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Nismo
Parts Available in United States |
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Article
by Staff |
October
17,2003 |
In
2001 Nissan USA released the following statement to the
press:
"Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today announced
it will produce and market NISMO high-performance aftermarket
parts for Nissan and Infiniti vehicles in the U.S. market.
NISMO parts, which will be available next fall, cater to
Nissan enthusiasts and will offer a factory warranty.
"We're
excited to be joining one of the fastest growing niches
in the specialty automotive equipment industry,"
said Jed Connell, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing.
"NISMO has nearly 20 years of experience developing
and producing high-performance parts and accessories and
shares Nissan and Infiniti's uncompromising commitment
to quality."
Increasing
popularity in manufacturer-backed performance parts and
the requests of Nissan and Infiniti enthusiasts led the
way for NISMO to enter into the U.S. market. NISMO originated
in Japan in 1984 and has established itself as the premiere
supplier of high-performance aftermarket parts and accessories
for Nissan vehicles in Japan.
"The
name NISMO stands for NISsan MOtorsports - a fitting name
since NISMO parts will offer cutting-edge performance,"
said Connelly.
NISMO
branded parts will cover three areas - NISMO Performance
Parts, designed for Nissan vehicles; Infiniti R-Spec performance
parts designed for Infiniti vehicles; and NISMO racing
parts designed for off-road/race-track use. NISMO also
will offer performance parts for current and previous
model Nissan and Infiniti vehicles, including the Sentra
SE-R and the forthcoming Infinti G35 and Nissan 350Z.
In
North America, Nissan's operations include automotive
styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing,
sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing."
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Yes,
it is true, Nissan dealerships are starting to sell the highly
sought-after NISMO parts. However, the "in-stock" item
qualities are very limited and only a few of the promised items
are available for sale. Most parts available as of October 2003
were the universal components such as shift knobs, enthusiast
apparel, floor mats and other generic NISMO items. Although Nissan
promises to widen the product scope across more of its popular
platforms, the parts available as of now are only for the Nissan
Sentra and 350Z models. Much more NISMO merchandise is expected
to arrive at the end of 2003. However, since the 2.5L engine is
shared across multiple platforms, we speculate that some exhaust
components can be installed on both the Sentra and Altima models.
No confirmation at this time.
Some of the more enthusiast and
internet-friendly dealerships around the USA do install and sell
performance items from NISMO; and cover them under the manufacturer
warranty. Items that are covered by the manufacturer warranty
come from the S-Tune product line. The S-Tune line denotes sporty
yet milder upgrades which retain the California emission approvals
and adhere to the DOT regulations. The S-Tune line is perfect
for the average car enthusiast wishing to accessrize their new
Nissan vehicle. The S-Tune NISMO parts carry a basic warranty
of 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. However,
the parts are warrantied by the factory only if they are purchased
and installed at the point of purchase of the vehicle, in that
case the regular 3 month 36,000 Nissan warranty applies.
What most of the hardcore Nissan
enthusiasts have been waiting for is the NISMO R-Tune product
line. These products are race-bred in Japan - and now they are
available here in America. The R-Tune products are not covered
by the Nissan manufacturer's warranty. In fact, some of the products
can and will void your factory warranty. The R-Tune headers eliminate
the catalytic converters, hence passing emissions will be impossible.
R-Tune product line is definetly Nissan's answer to the Subaru
STI factory sports part challenge.
Below is a sample gallery of NISMO
parts that will be available in United States. Some of these parts
are already available from your local dealer. Click
here to check our forums for the latest information and vendors
offering NISMO products.
Click
image to enlarge
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
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