📰 Auto News HKS USA closing its doors

[Mook]

Citing poor market conditions HKS USA, formerly one of the largest aftermarket JDM performance companies in the country, is ceasing U.S. operations after nearly three decades in business. A letter obtained by Jalopnik shows the company will consolidate its work to Japan. A letter from HKS to its dealers and vendors went out this afternoon, much to the surprise of companies who have been using HKS parts for decades. The letter blames the move on the slow economic recovery, a shrinking aftermarket, the U.S. Dollar, and the disaster in Japan. Aftermarket pioneer HKS USA closing its doorsThe company will continue to sell parts to the United States, but all operations will be transferred to HKS Co. Ltd. in Japan while HKS USA is folded.

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[Eagle]

poor jdm folks

 

[Mike K]

I don't know how anyone stays in business any more unless they're in a niche market. The whole business dynamic has changed so drastically over the last 5 years with the Chinese copying anything they can get their hands on. The first place people look for mods now is ebay and when you can get a set of stainless steel headers for $100 how does anyone compete with that?

 

[Stink Star]

BY MAKING HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS AND EDUCATING CUSTOMERS ON WHY THEY ARE BETTER THEAN THE CHEAPER COMPETITION

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

BY MAKING HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS AND EDUCATING CUSTOMERS ON WHY THEY ARE BETTER THEAN THE CHEAPER COMPETITION

x11 million

 

[XxApollynxX]

HKS is overprices shit, for minimal gains. only the fan boi's liked HKS and did it for the name and and bling bling. HKS cams are a joke, I will give them their exhausts are very nice pieces and sound great! I wonder how bad the price hikes will be.

 

[The Broken Regal]

How does one justify a 400 BOV though?

 

[Mike K]

BY MAKING HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS AND EDUCATING CUSTOMERS ON WHY THEY ARE BETTER THEAN THE CHEAPER COMPETITION

Easier said than done. For everyone that buys a set of our $600 headers there's 20 kids that will buy a set of speed daddy's on eBay and then spend another $200 getting them to even fit.

Either way, while a lot of people will still buy from the name brand guys, the hit in the economy, combined with the hit from China is insurmountable for a lot of these companies.

 

[Stink Star]

How does one justify a 400 BOV though?

because it doesnt leak no matter how much boost you run and it also doesnt require any adjustment. i really miss my HKS BOV.... i sold it to some kid in poland for more than i bought it for

 

[Stink Star]

Easier said than done. .

agree with that, but its unfortunately the truth. most of those wieners who, for instance, buy shitty headers are the same ones who think that "all this car needs is a tune to run 12's" talking about a civic or cobalt or something.... they dont understand that to build a car correctly it is ridiculously expensive. most of them wont ever end up actually building up a car the right way so they werent going to be a good customer anyway.

 

[XxApollynxX]

I will give it to the HKS SSQV for not leaking and holding boost.

 

[CrunkMaro]

that sucks. i do like their bovs.
never used any of their JDM specific stuff.

i use ebay headers. cause i can. don't worry kopstein...you don't sell headers for my car, no love lost.

always sucks to see a company move out of the US but hey, if thats what you have to do to survive, then thats what has to happen!

 

[Intel]

Eh, doesn't surprise me. Always loved the sound of their exhausts.

Copycatters are getting to be terrible for the 300zx scene. AMS of canada (no relation to the real AMS) just got ran off of one of the boards after they blatantly copied a local guys engine mount design. This was after they copied a set of exhaust manifolds also and most of the suspension bits from the companies that came out with them. Their basic formula seemed to be copy, manufacture in china, paint it black with AMS and sell it for half. Which is fine except for the fact that people now are apprehensive to make new products.

After installing some megan products for a friend I can see where paying a bit more saves me a lot of headaches.