Would you rather buy knock off parts for your car?

[EJ20]

Hey guys...

Well, few minutes ago I was thinking about the big tuning companies and there futuer! I think most of you guys know that HKS is having truble staying in bussnes in the US, and other parts in the world. So same for Greddy, Blitz, C-one, APS and other smaller comapnies. Big thanks to those who buy knock off products

I mean Megan, OBX, and the others they don't engineer, design or test their products and just copy If the real tuning compaines are out of buissnes I'm sure those "cheap" sellers will not stand out to support us with some fancy aftermarket parts that is gone under hard effort!

I'd rather drive a car with real parts than one having knock off parts, even if it will cost me more money, but I'm sure these guys deserive every $ for thier hard effort ,engineering and support

I know its too early for this topic, but I feel bad for these companies

[Type[R]+]

Like anything I buy - buy once, buy quality. Its always cheaper and less hassles in the long run.

[Random_Art]

I had my brief stint with cheap knock off exhaust components. Major fitment issues.

[chulooz]

Sometimes it can be hard to accept that even these big and supposedly trustworthy companies run into quality and performance issues. When that happens they are pretty much begging the market to take alternative measures in modification.

One quick example are Borla's headers for N/A 2.5l Subaru's, large numbers of their earlier products had terrible weld quality. Soon after Borla replicas made it on to the scene, but without welds that broke. Now, even though Borla claimed to have fixed the issue; people didnt want to bother with the brand that caused a hassle for brand name buying consumers, thus people had been steered in the replica direction.

[oneday]

One of the benefits of this being a Subaru boxer motor is that it's not going to be drastically different from the EJ20/EJ25 motors that were/are already in the USDM WRX, STI, or LGT, so engineering and development for aftermarket parts should be relatively simple...it's not like the motor is a completely new, scratch built powerplant that none of the big shops haven't seen before. I'm sure AEM, Injen, Perrin, Invidia, Agency Power and other big players will have parts available very shortly after the car is on the market...

I am...well, was... an HKS as well as an APS dealer...I might get HKS again, but I'm not going to hold my breath on that happening any time too soon. And no, I don't deal in the knock-off brands.

Looking forward to the rash of "How much can I do to my BRZ FR-S without voiding my warranty?" phone calls.

[1660]

There are ways to protect intellectual rights. So long as congress does nothing, China and others will continue violate intellectual property rights.

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by 1660

There are ways to protect intellectual rights. So long as congress does nothing, China and others will continue violate intellectual property rights.

thats because congress is dodging china. the chinese are looking for their money

[fatoni]

its best to do significant research on the individual product and not the company as a whole. even huge companies are guilty of outsourcing work. for example, megan and greddy/trust coilovers are made by the same people in the same factory with the same qc.

[RRnold]

Originally Posted by fatoni

its best to do significant research on the individual product and not the company as a whole. even huge companies are guilty of outsourcing work. for example, megan and greddy/trust coilovers are made by the same people in the same factory with the same qc.

+1

Outsourced might not affect the quality that much but I agree, do your homework on the part before making the purchase. Price usually dictates quality regardless on where it's manufactured.

I remember back in the days if it was a Japanese part, it was made in Japan; therefore it was high quality. Now due to demand and cost, outsourcing seems like the norm.

Case in point, a lot of the high end road bicycles like Pinarello, Trek, Specialized are manufactured in China

[oneday]

Originally Posted by fatoni

megan and greddy/trust coilovers are made by the same people in the same factory with the same qc.

But that is also because neither of those companies actually make their own suspension parts. Companies that specialize in suspension like Tein, Ohlins, Moton, H&R and Eibach manufacture their own product. You won;t see them selling turbo timers, headers, head gaskets, seats, or timing belts either.

If you think brands like HKS, Greddy, Megan, and Raceland that sell products in so many categories actually have a private factory and design/produce their all of their own products, you are kidding yourself. They can't possibly design and manufacture all of them (in some cases [Megan/Raceland] they don't design anything--they just private label everything.

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by oneday

But that is also because neither of those companies actually make their own suspension parts. Companies that specialize in suspension like Tein, Ohlins, Moton, H&R and Eibach manufacture their own product. You won;t see them selling turbo timers, headers, head gaskets, seats, or timing belts either.

If you think brands like HKS, Greddy, Megan, and Raceland that sell products in so many categories actually have a private factory and design/produce their all of their own products, you are kidding yourself. They can't possibly design and manufacture all of them (in some cases [Megan/Raceland] they don't design anything--they just private label everything.

i understand that. it was just an example. i could have used another, say jic. they dont build their own coilovers and as far as i know its all they do. i just used greddy and megan because in the original post it was discussed as to how greddy is a legitimate company and megan is not despite the fact that their coilovers are outsourced to the same company

[oneday]

Originally Posted by fatoni

i understand that. it was just an example. i could have used another, say jic. they dont build their own coilovers and as far as i know its all they do. i just used greddy and megan because in the original post it was discussed as to how greddy is a legitimate company and megan is not despite the fact that their coilovers are outsourced to the same company

I get what you are saying...and JIC makes exhausts too (really, really expensive titanium units)...they are a boutique brand like ARC was..

[Neutral_Eyes]

Originally Posted by Type[R]+

Like anything I buy - buy once, buy quality. Its always cheaper and less hassles in the long run.

+1. I don't plan on modifying the FT-86 much, if I do decide to buy it, but the parts I do swap out will be quality.

[Type[R]+]

Originally Posted by Neutral_Eyes

+1. I don't plan on modifying the FT-86 much, if I do decide to buy it, but the parts I do swap out will be quality.

Yep! Like wheels. Would you want cheap heavy knock off Volks that break easily, or the real thing. Proper forged, light weight, strong wheels?

The real thing is not only going to last, but will also potentially be an increase in performance, depending on the size you get.