G37Rider92649

iTrader: (13)

LOL dont be mean, REPLICA lol that 100% fitment replica won me 9 trophies in the past 2 years w0ot w00ot lol

Mike

iTrader: (1)

So why don't you become a vendor here and sell the authentic stuff? Educate the community on the differences, spread the philosophy, and in the process, make a few (or many) bucks.

You know just as well as I do how often people go looking for the real deal. The threads pop up regularly. Then, they get sticker shock.

Educate the community, and justify those prices. Otherwise, people will only buy the replicas.

soolman32

iTrader: (15)

+1 to this.

Bill_ Mike does make a great point. Point and case when I first reached out to you In order to make a true impact on informing and gaining support for JDM, You (BPA) needs to be officially present on this site. As it stands right now, it almost feels like you have to be part of a secret circle to have access to some of the JDM parts.

When people join this forum, they are bombarded with Ark, TS replicas just to name the most prevalent ones. You almost never hear about Authentic parts until very seldom someone show off their ride similar to your "JDM-phasis" thread or the one member with full Impul kit (almost a years ago now). They receive praise and then the thread disappear behind the several others advertised replica parts.

Access to JDM parts should be as easy or at least a litle closer to how easy it is to get replicas. I'm fairly certain that if the following conditions were met, more people would buy authentic:

- Obvious vendor presence on the forum
- Parts more readily available, maybe a small inventory on hand
- Prices out on display / group buy

If you know where to go, you will inquire
If you don't have to wait as long, you will not look for alternative solutions
If you know/understand the price, you can plan better.

Just something to consider given how passionate you are about this and the fact that if anyone can make it happen for the community it would be you.

Tazicon

iTrader: (1)

^ Excellent points!


I love to hear all sides. I think some people may have missed my point that this whole argument is an age old one. It takes different shapes with different products and with different countries but it's still the same. I tell you probably everyone on this board has bought some sort of knock off made in China in the last week. It's an unfortunate part of life and giving people crap for it is just plain silly

Now one thing I do not agree with is people that market a "name brand" product using false advertisement for a cheap knock off. If a person buys a knock off because they amde that choice more power to them. If it was done thinking they got the real thing that is just wrong. These people should be put out of business.

Oh and as an FYI, I did find on a web site stating that AIT bumpers were made in the USA. Whether or not thats true I have not been able to confirm nor discount. I do my research before I spew crap and have to at least find something on the subject before I start typing. Either personal experience or researching the web. I don't ever take what I read on forums for gospel.

RYs06MT

iTrader: (4)

You're right AIT is made in so cal it's ran by Chinese men.

& vendors used to advertise Top Secret parts here, then all their parts got knocked off so they went a different route.

Weiboy718

iTrader: (10)

most would think it's the same stuff but it's not! i have first hand experience from installing replicas to authentic parts on various people's car and it's night and day difference. some key points on authentic parts are the inventors thought it through, they don't eliminate any nut, clips and screws with precision fitment. if a full bumper came pre drilled that means the fitment is 99%. now to the replicas, most will cut corners and leave out many supporting mounting points and flimsy material that feels like it can fall out. they will just make it look good on the outside and that's about it. takes a lot more work in order to make it fit whereas a authentic kit bolts right now.
most people here are fairly new to modding and probably haven't seen a authentic kit to be able to tell the difference but i can guarantee you once you seen one you will be surprised how much difference it is.

not trying to prove anything, simply stating the facts of what i know between the 2

xlack

iTrader: (3)

The thing about most people is they have only owned replica kits and never owned authentic kits. How can they know what the hell they're talking about? Price difference? Fitment? Quality?

There is an obvious difference in workmanship of the kits as weiboy has mentioned above..

If you've owned or even installed authentic kits yourself, you'll understand why the real deal cost more and why the price for authentic parts are justifiable.

I have owned replica bodykits before but after I got authentic ones, I'm never going back to replica parts again.

And it's funny when people say they're scared of destroying their authentic kits becuz they're expensive.. then maybe they should not modify their cars at all.

I have learnt to truly appreciate the workmanship/quality/innovation of authentic parts after I owned them. When people support replica parts, it really defeats the passion of modding.

Just stay stock okay?

G37Rider92649

iTrader: (13)

FACT. YOU CAN tell the difference between replica and authentic, some parts you can't but for the ones that do, oh man you definitely can, like weiboy said it's night and day I agree. I seen some kits that a replica fits as good and sometimes better, but the majority of authentic is always better than replica, this is fact. Until someone sees it first hand and has experience with it, they will know the real meaning of quality from some of these companies. I give mad props to those who went out of their way and spent money on authentic.

Here's my personal problem, with all the quality and authentic provides... I don't give a fvck..there's no way around that one lol. So the replica will do for me when it comes down to kits. Remember my 3 criteria, looks good, quality is atleast good, and price is good. Until them damn japs lower their prices on products then I'll start buying authentic, until then I have other priorities to pay FML lol

G37Sam

So cliff notes:
- It's not illegal, but it is unethical to buy replica's.
- JDM products have aerospace-grade quality, but that's not 100% guaranteed
- It's a lot cheaper to buy replica's and that makes them very attractive to most of us.

Can we please end this pointless debate now?

PS: G37Rider, a little something for you

wlmngtn

iTrader: (9)

TeRRoRiFiC35

iTrader: (2)

In all honesty, I don't blame Bill for not becoming a vendor on here. We all know this forum is lowball central and I'm sure Bill doesn't want to be bombarded by PM's asking him the prices of things and then getting told it's too expensive by the person. The best example is the Access Evolution/Exclusive Sport parts. You all say you want them, but when you get told the price you think it is insane and have asked for the parts to be knocked off(there is a thread both on here and g35driver). When I originally made my post about them with the pictures of all their parts for our cars, I specifically didn't tell you guys to PM him because I knew you guys would freak out at the prices. What kills me is that you guys want a product stolen from a small tuner shop in Japan.

Bill doesn't offer the crappy knockoffs so it isn't worth the money to become a sponsor on here. Just go look at the vendor classifieds, they are riddled with knockoff parts like the TS replica's, now Zele, Volk knockoffs, BBS knockoffs, and an HKS knockoff. In all honesty, I was shocked beyond belief when I saw Ravspec was a sponsor on here because I know all they do is sell authentic Japanese wheels, something that is beyond rare on this forum. Lately all I have seen as far as wheels go are Vorstoen(sp), Rota, XXR, etc knockoff wheel companies. It is becoming beyond rare for someone to have either a custom set of wheels like DPE, HRE, IForged, VIP Modular, Rotiform(I dont mention Vossen cause they have the biggest following on here), etc or even Japanese brands(Volk these days is rarely used on our cars). Just go take a look at some of the recent picture posts in both the sedan and coupe forums, you will see what I mean. Go take a look at the Bespoke Industries blog and look at the customer cars they have, they are all beautifully put together with authentic parts. I've known about Bulletproof since my Honda days because they were one of the few companies that sold the actual hard to get JDM parts.

Kidcane

iTrader: (7)

This may never end.

So if the answer to people who think authentic parts are too expensive and are worried about destroying the part is "dont mod your car" then the JDM company still does not get the business. How is that any different then that same person buying a replica part? JDM company is still not getting the business. Chances are the people buying the replica parts would not buy the JDM parts even if they were the only option because of price so really they are not the JDM companies market anyway. Personally I think it comes down to knowing your client demographics and focusing your marketing on the correct people not whining about the people who were never in your client demographic to begin with.

G37Rider92649

iTrader: (13)

ey man u know i talk mostly in slang hahah

Jadex153

Well, if Bill wants to sponsor the site, that's awesome. If not, he's not hard to find. I gotta give him some mad props, though, for sticking to his guns the way he has on this particular topic. He is the only vendor that I know of where JDM parts are available. Maybe one day, when Im rich and famous. :P

kchu221

iTrader: (4)

or maybe when i part out my car soon, you can some of my jdm goodies for less!