SHIFTT IX MR

did you just want to see yourself heard?

Just wondering, but, given the nature of this web forum - a place for EVO ethusiasts (whether your EVO is bone stock, or absent of all OE hardware), how did you find this topic worthly of posting. At best I think you will receive mixed results, and truely, aside from you expression your opinion (which is fine) this thread is useless in changing the facts.

Don't get me wrong, I post stuff on EVOm sometimes that makes no more sense than when my dog trys to communicate to me via barking, and crying, the truth is the american consumer has been getting raped by the overly priced aftermarket parts, whether JDM or not. Yeh I guess that is the name of the game we all play, but I would not consider innovation gone completely. Rather, the steps taken are smaller, and more refining. In the end, what Forced Performance stands for more than anything is INNOVATION. I don't think anyone five years ago would predict a OEM turbine could be modified to out perform a GT30r, while still retaining a spool up that is acceptable for daily driving. I don't innovation is dead, I just think the big steps we are used to, that define change, innovation, invention, and improvement, are becoming more subtle, and less obvious.

I read the first half of the first sentence of your post, and stop. I was bored already.

GTLocke13

iTrader: (1)

Two beefs with your article: 1) JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) refers to parts/cars that are only available in Japan. If that's the case, companies making knockoffs here aren't stealing any of their sales, because that stuff isn't sold here. I get what you meant by the article, but JDM is maybe the wrong label, which brings me to... 2) You seem to equate Japanese parts with original design and American parts with cheap copies. While I'm sure there are American companies out there who survive on plagarizing other people's work, there are plenty of American aftermarket companies that do their own work too.

As far as what the solution for these companies is, they need to get in better with the trendsetters in the market, specifically the tuner magazines. If they can create a brand image where a car magazine would be embarrassed to put a cheap knock-off Seibon hood on their cover, they can command a premium for their parts.

joon82

iTrader: (18)

I agree with GTLocke13. Voltex is JDM and they dont even advertise on U.S magazines. Seibon other hand is doing good job at marketing. You see Seibon everywhere in the U.S magazines. To me Voltex is Japanese company that sell high quality product to Japanese car enthusiasts. If they want to suceed in U.S market, make office in U.S and start advertise.

genma

They most likely could not succeed because all of their products have already been copied by ppl who have no creativity and are only in it for money.. Which would explain why these companies are more active in rice shows than motorsport competition.

Evo8

iTrader: (24)

can't they patent their work?

genma

I am not sure how that works internationally ..

Evo8

iTrader: (24)

Copycats have been around for a very long time, I'm sure there has to be a way to fight them. People are still buying Voltex because it's Voltex, market just separates in 2 groups of buyer. There are those who care about the brand name, and there those that don't

Slo_crx1

iTrader: (9)

I see it this way...Voltex is a high quality race-oriented company that supplies aero parts for those who participate in a higher level of competition. Anyone who runs around bragging about their Voltex aero kit but never tracks the car is a phony in my view, and an idiot for spending that much money of pieces they will never get the full potential out of just because they wanted to look fast.

Seibon on the other hand is the exact opposite and caters more towards the show enthusiast. That's how they market their parts, and that's what people buy them for...for the look, not the performance.

Import Junky

iTrader: (7)

Nobody will ever care as long as someone is making parts....knock-off or not. I'm not worried about companies going under just like they don't care if I can't pay my mortgage. It's a dog eat dog world.

Q@EvoPowerMods

iTrader: (23)

You better check twice about your statement...take a look at AMS, etc...on their race prepared track cars...Seibon is all over those cars...whether it be a weight savings such as Seibon's new dry carbon doors, hoods, trunks, etc....some US company should step-up and manufacture in house some nice quality aero parts. Well; maybe that will be sooner rather than later...lol...

I have a Voltex Front Bumper because I was involved in a front end collision, I thought to get a replacement but decided to go with a qulaity part instead of the OEM piece. I guess I track my car on the Alabama AutoBhan...lol...

AWDTurbo4

iTrader: (3)

AMEN

genma

The end consumer is not the one in question, it's the corporate entity and their ethics on conducting business.
Was Seibon a race team prior or did they ever have any race affiliation before the manufacturing or copying of carbon fiber race products?? Not likely.. So what does that make them?? Their motivation is profit and nothing more, much like allot of other manufactures who merely copy.. Does it damage the industry for those who inovate, test, and create these products with little to none corporate backing.. YES.

When a company pretends to be an inovator.. Thats just flat out lieing to the consumer, then those that know better should avoid them.

EVOlutionary

iTrader: (38)

I already posted my feelings above, but I do have to say one thing in Seibon's defense. Whether they did or did not copy other companies parts in the past, they are capable of pushing the envelope on manufacturing new carbon parts.

They were the first in the USA, maybe the world, with a set of carbon fiber doors for the EVO X. They were also the first in the USA with a set of dry carbon fiber hood and trunk for the X. Even if they don't make their own custom designs, at least they can replicate stock parts in CF very quickly and for a decent price. . .

EVOlutionary

prj.evo

iTrader: (23)

This is a purely competitive market system. This kind of stuff happens all the time, with all the products that everyone buys. Eventually, an entrepreneur comes along and finds a way to do something for less.

genma

Well as a company that copies parts, I would not expect anything less.

To question whether they copied other companies parts is unquestionable..

Just look at their product line up on their web site. You will see copied creations from various manufactures, all with a key identifier in the product name.. "Style" Their original creations do not feature this. So now you know.