Let me put something out there. I'm not sure if the Fanboy comments are being directed to me but whatever. First of all I have no issue with any knock off product, it's the nature of a consumer based economy and substitute goods will always have a place period.

My first issue is the sudden bashing of the original AC Kit because of "bad fitment". As I said before I find it ironic that people start bashing the kit because one of the companies making the knock off said they will improve on fitment. I have not seen one single thread from an original AC owner that cited bad fitment. I can't say the same for Wald. The only person that said something is One Hot and the fitment issues he had are minor but I'm sure someone will run with that.

My second issue is the person that posted that because one of the knock off kits cost $695 he can spend the rest of money he that he would have spent on the AC kit on boost and beat the owner that got a real AC Kit. Are you serious? Like someone else said cutting corners will not stop at just body kits for some people.

Those are my two issues. People are trying to justify the knock off by turning against the original by glorifying so called bad fitment issues and then justifying price by mentioning other mods that money could have been spent on. To each his own, knock offs makes no difference to me. If Shine's product fits well then it does I won't lose any sleep heck I might even get a replacement bumper or sideskirt if mine gets damaged god forbid.

I've said enough yet again, my points have been made. If anyone has anything personal to say to me send me a PM so this thread can be kept on track. Just like everyone else I'm waiting to see an installed Front Bumper or entire kit.

 

I agree, and FYI the fanboy reference was a generalization of what commonly occurs when situations like this thread come up (which happens a lot). The true "fanboys" will take offense to what I posted earlier and reply defending themselves LOL

That's what I"m saying; it's just amazing how many people actually do lose sleep over it!

Yeah that should actually happen BEFORE everyone starts throwing out opinions... we'll have to wait for that pic I guess.

 

My suggestion, close this thread and wait for an actual thread with actual results. Thanks!

 

Well said. I am active on alot of forums since I work in media and I must admit I have never seen such drama of replica parts than on CL. Elsewhere from the 240sx forums where many kids are on a budget to the euro forums where people are spending 5k on wheels or 2k on component speakers on their 60,000 M3, there is no drama created over this.

They buy replica Ericsson, Vorsteiner, or AC Shnitzer stuff for their cars that costs 10x over - or more - of what our cars are worth on bluebook all the time, and I know of a few of them personally and they laugh about this thread.

Here, you have people talking trash, saying 'one is not car enthusiast' just because he is not willing to fork out $2000+ for a genuine kit on a car whose BlueBook is 5k +/- Give me a break. If someone is willing to go the extra mile and get the real thing to be happy, great. If not, whatevers. No need to bash on each other back and forth like kids.



I saved up and bought my wheels for its styling and quality to price ratio. If abc company creates a cheap replica wheel that looks alike, given the economics of producing such a wheel, the quality will fall far short of my authentic wheel.

However, if abc company replicates my wheel, and they created a lighter, stronger, and cheaper wheel, then I think I am sold since Work Wheels have lost their competitive advantage. Realistically that is not possible since there is alot of r&d that goes into wheels and the manufacturing equipment is expensive as well. That is why you don't see knock off wheels of 2 or 3 pieced forged wheels getting undercut.

Good suggestion. Mods?

 

It's funny because of how many people want the AC kit, but complain because it's not affordable for them. Then this kit comes out and people complain because it's a knock off. Maybe AC will lower their prices and put the real kit in more peoples reach. I'd buy the knock off.

 

True man, back in the 240sx days people were actually happy if a decent replica came out just because they couldn't justify the "Initial D" tax on some of the imported JDM stuff. And a bunch of my euro buddies rock replica parts, and it's not a problem in their communities.

And yeah - it's not like buying a replica front bumper on a $60k classic Pontiac GTO restoration, it's a Lexus. Which is actually a Toyota, with said $5k-ish blue book price


EDIT: I don't think this thread should be closed, as long as people put some effort into talking/discussing/debating like adults, not little girls.

 

Right on Cherp. $1800 is nothing when it come to boosting. I have real AC kit and boosting at the same time. I haven't got "My door blown off" by other yet. I'm sure Cherp would be the same too. Hmm... I notice all the OG are supporting the original and the newbie willing to take short cuts.

 

This thread really did become a battle of ideology. Still this was a good discussion until people started attacking people instead of the darn topic.

With that being said, any word from the body shop?

 

Well then from now on like i have been trying to say in all the post i have put in this thread I started ( =D i feel so proud starting such a big topic.) why don't we all just debate it but don't try to bash on people decisions on buying it or not. We should all be trying to support our fellow members. Instead of bashing there views and ideology by making direct comments about hoping the kit doesn't fit, or that we should all feel ashamed that we would but a replica. And if your going to bash, then don't post anything in this thread.

 

I just noticed this part of your thread... which made me wonder:

I wonder how many AC people have actual experience with the Shine replica (the subject of this thread) that isn't even available yet? That number should be zero unless someone is working with Shine somehow. That said, at this point in time isn't it ignorant when AC people say "it has/does/will/hopefully be poor fitment" simply based on the fact that it's not authentic AC brand?

If you can question those who say AC fits bad based on hearsay, then isn't it logically more appropriate to question AC people who are in this thread putting down the Shine replica that they haven't even seen on a car yet?

Just a thought.

Then again if someone goes for it and it fits right, then you'll have those people who'll say "told ya so" to the AC fans. If it doesn't fit right, you'll have the exact opposite LOL

Either way, this thread has kept my interest going for awhile

 

Just like honda-tech... can't wait to get me a 5 series. I thought lexus people were more mature! You guys should just focus on how this kit fits rather than get your feelings involved. Anyway, I wanna see how the kit fits bro. Hows it going so far?

 

10 pages later and lots of ac kit owners vs. ricers, people still don't understand why replicas are frowned upon.

It's not about fitment, but the intrinsic value of the kit. Any bodyshop will make any kit fit on your car with the proper prep and work thrown into it. Knock-offs are just like counterfeit money; it's only nice to have as long as you're the only one that have it. If everyone else started using counterfeits, what's the point of having money.

 

Nothing yet. I am stilling driving my car around. The body shop is just storing my front bumper since I am waiting on the rest of the kit from Shine. Ken contacted me the other day to let me know that my side skirts and rear bumper is getting built for me and should be done this weekend. However, I don't have a truck or wagon to pick it up until next week sometime. It doesn't matter anyways since my spoiler, lower door moldings, and fogs should be arriving next Thursday or Friday.


Well thanks to you or else my car would currently be in the paint booth with the 1997+ kit as I type. I owe you a cold beer

I had all of the major stuff ready to go for almost the past year but this thread caused me to make some major changes to my projects.

I totally understand why it is frowned upon. One is original and one is a replica, which is a copy of the original. That is a fact and it is black and white. What I can't stand stand is some of the baseless, sometimes idiotic, posts on here, from both sides of the divide.

"Buyers of the authentic AC kit are dumb for paying $2000"

"Buyers of the replica kits should be ashamed of themselves and are not car enthusiasts"

"Newbies are taking shortcuts by buying the replica kit"

"Ricers are buying the knock off kit"


This is how it should be.

a. If takes an authentic kit to fit correctly and/or knowing that its authentic makes one happy, then go and buy the authentic kit.

b. If it replica fits good and you don't care about the intrinsic value of owning an authentic kit, go buy the replica and save some money.

c. If the replica looks like crap, then you get what you paid for. Its your car, your money.

End of the debate. I don't think arguing back and forth like kids on here, making personal attacks, calling one another dumb or being a pseudo-car-enthusiast contributes anything to this community.

 

Thanks it looks alright compare to the others on here.let me rephrase myself about the $1800.you can put that savings plus more for boost or a swap.I have nothing against the ones that can afford the real stuff.just leave the ones that can only afford knock offs alone if that makes happy.I thought we were all here to make our cars look good.however we can,with the funds we can.

 

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