TRD Shift Knob ~ Real vs. Fake Video

[Mr.Impreza]

Just made a small video comparing the real vs fake shift knob.

Hope this helps somebody who is shopping for the real or fake one.

Also sorry for the focus issues.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVlX1zvmLgU"]TRD Shift Knob ~ Real vs. Fake ~ FRS 86 BRZ GT86 - YouTube[/ame]


I have added some high res pictures for comparison. Please note, both shift knobs are brand new and have never been used so this is what you can expect generally out of the box.

[Jordan Silveira]

Man wonderful video! Great work. I must say, while I'd prefer the OEM due to the small details the replica isn't half bad. I'd actually commend the fake one for doing a pretty solid replica! If you were just trying to see if you'd like the look/feel of the TRD Shift Knob in day to day, I'm not sure what the replica costs but I'd recommend it before deciding to buy the OEM one. Anyways! Great stuff man!

[churchx]

Given how many actually prefer heavier weighted shift knobs for change of shift-feel .. fake one looks a bit more preferable then real one

[Mr.Impreza]

Originally Posted by Jordan Silveira

Man wonderful video! Great work. I must say, while I'd prefer the OEM due to the small details the replica isn't half bad. I'd actually commend the fake one for doing a pretty solid replica! If you were just trying to see if you'd like the look/feel of the TRD Shift Knob in day to day, I'm not sure what the replica costs but I'd recommend it before deciding to buy the OEM one. Anyways! Great stuff man!

Thanks
I actually ordered the fake one prior to buying the real one to see if I like the design. I personally liked the design.

Anyways, I was also surprised with the quality of the fake one considering it was super cheap!

Authentic of course is better in every way, apart from weight. I actually preferred the fake ones weight haha.

Originally Posted by churchx

Given how many actually prefer heavier weighted shift knobs for change of shift-feel .. fake one looks a bit more preferable then real one

Yeah, I actually prefer the weight of the fake one also haha. TRD sure went super light. Feels nice in the hands though and looks cool especially if your going for the TRD build like I was

[Leonardo]

Cost difference?


I like how the fake stitching finishes near the top better... Interesting...


Thank you!

[Vin]

The fakes ones are a bit of a hit or miss, some seem to be stitched / upholstered by a blind person. Great video. I had a fake one in my Celica and now have a real one in the 86 as I liked it so much, no fakes on this car though... Also, like you pointed out, the real one is more round and fits the hand better (at least mine .. or is it me trying to justify the hefty price tag .. )

[Surok]

its sad that you guys are buying counterfeit parts.
support the R&D that companies put in to make new things for the car you love.

[Mr.Impreza]

Originally Posted by Leonardo

Cost difference?

I like how the fake stitching finishes near the top better... Interesting...

Thank you!

All I will say is that the cost difference is a lot

Originally Posted by Vin

The fakes ones are a bit of a hit or miss, some seem to be stitched / upholstered by a blind person. Great video. I had a fake one in my Celica and now have a real one in the 86 as I liked it so much, no fakes on this car though... Also, like you pointed out, the real one is more round and fits the hand better (at least mine .. or is it me trying to justify the hefty price tag .. )

Haha, if it makes you feel better, my wife immediately thought the fake one looked cheap compared to the authentic one.

But yes. The fake ones vary. My fake one is actually pretty good apart from the sitting center issue.
I've seen much worse examples though. Ones where the stitching is either on the top instead or bottom or just off to the side haha.

I've also added some high res pictures for better comparability at the first post

[Decep]

hows the trd feel compared to stock?

[Mr.Impreza]

Originally Posted by Decep

hows the trd feel compared to stock?

Hey. Sorry buddy, didn't see your question.

It is much lighter which makes the shifting feel more "crisp" & mechanical you could say.
However it's not for everybody's liking since most people prefer heavier knobs since they make shifting much smoother but also more numb feeling.

One thing for me though is the feel (quality) of the TRD is much nicer in the hands and I also really liked the design. It's lower but slightly bigger and just feels premium. I also like how they made the center concave so that you don't touch the metal portion in the cold or hot weather.

I guess the biggest factor here is the weight.

TRD = 107g
OEM = 198g

For me, I actually thought the Fake TRD shift knob weight was the ideal weight at 169g. However, I'd still choose the authentic TRD shift knob over the fake one any day.