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Harding Performance is no longer an APR dealer distributor????

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  • Harding Performance is no longer an APR dealer distributor????

    What is the meaning of this any one knows what is going on is this for real?

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  • #2
    In my industry it happens when they see enough sales to go direct. I always find it dodgy when companies do that.

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    • #3
      Wow that is pretty stiff.

      To spend so much time/effort in building up a brand only to have it ripped out under your feet.

      I'm sure there's going to be legals involved, however it's going to be a hard one as unless it's spelled out in the distributor agreement the jurisdiction that covers the contract and then where do you take a US company to court? Go to the US??

      As good as the APR product is/was, what made it such a strong brand here in the market was the back-up/support for the dealer network, stocking, warehousing, tuning for local conditions and all the marketing by preparing/running cars in Hot Tuner, etc. The APR cars were always the benchmark and the ones every other tuner was out to beat.

      So sorry to hear that this has happened to you Guy.

      2017 Tiguan Sportline - Tigger73's 162TSI Sportline

      2016 Scirocco R, stage 1, 205kwaw (sold) - Tigger73's Scirocco R Build
      2013 Tiguan 155TSI, stage 1, 144kwaw (sold) - Tigger73's 155TSI Build
      2011 Tiguan 125TSI, Stage 2+, 152kwaw (sold)
      - Tigger73's 125TSI Build


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      • #4
        Harding Performance is no longer an APR dealer distributor????

        From a customer's point of view all will be "business as normal" with your local APR dealer. The dealer network is still there, only change is that HP isn't the Australian distributor.
        Guy is a legend when it comes to automotive genius & I'll be watching out for his next venture. Should be good ... Whatever he does!
        It's a bit of a kick in the teeth after all the R&D + product development he worked through.
        He is APR Australia ... big shoes to fill ...
        Last edited by mk7wolfr; 03-04-2016, 08:00 AM.

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        • #5
          It's bull**** when big companies do this, I see it all the time in the medical game, a little bloke spends his time and effort building a brand, then the HQ comes in and steamrolls them in an effort to make greater profits. As much as Mr Harding isn't exactly my best mate, nobody deserves that, and I can only imagine his massive disappointment right now.
          2014 Skoda Yeti TDI Outdoor 4x4 | Audi Q3 CFGC repower | Darkside tune and Race Cams | Darkside dump pDPF | Wagner Comp IC | Snow Water Meth | Bilstein B6 H&R springs | Rays Homura 2x7 18 x 8" 255 Potenza Sports | Golf R subframe | Superpro sways and bushings | 034 engine mounts | MK6 GTI brakes |

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          • #6
            Wow this really sux.
            What will Guy do with all those APR number plates ?
            I probably wont use APR for my next tune, based on this news.
            MK4 GTI - Sold
            MK5 Jetta Turbo - Sold
            MK5 Jetta 2.Slow - Until it dies.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by tigger73 View Post
              ... and then where do you take a US company to court? Go to the US?? ...
              Not necessarily in these days of free trade agreements. Depending on the level of agreement it is possible to take action against someone in another country from your home country and the respondent can't just ignore it. Although I don't know if it applies between the USA and Australia.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Greg Roles View Post
                It's bull**** when big companies do this, I see it all the time in the medical game, a little bloke spends his time and effort building a brand, then the HQ comes in and steamrolls them in an effort to make greater profits. As much as Mr Harding isn't exactly my best mate, nobody deserves that, and I can only imagine his massive disappointment right now.
                LOL Greg, Yeah a shame, he won't disappear overnight though. Plenty of irons in his fires.

                A similar thing happened in the UK a while back when APR and Awesome GTI split. APR came back and opened up APR UK.

                I can see something similar happening here.

                Gavin
                optimumcode@gmail.com | https://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/for...i-;-79012.html | https://www.facebook.com/TTY-Euro-107982291992533

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                • #9
                  What does it mean for availability of APR tunes?
                  16' Manual Polo GTI - APR Stage 1 - VWR Springs - HF Carbon CAI / 00' Supercharged Magna VR-X - 275kw atw

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by heath55 View Post
                    What does it mean for availability of APR tunes?
                    I guess we will find out in coming weeks...

                    2017 Tiguan Sportline - Tigger73's 162TSI Sportline

                    2016 Scirocco R, stage 1, 205kwaw (sold) - Tigger73's Scirocco R Build
                    2013 Tiguan 155TSI, stage 1, 144kwaw (sold) - Tigger73's 155TSI Build
                    2011 Tiguan 125TSI, Stage 2+, 152kwaw (sold)
                    - Tigger73's 125TSI Build


                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I suspect Mr Harding will roll out his own in-house tunes off the back of this.

                      All told, pretty much the main reason you'd spend that bit extra on APR in Australia is down the work HP have put into ensuring the APR tunes actually work here, and are reliable.
                      '07 Transporter 1.9 TDI
                      '01 Beetle 2.0

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by heath55 View Post
                        What does it mean for availability of APR tunes?
                        I predict at worst a brief break in availability. At best no change at all.

                        Gavin
                        optimumcode@gmail.com | https://www.vwwatercooled.com.au/for...i-;-79012.html | https://www.facebook.com/TTY-Euro-107982291992533

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                        • #13
                          Reminds me of when Canon Australia took over the local distributor - and went downhill very quickly for quite a few years
                          carandimage The place where Off-Topic is On-Topic
                          I used to think I was anal-retentive until I started getting involved in car forums

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                          • #14
                            I wonder who owns the IP on the current APR Oz specific tunes given that they were developed jointly... I think things could be messy for a little while.

                            2017 Tiguan Sportline - Tigger73's 162TSI Sportline

                            2016 Scirocco R, stage 1, 205kwaw (sold) - Tigger73's Scirocco R Build
                            2013 Tiguan 155TSI, stage 1, 144kwaw (sold) - Tigger73's 155TSI Build
                            2011 Tiguan 125TSI, Stage 2+, 152kwaw (sold)
                            - Tigger73's 125TSI Build


                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Guy is being surprisingly quiet, who knows what arrangements there are, perhaps Guy gets a cut of Oz sales for a period ...??
                              MK4 GTI - Sold
                              MK5 Jetta Turbo - Sold
                              MK5 Jetta 2.Slow - Until it dies.

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