More replica hypocrisy...

A few more parasitic replica companies have surfaced in the Z community over the last couple years and they have become fairly popular. We referenced one in a post back in December. Because there are LIKE-seeking "enthusiasts" and e-fame cravers everywhere, these companies are successful. It is believed that there is a correlation between the "I want it now and I do not want to work or wait for it" mentality and the price of the vehicle. Unfortunately, the Z is not as expensive as it once was, and, thus, corner-cutting is rampant. Sadly, replica parts are selling.

Some of these replica companies pay to advertise on social media. Occasionally I come across some of these ads. Of course, the dogma/essence/premise behind JDMphasis is to encourage support of authenticity, originality, and innovation. One of our tag lines, so to speak, is "Be Real. Buy Real," so I found it somewhat ironic and humorous when I see one of the advertisements of one of these replica companies pop up and note the tag line they are using. "Be American. Buy American."

As I understand it, to "be American" means to exercise freedom in the marketplace. If I choose to buy a Nissan or a Toyota pick-up truck, am I not "being American" because I did not buy a Ford F-150 or a Dodge Ram? No. Not at all. In fact, I would argue that the competition in the marketplace not only benefits the consumer, but also the businesses themselves.

Economics aside, this replica company is full of hypocrisy from the implication that you, as a consumer, would not be American if you chose to buy from a company that made parts elsewhere in the world, such as Japan, but also in the laughable "Built by us, inspired by you" slogan. (No, inspired by the Japanese companies whose designs you ripped off.) A quick search of their website shows us that they have stolen designs from companies such as Nismo, INGS+1, Chargespeed, Rocket Bunny, among many others… Notice anything about these companies? Yes, all Japanese. Anything else? Yes, they are all parts for, you guessed it, Japanese cars.

So, does this patriotic company REALLY want you to be American and buy American? Nahhh… If you did, what would happen to them?

Just another fly-by-night replica company looking to make a dollar by ripping off the real talent of the Japanese tuning industry. 

Support originality and innovation. Save your money for a bit longer and buy from the companies who researched, designed, and risked to bring these parts to reality.

Plus, if you choose not to buy from these parasites, you will not have to receive a bumper that looks like a Frito.

Be Real. Buy Real.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Varis Japan through the lens of Daniel Olivares

Shokunin - The Varis Japan Story by Daniel Olivares

THIS is why I love the Japanese tuning culture. This video is precisely the reason I love this stuff. Ingenuity, masterful craftsmanship, attention to detail, and unparalleled pride are just a few of the qualities that make Varis one of the top aerodynamics companies in the world. Their fresh and innovative designs are not only beautiful but functional. They are truly pioneers of the tuning industry. 

I love these behind-the-scenes sneak peeks into the tuning culture of Japan because we become witnesses to how things are done. We can soak up all that goes into a design or a shop build. I love that short documentary videos such as this one by Daniel Olivares can help to change attitudes. It can inspire. Videos like this have the ability to show people that the true talent of the industry is in companies like Varis. For example, this video allows us to see with our own eyes the molding by hand of aero designs. It allows us to see the workspace and interior of the Varis shop. It allows us to see that Varis has 14 employees. Fourteen! Let that sink in. Fourteen employees. Hand-made components. There are no conveyor belts pumping out bumpers. There are not hundreds of people bubble-wrapping fiberglass and carbon fiber before loading them onto freight trucks for delivery. One of the common points made by pro-replica "enthusiasts" is that knock-offs and replicas are the way of the world and that we all need to get used to it. There are often comparisons to knock-off products like generic drugs or off-brand sodas. This video allows us to see for ourselves just how absurd those arguments really are. Again, Varis has 14 employees. When someone purchases a Wal-Mart brand soda or generic baby powder, Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson are not going to feel the effects quite as strongly as Varis does when people purchase replica aero components from the hack companies who copy their designs for the sole purpose of turning a profit. This video allows us to see for ourselves that Varis is not a multi-billion dollar corporation. In that way, it shows us that purchasing replica parts can actually harm the vanguards of the tuning world. It shows us that there is real pride and real passion behind these designs, something that cannot be said about replica and knock-off parts.

This really is why I love the Japanese tuning industry. This stuff is what it is all about. I will stop fanboying now. Daniel Olivares and Varis Japan, keep doing your thing!

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation 

I was burned recently on the interwebz...

"Hit me up when your website stops ending with .blogspot.com."

Boom. Roasted!

I rarely visit forums anymore. I'm not really sure why, to be honest. Aside from the fact that the opinions I maintain are rarely shared, they do not seem to be even remotely as active as they once were. However, that means I am on Facebook and other forms of social media to see what is going on in the aftermarket automotive community more often than I care to be. It is a sad state of affairs, to put it lightly. Pro-authenticity supporters are in the minority, to say the least. The "good enough" mentality seems to have become the acceptable standard. The "have to have it now and do not want to save for it" internet acclaim-seeking mindset seems to have become the pervasive disposition. There is a lack of shame in sporting replica and knock-off parts. In fact, it is as though people justify their corner-cutting by falsely equating it to being a wise or economical consumer. In turn, these corner-cutters would have it believed that the enthusiast who chooses to support originality and buy the legitimate parts from the real talent of the industry is just a "sucker" who is being duped. This modifying mentality is backwards.

The witty and deep-cutting quote above is from the owner of a fly-by-night replica company. This self-important braggart and purveyor of stolen designs has a following. There are people buying parts for their projects these days who do not even know they are buying unoriginal designs from companies such as the one this guy, who touts himself as the "Poly God," manages. I chimed in on a thread in support of someone advocating support of original designs and this gentleman must have checked my personal profile to see the JDMphasis website. This astute "entrepreneur" is correct - this website (and the blog format) has not been updated in years. The reason for this is quite simply that I do not know anything about website design, coding, programming, or whatever it is called. And, frankly, this website still serves the purpose for which it was created.

This blog's web address is not important. It is the reality that replica and knock-off companies are everywhere. They are the vultures of the aftermarket industry, circling social media searching for their next meal. That next meal often comes in the form of an ill-informed consumer who knows no better. It also comes in the form of consumers who DO know better, but still choose to support those parasitic replica companies and then, since people are not often inclined to denounce their own purchase, post the over-the-top positive reviews all over the social media platforms that are already inundated with replica love and support. The rare nay-sayer and advocate of authenticity is quickly dubbed an "elitist" or "hater," but the reality is that those are the enthusiasts who are fighting the good fight. The excuses and justifications for buying replica parts are abundant. The sad truth is that people are not willing to save for a little bit longer. Pride in one's project is outweighed by a desire to have it done now. It is a shame that the aftermarket community is less about quality today and more about quantity. LIKEs, shares, and compliments from strangers who may know nothing about the platform have become more important than a complete, judicious, and well-built project vehicle.

As I have said from the day I created this sorry, outdated blog, I cannot tell people how to spend their money, but I can encourage support for the true pioneers and innovators of the Japanese tuning industry. Reward the risk-takers. Reward ingenuity. Reward originality. Refuse to reward the undermining, pilfering, and thievery of replica companies. Take pride in your ride. The end result will be worth it.

(Oh, and if you are looking for a group on Facebook where support of originality and authenticity is encouraged, send a join request to the Authentic Parts Syndicate.)

Be Real. Buy Real. 

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

This Facebook post...

Chances are you have seen this abomination at some point over the past few days as it has gone viral on social media. If, by chance, you have not seen it, it initially surfaced on a VQ or Z/G page on Facebook with the popular "YOHB?" caption. It looks like sheet metal fastened to the fenders of a G35 with a nail gun. After being shared numerous times, a comical troll wrote a post with the picture attached thanking a replica aero company. Screenshots below.

Kind of funny, no? I am reposting this atrocity not for its comedic value, however. I am reposting this because the replica company's (that does not actually make this "aero") response caught my attention.

Over the years I have been cautious about posting links to websites or names of companies or vendors on this blog for this very reason. I do not wish to be the impetus behind a replica company expanding their grasp on the market or putting more money into their uncreative, greedy pockets; money they otherwise may have never seen. 

I do not know if this poorly translated post by this replica company is actually true or not, but I do know that I dislike their arrogance, ignorance, and insolence. Take some pride in your ride. Do not support these companies.


Be the Funk. Don't Fake it.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

"Replica wheels are just as good as 'Real' wheels!"

Oh, yeah?

Appears pretty satisfied with the replica purchase...

The pictures below are authentic wheels that have "failed." I suppose I would rather have my wheel bend or warp upon heavy impact, as opposed to shattering or practically disintegrating. But, then again, I am just an elitist...

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Oh my...

Is there much worse than this? Fake wheels and fake brakes…

Be the Funk. Don't Fake It.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

It is what it is... Authentic!

When did it become the norm to qualify a For Sale post with the word "authentic"? 

Visit just about any automotive forum for any platform and browse the classified section. Look on the marketplace pages on the various social media platforms devoted to selling automotive parts. You will not see, for example, "FS: Top Secret Rear Diffuser for 350Z." You will likely see: "FS: Authentic Top Secret Rear Diffuser for 350Z." That one word irks me.

In the hypothetical that I stumble upon a post advertising a replica part for sale and the word "replica" is not included in the title or, at the very least, the description of the item being sold, I would feel as though the seller is attempting to deceive potential buyers by advertising the part as something it is not. However, simply listing an authentic part for sale by stating exactly what it is does not seem to be enough these days. We almost always see the word "authentic" somewhere in the advertisement.

Am I the only person who thinks this is sad?

Perhaps I am nit-picking. Nonetheless, the default is to now stress the authenticity of a part. This is in no way a criticism or indictment of the sellers of these items. I am guilty of this as much as the next guy. It is more a commentary on the state of the tuning industry. It has become absolutely necessary for sellers to emphasize the fact that the part they are selling is authentic due, in large part, to the fact that there is an overabundance of replica and knock-off parts flooding the marketplace. It should not be this way. I should be able to post "Top Secret Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser - 350Z/Z33" without worrying that someone may just assume it is a Shine or Outcast Garage or Flavor of the Month Replica Aero Company part.

Again, maybe I am bothered by something relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but when one cannot visit a classified section of a forum without seeing sponsor after sponsor slinging fake parts or look through a marketplace page and scroll down page after page without seeing the name of one legitimate Japanese manufacturer without a hyphen and the word "style" after it (Ex. Amuse-style), there is something wrong. The money-hungry replica parts manufacturers are not going anywhere. They will always be here to steal designs and profit from someone else's hard work. So, I believe it all starts with the so-called enthusiasts. Have some pride in your project. Refuse to cut corners. Refuse to reward intellectual property theft. Accept that a worthwhile build is not going to happen overnight. E-fame and Insta LIKEs is nothing compared to the satisfaction of building a project you can say, unequivocally, you built the right way.


The picture posted below is a few years old at this point and I believe I originally saw it when my friends at Bulletproof Automotive posted it (and I have likely posted it on here before), but I think it is a good visual into exactly what I have stated above. A sad look into the state of the tuning industry and the rampant replicas.

Be the Funk. Don't Fake It.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Another replica rant...

About a week ago I came across a post on Facebook from a Z enthusiast page with which I agreed wholeheartedly and genuinely respected. It was urging consumers to support innovation by purchasing authentic parts, as opposed to the imitation.  The post:

Hey Fam, It's Come To My Attention That There Is Now Imitators Trying to Replicate Our Louvers. Thank you for supporting the one & ONLY Official @Louvergang Family!

Okay. I respect that. I am not particularly fond of the recent louver craze myself, but if these guys are, in fact, bringing a new, desired product to the market for Z guys, then I am on board and like the fact that they are encouraging support for innovation and originality. The complete message:

Some highlights of the post:

When you purchase a new part from the group who innovated the technology, you are supporting further innovation in the community we all love. It takes more than blood sweat and tears to truly innovate in our culture. It takes comparatively nothing to make a cheap low quality copy of that innovation, yet it stunts community growth by rewarding those who steal and do not innovate. 

Just as you worked hard for your money, real parts manufacturers and small businesses alike have broken their backs and made huge sacrifices to innovate new products for us.

…this is still a direct attack on our livelihood and a genuine crime. This is a theft of our intellectual property, and a mockery of our hard work. As a community, we cannot tolerate this blatant plagiarism. Please do your part to keep our community thriving. Educate yourself, know what you're buying. Think about sustainability and what your build reflects upon you.

PREACH!

Oh… Wait… Just a few days later, I see this post from the same Z enthusiast page:

A shot of a slammed Z34 with Nismo aero, right?

No. Replica aero with a link to the hack company that makes it.

So, let me get this straight… It is okay to rip off Nismo, but it is not okay to replicate the parts that this page produces? Is that not a bit hypocritical? If one is going to make the strong, assertive statements that are posted above, should that mentality not apply across the board?

By not only posting, featuring, and praising builds with fake parts, but by linking the marauding companies that produce those parts, this page is doing the exact opposite of what they preach above. This page is "[stunting] community growth by rewarding (ahem…advertising) for those who steal and do not innovate."

Come on!

BE THE FUNK. DON'T FAKE IT.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

Hooray! MCR Replica Hood! Finally!

Arguably the most popular hood design for the Z33 platform perfected by Matchless Crowd Racing (MCR) has been ripped off by a company in Thailand. Corner-cutters rejoice. 

"Ballers won't be happy" is a statement I noticed in a forum post announcing this discovery. I would suggest that denouncing this product has very little to do with being a "baller." There is a difference between taking a certain pride in your project by supporting authenticity, originality, and innovation and then just cutting corners and faking the funk.

Tell me how great the fitment is. Tell me how the MCR product is not available in carbon fiber making this acceptable. Tell me that replica companies are good because they bring more options to the market for Z enthusiasts. Tell me how the wait times for the real thing are too tedious to bear. Tell me that people who dislike knock-off and replica parts are just haters who like spending money unnecessarily. I. Do. Not. Care. It is irrelevant. The design is stolen. The work and effort that has gone into the original has been undermined. Intellectual property theft is a real thing. The ultimate goal for these parasitic companies is not to be the savior to the aftermarket tuning community. It is to put money into their pockets. Easy money. Money made from a product they have not researched, created, or designed. Refuse to buy fake parts. Be the Funk. Don't Fake It.

Oh, and it appears as though there may be fake Garage Mak aero, as well… Delightful.

Take Pride in Your Ride.

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation

My Car Show Post. [Import Evolution - Boston]

I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I have not really had a chance to blog much lately.

It is safe to say that I am not a huge car show guy. I enjoy them to an extent, but I am certainly not a diehard. I have been to a handful of car shows in the past 15 years. About 2 weeks ago, however, my friends at Pro-Spec Autosport reached out to me and asked if they could use the FJ in their booth at the Import Evolution show that weekend. Though I wish I had a little more notice as I would have liked to do a few things to the truck beforehand (and I tried), I was happy to lend it to them for the show. I left the truck with my good friend Brian on Wednesday evening so they could clean it up in time for roll-in on Friday morning and I picked it up the following Tuesday.

I took a ride in to the city on Saturday afternoon to check out the show. As I mentioned, it has been a while since I have attended a show of this nature, but, in some ways, it felt as though I had not missed a beat and stepped back into the 90's when I entered the World Trade Center in the Seaport of Boston. There were some very nice projects on display, but I venture to say that there were far more cars to which I could only internally face-palm.

Though not my ambition in a build, I can certainly respect the work that a true "show car build" demands. I can appreciate the time, work, money, and dedication devoted to a quality build. There were a few of those this weekend. What I cannot and will not ever fully understand is corner-cutting. There was quite a bit of that.

Attending and participating in car shows is an effort. It is a hobby that requires dedication and a substantial amount of time and I am not even talking about the car itself. I am talking about the traveling - many people attend shows from different states, taking time off from work and planning to travel for a day or more just to reach the destination of the event. Many people stay in hotels and plan their weeks or weekends around car shows. Then there is the show itself. Roll-in is usually the day or night before. Then the day or two or three days of the show. Hours upon hours of walking around or sitting around during the show. Needless to say, it takes a devoted person. I suppose it just does not seem logical to me, if one's aspiration is to participate in car shows or display their project, their pride and joy, and undertake and endure these efforts and these sacrifices to expose their projects to the general public, to willingly open it up to discerning eyes (and criticism), that one would then cut corners.

I was actually talking to my buddy about it the day of the show. We stepped outside of the blaring music and flashing lights for a few minutes and walked up to the top of the building where he smoked a cigarette and I admired the Boston skyline. He knows how I feel about authentic parts and cutting corners. I think, though he does not necessarily agree with me 100% of the time, that he respects my viewpoint. I expressed for the 100th time my mentality of "saving for a little longer" that the readers of this blog are all too familiar with, to which he responded with his form of acquiescence. (Or maybe he just did not want to hear me gripe any further.) Either way, it is funny. As we stood there, away from the loud music and bright lights, I told him about a message I had received a few days before from a follower of the blog. The gentleman wanted some stickers for his car. A portion of the message read something along the lines of, "I love this blog. Not many like it." I remember laughing when I read it. There are many people who hate this blog because they believe I am an elitist or a "mod snob." Or their feelings are hurt. Or whatever… Believe me, I get that. I certainly do not aim to please everyone. At the same time, I do not strive to make enemies. If encouraging people to support the pioneers of the industry and save a bit longer to buy authentic over replicas and knock-offs makes me elitist, then I guess, yes, I am elitist. (A little while later, while walking around the show, my buddy introduced me to someone as "the guy who runs the JDMphasis blog." I turned to him after and told him that he was likely not doing me any favors.)

If you are reading this post, you are probably looking for some pictures from the show. My approach to the show was to walk around once and not take any pictures and then a second time and snap a couple shots with my phone. Fake wheels and fake aero galore. So much funk faked. I do not like to feature cars on this blog that I know are rocking fake parts. I believe that is the reason I am not just posting my mediocre coverage of this event and instead am sharing my thoughts on car shows in general - because, sadly, I would have roughly four pictures to share if I stuck with authentic-only builds. This show got me thinking and, thus, I suppose, inspired this post.

I know people use the budget logic as an excuse for corner-cutting. "Not everyone can afford real wheels or real aero," as well as the "I build my car for me. I don't care what you think" rationale. Frankly, I do not buy it. The amount of money devoted to showing cars and enjoying this hobby and building something you call your pride and joy, why not hold off on those Rotas, Varrstoens, or Shine or Outcast Garage or No-Name body kit for a few more weeks and support the originator? Despite what you would like people to believe, it is possible. As for not caring what anyone thinks because you build your car for you… Keep telling us that while you plaster pictures of it all over the internet and display it at shows.

Call me a hater. Unlike the page because you do not like my tone or your feelings are hurt. Bluntly, I was just a bit underwhelmed with what I saw. I expected more. Do not get me wrong, there were some great builds there, but there were far more cringe-worthy cars on display. As I mentioned, fake wheels and aero all over the place. Fake Bride seats. There were a couple cars with decals displaying brands of parts that were nowhere to be found on the car! No joke. At one point I walked by a widebody FRS with a swan neck Voltex wing (real thing seen here on Jason Hoang's of LifewithJson FRS) and I remarked to my buddy who has some knowledge about this particular car as he has done some work on it, "I like the Voltex wing," to which he turned and whispered to me, "It's not real."

It is what it is. I know my disapproval and ranting is not going to change many minds or convince many people to forego their corner-cutting tendencies and build a legitimate car with authentic, original parts, but why not give it a shot?

Be the Funk. Don't Fake It.

A few shots from the show...

Beantown.

Clean NSX on Meisters…

Again, not necessarily my cup of tea, but the work of this interior was legit! 

Andddd… The "Voltex" wing.

Liberty Walk G37 sedan...

Love the matte white of this Liberty Walk R35...

Black Fleet by Rays Engineering...

Wish I could say the aero is authentic...

Runduce… AUTHENTIC!

LOVE these Works...

And the one and only shot I took of the FJ...

JDMphasis… Innovation over Imitation