In a message dated 2/11/02 10:13:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, kmr@pil.net
writes:
> I've got a European sports sedan (haha that is what they call them now!) and
> there are so many aftermarket providers of high performance parts for it
> that I don't understand how they all stay in business.
I do -- there is lots of demand for their products!
> Look at Neuspeed, whoever heads that company is a wonderfully rich man,
> because he hasn't just created lots of goodies for rice rockets but because
> he created a highly marketable name brand.
Aaron Neumann understands that branding is important when you want to sell
lots of products and, thus, make lots of money.
> When was it ever cool in 1965 to block out 50% of your windshield with a big
> sticker that said TRIUMPH?
It wasn't, but times (and tastes) change. It used to be cool to give your
car a "rake" (lift the front end or the rear end), and it used to be cool to
have steering knobs. And it used to be cool to have the fattest whitewalls
in town....
> And even if they can't afford the parts to make their cars go faster,
> they'll gladly by the stickers!
Posers? Imagine that! This must be the very first generation with members
who wanted to look cool without actually being cool...
<major snippage>
> They're catalogue cars. Even that Supra. Kind of sad when you can
> effortlessly purchase a 400 horsepower upgrade for $4000 and bolt it onto
> your Supra.
I don't call that sad -- I call it a dream come true. Thanks to smart
engineers and savvy marketers, we can all have more of our particular kind of
fun with whatever we choose to drive. What's the problem?
> That Supra (the one from the movie) supposedly is closer to 850hp... and it
> was all catalogue parts. The body styling, all catalogue parts. You name
> it, it came from some catalogue where the work was already done for you...
> you just picked what you liked to achieve the performance levels you
> desired.
Do you want to mine your own ore and do your own metalurgy, too? Go for it!
But don't be offended when everyone tells you that you can get the same
results cheaper and easier by buying parts from folks who have been there,
done that and are capable of achieving stunning results. If there was no
demand, there would be no supply.
Not everyone posesses the ability to be their own mechanic and inventor. Why
does this offend you?
<snip>
> The understanding of the concepts behind the performance has disappeared
> from modern day performance tuning of late model imports.
It hasn't disappeared, it has just become more specialized and
institutionalized -- and accessible -- like everything else in modern life,
from farming to furniture to computers.
> And it will be a problem in years to come. As I've said before, and as I
> continue to
> believe, I prefer these kids to stay with their glorified economy cars
> rather than be introduced to our British cars.
The surest way to kill a hobby is to discourage new blood from getting
interested. Ask any Model A/Model T Ford hobbyist. IMHO, that might be a
bigger problem than rice boys who don't understand the technology that they
are bolting onto the most popular cars of their times.
Chris Eck
(Ex) 59 TR3A
59 Bugeye
93 Audi S4 TQ
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