Aftermarket support! Group Project
 

Hey everyone.

I have come to realize after many unanswered e-mails and other e-mails stating there is no interest, I have decided to set out on getting everyone together who share the new 2ZR-FE engine to wake up the aftermarket and start making us parts instead of leaving us behind as cr*ppy Hondas leave us in the dust in aftermarket support. If you share in my grief, please start writing up e-mails to the aftermarket companies to start sharing some of the love for us dedicated Toyota/Scion drivers that want more then stock performance out of our cars. These are some companies that I feel we should alert this to:
Non Stop Tuning (NST)
Ingalls
Clutchmaster
Energy Suspensions
Exedy
Beatrush
Apex'i
TRD
Turbo Toyotas
Fidanza
Greddy
as well as any others you can think of (please respond with the company in mind so others can also request parts support)

I have already posted this in other forums that have other 2ZR-FE owners like the Matrix and Corolla to help out. But I have another project for us xD owners.

We also need to start hitting up these body part companies like AIT, Seibon, etc for some support to. I know one of our users has the developed AIT kit on his car but its no where to be found on their site and I've gotten no responses from them. Meanwhile the xB2 is getting oodles of support from them.

I hope this all works out. Please forward this to any other forums you feel can help out!

Viva la revolution :)

Here's my parts database so far:

Exhaust Department:
PrecisionMuffler [Axleback]
TRD [Axleback]
Tanabe [Axleback]
In Development / Queue
Greddy [Catback?]
DCSports [Catback/Headers]
Dynatek [Racing Exhaust]

Intake Department:
F5 Fujita [Cold Air]
TRD [Drop In]
K&N [Drop In & Short Ram]
Weapon R [Short Ram]

Engine Bolt On Department:
TRD [CF Engine Cover]
In Development / Queue
NST [Pulley Kit]
Dynatek [Intake Manifold]

Forced Induction Department:
In Development / Queue
TurboToyots [Turbo]
FSR [Turbo]

Drivetrain Department:
NST [Short Shifter kit (Stage 1 & 2)]
TRD [Short Shifter kit]
Piggies [Short Shifter kit]
In Development / Queue
Fidanza [Flywheel?]

Suspension Department:
Ingalls [Engine Torque Damper (Currently Investigating)]
C-One [Suspension Reinforcement Bars (Currently Investigating)]
BeatRush [See above]
H&R Sport [Springs]
KW Suspensions [Coilovers]
Tanabe [Springs/Strut Brace]
eBay [Wheel spacers]
TRD [Brake Pads/Struts/Springs]
In Development / Queue
Tein [Coilovers]
K Sport [Coilovers]

Exterior Department:
FiveAxxis [Lip kit]
DAMD [Lip kit]
Seibon [CF Hood]
Extreme Dimensions [CF Hood/Hatch]
Toyota [Ist Emblems/Ist Rainguards/Chrome Door Handles]
TYC [Taillights]
Scion Optimize [Fog Lights]
In Development / Queue
AIT Racing [Body Kit]
??? [Taillights]

Interior Department:
LED Conversions
eBay [Door Pocket Inserts]

Thats all I can think of. PM if theres more I missed.

Dude you've got to stop and think. The Scion brand image is in some serious hurt right now. I work for Toyota and even THEY are putting the xD on the back burner development-wise because the majority of its buyers are 30+ years old and have NO interest in upgrading anything! Although we share the 2ZR-FE with the Corrolla series of cars those are sold to those of moderately low income that CANT afford to upgrade! You're basically asking companies to spend lots of money and man hours to develop performance parts for a comparatively dead market segment.

I can honestly say the same exact thing for the Honda Fit and Civic, yet they yield the most aftermarket parts out of any other new cars in our class. The whole thing about the xD is its affordability. Being the cheapest car in the line up, it can allow for someone to actually modify their car.
Its assumptions like these that have led to Toyotas recieving very little support and development of some of their better cars.
P.S. Talk to usmc7236Ret, he's 48 and has already done quite a few things to his RS 1.0 even though you say 30+ owners have no interest.

you know, its funny. the scion commercials would lead one to believe that most of the scion owners are young, hip, moderately well off people who are "brought together" by their love of the scion line and their desire to mod them out. but the reality of the situation was clear to me when i read that the average owner was 42. (per the dealership owner) so, i'm all for mods and add ons, performance parts and power accessories. and id love to see more options for the xd. but ive only seen 3 other xd's in my town; as opposed to dozens of xb's and tc's. what im getting at is, i see merit to both sides of the above statements. i think as the xd sells, which hopefully it will continue to do (by leaps and bounds i hope) more companys will see a potential source of disposable income just waiting to be harvested from the masses and will made with the aftermarket toys we so very much want. some of us, that is. for every modder and xd enthusiast there are a dozen ppl that are content in owning a reliable car that gets good gas mileage and dont look at the car any further. that ratio must shift if we're to see more goodies. i for one support this buy buying the toys i can afford . but at zefoxe's urging, im willing to sent out a few nastygrams to the powers that be asking for the good stuff. time to step it up folks. :tap:

Thanks for your support cobalt!

Best method I've found:
Tell the company what you want, and ask how many people they need to get it going. Once that happens, find x many people to actually ante up and, hopefully, the company will actually start developing.

We did that before in the Solara group. We got enough interest and actually put the money in, paid the company and sat on the sidelines as development went on. I would suggest adding a small deadline clause though... so they don't lag on it.

What exact parts are you thinking to have dev'd?

Oh yea... forgot to mention. Most of the Japanese companies (Japan based, that are not in the US) actually have parts for us. The mod craze hit the hatchback/van market there. The problem is importing it though :doh:

I've actually contacted some aftermarket part manufacturers already and they seemed wishy washy with even doing anything for the xD :(

I would have to agree that we're most likely going to be stuck with importing modifications from Japan until US manufacturers realize there is a hunger for parts from us xD owners. :(

Zefoxe I wasn't bashing you I was only telling you whats going on as being part of the industry. Thats great that ONE guy of the thousands of people that buy them has done a lot of mods to his, but like I said the MAJORITY of the people that purchase an xD have no interest in modding. Yeah, the Fit and Civic market is bigger but you're also talking about a company that changes almost NOTHING from engine to engine! And on top of that Honda has made it very openly know that their cars are MADE to be modified and the support the performance modding scene. I see where you are though. I'd LOVE to mod mine and it makes me a little jealous that for every other car parts are easy to come by, BUT it gives me a great sense of pride when I show off something that I did MYSELF! Something that I made! Really, where's the fun if you're just paying someone else to do it for you? The fact that I have something that no one else has because I MADE it gives me a great feeling of pride! To me, thats what modding is all about! Finding things thats you can make work, finding things that you can make fit. Not just trading some cash for something that someone else did. I'm not bashing you man, its just hard being in the industry and being told by the vendor and the manufacturer EXACTLY why things arent being made.

ya im one of the non target market buyers.. at 38, i don’t care too much for mods, other than ones that are functional. Though i did have to get rid of those ugly ___ hub caps! I have gotten all the silly ideas out of my system, and am wiser for the wear. So im not spending money on the high end mods.

as far as horse power, fancy ground lighting and effects, carbon fiber this and that....nope. These cars are the best choice when people like me are looking for a commuter car, with versatility and have a bit of style to boot. im not surprised at all by the average age of owners.

The xd doesn’t have the numbers out there yet for the companies to invest in making mods. Heck its hard to find seat covers! Lol. Give it time; they will come out with some stuff. Though it wont be as much as the civic, just because of numbers.

Never took it as a bash, no worries.

Whole premise of Scion is for young people trying to get a first car and to modify it into their own unique vehicle. If thats not openly admitting to modifying the car I dont know what is then. Honda is no different from Toyotas. I've owned a couple over the years and Honda corporate has always stayed away from the modifications scene and sticked to official road racing. (There were even certain video games in the past with licensed vehicles but Honda was no where to be found because it was street racing) Honda engines have also changed dramatically. The only difference is people went out of their way to research everything for those.

I'm merely a student who has spare money saved from paycheck to paycheck after car payments and insurance to use on my car, I don't have cash flow to go out of my way to get my own parts fab'ed and research, otherwise I wouldn't be making this thread. :P

And I'm not expecting the industry to be making parts on their own, I have a bachelors in Finance and understand the whole demand and supply cycle all too well. The problem is there is little unification among xD drivers and the forums are the only way to get everyone together to make a difference and show interest to them.

Theres way too much potential in the xD for me to just let it slip by and become another xA, Corolla, MR-S, Celica, etc

Im 40 and this is my 2nd Scion...Check out my my first Scion, the RS2 xB and see what I did with that...Took it from stock to trophy getter in 3 years...Yes us 40 something's still have a passion for cars and will always be into modding and not leaving things stock...I believe there will be an aftermarket for the xD but it will take some time...

Everyone send a email to this company
 

The company below is a US based company that probably makes most of the aftermarket lights that the different retail outlets sell. Go directly to the source and target the manufactures.

CG Distribution
CG Distribution offers the best quality performance lighting products at the lowest cost.
info@cgdistribution.com
for general information about our products, customer services, find reseller and any other question regarding CG Distribution

many of us older guys have a pasion for cars, i have 2 other cars that get my love and attention and money (see my photo on the left) .... the scion is just my daily driver, all be it a very nice one.

i will say most guys my age done like the, what we call "ricers" the guys with the coffee can exhausts, large wings on the back , lowered, ground effects and so on. we just dont get it. much like wearing your paints down around your butt... to each their own i guess

I guess I'm a "ricer" cause I'm lowered and have "ground affects"...LMAO...Get real...A modded Scion done right is not a "ricer"...

coffee cans? never asked for a +4" exhaust tip. large wings? its a hatchback :P lowered? why not, nothing but positives to me there unless u live on dirt roads. ground effects? even old mustangs have lip kits and so on, nothing new here. I dont get wearing pants around your butt either. No need for blind generalizations. But why are you even using a forum that was made to bring people together for modding their Scions and learning more about it if you 'don't get it'? lol

Honestly, I give up, its kind of disheartening to get negative feedback, etc. when I simply ask for help to get aftermarket companies to see demand for parts for the car we drive. Wasn't asking for your first born, just a simply e-mail that could be copied and pasted to mulitple sources. I'll just stick to the closed circle of people I've talked to on here for parts and such. Take care.

Been on SL for years, don't worry about the naysayers...There are plenty on here, keep doing what makes YOU happy and not everyone else...Scions were meant to be PERSONALIZED...Enjoy it!

zefoxe- dont let anyone stop you from trying. like i said, for every one modder, theres a dozen sheeple that just want to get 30mpg and thats it. i sent a request to fujita this weekend for a CAI, plan to hit up some others this week. here's a crazy idea. each week, we pick one company, one product, and everyone who cares bombard that comany with emails askin for the item. it could be a sticky for ease and convience. hell, we could use this page to nominate the weekly item, you pick one out(since this was ur idea) and we all spam the company. HORSE POWER TO THE PEOPLE!! and to the ppl who come to this forum to complain that theres no need for silly little aftermarket items, go stand in the crowd and chew ur cud. :loser: my xd is MY xd. there are many simalar, but mine is diffrent. :clap:

Fujita's CAI in due this month. It's already been made.

Zefoxe, any particular items you want to start up on? I'll start a conversation with companies and see what interest they need to get the ball rolling. It's not that difficult, just needs some time to get it rolling properly.

just in case theres someone out there who says" i sure wish i could help get the word out to companies that we want more products, but i dont know what to say" here's an example to help you out.

its that easy. glad to hear fujita is catering to the xd community with a CAI.

not posting this to bring anyone down. just showing what happens when only a couple ppl sent out emails. if 100 ppl asked, i believe the response would be very diffrent.