The State of VIP ('10 Edition)

Let's get a good ol' '08 style discussion going. Learn from the mistakes of the past and let's keep it respectful, even in disagreement.
 
[B]What are your thoughts on the scene/cars/industry/etc. these days?[/B]
 
This just popped into my mind a couple days ago when I reached for my only '07 VIPcar mag left. It was a really good one with a lot of mini-features. I hadn't realized how accustomed I had come to the current style and how much I missed the previous.
 
Regarding the cars in Japan, I feel like "attention to detail" has been shortened to just "detail". Pioneers like One Star and Black Pearl have influenced a new generation of add-on crazed builds with ridiculous amounts of vents, lighting mods, and wacky paint schemes. There are so many details in most of the "top" builds that you can see them 100 times and still find something new, yet they are so obvious you are only missing them because of sheer numbers. IMO, the clean VIP look is on it's deathbed. Of course it's an evolution thing and I have no doubt clean will be resurrected, hopefully sooner than later. My prediction is the current style will be looked back upon and laughed at in the not-so-distant future.
 
Not to say that there aren't some interesting newer style builds, I just prefer the sleeker, simpler method.
 
The US scene is very strong IMO. We're still a couple years behind, but in this case that puts us right in the sweet spot. Cats are venturing into the custom add-ons, however, it's generally a pinch not a rub (no homo). Crews are going strong and newbs seem to be coming into the game with a better general understanding. I still find some of the views outside of the community a little funny (if not drastically misinformed) but it is what it is.
 
I think the fitment game has gone a little overboard, but I don't really associate that with VIP exclusively. It has invaded almost all genres of modifying. Tsuraichi is a thing of the past, replaced by the widest, lowest offset, biggest lipped, most cambered, super stretched wheel/tire combo. The root word of "fitment" is "fit", and I feel like a lot of that has been lost in the quest to be the most extreme.
 
Knockoffs seem to be a fading issue (and no, SLs aren't an Orden knockoff. No more than Ritters were an Equip knockoff) while "budget" parts seem to be more accepted. Not sure exactly where I stand on the latter.
 
JP's reign of supremacy seems to be over, with fresher, more innovative brands taking their place. Access to imported parts has also gotten better. All in all, there is a lot more to choose from and, in turn, more variety in our builds.
 
In conclusion, I feel like the scene is very strong regardless of personal taste. What do you think?

i agree all i here these days is stance stance stance i saw this recently on cl and made me lol. i dont think i really want to be on the level of the japanese when it comes to vip styling. i have more simple taste ,some of the cars get to the point where its a donk with air.
[IMG]http://www.clublexus.com/forums/image.php?u=11389&type=sigpic&dateline=1274068481[/IMG]

This is a very good assesment!/Therad!
 
[QUOTE=BLKonBLK98;322082]Regarding the cars in Japan, I feel like "attention to detail" has been shortened to just "detail". Pioneers like One Star and Black Pearl have influenced a new generation of add-on crazed builds with ridiculous amounts of vents, lighting mods, and wacky paint schemes. There are so many details in most of the "top" builds that you can see them 100 times and still find something new, yet they are so obvious you are only missing them because of sheer numbers. IMO, the clean VIP look is on it's deathbed. Of course it's an evolution thing and I have no doubt clean will be resurrected, hopefully sooner than later. My prediction is the current style will be looked back upon and laughed at in the not-so-distant future.
 
Not to say that there aren't some interesting newer style builds, [COLOR=white][B]I just prefer the sleeker, simpler method.[/B][/QUOTE][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#ffffff][/COLOR] 
[COLOR=#ffffff]Agreed!!! [/COLOR]
[COLOR=#ffffff][/COLOR] 
 
[QUOTE=BLKonBLK98;322082]The US scene is very strong IMO. We're still a couple years behind, but in this case that puts us right in the sweet spot. Cats are venturing into the custom add-ons, however, it's generally a pinch not a rub (no homo). Crews are going strong and newbs seem to be coming into the game with a better general understanding. I still find some of the views outside of the community a little funny (if not drastically misinformed) but it is what it is.
 
I think the fitment game has gone a little overboard, but I don't really associate that with VIP exclusively. It has invaded almost all genres of modifying. Tsuraichi is a thing of the past, replaced by the widest, lowest offset, biggest lipped, most cambered, super stretched wheel/tire combo. The root word of "fitment" is "fit", and I feel like a lot of that has been lost in the quest to be the most extreme.[/QUOTE]
 
Couldn't agree more!!! This is my biggest pet peave. Cats tryna have dick measurment contest to see who's rollin the most strech, biggest lip, widest wheel, most aggressive.......WHO CARES!....I don't! Some of the best whips I've seen so far have been the less agressive! I will say that some of the better cars have the most  details........
 
But I do understand that, to grab the majorities attention, you need something that's worth talking about whether it's good or bad. I jus could carless about what  those people think. As long as MY car looks good to me and people appreciate or like it the same is good enough for me! :biggthumpup:

I was writing something the past few days in regards to this.  I've been thinking a lot about this subject once I decided on bringing my car back. Does anyone remember the first article I wrote on VIP cars and why i started VSC?  I reread that and began to write new thoughts on VIP in the US.  I think when we started VSC in late 03' we were way to far ahead of the curve. We were getting clowned because of our choice of wheel fitments and VSC was a place to discuss it in "peace". Now i see these same sites AND the same people who talked smack "embrace" fitment. Fitment is everywhere.  Sites are popping up everywhere all dedicated to fitment. Its getting out of control.

Our VIP builds here in the US are getting insane.  This is something i never thought would happen.  It's amazing that we are just a drop in the bucket compared to Japan but we have taken huge strides. We here at VSC are happy to see the different builds being created. Whether its a custom build or just taking the fundamentals, the game is changing and we are seriously keeping up. Japan is far ahead of us but im sure we can catch up if more people just "stick together". Our community is still small where we can stay close knit and share lots of thoughts and ideas. 

To sum it up, im glad to be a part of this. I really wanted to bring my car back out before i regret it. It's 6 years now since we officially turned on the switch for VSC and the growth is amazing to be a part of.

I personally think the overall scene is dead. Not too long ago, it seems to be more a lifestyle that my friends and I shared but now it just seems like a trendy thing, perhaps more for the newer generation. The whole wheel fitment/stance thing has pretty much taken over the scene. With fatlace, hellaflush, cannibeat, illest, it seems everyone is at a plateau. It is those blogs and organizations that control the scene now where not long ago, we were influenced by what we saw in magazines. I'm sure most of us can admit to not reading as many magazines as they used to. The internet has changed everything. I don't think we're technically behind of Japan. With the internet, news and trends spread fast. There is simply no originality and everyone is going for the same look. Maybe the current economy has something to do with it. I went to a local car show last week and a guy I spoke to said the same thing. What was strange was that only less than half the people had their hoods up. 

I've noticed that the Japanese are copying American styles (mainly California style). Many of them are adding USDM parts to their cars where we prefer the JDM parts. 

In terms of VIP, the VIP scene is growing within its community. I do agree that knock off parts or lesser known parts are more acceptable and the JP craze is over. The vents are more a preference thing. I think in the future, more people are aiming for the absolute slam and wheel tuck look with airbags. Not my thing. I personally, will still go for the perfect fitment look whether it is the trendy thing to do or not.

when i had my subaru, i put lower offset wheels and was super shunned ,everybody told me shit was gonna fail and how they didnt like the tires ,now they put their foot in their mouth because its cool now.

Sounds like the whole JDM/Honda/Drift/Dub/ every other trend that comes around but everybody has a home and thise "VIPstyling" or whatever you want to call it, is my home/lifestyle that I'm in love w/ 
:shrug:No ands, ifs, or butts!
 
[SIZE=1][B]AUTO FASHION bitches!!!!!!![/B][/SIZE] :biggthumpup:

[QUOTE=VIPStyleCars;322106]Japan is far ahead of us but im sure we can catch up...[/QUOTE]
 
personally, i think we're only behind in the fact that they've already done what we're doing.
 
homage must be payed, but i've always wanted the us to develope it's own identity in the vip game and i think we're just about there. i really don't see a lot of people going all out on the new style. instead i think it will stay at an '08 japanese level where custom work was sublte rather than over the top. in that aspect, i feel we are ahead of them. 
 
[QUOTE=Shaminii;322110]I personally think the overall scene is dead. Not too long ago, it seems to be more a lifestyle that my friends and I shared but now it just seems like a trendy thing, perhaps more for the newer generation. The whole wheel fitment/stance thing has pretty much taken over the scene. With fatlace, hellaflush, cannibeat, illest, it seems everyone is at a plateau. It is those blogs and organizations that control the scene now where not long ago, we were influenced by what we saw in magazines. I'm sure most of us can admit to not reading as many magazines as they used to. The internet has changed everything. [/QUOTE]
 
i can see your point if you group vip with the rest of the low car genres ("stanced", hellaflush, etc.). personally, i give them little thought except for when something particularly unique/amazing is produced. it's true that they have taken over the show scene but that's cool in a way, at least everyone has something in common. that being said, i don't consider them the same.
 
i stopped buying mags in '08 (bought 2 in '09), not because i could get my fix elsewhere but rather because i didn't like what i was seeing. i'm more interested in following, and more impressed by, stateside builds personally. cats over here are pumping out complete builds and even those that stick to the basics are of higher quality than a couple years ago.
 
i never understood the "lifestyle" thing. having gone through my share of phases i don't feel any different than when i was into something else.

excellent post...   I agree on almost all of the above..

To me Vip has come a long way since I joined in 08. There is much more acceptance of non platform cars which I think brings a new aspect to the game. While I still hope our car culture doesnt go too main stream I like where it's going ( if i ever see Garson at autozone I am done....). Also imo JP sucks now they have gone wayyyyyy to far with where they put their name. The sunglasses that looked my football coaches from high school were too much. Also the quality on some of their parts sucks balls ( with the exception of kits, wheels, expensive shit.). All in all though I am real happy where VIP is.

I have enjoyed reading this thread , it makes sense after all those years of  me rocking fake wheels and doing the so called dub scene you tend to blend in with the crowd driving around Toronto .
VIP cars in canada will never be as strong as the US , We currently  have snow 5 mts per year so rocking the rims and rolling in air 24/7 will never work out  for every one ,Just the hard core vip guys roll low or  use their air suspension all year round . I feel that the VIP car community is still growing and we are in that era of transformation from old school vip to the hella flush and stretch tire race.
 
in closeing i thing thatif cars are  keept clean <   hence the NO  krazy chicken wire grills, vent hole on every corner stay some what traditional and we will be in line for great years ahead .

jdmgeorge, that pic is awesome man.

Its like highschool... At one lunch table is the tight pant plaid shirt wearing kids saying 'stance' like a calvin klein ad, at the other table is the guys bringing national attention to the VIP scene, and then there's the dope smokers eatin lunch under the stairs building their cars in their heads waiting for their money to get right.

BLKonBLK pretty much summed it up best. I think the statement "The cream is floating to the top" pretty much explains where the scene is heading.

I agree with BoB completely. IMO, the US VIP scene is the strongest it's ever been, east to west.  There are many nice rides on this forum, and the VIP "crew" is the coolest bunch of people around.  The combination of the cars, the people, the attitudes and maturity makes this the most appealing car scene to me. 

When my Q got totalled last month, after 6 years of work, did I let it stop me, or go a different direction? NO! I got me another VIP platform car, one I always thought I'd like to some day own - Y34, and am starting over on another VIP build.  I could have gotten a different type of car, for example, I like the RX-8 and it's got a back seat for my son, but I love this scene, what it represents and all the cats in it. I think it's come up really nicely from my early days when I first joined this site in April 2004 and it was a handful of people to where it is now. And I can say, I myself have learned so much from what I "thought" I "knew" back then to where I "think" I am at today LOL.

Wow, Where's vip??
Its kinda all over the place. To start, I agree with BOB98, in likin the more simple clean style. I ain't a fan of havin vents everywhere. Nor havin a gang of monitors everywhere. But there's other things I think look good goin to extremes. Extremely low heights, wheels, interior work, engine work. But no matter what it is, it should be pulled off clean, so it flows with every other aspect of the build. I still got a VIPStyle issue from 2002 and things are so different from then to now, but to be honest some cars back then looked better than some I see now. I personally like the scene we have here in the states, IMO everything's bein done tastefully and classy. And there's plenty more to sickness to come

Like E-Koala said, I too wouldn't be fond of seein it go mainstream. I loved driftin for a sport, and the scene/lifestyle. But when F&F made Tokyo Drift, things started goin south for me. If someone heard a tire chirp when goin through a corner, it was a drift, people sayin a rally car was driftin in dirt, drift this, drift that.... it was all over the place. It was straight up just gettin annoyin. It wasn't like it used to be, i liked the grass roots part of it. And I'm sorta, and like just barely sorta, seein that with vip. People claimin vip here and there, and yeah it bugs me hearin that especially comin from a car with some curtains, fusas, and neckpads, yet there stance is weak and they're only on springs. Accessories aint gonna make ya vip. Stance ain't gonna make ya vip. I look at it and see it as a whole. The car, stance, work and effort put into it, attention to detail. I'm hella picky when it comes to my ish and am glad i do my own work, cause if i had to go to a shop to pay em to build my car to my likings, I know I'd be criticizin their work and just get pissed off. IDK in all I like how it is here, its still seems chill, once F&F tries profitin on the vip market, I got a feelin there'll be change *crosses fingers in hopes they DON'T try* and not for the better :sad:

As for knock offs bein more accepted, I still don't like the idea of that. The more popular knock offs get, the more them companies will profit. If their pockets get deeper, that'll make em wanna copy more ish and then there'll be all kinds of people claimin vip where they'd should have no say in what they're talkin bout. Kinda goes back to the last paragraph. I am however a huge supporter of DIY. Another reason i love vip. Every other market has parts and resources for just about anythin, but us?? We're assed out. Thats where DIY comes in, the chance to make one off pieces. The ability to create something you dreamt off, lettin us go wild. Example, look at Agi, his car is nuts. Stuff most people woulda never thought to do. Some might find it a bit too much, but you know what, its his build, his wants and his likes.
That car is truely one of a kind. Then there's Gio with his purple theme on the LS. Sick. His own ish. The purple LED corners on the headlamps. Thats what i love. Havin sh!t you can't just go buy and the store, a shop, ebay, yaj, or anywhere for that matter. If ya want it, make it, or be prepared to pay someone to create your dream. Hahahah if ya made it this far, thanks for readin my rant LOL gotta cut it now, i could probably go on all day with this

[QUOTE=Brokey33;322160]As for knock offs bein more accepted, I still don't like the idea of that.[/QUOTE]
there's a huge difference between "knockoff" and "'budget' parts"; knockoffs being a copy of intellectual property and budget being a lower cost part that does not infringe on anyone's product.
 
for example, the v:s y33 kit was probably the biggest cause of debate that i've seen on vsc. straight knockoff but it was so cheap and available that tons of people jumped on it (while exactly 0 had the authentic ac kit btw). out of the woodwork came a slew of supporters with whatever reasons justifying their purchase. i will always be 100% anti-knockoff and am happy to see that it was pretty much a short lived phenomena.
 
on the other hand, "budget" products like megan/k-sport/bc racing etc. coilovers have become way more common and are pretty much accepted without question. personally, i prefer jic and will probably never run a "budget" coilover on anything i really plan to build/own for an extended period of time. however, i AM secretly curious (no homo) to try some of the cheaper stuff out in other situations based on the satisfied experiences of others. i suppose i'll really have to reserve judgment until i have first hand experience but positive experiences with these types of products is a relatively new thing. i didn't used to need first hand experience when i knew multiple people first hand who had awful experiences.
 
cliffs: knockoffs will always be 100% no. "budget" parts cheapen the image imo but if cats are getting as much, more, or even ENOUGH for less i can't really hold it against them.

I for one dont mind the popularity of the hella-flush movement; because before that anyone with flush fitment automatically called their car vip-inspired (no matter if it was a Miata or a pickup truck). 
 
Now that leaves the term 'vip styled' for cars that are actually purposely aiming for that look.
 
On a local note though, i dont like the fact that flush fitment, or "poked" fitment is getting popular with the scenesters because it means our police are cluing up to offsets, and what constitutes "wheel within the guard"
 
 
I dont think the scene in Japan is in a downward spiral of gaudiness and over-detail. If you have followed the scene long enough you will know that the clean style was actually the anomaly in vip's history. Back in the late 90s it was all widebody cars, silly colours, ridiculous kits etc. It was always "out there" but it cleaned itself up in the mid 2000's.
 
But i see VIP in the west as having "cloned" itself from the Japanese VIP at that clean point. From there on, the US scene evolved on its own... Of course there are some exceptions (truly JDM looking rides), but for the most part the US vip scene has it's own identity and characteristics. 
 
For that reason, i dont think that we will follow the path that vip in Japan is going. There will be influences; like how brothers in the same household get some habits, but each has their own life and will mature accordingly.

I agree with Dominik, he makes good points.

VIP as a whole in north America is as strong as it has ever been.  If you ask people to pick their 5 favorite cars, you may get a combination of like 15-20 different rides where as before, you would get 6-7 possible candidates.

The reason most of our rides look the same was because we were so worried about defining VIP and sticking to rules that didnt exist.  There was never any rules, just trends.  Translating that to the people early on wasn't easy since the scene was so new and we needed rules to get it on the right track.

I personally love Japanese VIP but that might have to do where Im from, NYC.  We live the fast life and go through trends every month.  Different colors and vents on their cars don't phase us since we have seen it all in terms of fashion just by walking in Manhattan or Brooklyn.  The Japanese rides have so much more attention to detail and emotion than ours do.  We are however making strides in the right direction.   :biggthumpup:

I can appreciate both super clean and some of the wild stuff.  Oh and the clean look is still popular in Japan but only on the newer cars.  Like 08+ cars.  The Cima on the last cover of VIP style just was slammed, kitted and rimed with no body work anywhere and it made the cover.

[QUOTE=Dominik;322200]I dont think the scene in Japan is in a downward spiral of gaudiness and over-detail. If you have followed the scene long enough you will know that the clean style was actually the anomaly in vip's history. Back in the late 90s it was all widebody cars, silly colours, ridiculous kits etc. It was always "out there" but it cleaned itself up in the mid 2000's.
 
But i see VIP in the west as having "cloned" itself from the Japanese VIP at that clean point. From there on, the US scene evolved on its own... Of course there are some exceptions (truly JDM looking rides), but for the most part the US vip scene has it's own identity and characteristics.[/QUOTE]
good point. i haven't been in it that long, but i have looked back and checked out some of the older cars. i think the u.s. probably grasped on when it did BECAUSE of the point japan was at at that time. had the scene over there not been what it was i don't think it would have caught on like it did.
 
honestly, the newer builds look generally ricey to me. i doubt it would get the same respect had it not evolved from where most of us came in at. at this point it seems like a lot of people (myself included) feel like we have to accept it because it's their style, whether we like it or not. or maybe it's just me...

[QUOTE=widebody_Q;322204]The Japanese rides have so much more attention to detail and emotion than ours do.[/QUOTE]
i don't know about that. imo, there's a huge line between attention to detail and quantity of details. you nor i can really judge attention to detail from the exposure to japanese builds that we have (magazines and websites). attention to detail is hidden in the corners and crevices.
 
what we do see is how much was added to the build to make it stand out from the rest (quantity of details). it's all personal taste, and may be executed perfectly, but what i see is a lot of extra crap that generally does not match the flow that i want to see. all the modifications might work toward a common theme (which is a good thing) but in the end the common theme sucks a lot of times imo. like i said, personal taste.
 
it never really occurred to me until just now but the modern style does seem very japanese, much more than the subtle style of the past few years. i've been looking at pics of funny looking cats, with funny looking haircuts, wearing funny looking outfits, standing next to some serious cars and not thinking twice about it (sorry for the lack of culture on my part). i was drawn to the hardcore underground look but, hindsight being 20/20, it probably was out of character for a lot of them.

[QUOTE=BLKonBLK98;322167]there's a huge difference between "knockoff" and "'budget' parts"; knockoffs being a copy of intellectual property and budget being a lower cost part that does not infringe on anyone's product.[/QUOTE]
My bad.
Yeah, I see the diff now.
Well just like DIYin somethin, a DIY project is usually more affordable than buyin a similar item. But doesn't get frounded upon, if done right. In fact it'll get ya more respect, IMO
 
[QUOTE=Dominik;322200]There will be influences; like how brothers in the same household get some habits, but each has their own life and will mature accordingly.[/QUOTE]
Thats a great example. never thought of it that way, but it explains the idea really well
 
[QUOTE=widebody_Q;322204]VIP as a whole in north America is as strong as it has ever been. If you ask people to pick their 5 favorite cars, you may get a combination of like 15-20 different rides where as before, you would get 6-7 possible candidates. [/QUOTE]
I think this is true as well as a good thing to be noted. Shows there's a lot of peeps tryin to step up their game, go big, doin it up right, instead of a couple guys holdin it down. Stuff like this is makin the community greater, and bigger
 
[QUOTE=BLKonBLK98;322212]what we do see is how much was added to the build to make it stand out from the rest (quantity of details). it's all personal taste, and may be executed perfectly, but what i see is a lot of extra crap that generally does not match the flow that i want to see. all the modifications might work toward a common theme (which is a good thing) but in the end the common theme sucks a lot of times imo. like i said, personal taste.[/QUOTE]
I'm gonna agree, its all about execution. I can handle vents put in unusual places, but when they're poppin up all over the place, and randomly, uuugghh it's gotta go. And i ain't feelin the tripple tip exhausts either. But to each his own. These are only my opinions :shrug: (which don't mean much LOL)

[QUOTE=BLKonBLK98;322212]i don't know about that. imo, there's a huge line between attention to detail and quantity of details. you nor i can really judge attention to detail from the exposure to japanese builds that we have (magazines and websites). attention to detail is hidden in the corners and crevices.
 
what we do see is how much was added to the build to make it stand out from the rest (quantity of details). it's all personal taste, and may be executed perfectly, but what i see is a lot of extra crap that generally does not match the flow that i want to see. all the modifications might work toward a common theme (which is a good thing) but in the end the common theme sucks a lot of times imo. like i said, personal taste.
 
it never really occurred to me until just now but the modern style does seem very japanese, much more than the subtle style of the past few years. i've been looking at pics of funny looking cats, with funny looking haircuts, wearing funny looking outfits, standing next to some serious cars and not thinking twice about it (sorry for the lack of culture on my part). i was drawn to the hardcore underground look but, hindsight being 20/20, it probably was out of character for a lot of them.[/QUOTE]


lol thats what Im saying about some of the NY guys being more open to the newer stuff.  We see crazy stuff every day.

When I say attention to detail, notice how most of their cars are proportional and so thought out.  The only time the rear wheels are that much more aggressive than the fronts is when the body work matches (flaring the entire doors).  When we say "I'm getting fender work' you automatically know what it is going to look like since just about all of us go about it 1 of 2 ways.  In Japan, they can have like 200 possible outcomes.  The fender edges can look a bunch of different ways, the flare can start higher or lower, it can go onto the doors, etc.

Like you said, style is personal preference.  Just because you are not feeling some of the stuff, you can not deny that they come up with a theme and they stick to it front to back.

Yeah the gangster roots is a myth. Or at least not in the form that we want to believe it. Its the young hoodlums doing these cars (typically under 23). If they are doing it with gang money then its because they are the street runners, DEFINITELY not the bosses. 
 
*sometimes* you will see someone in the vip mags dressed up in a suit and gangster looking glasses/haircut, but again they would more likely be working as a 'host' rather than a gangster boss. At events its all just young kids, in b-boy clothes etc... Japanese kids have out-there styles!
 
 
 
But hows this for a bombshell... Many of the cars *do not pay attention to detail*. Especially so in the older widebody cars, but most likely in the current builds as well. Theres lots of corner-cutting... Widebody cars are often done with big foam blocks and fibreglassed over; leading to water soaking and guaranteed cracks after a year or 2. Even many of the baller looking retrofits look like ass from behind. When you go to places like CarFriend you will see the results of this corner cutting because the owner sells when shit goes bad (or rebuilds)
 
They are limited by budget too; Its not about how expensive your wheels are or how much you can spend on your car. Over there innovation is rewarded more than exclusivity (hence why some of the biggest players over there arent so much big spenders, but people with unique ideas)

gonna have to address this one piece by piece.
 
[QUOTE=widebody_Q;322222]lol thats what Im saying about some of the NY guys being more open to the newer stuff. We see crazy stuff every day.[/QUOTE]
 
no doubt.
 
[QUOTE=widebody_Q;322222]notice how most of their cars... and so thought out.[/QUOTE]
 
everybody plans. you have those who do well, those who do not so well, and those who don't do at all. thinking is no great accomplishment and what you are seeing as "thought out" and executed i'm seeing as a bad idea brought to life.
 
[QUOTE=widebody_Q;322222]When we say "I'm getting fender work' you automatically know what it is going to look like since just about all of us go about it 1 of 2 ways.[/QUOTE]
 
word. sad but true.
 
[QUOTE=widebody_Q;322222]Just because you are not feeling some of the stuff, you can not deny that they come up with a theme and they stick to it front to back.[/QUOTE]
 
and just because you are feeling it you can not deny that sticking to a theme does not automatically mean success. success/failure is dependant on the quality of the theme.
 
bottom line, i'm not going to give them their card for something that looks bad to me. the general trend falls into this category. i could pick out cars here and there with the modern style that are decent but as a whole i don't like it and will not give them props on it. just because they're in japan doesn't earn them any special treatment.
 
the flamingest homosexual on earth has planned and flawlessy executed being gay but in the end i'm not co-signing having sex with men. no homo.

[QUOTE=Dominik;322223]But hows this for a bombshell... Many of the cars *do not pay attention to detail*. Especially so in the older widebody cars, but most likely in the current builds as well. Theres lots of corner-cutting... Widebody cars are often done with big foam blocks and fibreglassed over; leading to water soaking and guaranteed cracks after a year or 2. Even many of the baller looking retrofits look like ass from behind. When you go to places like CarFriend you will see the results of this corner cutting because the owner sells when shit goes bad (or rebuilds)[/QUOTE]
 
not surprising at all. after checking out a lot of minkara i've seen enough behind the scenes action to realize that they're not a mystical race of super-advanced car builders.
 
what we see is a staged representation of the best of the best, and even then i catch em slipping some times. the readers rides section in the back of vipcar has some stuff that wouldn't get any love on vsc.

Cool story Hansel!

I think vip is very much alive.  I'm happy that the mainstream gayness has faded off and much of that has to do with what some people have already mentioned.  I think we're already starting to create our own identity.  More and more people are starting to cue in on what vip styling actually is as well as where it's heading.  I think there's a big monetary difference between Japan and the US (and other countries).  In Japan, most people have VERY minimalistic homes..small homes.  Not a lot of money is usually thrown into them unless they're out of control baller, but that makes it that much easier to throw money into their cars (again just my POV).  Outside of Japan people's cars mainly looked so much alike due to them not wanting to do it "wrong" and to be sure to "fit in" to the style and not be an outcast.  Personally I prefer to do things a little different and just do whatever I feel I'd like and that would flow well with my car as a whole.  I prefer to make mods that make the car look better, but leave people scratching their heads as to why mine looks so much different than another one.  I like over the top stuff, but not on all builds.  Some cars just don't lend themselves well to that style.  Flow is SO important to me...which is why much of the newer trends in Japan are hideous to me and over done... just my $0.02

I really appreciate this thread... I'm very new to the scene, however, I appreciate how in recent years there has been an open mindedness to the execution of the "VIPStyle" to non-traditional vehicles... 
 
I also feel like there are more and more complete builds being produced here in the US... More attention to the finer points are being executed like retrofit, minor body changes, interiors, etc.

VIP cars are totally new here in the UK and Europe and I like to think i've built mine to follow the more traditional clean styling that is generally associated with "VIP style". Obviously, I've added some extra details that will set the bar high for others to follow. (yes air suspension to follow!) 
 
I've not been particularly keen on the way the Japanese have been going with their lurid colours and themes as such, however, this is no criticism on the quality of work that the big boys are carrying out. Arguably, their cars just become what we call here, "Show Cars", where there is no particular theme in mind, but just huge amounts of custom work to stand out from the crowd. 
 
Just as sticking on a set of 19"'s or 20"'s onto a large Japanese saloon car DOESNT make your car a VIP style car, doing a shitload of custom work to a VIP platformed car also means the same. IMO of course.

[QUOTE=elpresidente;322244] Flow is SO important to me...which is why much of the newer trends in Japan are hideous to me and over done... just my $0.02[/QUOTE]


This ^^^ is my main pain point with VIP in Japan. Alot of the ridiculous builds that will draw the attention of newcomers and the like are not that attractive IMHO. Still there is only so much you can do before you have to break out of the box. I don't ever see myself going as far, but I also don't plan on building a car to get magazine coverage and crazy attention.

Mind you, when you go to a VIP event its VERY easy to see why they go all out like that... Seeing row after row of 'clean modded' cars is actually quite boring. Its the oni camber/bright coloured/crazy widebody cars that get your attention and have you staring

best thread of 2010.

good read!  too much to agree.. i need to read more before i post..

[QUOTE=Dominik;322455]Mind you, when you go to a VIP event its VERY easy to see why they go all out like that... Seeing row after row of 'clean modded' cars is actually quite boring. Its the oni camber/bright coloured/crazy widebody cars that get your attention and have you staring[/QUOTE]

Hence the second part of my statement. I like the new colors that we are seeing it's just somethings that aren't that attractive IMHO. Either way still ahead of the US. :biggthumpup:

This is an interesting thread.  I am after all these years still more of a proponent of clean, minimalist style tuning.  I also remember when VSC first launched and many people gave us a hard time for promoting flush fitment.  I can recall many threads on other forums I frequented discussing the safety hazard and danger of flush fitment and camber.  Now I just laugh a little when I see Hella Flush threads and the same people fighting over who is the flushest are the ones that said flush fitment was akin to unsafe car molestation.  

The scene is very healthy in the US , you see such a quantity of nice cars and importantly established shops and parts dealers to support the builds.  One topic I that I would like to discuss with you guys, is build quality and innovation.  When I  first got into VIP Style, I wanted to emulate the builds coming out of Japan, part by part.  However, I now believe that the US style should decouple itself from following the trends in Japan and innovate on our own.  Widebody Q is a good example of this, even if his style is more hardcore than mine.  

Where I believe Japanese builds can standout, is the overall thought process that goes into the overall look of the car.  Too many American builds seem, in many instances to buy a bunch of parts without taking into account how all the parts flow together in a cohesive style or look for the car.  Also, I think it must be addressed that it seems that the Japanese are willing to invest more time and money to achieve this look then the average American.  I know these a broad general statements, and don’t apply to most of us here, what are peoples thoughts on the matter? 

D.

[QUOTE=Dominik;322455]Mind you, when you go to a VIP event its VERY easy to see why they go all out like that... Seeing row after row of 'clean modded' cars is actually quite boring. Its the oni camber/bright coloured/crazy widebody cars that get your attention and have you staring[/QUOTE]
 
 
Being extreme just to get attention does not necessarily mean that you've executed an idea well. 
 
For example...
 
The crazy camber car video that is currently doing the round on automotive forums at the moment is not getting good attention in the UK and Europe. Mainly, people think that the car looks "stupid" and "broken". I feel inclined to agree! 
 
Secondly, the Platinum VIP JZS160 with the 21" x 14" rear wheels has executed an idea flawlessly without the need for ostentatious attention grabbing mods. No need for silly camber or an arch flared to within its life to grab attention, it just does it with a humble attitude and to me, that is money. 
 
I could get loads of attention if I walked around with an arm grafted to my forehead, that doesnt' mean it'll be good attention...haha

Even the owner of that crazy cambered car admits that he only does it to get attention, and that it doesnt always get good attention. But this isnt about what we like or what we dont like; this an account of the current state of affairs.
 
The Japan scene is very much show oriented; Almost all of the cars we see in the magazines etc are show cars designed to get attention and points at shows. Thats *why* we see crazy things coming out all the time.
 
In the west it seems most people are either more into personal fulfillment, getting looks on the street, or internet cred. And the ones that do it for shows, are typically the more extreme builds...

[QUOTE=Dominik;322223]*sometimes* you will see someone in the vip mags dressed up in a suit and gangster looking glasses/haircut, but again [B]they would more likely be working as a 'host' rather than a gangster boss.[/B][/QUOTE]
 
:smiley-rofl::smiley-rofl::smiley-rofl: Welcome to TGI Fridays

I love both sides of the current VIP state (worldwide). I still love a simple clean car with some quality custom fab work, but I appreciate the crazy/sporty/flashy work done by so many of the current builds. 
 
To me it is about the custom brain child of a project and then the artistic craftsmanship to make it real. I want to do things that make people say " F#@k...why didn't I think of that! " not things that cost tons of cash or are super trendy. I admit there are certain fads that I DO like when done right and I will incorporate theose in my own way. Ultimately, I don't think anything on my car will be earth shattering, but when it is all said and done it will flow and more importantly the theme will be easy to understand.
 
I say this because it has been mentioned in this thread a few times about plans, themes, and flow. These are needed, but also as stated in this thread, they have to be good plans and they have to fit a viewers eye. 
 
Over all, I am very happy that the VIP scene is starting to be more defined AWAY from the Stance crowd yet still plays in. Yes Stance is a part of VIP, but there are some MAJOR factors that need to be included to be VIP that you don't need to have stance. 
 
Ultimately, it comes down to one thing DETAILS!! the little things set off even the most simple of mods. If there are little corners cut, Most won't see it at a show or meet, but I will have to look at it every damn day and it will just piss me off.

i don't know the clean look of the mid 2000 vip scene is wat got me into vipstyling. i liked how people took older 4 dr  big body sedan and  modernize it while keeping a clean bodyline. the only thing that i reallie notice changing is use of lower costing parts, differnt platform cars, and different colour  beside white or black is being more acceptable in vip, just looking at the scene in thailand they be doing up camery's that just look super sick.

[QUOTE=Lam;323039] 
Secondly, the Platinum VIP JZS160 with the 21" x 14" rear wheels has executed an idea flawlessly without the need for ostentatious attention grabbing mods. I[/QUOTE]
 
The front is a different story than the rear though:innoutrofl2:

everyone knows my 1st gen aristo...
 
i started doing Vip back in 2000 when I tried aggressive wheel fitment and negative camber, no one bit on to it. I tried again back in 05 with the Aristo and still got nasty looks but I push strong and it grew on everyone. 
 
I built my car not because of being "hella flush" or being "stanced" or all these new terms that are popping up on the internet... I built it for my love of Vip. 
 
My rear is a negative 13, which may be too much for some but it's an attention grabber.

[QUOTE=Pagong;325652]The front is a different story than the rear though:innoutrofl2:[/QUOTE]
 true... but the car is some what of a track car.
 
its not like we built the car wide for nothing. this car is getting a full motor swap and estimate to be 800 to the wheels. how many people do that? all i see these days are fender flares/pulls to fit wide wheels, sick ass body kits but who does motor work anymore? we're trying to build a nice, Vip influenced car and be able to lay some serious rubber.

I am glad to see VIP doing well stateside. There are nice builds from all over the states. Keep it up.

[QUOTE=Platinum-VIP]who does motor work anymore?[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=MrExecutiv;325762]I am glad to see VIP doing well stateside. There are nice builds from all over the states. Keep it up.[/QUOTE]

^^^DOES ENGINES MODS^^^

As well as several others..it is more rare, but there's more people doing them than you know.

Yup. I there's two 8 bangers here that's supercharged. =) I only think it's rare for now like the early 240 scene. There was no write ups, only pioneers. Not everyone has the means to create paths.

Spanky and Rascal have engines too.  I wouldn't say no one does engines, there are some out there.  From a car show perspective or from someone with a racing background, its understandable to want to go in on the engine.  To the average person who got into the scene to get away from the need for speed (speeding tickets, high insurance, accidents) it doesn't make sense to them.  You can't really judge every situation the same.

I personally don't feel engines are needed to complete a VIP build, just clean presentation is fine.  It seems like in Japan, they only go to work on the cars that already come turbo'd from the factory like the Aristos and the V6 Y33/Y34's.  There is already a ton of support out there for those engines.

What I am glad to see more people getting into is modifying the interiors.  A couple years ago, only a very few had them.  Now, its a must.

[QUOTE=widebody_Q;325781]Spanky and Rascal have engines too. I wouldn't say no one does engines, there are some out there. From a car show perspective or from someone with a racing background, its understandable to want to go in on the engine. To the average person who got into the scene to get away from the need for speed (speeding tickets, high insurance, accidents) it doesn't make sense to them. You can't really judge every situation the same.
 
I personally don't feel engines are needed to complete a VIP build, just clean presentation is fine. It seems like in Japan, they only go to work on the cars that already come turbo'd from the factory like the Aristos and the V6 Y33/Y34's. There is already a ton of support out there for those engines.
 
What I am glad to see more people getting into is modifying the interiors. A couple years ago, only a very few had them. Now, its a must.[/QUOTE]
 
 
When I was judging NCCA Elite cars, I always looked for balance, and the point system they used reflected this.  I think engine work, interior work, and system/trunk work are needed along with the body/suspension/wheels mods to make a balanced build.  A car could have a nice kit/wheels/suspension/interior, but if they had a spare tire, cleaning products, and a beach chair in the trunk, I would not have scored them as well.  I think even for an overall build, not for shows, a balanced car is always more appealing.

I like to see how the scene is growing with people wanting to take it to the next level but Its also good to see where we have came from. 

The scene has grown on the internet alot in the states with many of blogs and the new vip companies. the new groups and the same ones that have grown with quality of cars aswell. 

I do hope that like Josh says (brokey33) that when the scene is taken over by the Us scene will take over and try to over hype this.....  that will be a sad day. 

The japan movement is always setting the bar and we get to exchange what they see and like here.... the unfortunate situation is that Donk should never be followed ever .....