Comments on: Custom wheelmaker destroys counterfeits

By: Bob

Bob — Sun, 07 May 2006 07:47:49 +0000

Ehhhhrrrr

By: Clayton - US business owner

Clayton - US business owner — Fri, 05 May 2006 16:25:30 +0000

Wow – you can tell that people like Jim know nothing about manufacturing product. His ignorance is quite amazing. I have been in wheel manufacturing plants in China and I can tell you that some of the “lesser quality” brands come off the same line the nicer ones do. That doesn’t mean they are the same quality – but it does tell you that some of the brands are more marketing than engineering. The simple fact is that if it is Ralph Lauren, Motorola, Intel or any other quality company, they use parameters to build the same product no matter WHERE it originates. You want to tell me an Intel chip made in Tiawan is lesser quality? The reason so many companies are turning to China, India and other countries for manufacturing is simply labor rates. Our chinese workers make $1 an hour and gladly work 6 days a week. Try to get that kind of value out of your Kripy Kreme eating, union controlled factory US worker. And yes dear Jim, some of your precious GM or Ford product even comes from outside the US. Just because something says “made in USA” on it doesnt mean that it is homegrown. They are called foreign trade zones – all over the US – you import all the parts and assemble your product stateside to reduce tariffs and stamp your “made in US” sticker on it. I hope you knew that. As far as intellectual property theft is concerned – understand that the large companies in the US and Europe are the ones TEACHING the Chinese how to build most of this stuff. These companies set up factories there. China may not be technically savvy, but they have a strong desire to build quality product. Of course there are knock offs and theft of protected patents and that is wrong. The Chinese have been a poor country overall until the recent economic boom. The person making $1 an hour doesnt really care if his Polo shirt is a real or a fake – it looks nicer than what he is used to. There is change going on in China (and India) and it takes time. Trust me, they are VERY brand aware and they love Coke and KFC and BMWs. You obviously speak about China with great ignorance and without having ever been there. China – like any other country – has some good and some bad manufacturing. I challenge you to go without any product made overseas – it is impossible.

By: Jim in LA

Jim in LA — Fri, 05 May 2006 06:29:34 +0000

john, intellectual property theft is one of the driving elements behind the so-called “chinese economy” – that, and american investment (which is another way of saying closing down american manufacturing operations and relocating them in slave-labor-equivalent factories).

“matching the shape of the product it’s imitating” is simply a diminution of the real, serious issue: intellectual property theft.

of course piracy is worldwide. but it is also HUGE in china. witness the recent phony “crackdowns” on pirated movies in shanghai. the MPAA just a few days ago released a report stating losses due to piracy (mostly from China, Russia and Mexico) totaled billions each year. not that i trust numbers from the MPAA so much (they’re right up there with the RIAA in credibility), but i’m sure there’s something to it.

as for “lumping chinese into a homogenous mass,” i didn’t do anything like that. i commented on the build quality of chinese manufacture. it blows. american outsourcing manufacturing engineers instructing their chinese counterparts how to do what was once done better here.

one last point: you are aware that all foreign ventures in the People’s Republic of China are subject to 51% ownership by the People’s Liberation Army, right?

next time you wonder where all those BMWs and MBZs cruising monterey park come from, wonder no more.

By: John

John — Fri, 05 May 2006 05:48:42 +0000

#7, I disagree with you on bunching all Chinese into a homogenous mass.

There are pirates, which there also are in the US, and Europe, everywhere, who make knock offs.

And there are genuine, real companies that make real products. And many of the actual Chinese auto companies are allied with foreign brands, so they do have some quality standard to their work.
Plus coming to the US, their cars have to meet US regulations.
Whereas illegal knock offs don’t meet any regulation, only matching the shape of the product it’s imitating.

By: Jim in LA

Jim in LA — Fri, 05 May 2006 05:29:35 +0000

ah, good old chinese build quality.

and just think – in a year or 2, we’ll be treated to not just wheels from china, but entire vehicles!

can it get any better for us lucky americans?

low prices – always! thanks, corporate america!

(ps: good for schnitzer – F intellectual property theft and knockoffs)

By: manny

manny — Fri, 05 May 2006 02:08:17 +0000

one that makes lots of money because they put no money into the quality of their wheels…
damn those is cheap rims…

By: joey

joey — Thu, 04 May 2006 23:02:29 +0000

my god…the maker does need to destroy the wheels….they suck!!!!!what kinda of company makes ****y wheels??

By: John

John — Thu, 04 May 2006 21:43:21 +0000

My god look at the way those things crush.
Your car turns into a death trap if you’re riding on those.
#2 is suicidal.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 04 May 2006 17:45:45 +0000

They musta got their shorts in a Schnitzer.

j i m

By: scotty

scotty — Thu, 04 May 2006 16:13:01 +0000

they should just give them to deserving car owners…for free.
ill take a set please!

By: Andre Neves

Andre Neves — Thu, 04 May 2006 15:49:39 +0000

you go boy!

what’s up with the security code thing?