When companies steal images of your car to sell replica parts

[ilikebmxbikes]

This is not the first time this has happened to me. I have seen images of my car being used to sell replica Revozport products and today I found an old image of my car again being used to sell replica parts.

Pic showing Extreme Power House's site and my original image which they photoshopped and used without my permission. Equally offensive, is that they are using an image of my car which has an authentic carbon fiber vorsteiner hood to advertise their fiberglass replica.

Has anyone else had this happen? Should I ask them to remove it?

EDIT: Mike at ExtremePowerhouse responded to the pic on FB. It was in fact a photo that the manufacturer of the hood supplied to Ex-ph NOT a photo that was doctored up by Ex-ph. Mike was cool and is going to pull the pic from the site.

[edisapimp]

Yes.

[Yeineken]

Yes they should remove it.

If they are confident enough to sell it I believe they should be confident enough to buy one for them selves for quality control and to take their own damn pictures.

Plus I honestly doubt the fiberglass knockoff will be as good of fitment as the original product. Just seems wrong and false advertising. I believe there is a 1 series around dc with a Revozport knockoff bonnet and the fitment is just complete crap.

[dtla1]

Mike with Extreme Powerhouse on this forum. The anticipation of his reply is greatly anticipated from me. Although, If i were him I would not add fuel to this fire and instead send OP a PM and make this right.

[ilikebmxbikes]

I'm not trying to call out x-ph or start a fire or anything. I just see this becoming more and more common and want to know what you guys think of it and get some input on how to approach them to remove if I even should.

[Tony135]

Definitely false advertising and it's your photo, have them take it down or compensate you. Either way, it's not representative of their product.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by ilikebmxbikes

I'm not trying to call out x-ph or start a fire or anything. I just see this becoming more and more common and want to know what you guys think of it and get some input on how to approach them to remove if I even should.

I've had it happen to myself too. Like the photos I took of TuningWerk's M235i aka M2... I found my pics posted as some other writer's own images & story at some other BMW site. I asked them to remove my images and they agreed too. But they never did.

Only thing you can really do is hire a lawyer to write a threatening letter or email. You can also "water mark" all your images from now on. But there are ways around that for the pro's. I just keep posting my images for the good of us fellow 'Addicts and hope for the "Karma" to get these low lives in the end.

Dackel

[ilikebmxbikes]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I've had it happen to myself too. Like the photos I took of TuningWerk's M235i aka M2... I found my pics posted as some other writer's own images & story at some other BMW site. I asked them to remove my images and they agreed too. But they never did.

Only thing you can really do is hire a lawyer to write a threatening letter or email. You can also "water mark" all your images from now on. But there are ways around that for the pro's. I just keep posting my images for the good of us fellow 'Addicts and hope for the "Karma" to get these low lives in the end.

Dackel

i wouldnt be so bothered if it was editorial or even to sell the accurate product actually on the car. I think its that they are using a pic of an authentic product to sell a replica.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by ilikebmxbikes

i wouldnt be so bothered if it was editorial or even to sell the accurate product actually on the car. I think its that they are using a pic of an authentic product to sell a replica.

Yup. that would piss me off too. I would ask them to remove the photos of your car. I hope they will... but I bet they won't.

[ilikebmxbikes]

Mike at ExtremePowerhouse responded to the pic on FB. It was in fact a photo that the manufacturer of the hood supplied to Ex-ph NOT a photo that was doctored up by Ex-ph. Mike was cool and is going to pull the pic from the site.

[gap]

This is America, copyright means we have the right to copy anything!

They should have asked and at least taken off your tag number. Photos on the internet are
fair game for some people to do what they want with them.

[ilikebmxbikes]

Originally Posted by gap

This is America, copyright means we have the right to copy anything!

They should have asked and at least taken off your tag number. Photos on the internet are
fair game for some people to do what they want with them.

I understand that photos and content in general floats on the internet. It was more of an ethical question and an example of a company using a photo of an authentic product to sell a replica.

That being said, mike @ X-Ph was stand up and noted it was the manufacturer of the hood who used and doctored my photo and that he will be removing it from their site.

[Ultimateone]

I have had it happen for the last 15 or so years, even last year when it actually ended being a good thing where now I shoot photos for Cobb Tuning.

[x5mad]

I often wondered about all those eBay pictures with supposed replica m performance products. They just looked "too good" and fit too well. I'm guessing they are probably pictures of the real thing which the seller is passing on as their product.

[chris82]

Originally Posted by x5mad

I often wondered about all those eBay pictures with supposed replica m performance products. They just looked "too good" and fit too well. I'm guessing they are probably pictures of the real thing which the seller is passing on as their product.

Those are absolutely stolen, most likely not the actual parts. Those companies selling $100 spoilers and $150 headers honestly don't give a shit how they sell their product