Subaru tries to shut down a huge STi forum...

[RC45]

http://www.iwsti.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27448

"In addition, your registration of the domain name http://www.imprezawrxsti.com violates the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, Section 43(d) of the Lanham Act. The domain is confusingly similar to our clients' marks and was registered long after our clients' marks became famous and distinctive. We infer that you registered the domain name to benefit from our clients' fame and consumer recognition of our clients' mark. Remedies for your acts include not only a transfer of the domain name to our clients, but also the payment of statutory damages, which can reach $100,000, and a payment of our clients' costs and attorneys' fees." "Accordingly, we hereby demand that you take the following steps to rectify this problem: (1) You must immediately and permanently cease use of the WRX, SUBARU, IMPREZA and STi marks, logos, and lettering and/or any confusingly similar variation(s) and/or colorable imitation(s) thereof (including but not limited to "imprezawrxsti"), including in connection with the offering and/or provision of any services and/or the sale and/or offering for sale of any goods; (2) You must also immediately cease and/or not commence use (as the case may be) of the Six-Star Cluster Design and any confusingly similar variation(s) and/or colorable imitation(s) thereof; (3) You may not use any phrases that create the false and misleading impression that our clients currently approve of or stand behind your goods and/or services. (4) You must cease use of the domain name http://www.imprezawrxsti.com and/or any confusingly similar variaton(s) and/or colorable imitation(s) thereof;"

Well - I had always considered an STi as a second car - but this response combined with the way Subaru conned and defrauded buyers by offering SCCA Membership then denying warranties....

I can tell you I will never purchase one of their products.

To go after an enthusisats "club" and create all this ill will is pretty stupid.

[twboy1999]

yup
piss away all the future customers

[TransAm]

Twunts!

what a nice attitude by subaru ...

[T-Bird]

those bunch of bastards they are losing respect from their customers by doing that next thing you all the dedicated forums will have to change their names...

Over zealous lawyers?? I'd be surprised if the response from subaru would be the same if top execs knew about this, complete PR disaster :roll:

[yg60m]

I am sure there are lot of STi buyers in this forum so what is the point ? Make them sell their Subaru to buy a Mitsu Evo ?? I would consider that if I was in this forum ...

[TransAm]

Originally Posted by yg60m I am sure there are lot of STi buyers in this forum so what is the point ? Make them sell their Subaru to buy a Mitsu Evo ?? I would consider that if I was in this forum ...

That is exactly how I would feel in the same situation. As someone said, this is a PR disaster for Subaru, I can only hope the auto industry media report it and the company backpedals.

I'll stop buying Jabba the Hutt figurines if that happens here...

[possessed_beaver]

i would still buy a Subaru..

as we are making car buying decisions on such stupid reasons. i recommend no one buy a BMW.. i mean during world war 2 they used slave labor to build there cars... :roll:

seriously people, get over it.
in regard to Subaru customer care, i have heard nothing but good reports about them.
as for protecting there intellectual property.. they are acting well within there rights..

everyone don't buy Music, or support music groups, or watch movies.. or buy software..
because these industries have been known to sue there customers.. what a PR disaster :roll:

[MIHALS]

:roll: that's what I call step back... :roll:
PR :arrow: :fist:

[RC45]

Originally Posted by possessed_beaver i would still buy a Subaru.. as we are making car buying decisions on such stupid reasons. i recommend no one buy a BMW.. i mean during world war 2 they used slave labor to build there cars... :roll: seriously people, get over it. in regard to Subaru customer care, i have heard nothing but good reports about them. as for protecting there intellectual property.. they are acting well within there rights.. everyone don't buy Music, or support music groups, or watch movies.. or buy software.. because these industries have been known to sue there customers.. what a PR disaster :roll:

Car buying decisions are based on many things - not the least if which is brand loyalty and group identity and emotion.

When you buy a car that has a strong sense of community you are going to want to have your endevours if not recognized by the manufacturer, then at least not belittled or attacked.

As such an informed and diligent consumer WOULD boycott such a product - because you have the choice whom you send you money to.

Why would you knowingly want to spend money on a product whose maker takes no pride in YOUR pride of the product?

There is the spirit of the law and the letter of the law - very seldom does a companies pursuit of the enforcement of the letter of the law have a financial benefit.

This together with unreliability of their high performance cars and quick willingness to void warrantees is why I will not buy an STi - I have had an eye on replacing my wifes Contour with one - but now will not on principal.

So they have at least 1 lost sale because of their decision. They stood to collect $100,000 for this breach - 3 more people vote my way and they will start to lose money on this initiative.

But - hey, at least their intellectual property will be protected... :roll: :fist:

[possessed_beaver]

well i don't think you will ever buy another product from General Motors after the lengths they went to to protect there intellectual property, after you posted pictures of a upcoming car on the internet...

they even went to the trouble of sending people to visit you're house!
but aye.. to quote you RC45

at least their intellectual property will be protected...

so don't buy a GM car, and i would recommend no one else did after the experience you had.. how sad..

as for saying Subaru performance car's are unreliable... (i know this is a totally different argument altogether, and should be treated as such)
i know of quite a few Subaru owners (been in a community of them) and a lot of them have STI's and none of them have complained about there cars been unreliable. the only problem they have mentioned to me is with there alarms, and the alarm contract was outsourced after the insurance premiums were sky high because of all the theft of WRX's...

so how can you have the audacity to complain about how Subaru treated this matter, and go to the lengths of boycotting there products.
but still drive a GM product car around after they 'threatened you' after posting there intellectual property?

[gis]

why woudl they do that,surely havin a forum/website for members to meet up on woudl be a good advertising for the car and help them sell there cars in a way,what morons

the reasonable thing to do woudl have been to ask that site just to put the small disclaimer about it not being affiliated with subaru .. forcing a namechage etc is way too heavy handed and hopefully will backfire

[RC45]

Originally Posted by possessed_beaver so how can you have the audacity to complain about how Subaru treated this matter, and go to the lengths of boycotting there products. but still drive a GM product car around after they 'threatened you' after posting there intellectual property?

I never bought this car new - so I didn't fund GM The devil is in the details.

I get my audacity to promote a boycott of Subaru because unlike Subaru, GM was "all bark and no bite" in my case.

They backed down as soon as the pro-bono attorneys showed up in my camp and dared GM to make a move.

In this case Subaru and their legal team is actually following through and taking on "the little" guy.