Fatlace article on fake wheels...
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From: Four-One-Oh
Fatlace article on fake wheels...
http://fatlace.com/slammedsociety/reps-or-real/
The discussion has also carried over onto G35Driver...
http://g35driver.com/forums/lounge-o...ke-wheels.html
Since I know some people on my350z have taken sides in personal discussions, I think this is a worthy topic to discuss within the Mid-A.
So the debate continues and we’ve taken our stand against some replica wheel manufacturers. It’s not a debate whether or not it’s cool to rock them, its more to support our friends who run and own Rays, Advan, Work, and AME. Our friend Jay from JDM EGO has pushed this ideology as long as we’ve known him and we’ve become good friends with these wheel manufacturers throughout the many years we’ve been tuning cars and it’s our right to take the stand of not featuring cars with replica/fake wheels. A big part is that we’re sponsored by one of the Japanese wheel manufacturers mentioned above so we feel it’s part of our loyalty to their company.
These companies push hard to come up with designs that excite all of us when they first debut at Autosalon only to get copied the day they’re released with a cheaper knock off. Sure, some of the knock off brands are built well and can handle the track but its only due to the origin of its design. If the design wasnt built tough, the original manufacturer wouldnt make it, right? Also, it shouldnt be about price since it’s Forged vs. Cast.
So to this site that has tried to take a stab at us by using nationality as a reason to like/hate the brand, please understand the logic behind this decision.
Here’s an example of a new wheel manufacturer doing their thing. Rotiform out of Westminster, California. Their own designs, Their style.
These companies push hard to come up with designs that excite all of us when they first debut at Autosalon only to get copied the day they’re released with a cheaper knock off. Sure, some of the knock off brands are built well and can handle the track but its only due to the origin of its design. If the design wasnt built tough, the original manufacturer wouldnt make it, right? Also, it shouldnt be about price since it’s Forged vs. Cast.
So to this site that has tried to take a stab at us by using nationality as a reason to like/hate the brand, please understand the logic behind this decision.
Here’s an example of a new wheel manufacturer doing their thing. Rotiform out of Westminster, California. Their own designs, Their style.
http://g35driver.com/forums/lounge-o...ke-wheels.html
Since I know some people on my350z have taken sides in personal discussions, I think this is a worthy topic to discuss within the Mid-A.
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From: Four-One-Oh
Background Info:
MACKIN Industries, the Volk/Rays authorized distributor released a memo stating they will cancel and business dealings with a Dealer who also markets Varrstoen wheels.
http://www.autofashionusa.com/conten...-the-copy.html
MACKIN Industries, the Volk/Rays authorized distributor released a memo stating they will cancel and business dealings with a Dealer who also markets Varrstoen wheels.
http://www.autofashionusa.com/conten...-the-copy.html
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From: Four-One-Oh
More Background Info:
Fatlace has edited their original statement, which now reads:
Fatlace has edited their original statement, which now reads:
Edit: We would like to know your opinion on this matter as we definitely do not want to alienate people from being featured. We do however know that companies that spend alot of time and money doing R&D building these great wheels are suffering from copycats. We are however considering being lenient with them on Hellaflush since it isn’t about wheels itself but is about the overall fitment and look as a package.
Last edited by NNOCENT; Oct 4, 2010 at 12:19 PM.
http://fatlace.com/slammedsociety/reps-or-real/
Since I know some people on my350z have taken sides in personal discussions, I think this is a worthy topic to discuss within the Mid-A.
Since I know some people on my350z have taken sides in personal discussions, I think this is a worthy topic to discuss within the Mid-A.
Big name companies shouldn't be big cry babies because a smaller shop is making copy cats of their wheels. No one honestly cares if your wheels are fake vs real, at least not at any ole regular car meet you go to considering 99% of people can't identify fake vs real in the first place. If you think you have bigger ***** than the other dude because you paid more for your set of wheels then that's nothing but an ego problem.
I paid $4k for my set, joe schmoe paid $1k for his, both wheels are identical: at the end of the day, the customer can spend his money where he wishes.
Sure you can say they are "losing sales." But if Joe had only $1k to spend in the first place... how are they losing a sale? Joe wouldn't have bought the "big name brand" wheel to begin with.
I paid $4k for my set, joe schmoe paid $1k for his, both wheels are identical: at the end of the day, the customer can spend his money where he wishes.
Sure you can say they are "losing sales." But if Joe had only $1k to spend in the first place... how are they losing a sale? Joe wouldn't have bought the "big name brand" wheel to begin with.
Last edited by abui01; Oct 4, 2010 at 01:03 PM.
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I could care less what wheels are on what car... Buy what you can afford.
There are some reps that make a better quality wheel then other reps so just do your homework no matter what you buy.
In the end its about making your car YOURS. however much you choose to spend or not spend its about the style and how you want your car to look.
There are some reps that make a better quality wheel then other reps so just do your homework no matter what you buy.
In the end its about making your car YOURS. however much you choose to spend or not spend its about the style and how you want your car to look.
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From: Four-One-Oh
Big name companies shouldn't be big cry babies because a smaller shop is making copy cats of their wheels. No one honestly cares if your wheels are fake vs real, at least not at any ole regular car meet you go to considering 99% of people can't identify fake vs real in the first place. If you think you have bigger ***** than the other dude because you paid more for your set of wheels then that's nothing but an ego problem.
I paid $4k for my set, joe schmoe paid $1k for his, both wheels are identical: at the end of the day, the customer can spend his money where he wishes.
Sure you can say they are "losing sales." But if Joe had only $1k to spend in the first place... how are they losing a sale? Joe wouldn't have bought the "big name brand" wheel to begin with.
I paid $4k for my set, joe schmoe paid $1k for his, both wheels are identical: at the end of the day, the customer can spend his money where he wishes.
Sure you can say they are "losing sales." But if Joe had only $1k to spend in the first place... how are they losing a sale? Joe wouldn't have bought the "big name brand" wheel to begin with.
I'm just crious to how much of a mark up these wheels have and the actual cost to make a wheel. Imagine if the $5k set of Rays/Works you bought only cost the company $500 to manufacture. Who's the sucker? The one who paid $5k or the one who spend $1k?
another great way to put it.
The old Fake vs. Real dispute. Gotta love it.
IMHO there shouldn't be reason for a customer to need to make the choice between buying an original or a knock-off if there wasn't such a huge different in price between the two. While it's true that in some cases "You get what you pay for", yet in a lot of cases what you pay for is just the name. Realistically the very companies crying foul about copies or knock-off products are the very same ones who create the problems in the first place by price gouging their customers for a higher profit margins. If a small little "copy cat company" can manage to recreate a product and the manufacturing process from a huge global supplier like MACKIN Industries and sell it for less than half it tell me that maybe MACKIN Industries price is a bit over inflated in the first place. Ask yourself this... Would you bother trying to copy something if you knew that it would cost you just as much to just buy the original? You don't think it really cost them $500 to manufacture a single wheel do you? If MACKIN Industries really wanted to put a hurting to anyone attempting to knock-off their products they could easily do it my pricing their products low enough where the "copy cats" can't compete. They'll sell more product while biting into the profits of the knock-off companies.
IMHO there shouldn't be reason for a customer to need to make the choice between buying an original or a knock-off if there wasn't such a huge different in price between the two. While it's true that in some cases "You get what you pay for", yet in a lot of cases what you pay for is just the name. Realistically the very companies crying foul about copies or knock-off products are the very same ones who create the problems in the first place by price gouging their customers for a higher profit margins. If a small little "copy cat company" can manage to recreate a product and the manufacturing process from a huge global supplier like MACKIN Industries and sell it for less than half it tell me that maybe MACKIN Industries price is a bit over inflated in the first place. Ask yourself this... Would you bother trying to copy something if you knew that it would cost you just as much to just buy the original? You don't think it really cost them $500 to manufacture a single wheel do you? If MACKIN Industries really wanted to put a hurting to anyone attempting to knock-off their products they could easily do it my pricing their products low enough where the "copy cats" can't compete. They'll sell more product while biting into the profits of the knock-off companies.
I think the only thing they are worried about is devaluing their brand.
If everyone runs around with copies of high end wheels, who the hell wants the real deal on their car? I sure as hell don't want wheels 10 local ricers have. even if I know mine are the legit brand.
If everyone runs around with copies of high end wheels, who the hell wants the real deal on their car? I sure as hell don't want wheels 10 local ricers have. even if I know mine are the legit brand.
The real deal or GTFO is my stand. But I pay for my own crap on my car, and you pay for yours. So everybodys entitled to their stand.
Last edited by L33TZOR; Oct 5, 2010 at 09:44 AM. Reason: type-o
The old Fake vs. Real dispute. Gotta love it.
IMHO there shouldn't be reason for a customer to need to make the choice between buying an original or a knock-off if there wasn't such a huge different in price between the two. While it's true that in some cases "You get what you pay for", yet in a lot of cases what you pay for is just the name. Realistically the very companies crying foul about copies or knock-off products are the very same ones who create the problems in the first place by price gouging their customers for a higher profit margins. If a small little "copy cat company" can manage to recreate a product and the manufacturing process from a huge global supplier like MACKIN Industries and sell it for less than half it tell me that maybe MACKIN Industries price is a bit over inflated in the first place. Ask yourself this... Would you bother trying to copy something if you knew that it would cost you just as much to just buy the original? You don't think it really cost them $500 to manufacture a single wheel do you? If MACKIN Industries really wanted to put a hurting to anyone attempting to knock-off their products they could easily do it my pricing their products low enough where the "copy cats" can't compete. They'll sell more product while biting into the profits of the knock-off companies.
IMHO there shouldn't be reason for a customer to need to make the choice between buying an original or a knock-off if there wasn't such a huge different in price between the two. While it's true that in some cases "You get what you pay for", yet in a lot of cases what you pay for is just the name. Realistically the very companies crying foul about copies or knock-off products are the very same ones who create the problems in the first place by price gouging their customers for a higher profit margins. If a small little "copy cat company" can manage to recreate a product and the manufacturing process from a huge global supplier like MACKIN Industries and sell it for less than half it tell me that maybe MACKIN Industries price is a bit over inflated in the first place. Ask yourself this... Would you bother trying to copy something if you knew that it would cost you just as much to just buy the original? You don't think it really cost them $500 to manufacture a single wheel do you? If MACKIN Industries really wanted to put a hurting to anyone attempting to knock-off their products they could easily do it my pricing their products low enough where the "copy cats" can't compete. They'll sell more product while biting into the profits of the knock-off companies.