Durango Rip Offs

[raymondkerr]

Just found this article on NeoBuggy.

http://www.neobuggy.net/modules/news...p?storyid=7910

[Alfonzo]

I take you back to this thread;

http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40729

Shame Durango didn't keep the manufacture in Europe, but that's the risks you take.

[b4pete]

This will be interesting as I dont know what patents they have?
Also, i think you only infringe copyright if you catually steal someones drawings effectivley and make an exact copy. If you make subtle changes like, different materials, slightly different dimensions etc, you cant be touched...or thats my understanding. I hope it doesnt happen to Durango, it will be the shits if it does

[Alfonzo]

It will probably cost so much in legal fees that it won't be worth chasing.

Business in China = Dancing with the Devil.

[DCM]

lets not forget, they will want to sell this car cheap, and the Racer that Durango is selling to, will want the real deal. The ones who do buy it, will probably not buy a new Durango anyhows, so as much as it looks bad, it isn't that much of an issue. The biggest issue is Brand Awareness.

Just like the music industry, and pirate downloads, we all used to tape the top 40, but now they can trace you, they assume that they are losing sales, where in fact those people more than likely wouldn't go and buy it anyways.

[steelie600]

Thats quite true that. I also fly r/c helicopter and for a few years the Align T-Rex series has been the benchmark kit if you will. And the amount of T-Rex clones is unreal, i reckon there is atleast 20 clones on the market of just the T-rex 450 alone. But like DCM says, the discerning modeller will never buy the clone they will only buy the real deal. Main reason is the clones are always poor quality, made of cheap materials, crap bearings etc.

I can see a lot of kids buying the Durango clone but as soon as they realise its crap they will buy the real deal. Where as I can see in the short term it may take money from Durango, it may infact actually increase their sales when people do realise the extra quality you get with the real kit.

[Rebelrc]

Hopefully going bad like AERO for them!

[frogger]

My guess is this will do little more than increase Durango spare parts sales. Chinese compies usually don't do spares for their copies.

Anybody got a link to the cheap car?

[cjm_2008]

does the chinese version come with some free knock-off DVDs? might help sweeten the deal.

[Darren Boyle]

This looks very "Durango like" from Alien Power, news article from Racer website
http://www.rcracer.com/off-road-elec...pe-teaser-shot

[Bungleaio]

Originally Posted by DMS Racing

This looks very "Durango like" from Alien Power, news article from Racer website
http://www.rcracer.com/off-road-elec...pe-teaser-shot

Even the spring colours are the same!

[frogger]

Alien Power German, not Chinese

[c0sie]

"Famed" for their micro's?

Umm.....really?

I thought they made PC cases :?

[coolcars782]

Originally Posted by c0sie

I thought they made PC cases :?

Aint that Alienware

[dpackster1980]

It's like when you are buying a car.

Audi for example reliable, made with expense materials and will hold it'a value.

Seat, same chassis, same engines, same performance but doesn't hold it's value.

Durango will be fine as there's loads already sold but if the car is identical then Durango should come out and justify the price tag. As the company that makes the copy will have to pay for special tooling too especially if it proves to be as reliable or more so.

The "R" version should stop too many copies being sold.

[Darren Boyle]

Originally Posted by frogger

Alien Power German, not Chinese

Carl, Alien Power are just a re-seller, there motors are all Trinity teardowns by the looks of things, they dont make it, just distribute it I guess...

[colt_seavers]

Originally Posted by dpackster1980

Durango will be fine as there's loads already sold but if the car is identical then Durango should come out and justify the price tag. As the company that makes the copy will have to pay for special tooling too especially if it proves to be as reliable or more so.

They don't really have to justify the price if it is higher than the copy, even if the copy is identical. There's more to the cost of producing the car than just the physical kit the end user ends up buying. There's four years of research and development for a start, plus the fact they came up with the 'ideas' in the first place.

[Garry]

I wrote about this, but about the touring car clones that have appeared.

http://gazdesigns.wordpress.com/2009...rfeit-culture/

Its totally unethical to steal the hard work and design of one company. Its not the same as taking inspiration when all the parts are interchangeable.

[DaSloth]

I doubt they'd be able to get away with that some how, its not even subtle with that picture, they've taken a pic of the durango 410r and blurred it a little the cheeky beggers!

[DCM]

I dunno if your theory holds up to well when it comes to RC Cars, as they are sold on reputation and the label, so if you want a Tamiya, your going to buy a Tamiya, not a cheap knock-off.

I guess it depends on how you work your logic back though doesn't it. I don't see why the person who really wants an X-Brand car, because of how it handles and it's reliability, would opt for a cheap knock-off.

On the flip side, the places that these 'knock offs' are to be sold, isn't where you racer is looking to buy his/her car. So the probability is that the majority of people who do buy them, wouldn't even entertain buying the X-Brand.

The only thing that is effected, in reality, is company brand and image, but as we are mostly aware in our little 'racing community' we would know it was a knock-off copy.