company whose name is resting comfortably on that fake Amuse front bumper on the Z they just broadcasted to over 1,000,000 people on Facebook? This same replica company has profited from the theft of quite a few Nismo aero designs. Just visit their website and you’ll see for yourself. Is this not an overwhelmingly transparent and ironic conflict of interest?

Why? Am I missing something? Nothing surprises me anymore..."

That last line, "Nothing surprises me anymore..." After reading that line, I feel like I have just disappointed or disrespected my parents. The blogger is clearly disappointed and feels let down by the industry. In a sense, he has lost hope in even some of the companies he supports. We as car enthusiasts empathize with him. Flustered and angered about these events, he conveys to the audience that he is simply..disappointed. JDMphasis writes like he is the parental figure of the automotive industry. He knows what he wants for his kids and tries to set them on the correct path and to do everything properly. However, the kids have a mind of their own and think that their own method of car tuning is correct and cut corners in the process. His posts serve as lectures and punishments to the kids of the tuning industry.

What I like about this blogger is that he doesn't only bash knockoff companies without reason. He clearly articulates his arguments and argues his point of views with logic, examples, and backup. He may have a slightly elitist point of view but, he is looking out for the industry as well as car enthusiasts and tries to cover all bases in an attempt to educate the masses on the harm that knockoff companies present to the tuning industry. He isn't just spouting nonsense and the way he conducts his posts exudes maturity and understanding. He understands why people buy knockoffs and why people buy legit. Through his experiences and expertise he hopes to nudge the knockoff crowd towards going legit so he can see his ideal JDM tuning world come to fruition. 

http://jdmphasis.blogspot.com

Voice Post - JDMphasis

It was actually kind of difficult to find a blogger that actually expressed their feelings about the sport compact car culture in a blog format. Sure, there are many people on forums giving their 2 cents about the current state of the tuning world but, they never really go that in-depth and you can tell they are also holding themselves back still from what they truly want to say. There are thousands of blogs about cars, specifically Japanese-tuned cars however, most of them just consist of pictures or witty one-liners, or videos that have been circulating around. When I stumbled upon JDMphasis, I was pleased to find that he blogged quite regularly and had very strong opinions on his take of what has been taking place within the industry.


JDMphasis's tagline is this: 
"To select automotive enthusiasts "JDM" is more than just an acronym for the Japanese Domestic Market. JDM is not simply rare parts. It is a way of life. A culture. A modus vivendi. JDM is a lifestyle."
Just from his tagline, I can tell that he is not only a knowledgeable enthusiast but he also understands positive and negative aspects of the Japanese tuning car culture. He has great respect for the industry and the amazing parts and development that stems from the legit producers from Japan. However, it is because of this high respect for the Japanese tuning gods that he also looks down upon those and berates those that do not worship the brands of HKS, Trust, Tomei, and the like. From reading his posts, there is an air of superiority and slight haughtiness that surrounds them that is uncommon in the automotive world. But it is also quote refreshing and I find his posts quite entertaining to read.
His post titled: "Unoriginal. Unimaginative. Unworthy. Unacceptable." Published on March 11, 2013 starts off by quoting the 19th century health-conscious undertaker William Banting, "Yet the evil still increased, and, like the parasite of barnacles on a ship, if it did not destroy the structure, it obstructed its fair, comfortable progress in the path of life."
When was the last time you saw somebody tie in a quote from literature or history to relate back to Japanese rice rockets? The blogger used this quote to comment on companies in China and Taiwan knocking off the brand new lightweight racing wheel produced by Yokohama Advan, the GT:

These companies that are knocking off legit wheels are "parasites" to the industry and do nothing but slow it down.

The author of JDMphasis is fully capable of writing in elevated prose throwing many rhetorical questions out and really showcasing his writing prowess. However, he also takes the time to dumb it down and to really synthesize what he is trying to get at.

For example in his post titled "Disillusioned" published on February 20, 2013. He goes on a tirade about how Nissan USA featured a car on their Facebook paged that was dressed up in replica aero parts. 

"These wheel companies, rightfully so, take umbrage to companies stealing their designs, and they find it necessary to warn potential customers of the phonies and counterfeits permeating the marketplace. As stated above, I embrace these caveat emptor bulletins."

"The aspect of this I find a bit ironic and, bluntly, hypocritical, is that some of these legitimate wheel companies have no problem featuring vehicles that are sporting their wheels, but are clad in replica aero. We see it all the time. Their brochures are printed with these cars, their websites are full of them, and their fan pages broadcast them daily. Frankly, I don’t get it. Is there no kinship between pioneering companies? Is there no fraternity? No alliance or partnership? No common support for originality and authenticity? I have written about this before (JDMphasis: Authentic Alliance?) and some surely label me obtuse or naïve, but is business that cutthroat that companies have the gall to denounce only the replica companies that steal their designs, and not those other hack companies cashing in on the fruit of other legitimate companies’ labor? Not only do they not denounce them, they feature them! They reward them. Where is the defense of authenticity? Where is the love and loyalty to the culture from which they were born? Is that not from where everything in the aftermarket scene stems? Would these companies have success if it weren’t for enthusiasts like you and me? Have they forgotten what this is all about?"

The blogger is not only angry at the knockoff companies but also at the legit companies as well! He is angry at everyone! He does have a point though. Companies are just watching out for themselves. However, if companies only featured cars that were 100% legit with no corners cut, there wouldn't really be much out there. 

"Let me put it another way… Nissan is showcasing a car tattooed with a replica company’s logo on a fake Amuse front bumper. We are all aware that Nismo is the performance division of Nissan. Like many other parts from many other JDM companies, many of the Nismo aero parts designs have been stolen and replicated. Thus, Nismo has suffered at the hand of replica companies. That said, do we think Nissan would be willing to showcase a Z33 on their Facebook page that wears a big decal advertising a replica company on a bumper that looks identical to the popular Nismo V2 front bumper? Perhaps the same company whose name is resting comfortably on that fake Amuse front bumper on the Z they just broadcasted to over 1,000,000 people on Facebook? This same replica company has profited from the theft of quite a few Nismo aero designs. Just visit their website and you’ll see for yourself. Is this not an overwhelmingly transparent and ironic conflict of interest?

Why? Am I missing something? Nothing surprises me anymore..."

So in the end he breaks it down and tries to make the situation more relatable to everyone. He is obviously flustered and angered about these events. However, he wants to educate the masses in hopes to spread awareness and prevent situations like these from arising and becoming even more common. 

JDMphasis may have a slightly elitist point of view but, he is looking out for the industry and tries to cover all bases in an attempt to educate the masses on the harm that knockoff companies present to the aftermarket industry. He clearly articulates and argues his point of views with logic, examples, and backup. He isn't just spouting nonsense and the way he conducts his posts exudes maturity and understanding. He understands why people buy knockoffs and why people buy legit. Through his experiences and expertise he hopes to nudge the knockoff crowd towards going legit so he can see his ideal JDM tuning world come to fruition. 

http://jdmphasis.blogspot.com/