Doin' It Right

When people choose to purchase replica aero over the authentic parts there is often a "Well, the replica part is better than the authentic..." absolution that follows. This misguided rationale is born as a result of replica companies doing something to "improve" the original - they may use different materials or add different "trim" ornamentation or aesthetic adornments. A prime example of this can be seen with the replica company that has pilfered (among other JDM tuning companies) Zele Performance's aero kit for the V36 platform. They have added an option of carbon fiber accenting on their "Z-Style" rip-off. These types of alterations are appealing to some and provide a justification for their corner-cutting practices. A warped justification, in my opinion, but a justification nonetheless. Now, please bear in mind that I have never once stated that all replica parts are inferior quality or have poor fitment. I have not. Do not get me wrong, there are MANY cheap, shoddy, poor-fitting replica parts out there, but there is also a handful of replica companies that produce decent-quality parts with minimal fitment issues. My main dispute in the replica/authentic debate is not about quality. It is about the unscrupulous piracy of the product of someone else's ingenuity and hard work. It is about taking credit for something; credit that has not been earned. Simply, it is about theft. Furthermore, no matter how it is presented, no matter what "enhancements" are made, the replica companies are still basing their product on the design of the true talent of the industry, the real pioneers of the Japanese tuning world. It does not matter if the "improved" replica version is bulletproof or indestructible - it is still, at its core, an unoriginal, stolen design.

There are some enthusiasts out there who refuse to compromise on their builds, even if the replica variant may be more aesthetically attractive. Below are a couple shots of an authentic Zele Performance front bumper. (Of course, an authentic bumper is not available from Zele with carbon fiber trim.) However, the owner decided to have certain portions of it wrapped in carbon fiber before having it painted and clear-coated. Now, he could have easily opted to purchase the hack replica version of this bumper, complete with the carbon already done, for a fraction of the price of the authentic, but, instead, he decided to keep within the theme of the rest of his build: legitimacy. 

In a social media world in which build mediocrity and faking the funk are praised and rewarded on a daily basis, JDMphasis would like to take a second and applaud those enthusiasts who refuse to cut corners. Respect.

JDMphasis... Innovation over Imitation