[HODLM]

Has anyone ordered from RW Carbon? Good, bad, somewhere in between?

I'm tempted to get a front splitter but I don't want to spend a bunch of money on a part I'm pretty sure will get cracked.

[Who?]

afaik, they're a replica company only difference being they QC their products prior to shipment

whether you're ok with a replica morally or otherwise if up to you to decide

[horsepower_and_hounds]

Originally Posted by HODLM

Has anyone ordered from RW Carbon? Good, bad, somewhere in between?

I'm tempted to get a front splitter but I don't want to spend a bunch of money on a part I'm pretty sure will get cracked.

That is a Sterckenn copy. I had all RW M Performance copies on my F82 and it was fine. Looked the same, fit was quite good but not perfect, but then BMW is not always perfect either

RW QC's their imports pretty good but it is from China

That one would be $895 from IND for auth from England/Poland ($1,690 for it and the upper splitters), $550 from RWC Chinese ($1,000 for it and the upper splitters)

[HODLM]

Originally Posted by Who?

afaik, they're a replica company only difference being they QC their products prior to shipment

whether you're ok with a replica morally or otherwise if up to you to decide

I have OEM everywhere else on the car, and morally I'm not ok with a replica. BUT, I know the front end is so dicey that it seems silly to shell out for the authentic piece when it could crack in no time.

[HODLM]

Originally Posted by m2ruder

That is a Sterckenn copy. I had all RW M Performance copies on my F82 and it was fine. Looked the same, fit was quite good but not perfect, but then BMW is not always perfect either

RW QC's their imports pretty good but it is from China

That one would be $895 from IND for auth from England/Poland ($1,690 for it and the upper splitters), $550 from RWC Chinese ($1,000 for it and the upper splitters)

This is exactly what led me to RW. I really liked the Sterckenn piece from IND. It makes a statement without being over the top.

Decisions, decisions....

[///Cardia]

I used a lot of their products on my F30, they're legit!

[Nate@IND]

Originally Posted by ///Cardia

I used a lot of their products on my F30, they're legit!

If stealing designs is legit then I guess you have a valid point. I solely dislike them for lacking the ability to create a product that can sell. I personally spent 5 months on design work for a front lip and to this day is number one in a specific market. RW came along and made a copy of the part. They might be making money but they miss out on the creative side of the industry. At the end of the day that matters.

[///Cardia]

Originally Posted by Nate@IND

If stealing designs is legit then I guess you have a valid point. I solely dislike them for lacking the ability to create a product that can sell. I personally spent 5 months on design work for a front lip and to this day is number one in a specific market. RW came along and made a copy of the part. They might be making money but they miss out on the creative side of the industry. At the end of the day that matters.

That's true, there isn't a patent law that prohibits that?

[Nate@IND]

Originally Posted by ///Cardia

That's true, there isn't a patent law that prohibits that?

At 20k a part yes. This is a small industry driven by enthusiast. Take the F87 M2. Super small market then create a design patent for the front lip, trunk spoiler and diffuser with a total of 60k in patent fees.

[alscks0414]

Haha same struggle as I have right now.
But I will most likely stay with Sterkenn's authentic part.

Mine will be lowered with Ohlins R&T and also concerned with damage that can be made easily from road hazard and bumps...

I still have not done the job on R&T with new wheels and tires, but certainly will order the splitter once weather gets better after getting coilover and wheels equipped.

Certainly it is a beautiful piece and only one design available to fit with MP front winglets and love how it goes with them.

Decision Decision... haha

[///Cardia]

Originally Posted by Nate@IND

At 20k a part yes. This is a small industry driven by enthusiast. Take the F87 M2. Super small market then create a design patent for the front lip, trunk spoiler and diffuser with a total of 60k in patent fees.

Well, seems like the ball should be in the court of your legal team...

BL, I ordered IND parts for my ///M but as a former 3 series owner, multiple options were available and that's the beauty of supply and demand.

[HODLM]

Originally Posted by Nate@IND

If stealing designs is legit then I guess you have a valid point. I solely dislike them for lacking the ability to create a product that can sell. I personally spent 5 months on design work for a front lip and to this day is number one in a specific market. RW came along and made a copy of the part. They might be making money but they miss out on the creative side of the industry. At the end of the day that matters.

You had me at "stealing designs". I'm not down with that BS.

I'm taking a stand and will budget for the Authentic piece. Is it almost Black Friday?

[Nate@IND]

Originally Posted by HODLM

You had me at "stealing designs". I'm not down with that BS.

I'm taking a stand and will budget for the Authentic piece. Is it almost Black Friday?

Shoot me a pm

[Nate@IND]

Originally Posted by ///Cardia

Well, seems like the ball should be in the court of your legal team...

BL, I ordered IND parts for my ///M but as a former 3 series owner, multiple options were available and that's the beauty of supply and demand.

Thank you for the orders in the past

[McPurrs]

Originally Posted by Nate@IND

If stealing designs is legit then I guess you have a valid point. I solely dislike them for lacking the ability to create a product that can sell. I personally spent 5 months on design work for a front lip and to this day is number one in a specific market. RW came along and made a copy of the part. They might be making money but they miss out on the creative side of the industry. At the end of the day that matters.

How does painting a badge and charging $150 or more show creativity?

[CHITOWN1series]

Originally Posted by Nate@IND

At 20k a part yes. This is a small industry driven by enthusiast. Take the F87 M2. Super small market then create a design patent for the front lip, trunk spoiler and diffuser with a total of 60k in patent fees.

Exactly on point. (As a patent agent that works with this stuff on a daily basis) however 60k for 3 design patents is kind of high. It's a cost benefit analysis that a company has to go through to decide if it's worth it.

[HODLM]

Originally Posted by McPurrs

How does painting a badge and charging $150 or more show creativity?

You're conflating two different issues. He's talking about R&D and legal costs for producing their own line of CF products, and you're asking about a custom part that isn't available for the M2 direct from the factory, so IND provides a service to bring the custom part (painted emblems) to market.

[Turbo_addict]

I am all for authenticity and creativity but when the part is likely to take a beating it’s hard to not want to gravitate towards the cheaper option.

[F87_LCI]

Originally Posted by McPurrs

How does painting a badge and charging $150 or more show creativity?

Supply and demand dude. Lazy people like me are willing to pay, so IND charges accordingly...you don't want to pay, then paint it yourself.

..and then buy the part from IND a week later when you screw it up and it looks like crap.

When I buy parts from IND, I know it will be professionally made (by them or their associated partners), packed and shipped to a location of my choosing. Their customer service is top notch and if you ask nicely, they will usually give you a price break if they can.


Ryan, Mike, Nate...the above statements have nothing to do with me potentially sending you an order for an RPK CF roof in a couple of days...

[Bt12]

Would be awesome if someone could copy or make a new Pearl front lip for the US mkt!!!

[Who?]

Originally Posted by McPurrs

How does painting a badge and charging $150 or more show creativity?

So how do these painted emblems differ to the originals?

[HODLM]

Originally Posted by Who?

So how do these painted emblems differ to the originals?

You can't get black M2 emblems from BMW, only chrome. Whereas you can get black M3/M4 direct from BMW. So IND takes the chrome OEM M2 emblems and paints them for us freaks who don't want chrome on our M2.

Have you ever tried painting something with precision? I have. It didn't turn out well.