This is a copy and paste from another forum, and I totally agree with everything that is said:
Why the Replica Wheel is Killing the Market-
There are companies out there who have spent time, money, and effort to design and produce high quality wheels. Some of these wheels happen to be incredible designs.
They grow in popularity, and the company makes money in order to continue the process.
Along come companies like Rota- they copy the design, and produce a low quality wheel at almost no cost to them.
Now, all of the "wannabes" show up, with empty wallets and high hopes to be like the "big kids". They gobble these replica wheels up like there's no tomorrow.
What does this do? Well, primarily it takes money away from the big companies. "Oh, they don't need it" you say... oh how wrong you are. The uneducated masses ask themselves "why buy these wheels for $4000 when I can buy these, that look the same, for $400?" and the sad truth is to them, the appearance and their personal gain is all that matters....
Remember, there's a company in all of this that spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to design, test, approve, and manufacture a wheel- and some dickheads come along and yank the hard work out from under them and produce some serious garbage.
There are people here who say "well some of us can't afford the real thing" and it makes me sick. You're essentially saying "I can't afford to support the company who came up with this idea/product/whatever, so instead, I'll give my money to the company who is stealing from the company I wish I could help." Remeber, without the original company, there wouldn't be some awesome replica wheel for you to buy.
It may not sound like a big deal, but just remember that through purchasing your replica wheels, you're hurting the industry. Don't think it doesn't make a difference- we (as a car culture) have already lost GReddy and a couple others. "They're for japanese cars, who cares?" you ask- just remember that GReddy isn't the only company these replicating pricks are stealing from.
You're also often (not always) buying a product that isn't tested in any way. "My reps work great on the street" everyone will claim. That's awesome, I'm happy for you.... but then you have the ignorant that say "Oh, well I'll buy these knockoff replica wheels and use them on the TRACK!"... good thinking there pal- a completely untested wheel (meaning some mindless worker was let loose on a CAD machine and just "designed" something that looked right, and hit "go". THATS what you're tracking on. Remember that.
JWL and TUV testing are very important- I highly recommend you do your research before buying.
Lastly- there's a wheel enthusiast market- which I and many others are a part of.
Your bullshit replica "oldschool" wheels hurt us too. The rep RSs and the rep Wats and the rep Spoons, the rep anything... remember you're ruining the value of our wheels, as well as making your "wannabe cool" wheels less cool in general.
EDIT: Adding some more info here since some of you don't grasp it.
"Why would I buy X when I can buy a copy of X for far cheaper?" some ask.
Well, you'd never have that copy without the original. You're cheating the originator when you buy the copy. It's the replicator getting away with THEFT, and you're supporting it... Please realize you're buying a poorly constructed product and short-changing the guys who brought something REAL to the market.
"Well they don't have to charge $4k for a set, that's ridiculous!" some of you state.
Realize that those $4k wheels are FORGED, engineered & tested (for the most part, sans iforged and similar companies), and are built to order. The machinery to produce these wheels is monumentally more expensive than the cast garbage you want to buy.
Guys- support the wheel market and the guys that make this shit happen for real.
There's a golden rule to this game, and I say it to nearly everyone who asks me-
You gotta pay to play.
Don't short-change yourself or the industry.
-Mike
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And here is a picture of my own wheels that reflect on how I feel about replicas
Linear Mode
