Car tuning becoming popular
Based on article from Korea Times Sept. 1 2013
Drivers tune up their vehicles to personalize the characteristics of their vehicle and to enjoy a more dynamic driving experience. / Courtesy of Club Hituning
Gov’t eases rules on ‘car tweaking’
By Kim Tae-jong
Jang Ho-chang, a 23-year-old freelancer, owns a Forte Koup made by Kia Motors, a coupe version of the automaker’s compact sedan. But there is something special about his ride, he has had the car tuned up.
He has replaced the original tires and wheels with bigger ones, installed a new suspension system and modified some exterior features. He has also upgraded the car’s audio system. This cost him about 7 million won, almost one third the price of the vehicle.
“I think car tuning is an ideal way to personalize the characteristics of a vehicle and to enjoy more dynamic driving experiences,” he said. “Also, I’m really happy to enjoy music in my own space.”
But he complained that there are too many restrictions against car tuning here, which make it difficult for drivers to better enjoy their cars and express their personality through them.
“The most difficult part is that you have to get approval, which is too hard and complicated, due to too many restrictions,” he said.
Although there are an increasing number of tuning enthusiasts such as Jang, the nation’s car tuning industry is under-developed, due to regulations concerned with safety.
Korea is the fifth-largest automobile manufacturer in the world, but its car tuning market is estimated at 500 billion won, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. In comparison, the car tuning market is estimated at 35 trillion won in the U.S., 23 trillion won in Germany and 14 trillion won in Japan.
What car tuning is
Car tuning is a modification of the performance or appearance of a vehicle. Tuning allows drivers to personalize the characteristics of a vehicle to the owner's preference and enjoy more power and better handling.
Most tuning involves exterior modifications such as changes to the vehicles’ appearance through side skirts, front and rear bumpers, spoilers and splitters. Drivers also prefer larger and bigger tires and wheels to the original factory-fitted ones.
Engine tuning involves the adjustment or modification of the internal combustion engine or its control unit, to produce optimal performance and increase an engine's power output, economy, or durability.
Automakers also sell customized versions of popular vehicles to meet the needs of drivers who want to express their characteristics through their car.
For example, Hyundai Motor launched sub-brand TUIX in 2010 which is a compound word for tuning, innovation and expression.
Starting with the Tucson IX SUV, the automaker has produced various customized vehicles including the i30, Avante, Veloster and Sonata.
“There are growing needs to want a customized vehicle, as drivers want to express their characteristics through their vehicle,” an official from Hyundai Motor said. “We will expand product lineups for customized vehicles.”
Despite the benefits of car tuning, however, drivers hesitate to tune their vehicles for various reason.
“Tuning is too expensive here, even though there is no reason for that,” Hwang Soo-hyun said, who has spent about 70 million tuning up his new Avante XD. “Also, the irony is simply changing bulbs is sometimes illegal but you can easily buy such bulbs at a big discount store.”
Other drivers also complain that tuned vehicles have been unpopular on the secondhand car market because many think that tuned cars are illegal or are modified by sacrificing safety features.
“Drivers hesitate to tune their vehicles as they fear their car’s price will drop in a secondhand market, even though they invest money in modification,” Jang said. “So many drivers choose to remove tuning parts and make their car as it was when it left the factory, when they want to sell their car.”
Deregulations
Experts say that the lack of legal guidelines with only strict regulations here has led to illegal car tuning and formed negative views on car tuning culture here.
In fact, the number of violations of the Transportation Law due to car tuning stood at 6,285 in 2010, 4,929 in 2011 and 4,918 in 2012, according to the transportation ministry.
To tackle this situation, the government recently announced a plan to promote car tuning through a set of deregulations, expecting that it will boost the tuning industry and create new jobs.
“We plan to boost the car tuning market by getting rid of unnecessary regulations and setting up clear rules for safety,” an official from the ministry said. “This will help increase the related industry to the 4 trillion won market with over 40,000 jobs in 2020 from 500 billion won with 10,000 jobs in 2012.”
Currently, there are only 500 firms specializing in car tuning and 1,600 tuning parts manufacturers here, according to the ministry.
The underlying idea is that the government will reduce the number of regulations that require approval for tuning and revise the related laws to clearly define what car tuning is and what can be allowed.
Also, to improve the quality of tuning parts and components, the government will launch a certification system, and to nurture and promote the tuning culture, the government will also set up the Korean Automobile Tuning Association.
More details have not been announced but the related industry and car tuning enthusiasts welcomed the government’s move.
“Car tuning is essential for the automotive industry, as it is related to the development of new technologies to enhance the quality of vehicles,” said Kim Pil-soo, an automotive studies professor at Daelim College. “Such technologies can be used to develop premium vehicles and high performance cars.”
He also stressed the importance of car tuning as it is related to motor sports and car culture.
“The country has only manufactured cars without any car culture here. To be a leading country in the automotive industry, advanced automobile culture is also essential,” he said.
By Kim Tae-jong
Jang Ho-chang, a 23-year-old freelancer, owns a Forte Koup made by Kia Motors, a coupe version of the automaker’s compact sedan. But there is something special about his ride, he has had the car tuned up.
He has replaced the original tires and wheels with bigger ones, installed a new suspension system and modified some exterior features. He has also upgraded the car’s audio system. This cost him about 7 million won, almost one third the price of the vehicle.
“I think car tuning is an ideal way to personalize the characteristics of a vehicle and to enjoy more dynamic driving experiences,” he said. “Also, I’m really happy to enjoy music in my own space.”
But he complained that there are too many restrictions against car tuning here, which make it difficult for drivers to better enjoy their cars and express their personality through them.
“The most difficult part is that you have to get approval, which is too hard and complicated, due to too many restrictions,” he said.
Although there are an increasing number of tuning enthusiasts such as Jang, the nation’s car tuning industry is under-developed, due to regulations concerned with safety.
Korea is the fifth-largest automobile manufacturer in the world, but its car tuning market is estimated at 500 billion won, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. In comparison, the car tuning market is estimated at 35 trillion won in the U.S., 23 trillion won in Germany and 14 trillion won in Japan.
What car tuning is
Car tuning is a modification of the performance or appearance of a vehicle. Tuning allows drivers to personalize the characteristics of a vehicle to the owner's preference and enjoy more power and better handling.
Most tuning involves exterior modifications such as changes to the vehicles’ appearance through side skirts, front and rear bumpers, spoilers and splitters. Drivers also prefer larger and bigger tires and wheels to the original factory-fitted ones.
Engine tuning involves the adjustment or modification of the internal combustion engine or its control unit, to produce optimal performance and increase an engine's power output, economy, or durability.
Automakers also sell customized versions of popular vehicles to meet the needs of drivers who want to express their characteristics through their car.
For example, Hyundai Motor launched sub-brand TUIX in 2010 which is a compound word for tuning, innovation and expression.
Starting with the Tucson IX SUV, the automaker has produced various customized vehicles including the i30, Avante, Veloster and Sonata.
“There are growing needs to want a customized vehicle, as drivers want to express their characteristics through their vehicle,” an official from Hyundai Motor said. “We will expand product lineups for customized vehicles.”
Despite the benefits of car tuning, however, drivers hesitate to tune their vehicles for various reason.
“Tuning is too expensive here, even though there is no reason for that,” Hwang Soo-hyun said, who has spent about 70 million tuning up his new Avante XD. “Also, the irony is simply changing bulbs is sometimes illegal but you can easily buy such bulbs at a big discount store.”
Other drivers also complain that tuned vehicles have been unpopular on the secondhand car market because many think that tuned cars are illegal or are modified by sacrificing safety features.
“Drivers hesitate to tune their vehicles as they fear their car’s price will drop in a secondhand market, even though they invest money in modification,” Jang said. “So many drivers choose to remove tuning parts and make their car as it was when it left the factory, when they want to sell their car.”
Deregulations
Experts say that the lack of legal guidelines with only strict regulations here has led to illegal car tuning and formed negative views on car tuning culture here.
In fact, the number of violations of the Transportation Law due to car tuning stood at 6,285 in 2010, 4,929 in 2011 and 4,918 in 2012, according to the transportation ministry.
To tackle this situation, the government recently announced a plan to promote car tuning through a set of deregulations, expecting that it will boost the tuning industry and create new jobs.
“We plan to boost the car tuning market by getting rid of unnecessary regulations and setting up clear rules for safety,” an official from the ministry said. “This will help increase the related industry to the 4 trillion won market with over 40,000 jobs in 2020 from 500 billion won with 10,000 jobs in 2012.”
Currently, there are only 500 firms specializing in car tuning and 1,600 tuning parts manufacturers here, according to the ministry.
The underlying idea is that the government will reduce the number of regulations that require approval for tuning and revise the related laws to clearly define what car tuning is and what can be allowed.
Also, to improve the quality of tuning parts and components, the government will launch a certification system, and to nurture and promote the tuning culture, the government will also set up the Korean Automobile Tuning Association.
More details have not been announced but the related industry and car tuning enthusiasts welcomed the government’s move.
“Car tuning is essential for the automotive industry, as it is related to the development of new technologies to enhance the quality of vehicles,” said Kim Pil-soo, an automotive studies professor at Daelim College. “Such technologies can be used to develop premium vehicles and high performance cars.”
He also stressed the importance of car tuning as it is related to motor sports and car culture.
“The country has only manufactured cars without any car culture here. To be a leading country in the automotive industry, advanced automobile culture is also essential,” he said.
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