# What we do at Knight Racer...



## knight-racer (Oct 14, 2003)

Knight-Racer Showcase Video

YouTube - Knight Racer Official Showcase Video 2011 HD


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## jim-lm (Mar 15, 2005)

It's not bad..but to many pictures of girls and not enough of your products..I'm not gay by the way...it's just to much of the one thing you don't sell

it just cheapens the video in my eye's....sorry..:nervous:


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## knight-racer (Oct 14, 2003)

Thanks for your opinion. Yes, we tend to use girls to promote our products, each girl seen in photos is in fact modelling either our product(s) or cars we've built, but by sounds of it i think you were concentrating on the girls rather than what they were modelling  Most of the time hot cars and hot girls come hand in hand, otherwise car shows would be boring!

The media team we commissioned gave us the advise that a lot of TV adverts have themes totally irrelevant to the product, but either way it is a tool to draw attention to the brand and logo, which leads to our main website where you will find a complete list of products 

Thanks
Albert


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## james1 (Aug 23, 2010)

not bad, abit too all over the place

more products, and tone down the chicks or get a better grade of promo girl....

j.


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## fourtoes (Feb 27, 2003)

Have to agree with Jim, if you're aiming at the Saxo, Corsa, Max Power, drift demographic it's spot on, but to most folk on here we'd rather see a bit more class, race inspired and performance products that actually improve the performance of your car and don't just effect them cosmetically. The girls definitely cheapen the overall brand IMHO.
But i guess each to their own and maybe you do most of your business away from this forum.
Save some money on not very good media teams and put some R&D and input into things like dry carbon door cards with manual winders, GTR specific carbon brake ducting, lightweight carbon/kevlar replacement OEM front and rear bumpers, carbon/kevlar wheel arch liners and undertrays, rear seat deletes etc etc....
Thats what id be interested in seeing. HTH.

bob


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## knight-racer (Oct 14, 2003)

Sorry guys, wasnt expecting members (especially on the GTROC) to critic the vid. Just a overall promo video which is posted and advertised on every forum / web related media we're linked with.

Although we do deal with and stock a hell of a lot of products for the GTR's (from R32 to R35) we also deal with the low budget varieties too. I think this first promo vid captures everything in a 3 minute summary. But thanks


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## R4VENS (Jan 1, 2009)

Love the girls man  haha!  moorrrr!


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## jim-lm (Mar 15, 2005)

Don't get me wrong I like the look of a sexy girl like any man would. But it mite just be me. But I have at times loved a car at a show and there was a girl all over it. So I asked her to move out the way. She didn't look impressed. 

If I wanted to see half naked girls I'd go to spear mint rhino, but I'm not I'm at a car show. For the cars not girls. 

I have never bought something from a website just because there is a girl in the picture.???

And before people wonder I've been married 11 years and I'm only 30 so I'm not to old or over it by a long way...

And knight racer I love alot of your carbon work, keep up the good work....


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## knight-racer (Oct 14, 2003)

thank you


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## DD31 (May 5, 2009)

Have you seen this

THE REAL JDM

It is sad truth about companies like Knight Racer that kill this industry. And sad truth about people who buy fake products from Knight Racer ( Do-luck, East Bear, and many more )


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## james1 (Aug 23, 2010)

DD31 said:


> Have you seen this
> 
> THE REAL JDM
> 
> It is sad truth about companies like Knight Racer that kill this industry. And sad truth about people who buy fake products from Knight Racer ( Do-luck, East Bear, and many more )




The counter argument is as simple as saying if their is a demand for something (in this case, cheaper products) then someone will fill that void.

The rights and wrongs of it are a futile argument.....not going to change what happens...

j.


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## MIKEGTR (Jul 8, 2005)

I stopped buying car mags because they had more girls than cars.

If I wanted a w4nk i'd buy a w4nk mag


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## Marky_GTSt (Dec 31, 2005)

MIKEGTR said:


> I stopped buying car mags because they had more girls than cars.
> 
> If I wanted a w4nk i'd buy a w4nk mag


I Couldnt agree more....


Also, I will be after a set of Knight Racer front wings later  The ones with the vents in.... Should look smart enough and will remove a source of corrosion from my front end.


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## MIKEGTR (Jul 8, 2005)

Marky_GTSt said:


> I Couldnt agree more....
> 
> 
> will remove a source of corrosion from my front end.


Watching Knight racers promo video could remove a source of corrosion from your front end :thumbsup:


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## TAZZMAXX (Mar 9, 2010)

DD31 said:


> Have you seen this
> 
> THE REAL JDM
> 
> It is sad truth about companies like Knight Racer that kill this industry. And sad truth about people who buy fake products from Knight Racer ( Do-luck, East Bear, and many more )


As we all know, the Japanese have never copied anyone elses ideas have they?


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## Simonh (May 24, 2002)

DD31 said:


> Have you seen this
> 
> THE REAL JDM
> 
> It is sad truth about companies like Knight Racer that kill this industry. And sad truth about people who buy fake products from Knight Racer ( Do-luck, East Bear, and many more )


hear hear.....

there is no counter argument that stacks up, you want something new somewhere along the line someone needs to pay for the development cost of that item, otherwise the market will go stale as no business will want to pay the cash they will never re-coup.

the irony is that the better 'cloning' companies soon have to begin to design there own kits as there is nothing new in the market and then they get copied by the next cheap shop down the road much to their dismay!


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## MIKEGTR (Jul 8, 2005)

Simonh said:


> the irony is that the better 'cloning' companies soon have to begin to design there own kits as there is nothing new in the market and then they get copied by the next cheap shop down the road much to their dismay!


Actually, I think if something is done properly then why shouldn't there be competition.

This is a picture of one of the coolest cars available










and here's a replica for sale - now if you could afford £250k i'm sure you'd buy an original, however if you can't afford it, then a good copy is a fair consideration:
Kit Cars : Beautiful Head-turning 356 Speedster


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## Simonh (May 24, 2002)

MIKEGTR said:


> Actually, I think if something is done properly then why shouldn't there be competition.
> 
> This is a picture of one of the coolest cars available
> 
> ...


both look fantastic, but the analogy isn't the same at all. In fact a better analogy would be pirated DVD's or CD's, essentially the same thing but not as good quality and without any of the development costs (and the same arguments if I could afford to buy the original I would do)


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## MIKEGTR (Jul 8, 2005)

Agreed, if the quality isn't there then there is an issue, but at the end of the day there will always be a market for cheaper good, you pays your money, you takes your choice.

We've all watched dodgy dvds knowing they aren't going to be as good as the original, but hey, they were a bargain and cheap enough to take a chance on - as a rule if they were unwatchable you wouldn't buy from the guy again, lesson learnt and im sure if Knight racers quality was below par then they wouldn't be in business long.


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## godzilladom (Sep 3, 2009)

BEAUTIFUL!!



MIKEGTR said:


>


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## Simonh (May 24, 2002)

MIKEGTR said:


> Agreed, if the quality isn't there then there is an issue, but at the end of the day there will always be a market for cheaper good, you pays your money, you takes your choice.
> 
> We've all watched dodgy dvds knowing they aren't going to be as good as the original, but hey, they were a bargain and cheap enough to take a chance on - as a rule if they were unwatchable you wouldn't buy from the guy again, lesson learnt and im sure if Knight racers quality was below par then they wouldn't be in business long.


This isn't a dig at Knight Racer per say just the copy kit scene in general.

and without wishing to sound sanctimonious I haven't ever brought a copy dvd and wouldn't on principal...


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## MIKEGTR (Jul 8, 2005)

Simonh said:


> This isn't a dig at Knight Racer per say just the copy kit scene in general.
> 
> and without wishing to sound sanctimonious I haven't ever brought a copy dvd and wouldn't on principal...


not even porn lol :nervous:


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## Simonh (May 24, 2002)

MIKEGTR said:


> not even porn lol :nervous:


No comment!


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## tarmac terror (Jul 16, 2003)

DD31 said:


> It is sad truth about companies like Knight Racer that kill this industry. And sad truth about people who buy fake products from Knight Racer ( Do-luck, East Bear, and many more )


I cant say I agree with the above personally...
Sometimes exterior panels are either difficult to find or out-of-proportionally expensive (as most Japanese made parts are!). Companies like KR etc I believe offer a realistically priced alternative. I have not purchased anything from them myself but ocasionally dabble in composite moulding myself and I can say that its not overly difficult...my point is that the Japanese based composite companies are really shooting themselves in the foot regarding pricing for a product that a) is not expensive to produce and b) requires only moderate time to produce. If KR et al can offer quality parts at realistic prices then why not?? The only time-consuming bit about composite moulding is in making the master mould...everything after that, especially if using vacuum method is a piece of cake.

It amazes me that people go to great lengths to justify the extortianate costs of JDM parts. Going by some of their arguements it seems the Japanese are THE best in the world at manufacturing EVERYTHING. Wake up an smell the coffee....WHY would a KR (or other non-Jap company's) carbon bonnet for example be of a quality hugely inferior to JDM sourced parts. Simple answer is that it will not unless they REALLY scrimp on materials.

I thing companies such as KR etc should be applauded for servicing a market that suffers from ridiculous parts pricing. I know I'm going off on a tangent here but I think its endemic in the sector we occupy. I mean, compare say, Focus RS upgrade parts to Skyline/Subaru/Mitsi parts and tell me that we are not getting ripped off......seriously!!! Yet people will happily spend a grand on a Trust/HKS intercooler when Pace could probably do you a similar sized/specced one for 1/2 - 3/4 the price. 
Relating back to the topic here, I'm sure that if your East Bears/Do-Luck's etc were to charge sensible money for their products then more people will buy original parts. Look what happend to ARC....I can see a good few more Japanese companies going the same way if they continue to demand inordinate amounts of money for their products.

TT


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## Simonh (May 24, 2002)

TT,

with respect you don't really know what you are talking about when it comes to composites. A small bit of low volume production is one thing, doing it properly is quite another. Getting the right material mix, evern the correct weight and mix of composites. Simply making the mold correctly so that after it has been used time and time again that it doesn't warp, twist or basically crumble away all takes a very good deal of knowledge and expirience.

Then it comes to the copies themselves.... not many people know but GRP will shrink by about 2mm in a m so lets say you use a genuine do luck front bumper to make a mold from, even using molding gelcoats and resins (which shrink less but are more expensive and difficult to use) you will get some shrinkage then when your take a cast from that mold your new piece will shrink as well, so you now have a copy that is mesureably shorter than the piece you made your copy from.

Now imagine that you are taking your copy from a copy and think how much worse it will get..... that is one of the reasons why so many R33 GTR copy spoilers are such a bad fit (and why generally the GRP body kit industry has such a bad name)

and then your comment about making the mold taking the time, yes it does and this is where the vast bulk of the development costs come from, the part that the original manufacturer needs to recover in order to stay in business and keep supplying parts, the bit that the kit copiers don't have to fork out in order to stay in business.

If Do luck hadn't bothered to pay for the development in the first place then the kit wouldn't exist at all and where would the kit copying industry be then?

That said this thread prompted me to have a look at the Do luck kit in particualr (as I'd really like that on my car) and I was stunned at the cost of it, £1300 for a bumper! £1000 for a pair of sideskirts, and the real biscuit taker a replacement end cap for the R33 GTR sideskirts at £600 - there isn't £6 of materials in that piece!

I am all for a manufacturer making a profit but that level of over pricing is insane and will surely kill there own markets as people take the cheaper option.

Simon


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## tarmac terror (Jul 16, 2003)

Simonh said:


> TT,
> with respect you don't really know what you are talking about when it comes to composites.


Err...Used to work for a composite moulding company so I'd like to think I know a bit about the subject. :nervous:



> that is one of the reasons why so many R33 GTR copy spoilers are such a bad fit (and why generally the GRP body kit industry has such a bad name)


Granted, but I feel you're tarring all non-Japanese composite companies with the same brush i.e. knock-off Nigels making stuff in their sheds. I'm sure there are companies out there KR, Japsalon etc who have suitable premises, equipment and knowledge to produce GOOD quality parts every bit as good, if not better, than JDM stuff. I'd be surprised if these guys did not address the mould shrinking and fit issues.



> and then your comment about making the mold taking the time, yes it does and this is where the vast bulk of the development costs come from, the part that the original manufacturer needs to recover in order to stay in business and keep supplying parts, the bit that the kit copiers don't have to fork out in order to stay in business.


LOL...you make it sound like a mould takes forever and thousands of ££ to make. Even using a big block of tooling resin would not cost much and you could probably design a completely new bumper and have the mould ready for production in less than a week!!!



> If Do luck hadn't bothered to pay for the development in the first place then the kit wouldn't exist at all and where would the kit copying industry be then?


Probably designing their own stuff!




> That said this thread prompted me to have a look at the Do luck kit in particualr (as I'd really like that on my car) and I was stunned at the cost of it, £1300 for a bumper! £1000 for a pair of sideskirts, and the real biscuit taker a replacement end cap for the R33 GTR sideskirts at £600 - there isn't £6 of materials in that piece!


So, at least you agree that the 'original' companies are taking the piss with pricing. Even taking so-called development time in to account, with the cost of materials (which these guys will buy in bulk!) there is NO WAY that a bumper should cost £1300. Not wishing ill of others but I can really see these companies going down the tubes as their level of profit margin (read 'greed') is unjustifiably high and unsustainable IMHO.

TT


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## Multics (Apr 27, 2008)

Did anyone consider that JDM parts are made primarily for the JDM market and that their price is in sync with the local economy? These parts are not made mainly for export, Chinese parts are. If what they say is true, that everything in Japan is more expensive than in Europe, then it's no surprise that the JDM brands seem so expensive to us. Add a poor exchange rate and there you go. I don't think that companies like KR who mainly cater the UK market pose a threat to JDM brands by copying some of their designs. On top of that, local companies offer support that you couldn't possibly get from abroad and their prices are in sync with the local market. I blame the world economy, the "green" bandwagon and perhaps some of the mass knock off companies in China but not local companies like KR.


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## Simonh (May 24, 2002)

I am not saying that UK companies don't know what they are doing or that the quality is worse or better and TBH I have seen both ends of the scale on that score.

i think for me the biggest problem is that people generally speaking are not prepared to pay what it costs for well made decent fitting good quality kit, and the companies that take those kits, make a copy and sell them for much less than the original don't help that.


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## tarmac terror (Jul 16, 2003)

Simonh said:


> people generally speaking are not prepared to pay what it costs for well made decent fitting good quality kit


OK then, from another angle.... What do YOU think is a fair price for say, a typical wet-lay carbon bonnet for an R32 taking into account materials and time?? Lets assume quality and fit are to a high standard.

You seem to have a handle on materials costs so I'd be interested to see how much mark-up you find acceptable.

TT


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## Simonh (May 24, 2002)

I've not brought any carbon cloth for a while as the prices were just through the roof, so the last time I did any carbon work it was about £30 a linear meter for a standard 200x200 twill.

for the bonnets we did we used at least two layers of carbon backed up with a 90gsm matt and a tissue so dry material costs would have been around £150 or so, wouldn't have used much more than £30 worth of expoxy and they took around 2.5-3 to prep, manufacture, demould and finish so another £90.

so in bare costs you are looking at £270 without overheads to make a reasonable profit on that we would have needed to see £430, but more likely we would have got £400 and then it would retail in the region of £550ish.

that is the priamry reason so many of them are made in the far east where labour costs are next to nothing. with wet lay carbon it needs time and effort to get it right and labour always costs money over here!

for something like a front bumper for a R33 I would say in materials you are looking at £40-60 depending on how well you make it and probably around 3 hours total manufacturing time for a straight forward piece.. again this does not include any overhead, development or maintenance costs which need to be factored in for any successful business.

Simon


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