Is Varrstoen Wheels Breaking Federal Law???
04-14-2010, 12:35 PM
#1
Is Varrstoen Wheels Breaking Federal Law???
I wanted to create a thread which addresses a subject near and dear to all
of our hearts. Within the past 12 months Varrstoen has flooded the market
with a replica of arguably the most cherished wheel in import tuning - the
RAYS motorsport / VOLK racing te-37.
Some questions I have been unable to answer:
1. Is Varsstoen breaking federal patent/trademark/copyright law?
2. Does Rays/Volk have the wherewithall to protect their own brand?
3. Do the car owners even care?
My personal answers would be "yes" three-fold, however I am not an attorney,
nor do I have any interest (financial) in Rays/Volk business.
I do believe that Varrstoen has crossed the line legally and should be
held fiscally responsible for the losses of brand value and sales due to
their introduction of a mimic product marketed as a direct replica of an
existing trademarked product.
I actually called Brian at Mackin today to discuss this post before I made
it, but then realized that we likely shared opinions (and he didn't answer).
If Mackin decides to litigate against Varsstoen I would be happy to be
deposed.
This is a classic issue (think rota, ruff racing, etc) which has plagued the
community for a while. I do not think one post will change the world, but
the internets work in strange ways.
Perhaps a petition? or some sort of simple protest of this product would
suffice. I also believe that voicing opinions to Varsstoen's distributors
is important.
Comments?
of our hearts. Within the past 12 months Varrstoen has flooded the market
with a replica of arguably the most cherished wheel in import tuning - the
RAYS motorsport / VOLK racing te-37.
Some questions I have been unable to answer:
1. Is Varsstoen breaking federal patent/trademark/copyright law?
2. Does Rays/Volk have the wherewithall to protect their own brand?
3. Do the car owners even care?
My personal answers would be "yes" three-fold, however I am not an attorney,
nor do I have any interest (financial) in Rays/Volk business.
I do believe that Varrstoen has crossed the line legally and should be
held fiscally responsible for the losses of brand value and sales due to
their introduction of a mimic product marketed as a direct replica of an
existing trademarked product.
I actually called Brian at Mackin today to discuss this post before I made
it, but then realized that we likely shared opinions (and he didn't answer).
If Mackin decides to litigate against Varsstoen I would be happy to be
deposed.
This is a classic issue (think rota, ruff racing, etc) which has plagued the
community for a while. I do not think one post will change the world, but
the internets work in strange ways.
Perhaps a petition? or some sort of simple protest of this product would
suffice. I also believe that voicing opinions to Varsstoen's distributors
is important.
Comments?
04-14-2010, 01:04 PM
#6
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I don't mean to come off like a dick but cry me a river, build me a bridge and get over it.
Hello, Rota been doing it for years.
Even name branded wheels coppied each others.
SSR Professor SP3 is a straight copy of HRE Comp 93.
Sad to see things like this happen, but it's the style and look. Nothing's new in this game.
It's a replica, not a fake.
Bride has fakes all over, nothing changed.
It looks the same doesn't mean it's 100% exact the same. 1mm off can be their evidence of the product being their design. At least, Varrstoen is legit enough to call it under their own name brand and not straight up faking the wheels as Volk TE37.
/thread
Hello, Rota been doing it for years.
Even name branded wheels coppied each others.
SSR Professor SP3 is a straight copy of HRE Comp 93.
Sad to see things like this happen, but it's the style and look. Nothing's new in this game.
It's a replica, not a fake.
Bride has fakes all over, nothing changed.
It looks the same doesn't mean it's 100% exact the same. 1mm off can be their evidence of the product being their design. At least, Varrstoen is legit enough to call it under their own name brand and not straight up faking the wheels as Volk TE37.
/thread
Last edited by ATL_Red_G35; 04-14-2010 at 01:06 PM.
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04-14-2010, 01:10 PM
#8
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btw, I'm happy there are knock offs so I can be a total dick, point and laugh at the other guy. Not really, I wouldn't do that 
When people buy these, they know and aware that these are cheaper knock offs. And they agreed to it because it fits their budget. I don't see nothing's wrong with that.
Replica > fake
Replica = acceptable
Just my 2.5 cents
When people buy these, they know and aware that these are cheaper knock offs. And they agreed to it because it fits their budget. I don't see nothing's wrong with that.
Replica > fake
Replica = acceptable
Just my 2.5 cents
04-14-2010, 01:18 PM
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Wouldn't they need to actually patent the look of the wheel, not just the technical aspects like Apple did recently with their new Iphone/Itouch patent that covers the 'Ornamental Design'? Even then it'd be hard since like ATL said, another company can just make it slightly different (spokes thinner, wider, different offsets, different colors) and just point at that as differentiating it. Unfortunately Mackin didn't invent the wheel, or wheels with spokes, or wheels with lips, and pretty much none of the replicas are even forged or claim to be so it's a nonissue.
04-14-2010, 01:26 PM
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I love my volks and Im not realy a big knock off fan but these guys are definetly doing it right at the right price.
04-14-2010, 01:27 PM
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This is so stupid. If you have no connection to Volk and have no financial stake in the company why the hell do you care?
I can only assume that you're one of those people that own an "original" set of wheels and feel totally angry, hurt and deeply saddened that some other unknown company could dare copy the wheels you cherish oh so dearly. To top it off sell them for less than half the price of the wheels that they copied therefore letting low life scumbags with shitty jobs and live in trailer parks buy wheels that look like yours. It must just be killing your rep.
If this is the case, you really need to stop sucking on Really Cold Popsicles that cause brain freeze and realize that imitation it the highest form of flattery. Knock offs have and always will happen. Good luck trying to make any form of allegation that this company has dropped sales or damaged Volks name actually stick.
While you're at it you may as well go after any company who has ever copied a design.
konig
rota
ssk
axis
sport max
xxr
spun
etc..
Good luck.
I can only assume that you're one of those people that own an "original" set of wheels and feel totally angry, hurt and deeply saddened that some other unknown company could dare copy the wheels you cherish oh so dearly. To top it off sell them for less than half the price of the wheels that they copied therefore letting low life scumbags with shitty jobs and live in trailer parks buy wheels that look like yours. It must just be killing your rep.
If this is the case, you really need to stop sucking on Really Cold Popsicles that cause brain freeze and realize that imitation it the highest form of flattery. Knock offs have and always will happen. Good luck trying to make any form of allegation that this company has dropped sales or damaged Volks name actually stick.
While you're at it you may as well go after any company who has ever copied a design.
konig
rota
ssk
axis
sport max
xxr
spun
etc..
Good luck.
Last edited by Chebosto; 04-15-2010 at 12:58 PM. Reason: come on now.. u know better than that.
04-14-2010, 01:32 PM
#17
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it's not like they're slapping a volk racing sticker on it and passing it off as the real thing.
Why aren't people this worked up over Shine and their products? Same principle.
Why aren't people this worked up over Shine and their products? Same principle.
@ this thread
