things i just don't understand about car fads

[GGPIS3]

1. wheel fitment.



- i can understand getting your wheels to be flush with your fenders, but when the wheel starts to portrude past the fender, it is no longer flush imo.
- i also don't get the whole idea of running a 9.5" wide wheel with a 205/215/225 on it. makes no sense to me.

when i started learning about cars, i was told that parts had to serve a purpose. if the part didn't serve a purpose, then it was considered rice. when you have a 9.5" wide wheel and you don't have at least a 255 on it, well the wheel isn't quite serving its purpose. feel me?

- what is with all the FWD guys all running staggered setups? or trying to look like they are a RWD? what is the point of that? if you wanted a car that looked rwd, why not get a rwd car?


2. JDM as F*CK!



what is the point of this sticker? people just randomly put it on their cars and for what? is it so cool to have a sticker that does not flow at all with your car? the only people that know what it really means are people who already know your car is jdm. so what is the point? not trying to diss anyone that has it, i just don't get it. as tony said, maybe its because of our old age lol, but if i look back to when i was younger, i remember it was always about a clean car, a well balanced car, a car with taste and styling that appeals to the masses. i guess times have changed and what was considered rice back in the 90's is now considered cool...


3. NEWS FLASH

PROCEED TO PAGE 2 for the true meaning of the jdm badge


ps. im sure i'll get flamed for my opinions on certain matters. just remember, they are my opinions. im not telling anyone what to do or how to mod their cars. some people call my car rice too, so it is what it is.

[87 Turbo II]

agreeing with you so far, gonna wait until you post something I can rag on you for. So far everything you said is stuff people have been bitching at me for saying for a while now haha. We're not the only ones though, a lot of people feel the same way, just most of IA is either too afraid of losing reps, or follows the fads themselves.

[Elbow]

All this has been said before in numerous threads, I've called half these things out. REPOST.

[ZenMotors]

Wow, Dan thats an attack to someone we know. Lol...

[Elbow]

Who's Dan? lol

EDIT: Thought you were the OP..LOL..de de de.

[Nerdsrock22]

1. wheel fitment.

- i can understand getting your wheels to be flush with your fenders, but when the wheel starts to portrude past the fender, it is no longer flush imo.
- i also don't get the whole idea of running a 9.5" wide wheel with a 205/215/225 on it. makes no sense to me.

when i started learning about cars, i was told that parts had to serve a purpose. if the part didn't serve a purpose, then it was considered rice. when you have a 9.5" wide wheel and you don't have at least a 255 on it, well the wheel isn't quite serving its purpose. feel me?

- what is with all the FWD guys all running staggered setups? or trying to look like they are a RWD? what is the point of that? if you wanted a car that looked rwd, why not get a rwd car?

The purpose is to make people look at, and talk about their car, which they have done quite successfully. In a world with millions of civics, you have to do something to make your car stand out. If someone chooses to put staggered 9" wheels on their eg, its because they want other people to take notice, whine about it, and post their picture all over the internet talking about how crazy it is. Boom: they're internet celebrities, and their car is everywhere.

It's nothing new. Why did The Who break their instruments after their shows? Why did Andy Warhol wear a dumb wig?

Its art. Enjoy it. Laugh at it. Love it. Hate it. Just be happy its not all the same.

[whatever210]

All this has been said before in numerous threads, I've called half these things out. REPOST.

you must be the new qd

[GGPIS3]

The purpose is to make people look at, and talk about their car, which they have done quite successfully. In a world with millions of civics, you have to do something to make your car stand out. If someone chooses to put staggered 9" wheels on their eg, its because they want other people to take notice, whine about it, and post their picture all over the internet talking about how crazy it is. Boom: they're internet celebrities, and their car is everywhere.

It's nothing new. Why did The Who break their instruments after their shows? Why did Andy Warhol wear a dumb wig?

Its art. Enjoy it. Laugh at it. Love it. Hate it. Just be happy its not all the same.

^^ while i agree with you, i also don't. just because you can do something, doesn't always mean you should. ie. painting wheels odd colors.

in the end, the way i see it, the uglier you make your car look, the better it makes mine look.

[Jecht]

The staggered setups started with VWs because you have to have a crazy offset in the rear to get the wheels flush with the fenders on most VWs. Honda guys have no point in doing it.

[Nerdsrock22]

^^ while i agree with you, i also don't. just because you can do something, doesn't always mean you should. ie. painting wheels odd colors.

Why shouldn't you?

[Sammich]

- what is with all the FWD guys all running staggered setups? or trying to look like they are a RWD? what is the point of that? if you wanted a car that looked rwd, why not get a rwd car?

BECAUSE I LIKE THE STAGGERED LOOK ON A MAXIPAD...BTU I DONT HAVE STAGGERED ON THERE...BUT I DO DESIRE IT

SINCE THE WIFE SAYS NO MORE RACING, I DONT SEE WHY I CANT JUST MAKE IT LOOK GOOD AND 'CLEAN'

[S2KJD]

does a staggered setup on a front wheel drive help on handling through corning? i have heard this bf and figure this is a good place to ask hehe!

[Sammich]

does a staggered setup on a front wheel drive help on handling through corning? i have heard this bf and figure this is a good place to ask hehe!

LOL I DONT KNOW, AND I WONT FIND OUT NOW

[Nerdsrock22]

does a staggered setup on a front wheel drive help on handling through corning? i have heard this bf and figure this is a good place to ask hehe!

I doubt it. If it did, it would probably come like that from the factory.

Which it doesn't.

[S2KJD]

LOL I DONT KNOW, AND I WONT FIND OUT NOW

lol! i hear ya as i dont care either just heard it bf thats all

someone needs to test this out lol!

[Sammich]

I WOULD, BUT THE WIFE WOULDNT LIEK THAT THOUGHT...SO TO KEEP PEACE...I DO THE RIGHT THING AND RICE OUT MY CAR

[EP3sAreFun]

I doubt it. If it did, it would probably come like that from the factory.

Which it doesn't.

or maybe the factory is more worried about tire wear than getting the most lateral Gs.

[sprix!]

does a staggered setup on a front wheel drive help on handling through corning? i have heard this bf and figure this is a good place to ask hehe!

There is a way to stagger a front driver, but you would put the larger/wider stuff in front and the narrower stuff in the rear. Pontiac actually did this with some of the V8 equipped Grand Prixs and the agreement was that it was a huge benefit. It reduced torque steer and even added a bit of oversteer

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/..._gxp-road_test

[tony]

- i can understand getting your wheels to be flush with your fenders, but when the wheel starts to portrude past the fender, it is no longer flush imo.
- i also don't get the whole idea of running a 9.5" wide wheel with a 205/215/225 on it. makes no sense to me.

I really don't get that, the portuding wheels thing that everyone loves so much, I just figured it was me getting old but I guess I'm not the only one.

[GGPIS3]

^^ im old too so it may just be an old man thing lol.

i guess most older people are smart cuz they have already come and gone. they have realized how dumb of an investment it is to mod their cars and have moved on while the rest of us.... well uhhh yeah... lol



bump for #2

[HypnoToad]

if u got a 9.5in wheel,u need atleast 275s.

well im coming from the domestic world,im used to seeing wide tires with beefy tires.......i dont like the new tire stuff.

[Tracy]

I think the wheel fitment thing that you mentioned started in drifting. If it protrudes and you crash, you hit the tire/wheel and hope it cushions the rest of the things you could break when you hit. Not sure though.

[Ziptied]

Its for looks, period. No real benefit especially if stretching tires. Looks and nothing more.

[m3dic8d]

People who do stuff like this to their cars are like fat people to me. The worse they look, the better they make me look. I don't feel the need to talk shit about them, because they're a necessary evil. To each their own, and I'm just happy to be me.






At how arrogant that sounded, /flamesuit on lolol

[BluesClues]

Those are all really good points. I wonder the same damn thing myself (I just don't ask). I also don't understand the purpose of the JDM stickers, but if others like them, then it's cool with me

[Nerdsrock22]

Those are all really good points. I wonder the same damn thing myself (I just don't ask). I also don't understand the purpose of the JDM stickers, but if others like them, then it's cool with me

Just for fun.

[VooDooXII]

I'm going to start rockin' one of these since my car isn't "JDM."

[87 Turbo II]

I think the wheel fitment thing that you mentioned started in drifting. If it protrudes and you crash, you hit the tire/wheel and hope it cushions the rest of the things you could break when you hit. Not sure though.

To me that sounds like if your wheel protrudes, the drivetrain its bolted to could take more damage rather than a body panel. I'd rather have the wheels absorb less damage.

[ATL_EG]

Its for looks, period. No real benefit especially if stretching tires. Looks and nothing more.

i had always heard streched tires originated in europe, where laws say that the tire cannot stretch past the fender, and to run wide wheels they streched the tires to stay inside the fenderwell.

don't quote me on that though

[EP3sAreFun]

Well a stretched tire reduces sidewall flex right? I had heard some of the drifters run a stretched tire so the tire breaks loose easier?

*shrug*

[oneSLOWex]

Its all a matter of opinion and taste. It doesn't serve any purpose and probably hurts the performance of the vehicle...but not everyone races their car or cares about performance as much as looks. While you think it looks stupid....that same person might hate your car.

Personally I like it....BUT you can go too far or FAIL like the example in the OP. With time it will fade away just like everything else does...and something new will come along that some hate and some love....

[Sammich]

I CANT WAIT TO THROW SOME STAGGERED VOLKS ON THE MAXIPAD

[bu villain]

Although I don't know the true answers, here is my best guess on the reason why people do these two things:

Tire stretch/wheels outside of the fender - I think this is mostly due to people trying to get too much of a good thing. For example, most people agree big lips look good so how can you get a bigger lip? Well you could get a widebody but a much cheaper way is to have some rediculous camber and stretched tires. Eventually, people take these methods and take them to their extreme. Slowly it creeps into peoples psyche that more stretch = better, more camber = better, etc. I bet a vast majority of people who think that look is so hot now, probably would have been scratching their heads when they first saw it. As with all fads, eventually people sober up to the reality that it really makes little sense and that functionality and beauty are highly integrated.

JDM - I think there are three main reasons for this fad. First, its simple backlash from the days of huge wings and mammoth body kits. Second, people think of Japan as an exotic authority in cars and therefore whatever they do is cool and respectable. Finally, people like belonging to groups. Following the trend allows you to be a member and is like a quick path to more friends. It's interesting that people are willing to label themselves as "new drivers" (Sashinoya badges) in order to seem more JDM which is so contrary to most car enthusiasts.

[bluuuurr]

the wide wheel thing is murder on paint.. as seen in pic #1

[GGPIS3]

LMAO... my wife just enligthened me with the meaning on this so called jdm badge. so i wikipedia'd it to see if it was true lol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshinsha_mark


The Shoshinsha mark (初心者マーク?) or Wakaba mark (若葉マーク?) is a green and yellow V-shaped symbol that new Japanese drivers must display on their cars for one year. A driver must display this mark one in front of the car, and one on back of the car, after they obtain a standard driver's licence, for one year. This obligation is only for a standard license, not for motorcycles, large vehicles, special cars, and so on. Drivers who consider themselves beginners may also continue to display the sign, even if they have passed a year period.
Its official name is The Beginner Drivers' Sign (初心運転者標識, shoshin untensha hyōshiki?). Conversely, the orange and yellow "Fukushi mark" or "Koreisha mark" denotes elderly drivers. Both marks are designed to warn other drivers that the marked driver is not very skilled, either due to inexperience or old age.

NOOB DRIVERS!!!! LMFAO

[secondgencamaro]

^ Oh that's just awesome. I heard about the two stickers being for beginning driver's (and the other I thought was for skilled driver's) on a track or something. I didn't know it was for driving on actual roads. It fits ridiculously well to most people that display it over here. Lolol.

[Captain-Obvious™]

LMAO... my wife just enligthened me with the meaning on this so called jdm badge. so i wikipedia'd it to see if it was true lol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoshinsha_mark


The Shoshinsha mark (初心者マーク?) or Wakaba mark (若葉マーク?) is a green and yellow V-shaped symbol that new Japanese drivers must display on their cars for one year. A driver must display this mark one in front of the car, and one on back of the car, after they obtain a standard driver's licence, for one year. This obligation is only for a standard license, not for motorcycles, large vehicles, special cars, and so on. Drivers who consider themselves beginners may also continue to display the sign, even if they have passed a year period.
Its official name is The Beginner Drivers' Sign (初心運転者標識, shoshin untensha hyōshiki?). Conversely, the orange and yellow "Fukushi mark" or "Koreisha mark" denotes elderly drivers. Both marks are designed to warn other drivers that the marked driver is not very skilled, either due to inexperience or old age.

NOOB DRIVERS!!!! LMFAO

You honestly didn't know that's what it meant?

This is old news. Very old.

[GGPIS3]

^^ had no idea... lol

i just remember seeing it on so many cars at one point and kept thinking to myself why is this a new fad? now i know the real meaning behind it so its really funny as most people woud explain the meaning as a jdm thing not having any clue whatsoever lol.

[quickdodge®]

Conversely, the orange and yellow "Fukushi mark" or "Koreisha mark" denotes elderly drivers. Both marks are designed to warn other drivers that the marked driver is not very skilled, either due to inexperience or old age.

The Koreisha mark is for elderly drivers. Not inexperience. I have one of these for my Civic. Later, QD.

[1SICKLEX]

OMG, dude, so on point with point 1. I do not get all these stretched tires especially if the car is SPORTS CAR. Do it to a car to cruise in!

Staggered wheels on FWD is a huge no no in my book. WTF is the point? There is FUNCTIONAL REASON RWD cars have wider tires in the back!! It looks amateur and completely poseur.

My baby rant lol