Quote:
Originally Posted by atom
17" TE37's are 76,000 yen MSRP now when they used to be about 65,000 MSRP if I remember right. So they have raised their prices a bit. Japan's economy is in the shit as well so it not like they're doing it out of greed though.
Bad global economy + bad exchange rate + niche product = $$$$$$.
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Well, that's just simple inflation, prices go up on things (metals are selling for dirt cheap last I checked, so I don't think that's the reason). MSRP on most cars go up just about every year. But the big reason for the price difference is the exchange rate. The Japanese economy is shitty right now too, you are right, but America is tanking even worse than Japan. Which is why you now pay $1000 more for the same wheels only a few years apart.
People ask why do we pay more for Volks compared to Enkei and Gram Lights and everything, it's just name brand, exclusivity, etc. Why do people pay $130k for a 911 Turbo when they could get a GT-R for $75k? Enkei RPF1's will perform just as well on the track as TE37's for 1/3 of the price, but some people will still buy TE37's because of the "ballerness"
I bought brand new RE30's about a year ago for my Civic, now I'm rocking Varrstoens on my GT-R, seems backwards right? Well, I didn't feel like spending $4500 on 19" TE37's, so I got the knockoffs for less than 1/4 of the price. I don't fake like they are Volks though either. Had I never found out about the Varrstoen knockoffs, I probably would have just got RPF1's or something, but I wanted the look of the 19" TE's.
I like the Mackin is doing this, at least someone is doing something.