shop selling COPIED performance parts!!

[stang9gt]

This person is from my hometown and I am just wondering your guys opinions on this....Take a look at this auction, or any of his other auctions he has going..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2479466273&category=42609

Now he buys these parts (subrframes, throttle body spacers, etc) from other companies, copies their product but changes something little detail, the copies his copy, and sells them....Does this seem shady/wrong??? Me, and most of my other friends (all being friends with him) buy the actual product from the real companies because we don't want to support him copying other peoples products/hard work.....I believe the subframes are a copy of SLP's and the tubular control arms are BMR's...I can't remember for sure who he purchased the originals from...Taking and designing your own parts, then selling them is cool...I think it's bs to take other peoples designs/hard work, copy them, and make money off them for yourself....

Thoughts????

 

[stang9gt]

These were taken from Wild Rides...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2480030191&category=33583

 

[stang9gt]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2479684233&category=33558

 

[gdear66]

He may end up in court after a while. However if the parts aren't patented, everyone has a right to make money

 

[tangerine]

that is true but the other people take a lot of money on R&D and someone is copying their product and making a profit off of it. if any thing become a dealer and make money that way.

 

[stang9gt]

He may end up in court after a while. However if the parts aren't patented, everyone has a right to make money

I can't imagine these companies wouldn't have their products patented...

 

[Slider]

I can't imagine these companies wouldn't have their products patented...

Patents cost a lot of money. If the product is not really that much different then the competetion, then the company may just save the several thousand dollars it costs for a patent (there are patent lawyer fees, the patent fee, legal fees, etc). Some times it is just not worth the hassle.

It does not seem fare to copy someone's design, but it happens all the time. It is just the way it is done.

 

[Joel's98GT]

capitalism at it's finest.

 

[95BLBLVert]

Patents can cost upwards of $10K. I just released a new clutch cable adjuster and I fear that it may get copied but we're working on the application now. As long as I have it filed first, no one can copy it without serious repurcussions.

However, there is nothing wrong with taking a product and improving on it. There is a fine line here. The improvement must be drastic and marketable.
For example, there are many firewall adjusters and quadrants out there. One company came out with a 3 hook quadrant because the 2 hook quadrant is patented. No company has a patent on a "quick-release" quadrant and look how many companies copied each other. My adjuster is drastically different from the rest but it has the very same function as the rest.

Look at all the copied products we buy for our cars:

1. caster/camber plates
2. coil-overs
3. sfc's
4. control arms
5. blowers
6. wheels
7. hoods
8. misc. billet interior pieces
9. intakes (look at Edelbrock compared to Pro Products)
10. throttle bodies

That's just a few examples.

I do agree that it is dead wrong to buy someone's product and copy it right down to the paint color.

 

[Hugger1974]

If a product is not patented, anybody and everybody is able to copy or reproduce that item. Products such as sfcs, control arms etc do not have patents. You cant patent a "control arm" companies have been making these for years, there is hundreds of companys that make items like this(UPR, BMR, MM, Metco, SSM and many many more). You may be able to patent a specific thing on the control arm, but that would be it as far as I would know. But like mentioned above the cost to do this isnt worth it and the time spent is ridiculous.

Many companys take other products and make them better and improve them, take there own ideas and add it to others to make a great product. If you look through all the sponsors on this site each product looks familar, there is only so many ideas out there on a specific car. A great example is Maximum Motorsports full length sfcs, look at Steedas, pretty much EXACTLY the same. Now look in summit to see the summit brand is basically the same also. It happens everyday, its called COMPETITION. Some companys have a great product and poor advertising, others have a great advertisement and a poor product. Smaller companys take this and make a great product with great advertisement and good service and I am sure they use some of there own RD in this as well.

You say Wild rides is the original designer of the battle boxes, but UPR also carries these same boxes and many other companies that look EXACTLY the same. Did they take wild rides idea, most likely. But hey are you running UPR down too? and Summit? How About Jegs Lift Bars- The South Side Alternative

IMO- I think you are some young kid that has no clue and does not have the right to judge this company or any other.

 

[ChrisXoxide2]

If it weren't for this "copying" and market competition, you'd all be paying $300 for short shifter units, $300 for subframes...etc etc.


Competition is good for the consumer....bad for companies profits.

 

[trublustallion]

hmmm, wasnt UPR at some point accused on here of copying from Steeda? I guess its not too bad as long as the finished copied product is on par with the original or better, and cheaper.

 

[Red mustang Gt 46]

Steeda used to buy ASP pulleys and put their name on it, same with wires...FRPP''s with Steeda stamped on them...it's a common practice, some manufacturers (no-names) do this...ex: lower control arms, ever notice they tend to look all the same just different sellers name? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2480722006&category=33583 and http://www.jdsperformance.com/index.asp?initemuid=298&fcmd=item&inmake=all

Thats how the no-name manufacturer makes their money...distibute to companies for them to put their name on it...giving permission of same.