Dr Wankel

There seems to be quite a stir on here lately about which is better, knock-offs or originals. Now I can certainly see both sides of the arguement. How some will say that it is "stealing" in a sense, I can see that if one just reproduces a part and resells it for a cheaper price, but what if that person takes an original and makes their own changes to it. Then is still a copy, or a product of some rengineering?

And who is to say that an original is better than a copy? Sure if the person who is making the copy doesn't know their *** from a hole in the ground it will probably be a shitty copy, but if they know what they are doing and do it right there is no reason that it would fit or be anydifferent from the original.

Now I see people saying, "buy the original, copies don't fit worth ****, if its not the original it won't be as good." but when its all said done and you have two cars with the same front end or whatever, one being original and one a copy, and they were both put on and painted by the same place you really arent going to be able to tell a difference. Sure you can't say yeah its an original FEED, or whatever but who friggen cares. Meanwhile the guy that saved half as much as the guy with the original can take the money he saved and put it towards other things.

Although most of us I'm sure whould love to have the original, we simply don't have the income to allow it. So in that respect if it fits and looks the same and is just as well built, why not?

black99

I agree on exactly the same way you are thinking. If can save say 1k by buying a well made copy then I would rather do that and put money towards motor, suspension, etc..

JoeD

the problem, for me at least, with knockoffs beyond the fitment and quality issues is the fact they you know you have a knockof part, weather it is a wing, bumper, hood...whatever. maybe some people will be satisfied and proud of having knockoff parts all over their car, and that is fine. however, i am not that type of person. i would be ashamed to drive a car with a knockoff body kit, not because of how other people will see me, but how i see myself.

that is just my take on it.

Alpine

joed i'll sell you a replica bodykit, but I'll tell you it's a real kit and i will charge you same amount of money as the real kit. Does that make you feel better?

btw, old school celica bodykits are cheap =)

DK

iTrader: (5)

I think buying the original is the right thing to do ... out of respect for the people and company that designed the thing in the first place. I don't care about labels and saying "Blah blah FEED bodykit blah blah" and all that because I don't talk about my car to other people or list what's on it, I buy real **** out of respect.

About the "If it looks the same to everyone else ..." argument, try this on for size. Lots of surgery can make some guys "look the same to everyone else" as some girls and you look like you've scored some dime on your arm to everyone else (I say big ******* deal, but whatever) ... but when you get home and you look behind the flashy exterior, all you've really got is some cheap imitation of the beautiful real thing.

JoeD

oh really?? i didnt know that. maybe if i still had that Celica i would put a body kit on it. but thats not an option any more.

JoeD

right on, DK!