Jan. 27 All Euro Car Meet

[TriGem2k]

Guys get this, I called Factor One Garage and Spoke with Alex, asked him about some of the pictures and got this response...

"James are you talking about the sliver 986 Boxster?"
I just replied with yes.
he says "the car is actually his personal car."
I said oh really in a sarcastic tone
He replies with "oh you mean the one with the GT3 bumper?"
Again I said yes the one with the GT3 bumper and side skirts.
He then says "Oh that one is a customers car".
Again I said oh really
he says "yes that car is a customers from the East Coast."

At that point I just couldn't hold it in, I started laughing at the guy. He asked me if i was interested and I said "Well I would be but I'm the owner of the car!"

I didn't have much time to go over details oh how he got the picture but said I will surely call back and see how we can rectify the situation. Really I don't car that they have it but I might as well see what I can get out of them.


So what do you guys think I should do?

[blinkwatt]

Originally Posted by TriGem2k

So what do you guys think I should do?

I tried to right click on your picture of the car and it says it's copyrighted to "2005 Factory One Garage".....

You should tell them that they owe you a pair of sport seat backings! That's just for using your photos. Now for lieing threw their teeth you should have them give you some speedster humps.

You did say you liked that new GT3 bumper... wink wink.
But seriously, Lets say a band did that and past it off as their own, theyd get sued for millions. Ownership is no joke in these times. I would say that I wanted the rights to that picture and $5,000 in merchandice. Id continue to let them use the picture as long as your acknoweldged as the owner. Im gonna start putting watermarks on all of my pics now. Because what they did was theivary.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by TriGem2k

So what do you guys think I should do?

I would document everything first, prior to them removing the photo and denying it;
and also document the phone call (time of day/ who you talked to and what they said).

Then contact a lawyer (we have some on this board) about your rights, then approach the owner of the site for compensation of use or you will sue for damages.

Also:

* Remove the hyperlink on the image in your signature
* Watermark your photos.

[Travis]

You notice that they removed the photo from the website.

Just forgot to delete it from the webserver.
http://factoronegarage.easystorecreator.net/images/images_21862/Boxster%20GT3%20Aero%20Kit.JPG

[TriGem2k]

Yeah I called them again today and I can hear the guys in the background talkin saying "Dude hes going to sue us, take that picture down"

Its a "mom and pop" operation. They got nothing, I almost felt bad for them. They sound like little kids.

[C5150]

They took the picture down......

Any lawyers on the forum that can help out here?

I would think that you could contact them regarding their infringement of copyright, asking for compensation for the use of your pic, as I'm sure they have made profit while using YOUR pic for marketing.

I am sure that they have few (if ANY) rights for any of the pics they are using on their site - and I'd mention that to them as well.....

[djomlas]

wow, so u gonn do something or what man?

[TriGem2k]

Originally Posted by djomlas

wow, so u gonn do something or what man?

Nah, I'm just gonna let it go. God has already blessed us all with so much. They really did no harm to me, it’s just a picture. I simply asked to have the picture removed if I wasn't going to be compensated for it and they complied so that’s it.

Thank you guys for finding the pictures, I'm curious to know how they got it and how long it has been up. This forum is the only place I have ever posted any pictures of my car.