I have thought about this for a long time. I don't know if the execs reads our forum or not but if they do this would be my piece of advice to them.
ParB
Stop fighting it—customization is here to stay, and Ineos needs to stop halfway-assing it.
Honestly, i frequently see the posts saying that the "OEM knows best" on Grenadier threads and i think I'm my heart that this just shows which owners are out of touch with reality. Car modification culture is a real thing and phase 1 companies with no strategy for it are dying. We need to be honest here, and i don't blame those owners entirely: Ineos took a half-step toward embracing the modern car culture, but right now, they are stopping short of actually supporting it.
We know the data: the aftermarket is a $407 billion juggernaut. Enthusiasts are willing to drop 15% to 40% of the truck's value to dial it in. Ineos was smart enough to market the Grenadier as a "blank canvas," but they are failing the most critical phase of the relationship: Collaboration.
You can’t market a "Built on Purpose" overlanding rig and then bury your head in the sand when we actually try to build it out.
The Driveshaft Issue: You can’t hide from the market. When owners are reporting vibrations and failures, saying "keep it stock" isn't a solution. Ineos needs to investigate why this is a weak link and collaborate with the community to solve the geometry or material flaws—not fight the customers who found the limit.
Lift Kits: Stop acting like lifting a solid-axle truck is some taboo dark art. If the market demands clearance, the OEM should be encouraging safe ways to achieve it, not discouraging it to cover their own backs.
We are currently stuck in a Phase 2 strategy , badges , colors and trim is about as far as factory customization goes. Ineos gave us the "safe" modular stuff—the aux switches and the utility rails. That’s great. But Phase 3, embracing the car as a canvas for personalization is where the real industry players now live: oems that are fundamentally acknowledging that the vehicle is a platform for performance modification.
To Sir Jim and Lynn Calder, here is some straight-up advice:
You have brand advocates with us owners right now because you promised us a spiritual successor to the old-school 4x4s—vehicles we could wrench on, modify, and improve. You captured our hearts because you said you weren't like the other corporate manufacturers.
Here is how you will lose us: By becoming exactly what we ran away from. If you start hiding behind lawyers, silence, and "voided warranty" stamps every time the community pushes the truck's limits, you kill the passion. The moment you make the enthusiast the enemy, the brand dies.
Here are 3 actionable items you should do right now:
Own the Driveshaft Issue: Stop the silence. Release a technical bulletin acknowledging the vibration issues on lifted or heavily used rigs. If the OEM part is the weak link, collaborate with a driveshaft specialist to offer a "Heavy Duty" factory-approved replacement.
Define the "Safe" Lift: People are going to lift this truck. Period. Instead of fighting it, release the engineering specs for what you consider a "safe" geometry range (e.g., 2 inches). Better yet, partner with a suspension brand to release a warranty-compliant lift kit so we don’t have to guess.
Establish a Technical Roundtable: Create a direct line between your engineering team and the top aftermarket developers. Don't shut them out; bring them in. Let them help you fix the weak points faster than you can do it alone.
The community wants to love this truck. Stop making it hard for us.
ParB
Stop fighting it—customization is here to stay, and Ineos needs to stop halfway-assing it.
Honestly, i frequently see the posts saying that the "OEM knows best" on Grenadier threads and i think I'm my heart that this just shows which owners are out of touch with reality. Car modification culture is a real thing and phase 1 companies with no strategy for it are dying. We need to be honest here, and i don't blame those owners entirely: Ineos took a half-step toward embracing the modern car culture, but right now, they are stopping short of actually supporting it.
We know the data: the aftermarket is a $407 billion juggernaut. Enthusiasts are willing to drop 15% to 40% of the truck's value to dial it in. Ineos was smart enough to market the Grenadier as a "blank canvas," but they are failing the most critical phase of the relationship: Collaboration.
You can’t market a "Built on Purpose" overlanding rig and then bury your head in the sand when we actually try to build it out.
The Driveshaft Issue: You can’t hide from the market. When owners are reporting vibrations and failures, saying "keep it stock" isn't a solution. Ineos needs to investigate why this is a weak link and collaborate with the community to solve the geometry or material flaws—not fight the customers who found the limit.
Lift Kits: Stop acting like lifting a solid-axle truck is some taboo dark art. If the market demands clearance, the OEM should be encouraging safe ways to achieve it, not discouraging it to cover their own backs.
We are currently stuck in a Phase 2 strategy , badges , colors and trim is about as far as factory customization goes. Ineos gave us the "safe" modular stuff—the aux switches and the utility rails. That’s great. But Phase 3, embracing the car as a canvas for personalization is where the real industry players now live: oems that are fundamentally acknowledging that the vehicle is a platform for performance modification.
To Sir Jim and Lynn Calder, here is some straight-up advice:
You have brand advocates with us owners right now because you promised us a spiritual successor to the old-school 4x4s—vehicles we could wrench on, modify, and improve. You captured our hearts because you said you weren't like the other corporate manufacturers.
Here is how you will lose us: By becoming exactly what we ran away from. If you start hiding behind lawyers, silence, and "voided warranty" stamps every time the community pushes the truck's limits, you kill the passion. The moment you make the enthusiast the enemy, the brand dies.
Here are 3 actionable items you should do right now:
Own the Driveshaft Issue: Stop the silence. Release a technical bulletin acknowledging the vibration issues on lifted or heavily used rigs. If the OEM part is the weak link, collaborate with a driveshaft specialist to offer a "Heavy Duty" factory-approved replacement.
Define the "Safe" Lift: People are going to lift this truck. Period. Instead of fighting it, release the engineering specs for what you consider a "safe" geometry range (e.g., 2 inches). Better yet, partner with a suspension brand to release a warranty-compliant lift kit so we don’t have to guess.
Establish a Technical Roundtable: Create a direct line between your engineering team and the top aftermarket developers. Don't shut them out; bring them in. Let them help you fix the weak points faster than you can do it alone.
The community wants to love this truck. Stop making it hard for us.
