Watch-out for Shine Auto Project
09-24-10, 04:32 PM
#228
I saw the word outsource 1 time in this thread so I'm going to post my idea. If Shine Auto produces such great fitment, why don't they outsource their methods and labor to these authentic companies? Perhaps form a partnership with them and do the labor for them. So that way the host company designs the kit or part, and Shine Auto produces the part? Am I over simplifying things?
09-25-10, 12:58 AM
#229
I do take it a little personal because I want companies to make new kit and new stuff for the community. Companies like Shine and Raceon are not allowing other companies to deem this profitable. It is a big problem whether you like to agree with it or not. Who in their right mind would want to spend so much time and effort on a product only to be copied a few month later when it becomes popular? And have people repping for the company that copies?
I don't care that people are sporting replicas, however it does bother me that people are on a thread that specifically talks about not to buy from (support) replica companies, repping for the company that copies many other manufactures products! If it makes you feel better that you bought a replica kit for less and it fits better than the original company that came up with the design and you feel it's right to talk crap about them, then yes to each his own.
I don't care that people are sporting replicas, however it does bother me that people are on a thread that specifically talks about not to buy from (support) replica companies, repping for the company that copies many other manufactures products! If it makes you feel better that you bought a replica kit for less and it fits better than the original company that came up with the design and you feel it's right to talk crap about them, then yes to each his own.
let's put this to the test: you go to a lexus meet with a fake JP or AC kit installed. everyone there are rocking original jdm kits. fellow enthusiasts asked: "what brand of kit is that?" are you gonna say it's an original JP or AC kit? or are you gonna say its a fake kit? 
Of course, I will proudly claim that my car has a Shine kit. Most of the Shine customers (S2000, 350Z, 370z, Supras, RX7), myself included, are satisfied with our purchases and the after support we received. Just look on the forums of the aforementioned cars and you guys will see that there is a loyal following and not see a thread like this on there. Only on Clublexus will you find this sort of elitism, bashing on people just for the mere sake of rocking replica parts. Sure, I will make comments if someone is having a kit that looks like it is a universal fit kit but that is as far as I will go.
Go on the 370z forum, do you think they care about who is rocking replica parts? Go on the E92 M3 forums, you think they care about who is rocking a replica trunk on their $70,000+ cars? The answer is no. As a matter of fact, I have no embarrassment or shame from rocking and promoting Shine Auto Project stuff. As a matter of fact, I took my time and money to make stickers to slap on my roll call to support them for their good products and service:
Again, to each and his own. If it makes some of you happy and be able to sleep well at night if you buy the authentic kit, go for it.
09-25-10, 11:23 AM
#231
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LOL... I call massive BS.... Fakes don't seems to have a weird sense of reasoning.. You do whatever you want, but promoting a replica company is wrong, period.
09-25-10, 11:31 AM
#232
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What you keep failing to realize is without the people who designed these kits, shine would have NOTHING to replicate, you keep praising shine and not once have you gave credit to AC. I dont understand your mindset really. Why don't you talk to Ken, and tell him to MAKE a kit for SC, spend the money and develop one from the ground up, when they do that, I'll be GLAD to buy from them.
09-25-10, 02:16 PM
#234
ClearP, I have my valid reasons to choose the Shine version over the authentic version, regardless of price or name. No BS here. If the authentic one is a superior product for a mere $400 more, do you think I would skimp out on $400 to have an inferior product and doesn't even have a good name to it? AutoCouture does have a better ring to it. Though my build is a budget build and I am not made of money, I did spend a good amount of time and money on TWO complete 3 stage pearl paint jobs in ONE year.
I am not sure if you ever compared two kits side by side and followed through a build of one in great detail but I have and I know all the tiniest flaws of both kits. I have quite a few friends here in Southern California who has the authentic AutoCouture. The authentic AutoCouture has waves in certain areas, tabs for the fog lights are too short, and side skirts require a bit of modification to fit. Of course, being a replica product, some of these flaws got carried on the Shine one.
Here is the deal breaker. The Shine one is far for more flexible and lighter than the authentic one, and that is not just a marketing hype that I am repeating. I took my car to a few body shops to get some touch up work estimated and NOBODY believes that it is a fiberglass bumper. Everyone was scratching their heads after I insisted that it was fiberglass. To further prove my point, one of the shops is Platinum VIP. Kennedy, who is no stranger to aero kits, couldn't believe that it wasn't urethane.
So, there you go. There is no reason for me to get the authentic AutoCouture kit, regardless of cost, other than to get some fancy emblems or stickers.
I am not sure if you ever compared two kits side by side and followed through a build of one in great detail but I have and I know all the tiniest flaws of both kits. I have quite a few friends here in Southern California who has the authentic AutoCouture. The authentic AutoCouture has waves in certain areas, tabs for the fog lights are too short, and side skirts require a bit of modification to fit. Of course, being a replica product, some of these flaws got carried on the Shine one.
Here is the deal breaker. The Shine one is far for more flexible and lighter than the authentic one, and that is not just a marketing hype that I am repeating. I took my car to a few body shops to get some touch up work estimated and NOBODY believes that it is a fiberglass bumper. Everyone was scratching their heads after I insisted that it was fiberglass. To further prove my point, one of the shops is Platinum VIP. Kennedy, who is no stranger to aero kits, couldn't believe that it wasn't urethane.
So, there you go. There is no reason for me to get the authentic AutoCouture kit, regardless of cost, other than to get some fancy emblems or stickers.
09-25-10, 02:52 PM
#235
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It doesn't matter you see, its not about quality, the quality you're talking about does not take away from the fact that Shine has NOTHING to copy if AC didnt make it. I don't know why you spent money on 2 pearl paint, but for me, i'd rather pay for 1 authentic kit, and get it painted once. What's the point of spending so much money on painting replica kit?
The points on quality you made might be valid, or not, but that's not the issue, the issue is Shine copies from other company, which means that's taking away from the authentic company, which means they would not want to spend time and money on making new stuff for us, which means we are stuck with this BS. Whether Shine makes a more superior kit because they only need to copy and make small fitment corrections, that's far from the main focus. Do you really not understand this concept?
My question is if Shine didnt make this kit, are you saying you would NEVER buy authentic AC? Mind you that before Shine duplicated this kit, AC was one of the best fitting aftermarket kit for the SC's?? Do you know how much business Shine took away from AC? Do you really think it's fair? Really? Really really? Really really really?!
You seem to put personal emotions of the kit into this conversation when it's really about business moral and how replicating is WRONG.
The points on quality you made might be valid, or not, but that's not the issue, the issue is Shine copies from other company, which means that's taking away from the authentic company, which means they would not want to spend time and money on making new stuff for us, which means we are stuck with this BS. Whether Shine makes a more superior kit because they only need to copy and make small fitment corrections, that's far from the main focus. Do you really not understand this concept?
My question is if Shine didnt make this kit, are you saying you would NEVER buy authentic AC? Mind you that before Shine duplicated this kit, AC was one of the best fitting aftermarket kit for the SC's?? Do you know how much business Shine took away from AC? Do you really think it's fair? Really? Really really? Really really really?!
You seem to put personal emotions of the kit into this conversation when it's really about business moral and how replicating is WRONG.
09-25-10, 03:43 PM
#236
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You realize that all this arguing is nonsense right? Who really copied who, and who's being taken advantage of realistically? How about Toyota? Since the vehicle platform is their design. What about them? The Auto Couture design is clearly just a simply modified version of the 98' on SC variation. I originally thought it was a lip kit added on to the front and rear with replacement side skirts. I wasn't even interested in the kit until I saw mrhappi's car on UAS's website, looked too good on air. It is extremely clean and simple, which I like, but really, it's not like they came out with a trend setting design like a Junction Produce kit or something. Nothing really special at all to say the least.
QUOTE: "It doesn't matter you see, its not about quality, the quality you're talking about does not take away from the fact that Shine has NOTHING to copy if AC didnt make it. I don't know why you spent money on 2 pearl paint, but for me, i'd rather pay for 1 authentic kit, and get it painted once. What's the point of spending so much money on painting replica kit?"
btw, that doesnt make any sense at all. why would anybody pay anything for something that was a piece of crap?
QUOTE: "It doesn't matter you see, its not about quality, the quality you're talking about does not take away from the fact that Shine has NOTHING to copy if AC didnt make it. I don't know why you spent money on 2 pearl paint, but for me, i'd rather pay for 1 authentic kit, and get it painted once. What's the point of spending so much money on painting replica kit?"
btw, that doesnt make any sense at all. why would anybody pay anything for something that was a piece of crap?
Last edited by DvSiR; 09-25-10 at 04:13 PM.
09-25-10, 04:28 PM
#237
I've noticed that the people who talk the most crap about this stuff have stock cars.
What's the point of spending so much money painting a replica kit you ask? Low quality paint work on anything makes your car look like crap. I've seen a lot of people blow money on expensive authentic kits only to take their cars to cheapy paint shops. Or not paint it at all. In the end the car still looks bad because the paint work sucks. It's all about execution.
I have more Junction Produce parts on my car than most people and I've had chances to buy the real kit as well. At this point there's no reason to buy the real kit and pay more money to fit and paint it just so I can brag on the internet about it. My car will look exactly the same if I did get it. I don't regret getting the Shine kit but next time around maybe I'll get something authentic.
Do you download music? Movies? Pirate video games? That's pretty immoral as well.
What's the point of spending so much money painting a replica kit you ask? Low quality paint work on anything makes your car look like crap. I've seen a lot of people blow money on expensive authentic kits only to take their cars to cheapy paint shops. Or not paint it at all. In the end the car still looks bad because the paint work sucks. It's all about execution.
I have more Junction Produce parts on my car than most people and I've had chances to buy the real kit as well. At this point there's no reason to buy the real kit and pay more money to fit and paint it just so I can brag on the internet about it. My car will look exactly the same if I did get it. I don't regret getting the Shine kit but next time around maybe I'll get something authentic.
Do you download music? Movies? Pirate video games? That's pretty immoral as well.
09-25-10, 05:23 PM
#239
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Spending big money on painting replica kit is like spending big money tailoring a fake brand name shirt. You can make it look good, but it is what it is, it's still a fake.
As for downloading, I might be downloading songs once in a while, I do have a itune account that I frequently use to buy songs, but aside from that, I don't come on forums telling people this is the best program to download and that everyone should go and download with this program to achieve maximum result.
09-25-10, 05:59 PM
#240
You're right, authentic AC is a piece of crap, your fake kit is the s***! Congrats to you! You mind telling people who paid money for the authentic that? If its crappy, why did Shine copy it?
Spending big money on painting replica kit is like spending big money tailoring a fake brand name shirt. You can make it look good, but it is what it is, it's still a fake.
As for downloading, I might be downloading songs once in a while, I do have a itune account that I frequently use to buy songs, but aside from that, I don't come on forums telling people this is the best program to download and that everyone should go and download with this program to achieve maximum result.
Spending big money on painting replica kit is like spending big money tailoring a fake brand name shirt. You can make it look good, but it is what it is, it's still a fake.
As for downloading, I might be downloading songs once in a while, I do have a itune account that I frequently use to buy songs, but aside from that, I don't come on forums telling people this is the best program to download and that everyone should go and download with this program to achieve maximum result.
Some people take this stuff way too seriously. I build my car for my own enjoyment and not for high school kids on the internet. It's stuff that this that make it not so fun to do anymore.