Tuners Don't Exist Anymore Options

[DST94]

I guess it's not so much about wanting people to enjoy or appreciate my car, it's more of a "the scene is dead to me and now I dunno what to do"

Of course we want our work to be appreciated by people with like ideals and similar opinions... So I guess I'm just saying that the new crowd is water and I'm oil.... I just don't feel connected to them. I wish it was more like the early 00's because at least then not everyone was a car enthusiast... I saw a joke that I thought fit perfectly

It showed pictures of plastidipped emblems, XXRs, a bunch of decals on the back window, and an automatic neon. The caption was " Why yes, I am a car enthusiast " and like.... For real that's all people do and suddenly *vape smoke blows* car enthusiast *dramatic music*

I just think there should be standards and people should be held to them, there is no reason to turn people away but people who aren't motivated or willing to learn and just want to do quick and easy mods for "scene points" really kills the scene.

[Bitter]

I think you're forgetting that the 'tuner' scene has always been full of ugly cheap ****. APC, underglow, crazy graphix, neon colors, huge wings, etc. The car enthusiast scene however has always been around and will always be around. We aren't tuners, we're enthusiasts. We care about our cars and keep them, tuners are dime a dozen and will blow through 10 cheap trashed out cars in 5 years.

[Bitter]

Also, don't build your car for someone else, build it for you.
Does anyone ever notice the subtle flow of red accents from the front of my car, through the cabin, to the back of the car? Probably not, but I do and that's all that matters. Do people laugh at my penguin seat cover? Heck yea! Does anyone notice that my short antenna isn't stock? Nope, looks like it belongs like that. Does anyone notice that I've got LED's all over the place? Probably not, looks stock. Do people realize it's a 17 year old car? NEVER! Do I care that no one notices these things, not at all. I do, I like them, I drive it.

I pretty regularly get compliments and 'hey nice car' from totally random people, usually older people too. Customers always say 'oh yea I used to have a Celica' and then tell me all about it, ask me about mine, what year it is (No way, 2000!?), etc. I make mine what I want mine to be and I enjoy it. If someone else likes it too, awesome. If someone else doesn't, that's fine. I'm not going to sit and argue and defend it. I also will try not to trash talk someones car cause they're doing what they want with it, as long as it's not unsafe.

Do I care the front bumper on my daily doesn't match the headlights installed? Nope. Does anyone really notice the 3 inch bixenon HID's at 45W inside the headlights? Probably not (until they're under the cutoff or they get high beamed) Does anyone notice the overpoweringly bright LED's aren't stock? Uh...I hope they notice! Does anyone care I've got a semi-unique audio setup in the daily? Nope. Do I care that no one cares, nope. It's a dumpy old sedan that's almost 20 years old now. But it's mine and I like it.

[Bitter]

If you're upset that no one is noticing your car then you're doing what you're doing for the wrong reasons. Do what you do and people who appreciate it will appreciate it. If you want all those little ricer kids to tell you what a cool car you have then you have to stoop to their level and you do not want to do that.

[DST94]

I don't really care what people think about the car, I guess it's more like I want to be around people who share the same passion but also the same build ethic? I dunno haha I'm not sure I agree on your idea of a tuner... I always saw tuners as knowledgeable people who purpose built cars and improved them.

[Bitter]

Everyone I ever saw that was a self identified as 'tuner' were cheap ugly cars with cheap ugly parts, even when that kind of stuff was in vogue I thought it was nasty.

[cheela]

knowledge gotta start somewhere. everyone remembers their first oil change they did themselves. was the most daunting task at the time and you move forward from that. some of these kids are just starting or don't know any better. hop onto facebook and watch the MANY MANY questions asked by people on car pages. It's either they get answer from someone just as uneducated or they get the "stop right there, kill yourself" from older more experienced 'tuners'. there are a few in between that will actually give sound advice and that's how people learn to "mod" and not just mod for the sake of modding.

and it really seems like you're totally hanging out with the wrong group of people for you. Just find people that you can related to and appreciates what you appreciate. Start and car club with your buddies and hang out in parking lots that way. Going to car meets and car shows aren't your thing. Hang out at the tracks for track day.

[DST94]

Everyone I ever saw that was a self identified as 'tuner' were cheap ugly cars with cheap ugly parts, even when that kind of stuff was in vogue I thought it was nasty.

You seem...... Wait for it.... Bitter.... Heh... Heh....

knowledge gotta start somewhere. everyone remembers their first oil change they did themselves. was the most daunting task at the time and you move forward from that. some of these kids are just starting or don't know any better. hop onto facebook and watch the MANY MANY questions asked by people on car pages. It's either they get answer from someone just as uneducated or they get the "stop right there, kill yourself" from older more experienced 'tuners'. there are a few in between that will actually give sound advice and that's how people learn to "mod" and not just mod for the sake of modding.

and it really seems like you're totally hanging out with the wrong group of people for you. Just find people that you can related to and appreciates what you appreciate. Start and car club with your buddies and hang out in parking lots that way. Going to car meets and car shows aren't your thing. Hang out at the tracks for track day.

Yes oh majestic Cheeeeeeeeeeeeela


Honestly it is too bad that people don't assist younger guys... I mean... It's where we all came from once right?

[Box]

Something that helps is finding people that like ALL cars, and not just imports or domestics etc... I'm not claiming to be perfect but I'm probably about as unbiased as it gets when it comes to where a car is from or what brand it is, I really don't care so long as the car is cool in some shape or fashion. So a group of people with the same mindset things usually go a lot better. I find the cars&coffee type environments to be the best, get a good mix of American, Japanese, and Euro and most all of them are done nicely. Also what some would call the "ricer" mentality isn't limited to just imports, it happens with domestics and Euros as well. I've noticed it almost as frequently with Euros and domestics are more once in a blue moon. Thing is though butchering your car is nothing new, back in the day our parents' generation was busy putting on spring helpers and air shocks with stupid staggered wheel setups to go with their parts house special air scoop sticking out of their hood to make it look like they had a blown drag car.

[Box]

That's why I try and help people whenever I can, even when everyone else is like "SEARCH BAR NOOB!" Not everyone had the benefit of having a parent, in my case my mom, to teach them about cars so without having had a parent or older sibling to get you started you're at square one. It's easy to get to a point where just because you know something you expect everyone else to know it too, I think that's where a lot of the problem lies. Most everyone forgets that at some point in the distant past they were just as clueless.

[ClevelandGaint]

Everything that has been posted so far has been spot on. I can see if from both sides. Being apart of many platforms you can honestly see whats out there. Watching peoples builds are a great past time. I remember with my first celica back when i was 15, i thought i was the coolest because i put a pair cheap tein lowering springs and i spray painted my hood flat black. Back then that was amazing in my eyes. Fast forward 12 years later, my current celica has the proper parts in my eyes that are installed. We all start from some where, we all have embarrassing moments in time which is what is great. I do not want to be apart of scene now a days. I build my vehicles to my liking. I see it from this point of view, do other members and strangers pay for my parts? If not then i could careless what they have to say. When I go to Import face off its great to see builds by others. From budget builds to no expense spared builds. I can not judge. But over all out of my SC, 3000gt, 6gc and my hemi platforms i own, I always like my 6gc people the best. sorry for the rant but its a good question/comment to make about the scenes out there.

[DST94]

I thought it was funny today, I was updating my mods list on my Celica and it got me thinking about how much I used to dream about what I've done to my Celica and how proud I am of the steps I've taken thus far. I guess that's why I think I'm just sad that there really aren't many to appreciate it... At the same time I'm glad I don't have a mainstream car because it makes my build that much more unique. It's so tough, I want people to appreciate my car, but not build garbage cars themselves, and also be mature enough to have cool meets without getting the cops called. It's just impossible.

I quit

[Box]

I'm sure I'm not the only one here that appreciates it. Also after owning a variety of cars it doesn't matter what car it is you run into problems with assholes of some sort, I think the Miata drew the most negativity in the shortest amount of time. The Celica seemed to fly under the radar but when it did get comments they were only positive or asking if it was a Supra. The Firebird gets mostly positive comments with "Oh wow it's a stick shift" being the most common, but you get the occasional ignorant that thinks because it's a domestic it can't turn and what have you. Could be worse, could have a Honda. I've noticed you can have a really nice and clean car, with no ricey crap at all, but because it's a Honda people will still give you ****. Same with Mustangs, "Run into any good crowds lately?" There is no universally loved car, build the car for yourself and think of others' appreciation and compliments as the icing on the cake and not the whole cake.

[chucho]

Naturally this is going to be different area from area. I would have thought you being in Ca you'd be able to find some quality tuners. I haven't been in the tuner scene since I sold my celica. We do have a quality muscle scene here which I enjoy. A lot of stock cars that have a few mods but a lot of muscle that has a lot of time and effort into the cars.

I get where you frustrations are though you remember when the scene locally was better and now that you're ready to participate in the scene the current group of people are not what you experienced with you dad.