Growing up: The then and now of your tuning style.

[Minitrucker]

this thread definately caught my attention. and being a part of the minitruckin scene too i can say its definately not just the hondas. i hear my old timer buddies talkin about how it used to be. and now i cant do anything to my truck without someone talking crap about it. (its usually the same person but thats another story) theres haters in every scene and only having my honda for a few weeks im already weary of theives because i see what happens to others. im only 19 and i was never into the crazy kits and stuff. i was always into muscle. and still am. but u know. get with the times right? lol

[Artikgrau325is]

Thanks for stopping by and reading it guys, I appreciate it.

Times change but all we can do is go with it or fight it, this site and DarkTune are both testaments that it doesn't have to be that way.

[tezkr]

I was 12 years old. My dad was selling one of his shotguns that he no longer used on a local website to north dakota similar to craigslist called bismanonline. (which has expanded hugely btw and now covers all of nd and surrounding states). but i noticed a tab that said automobiles. I had seen The fast and furious before and i thought it was the coolest :poopy: . well now i was looking online and i saw all of these hondas, vw's, mazdas, etc with bodykits, vinyls, and if they were truly amazing..a ps2 and tv system. i looked at this website almost everyday for hours looking at all of the new cars that were posted for sale online. I just loved the idea of owning a car that was like the cars in fast and the furious (lmfao). but this went on for years. My taste changed by the time i turned 14, which is also when i got my first job. This is also around the time when i decided i didn't like bodykits, neon, vinyls, etc because of the obvious reasons. I was still looking on the website daily at the cars, which at the time i liked the eclipse/talons, cavaliers(hahah), and any honda. During this time i'm working about 20-30 hours a week and putting about 50 dollars a paycheck into a safe in my room. Well fast forward a few years and jobs later to early 2009 and me being age 16. I was working at a gas station at the time and i was on the computer in my boss' office. Of course looking at cars for sale. I then saw.. "For Sale: 1997 Honda Civic ex". clicked on it instantly and read the less than detailed ad. basically stating miles, condition, etc. Right after work i called the lady and long story short..2 days later i walked up to her door with 3 grand cash and left with my very first Honda.

Sorry if this seems off-topic..but my point is that..while the whole honda scene was changing..i was growing up and had not yet reached the age of driving so instead of owning the cars..i was certainly interested in them. So i'm definitly new to the honda scene(1 year, 1 month, 13 days). But from the help of forums (including ej8squad ) i have a general idea of how the honda scene has changed.

[ej8_d16y8]

I wonder how I missed this thread but that was well said Mike. Respect and big ups to ya homie!

[BEAR_times]

I remember the scene 10 years ago when I was a teen. Different times for sure. I disagree on the JDM scene being a fad though. Many people lower their ride with the intention of getting rid of wheel gap and improving handling. Also, the emission laws are more restrictive in the land of the rising sun. However, JDM engines are often tuned differently. Japanese folks must often replace engines after the millage has reached a certain point. This leaves an overseas market of fairly used quality engines often below the 50k miles mark.

People like Japanese quality in general. Japan produces several great automotive products from companies ranging from advan to 5zigen. However, the Japanese Domestic Market does produce several over-priced products IMO. Thats why I bought F2 type IIs instead of TEchnical INnovation coilovers.

Do people play out certain things; Yes. Example: "My (ebay-made in China) JDM styled yellow fogs will make my car look hella JDM." The following is a real life example of how someone is not a bandwagon junkie: A coworker of mine bought a '99 Si (back when it was brand new) and built the engine with quality parts. He never bought into the "ricer" fad. He kept an oem exterior.

When I first joined cc, I had to look up JDM because I didn't know what it meant. I never had the intention to do much with my ride except keep it simple. However, I have been making a lot more mods to my ride than I originally intended.

[Artikgrau325is]

(03-18-2010 03:10 PM)BEAR_times Wrote:  I remember the scene 10 years ago when I was a teen. Different times for sure. I disagree on the JDM scene being a fad though. Many people lower their ride with the intention of getting rid of wheel gap and improving handling. Also, the emission laws are more restrictive in the land of the rising sun. However, JDM engines are often tuned differently. Japanese folks must often replace engines after the millage has reached a certain point. This leaves an overseas market of fairly used quality engines often below the 50k miles mark.

Correct. True JDM is not a fad, it's parts made from the Japanese factories. The new conception a.k.a. "JDM is a way of life" is wrong, and what I was referring to. Go on ebay, and see how many "JDM style" parts you can find? Let's stick a sticker, a bike rack, some red rims, a domo-kun, and whatever crap on it, because that's what JDM is these days...that's what's wrong. Please don't tell me you haven't witnessed that stuff!

The true JDM, I have no problem with what it is or what they do

[ScottEJ8]

I think the best thing is to build the car the way YOU want it to look and perform, sure, ask for advice, that is what the forums are there for, but in the end, the only one who has to live with the results is you. For me, it is not about compliments( although I DO like compliments) it is not about winning best engine bay or wire tuck or best body-kit. For me, it is not about the best 1/4 mile time or the most horsepower. While all those things are nice, for me it is about having a car that is tailored to the way I drive and something that will be fun and reliable for the next few years. I can live without the rare Regamaster EVO wheels, I can live without the latest K20 from the newest Civic Type-R. I do not think JDM is a passing fad for one reason, the parts look cool. They give a custom appearance with out looking over done. I enjoy my car for what it is. I have put a lot of sweat into it, and a lot of love as well. lying on the hot pavement installing a new sway bar or changing the oil or even new spark plugs, to me, that is what this is all about, a hobby, and having something that gives back to you what you put into it is a rewarding experience.

What bugs me on some of the other forums is the elitism that is present. Oh you don't have a hatch or a K-swap, you just have a B-series swap, nothing special, you are crap if you don't have single cam, etc... I like this place cause that attitude is not there. So what if someone drives a hatch or 4 door, they are the same basic thing, same chassis, components, etc... That old school, hanging out in the parking lot with your friends is present here and even as a noob I feel welcome and more importantly like what I say actually matters.

Sorry for the rambling post here, but the OP really got it right!

[Z3RO]

i have to agree about the "JDM" fad. nowadays it seems if your car is stock, lowered on some rims and a few small things its considered JDM. the other thing i come to see is the abuse of the word "clean". ive seen many rides locally that have fading paint and reffered to as such.

IMHO America is an abuser of words. many words known to Americans such as the N word are constantly trying to be changed into another meaning. in the Honda world JDM is one such word. the true meaning of JDM was reffering to the parts available only within the Japanese market. it had no refference to the car itself unless the car itself was imported from Japan. As the popularity of these Japanese parts ensued many a person wanted a piece of this new pie and thus bore the "JDM Style" setting we are saturated with now and the cars equiped with parts from Japan were being reffered as "JDM".

if you wanted to be "JDM" now its become more economical to just buy the parts that look like the original then buying the original. there is nothing wrong with wanting the look but when the look starts to over take the real thing there becomes a problem. the fact that the american society has to label everything is the real cause. the label of having a car with alittle bit of stuff done to it is now "street racer". the label of having Japanese parts is "JDM". there are too many people trying to break away from the labels that such things like rusted hoods and rediculous rear camber comboed with wider rims then a Honda normally can handle is the result. everyone has done everything else so people are doing what they can to be different. it doesnt help that there are people who see these things and begin to immitate it as its not something normally seen within their area, thus, being different and spreading these fads.

when we as a people can stop being so self absorbed with their own sence of self the scene will change for the better. when there is no longer a demand there also will be less theft and less crime. it isnt something that can be fixed over night and isnt something that can be fixed within the next 20 years. those who are in the scene now leave a significant impact on those growing around them. people who had family who were passionate with Hondas back when they were little are now comming into their own also in love with what their family had shown them. sometimes bad influences take control and they obtain their parts illegally.

the point is there is no real education on how the scene should be and its being made by those who dont care about anything but what others see in their car. as i speak ive had multiple people mess with me and my car while i was driving just because it was a Honda. none of which cared about my car but wanted to see what their own car could compare to mine. some did things just to see my reaction as i drove. the sense of respect and pride as an american who has the same opprotunities as anyone else is almost none exisitant from what ive seen.

i came on this scene really late, as i mentioned before, and i never looked at a Honda as more then just another car on the road. when i bought my 99 Ex i was already in an environment that was very "riced" by today's standards back in late 02'. During that time i saw many things i liked and didnt like within magazines and out and about. No one anywhere but myself influenced my car. as mentioned before i wanted things to be subtile and simple but created an air of difference. adding things like an OEM lip, or things from Japan were things i felt would give me that effect without drawing too much attention.

as the years progressed and i started my slow build to what id call my kind of perfection i could see how many around and abound in the Honda world had the same idea but a bigger wallet. its taken 7 years to get my car to where its at and i had this vision of its look for almost as long. Now that i have it almost completed my car is thrown into the JDM crowd due to its simplistic appearance and Japanese influence. at this point ive turned full circle and have decided to make it track car when i get the chance as i have grown tired of worrying about it when i drive it anywhere due to theives.

my obsession to keep my car i have dedicated 7 years of my life's blood too has created a situation where i dont trust anyone around me when it comes to it. its sad that i have to worry about my car in such a way.

during my travels with the Military i had the pleasure of residing in Japan for 2 years. there i drove an 1989 civic on Volk TE37s with absolutely no worries of these rims being stolen. i saw R34 GTRs tricked out running with no driver infront of corner stores for 30minutes while the owner looked through a magazine inside... keys within the ignition.

the amount of animosity within american society was an appauling culture shock. within a week of having my Volks on my car here in the states i was being followed by strangers, offered money for them and almost threatened.

the scene has changed but its up to us as the current generation to teach those younger how its gone off course and how to correct it. though we may not see it our children might and its up to them to maintain that idealism. we as americans have not kept with that idealism our forefathers laid down upon us as we became distant to the difficulties it took for us to get where we are. we are becoming to complaicent and its time we took charge.

PS. i rambled, i feel better and i hope you might have taken something from this in a positive light dispight its negative tone. i will continue to build my cars for what i see them for and not what other see them for. they are my pride and joy and nothing (until i have a family and children) will come between them and I.

[ScottEJ8]

I think another huge problem we face is this "war on performance" Yeah, save the environment is great and all, just not to the extent it is( almost a fanatical devotion to the environment). The policy makers and legislators seem to have this whole any thing fast and loud is bad and MUST be criminalized. I am a member of the Sema Action Network. I was reading there is a bill up for legislation here in PA that would make performance exhaust illegal. I mean, most states including ours have some sort of emissions testing laws in place. Now it is even getting hard to import cars over from Japan. Want that R34 Skyline? Tough crap...

Also with the economy, the police just go out LOOKING for things to pull people over for. It is sad when we live in fear of those that are supposed to protect and serve. I mean, my TV was stolen a few years ago, the police never found it. Yet, you look at them cross-eyed and next thing you know, you got them running you registration.

I just want to be able to enjoy MY car as I SEE FIT!

Is that not what the Bill of Rights is for? Life Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness?

(12-16-2009 07:48 PM)Minitrucker Wrote:  this thread definately caught my attention. and being a part of the minitruckin scene too i can say its definately not just the hondas. i hear my old timer buddies talkin about how it used to be. and now i cant do anything to my truck without someone talking crap about it. (its usually the same person but thats another story) theres haters in every scene and only having my honda for a few weeks im already weary of theives because i see what happens to others. im only 19 and i was never into the crazy kits and stuff. i was always into muscle. and still am. but u know. get with the times right? lol

I can give you a story from last night. I was at the bar in town and as I was leaving, these 3 GM guys who were in town for the show this past weekend pull up in their Corvette, Cobalt SS, and Trans Am. Instead of bashing my car and calling me a ricer, they complimented it, and we ended up BSing for about 20 minutes. Showed them the motor and everything. It was just like the old times, where performance enthusiasts did not care about the car you drove, they respected my car for what it was.

[Grimz]

(03-03-2010 06:46 PM)tezkr Wrote:  I was 12 years old. My dad was selling one of his shotguns that he no longer used on a local website to north dakota similar to craigslist called bismanonline. (which has expanded hugely btw and now covers all of nd and surrounding states). but i noticed a tab that said automobiles. I had seen The fast and furious before and i thought it was the coolest :poopy: . well now i was looking online and i saw all of these hondas, vw's, mazdas, etc with bodykits, vinyls, and if they were truly amazing..a ps2 and tv system. i looked at this website almost everyday for hours looking at all of the new cars that were posted for sale online. I just loved the idea of owning a car that was like the cars in fast and the furious (lmfao). but this went on for years. My taste changed by the time i turned 14, which is also when i got my first job. This is also around the time when i decided i didn't like bodykits, neon, vinyls, etc because of the obvious reasons. I was still looking on the website daily at the cars, which at the time i liked the eclipse/talons, cavaliers(hahah), and any honda. During this time i'm working about 20-30 hours a week and putting about 50 dollars a paycheck into a safe in my room. Well fast forward a few years and jobs later to early 2009 and me being age 16. I was working at a gas station at the time and i was on the computer in my boss' office. Of course looking at cars for sale. I then saw.. "For Sale: 1997 Honda Civic ex". clicked on it instantly and read the less than detailed ad. basically stating miles, condition, etc. Right after work i called the lady and long story short..2 days later i walked up to her door with 3 grand cash and left with my very first Honda.

Sorry if this seems off-topic..but my point is that..while the whole honda scene was changing..i was growing up and had not yet reached the age of driving so instead of owning the cars..i was certainly interested in them. So i'm definitly new to the honda scene(1 year, 1 month, 13 days). But from the help of forums (including ej8squad ) i have a general idea of how the honda scene has changed.

im in the same boat as him im only 18 and i just got into the scene a year ago when i bought my 96 honda civic and then i bought another one this year my 98 ej8 but i used to do the same thing he did when i was 16 adn 17 then i bought one and fell in love with it and now even my dad does it with me