HKS to Close US Operations, Save HKS USA!

[2_Liter_Turbo]

http://www.motoiq.com/magazine_articles ... s-usa.aspx

Yet another quality company is calling it quits in the USA! While there are other large factors in this (Japanese earthquake, economy, etc), I believe one of the main reasons why they are ceasing US operations in because people keep buying the cheap chinese knock-off parts. Some people probably don't know that companies such as Megan, Stance, Circuit Sports, Godspeed, Isis, TopSpeed, CXRacing, XSPower, etc; are cheap chinese/egay products copied from companies who actually do research and development. One day, when all the quality companies are gone, the fake companies will have nothing to copy, then what? So support quality companies (US ones as well as the Japanese ones), and STOP BUYING s***! We have all done it (myself included unfortunately), but we need to stop now to save the industry that supports our passion of modifying our cars.

[Dattebayo]

Some people probably don't know that companies such as Megan, Stance, Circuit Sports, Godspeed, Isis, TopSpeed, CXRacing, XSPower, etc; are cheap chinese/egay products copied from companies who actually do research and development.

[Encryptshun]

I wouldn't list Stance in the same category as Godspeed. I have used their products and would consider them quality items. I know the guy (David Lee) who runs Stance USA and he's certainly NOT in the habit of making crap and leaving his customers to twist.

Maybe if HKS stuff was cheaper they wouldn't be ceasing US operations. They are a premium "brand name" item and that strategy backfired in a region where tuning is relatively minor culturaly versus big-block performance and where the economy was not conducive to investing a 50% premium on a branded item.

My 240 had Stance GR+ Pro coilovers (good stuff), a Godspeed FMIC (a bit heavy, but the welds were quality and it worked just fine, and Megan RUCAs (other than their tendancy to seize in adverse climates, which is easily preventable by proper prep, maintenance and care, they work just fine for street and light-track use).

I agree with your overall message, but it's not the same world anymore.

[flohtingPoint]

HKS could save themselves by not making massively overpriced crap.

[sbird1]

I put an HKS GT2540 turbo on my last 240 and fell in love with it. Spooled great, made awesome power, and could handle a LOT of boost (don't know about charge temps. at higher psi). I got it used and for near half the price of a new one. That's about the only way I could ever afford HKS stuff: used. They make great stuff, but they are sure expensive. While I'm not happy to see them go, there are many other alternatives to their products.

[Encryptshun]

Garrett makes HKS turbos. Just FYI.

[sbird1]

O RLY? Good to know...

[Looneybomber]

Garrett makes HKS turbos. Just FYI.

But is Garrett just an OEM/build house? Who did the R&D, garrett or hks? Just because a company knows how they want something built, doesn't mean they can actually build it. It's the same in every market.

[themadscientist]

Garrett has been making turbos since Hosokawa was a schoolboy, what do you think? HKS stuff has always been overpriced. It was also quality, but out of the reach of the average guy. That customer base can yield dividends if you can balance quality and price, but they didn't.

It was just a matter of time before the economics asserted themselves. What will happen in the end is the knockoff companies will no longer have real designer to copy and will have to start designing things themselves. Those that can evolve will become the next generation of brand names and those that can't will wither and die. Market forces always come into play in the long run.

[dre1507]

TMS. i agree. That is all.

[nissangirl74]

Adapt or die. Eat or be eaten. Survival of the fittest. My hometown saw a lot of that. Many our our manufacturing centers closed because of foreign competition. It's just the way business works. If someone can build the same thing for less, they will be the successful ones. /story

[RED_DET]

Saw this one coming....