Kai Tan Talks Atlanta Car Scene, His Skyline GTR And Founding RevMatch
First of all, let’s start with the most important question: what do you currently drive?
Great question. Currently, my weekend car is a 1995 Nissan Skyline R33 GTR. It belonged previously to my buddy Rutledge Wood, and when he put it up for sale, I jumped at it since it’s definitely a dream car of mine. I think the R33 is a little underappreciated amongst the Skylines, but it definitely turns people’s heads especially with that midnight purple.
Besides that I am also a first time dad and currently have a 2024 Toyota Sienna Woodland Edition that I am building to be more of an overland van for camping.
How did you get into cars?
I built a love for cars at a young age, inspired by my dad’s Mitsubishi 3000GT. The sleek pearl white exterior and stunning wheels left a lasting impression on me. We take these fun drives, fueling my appreciation for Japanese vehicles
Since then, my passion for cars has led me to own and work on over 15 diverse project cars, ranging from the iconic Toyota Supra and Nissan Silvia to the performance-oriented WRX STI, versatile Forester, Crosstrek, and the classic Acura Integra.
What are your favorite “car things” to do?
For me, it’s all about investing time in the garage, turning wrenches, and bringing a vision to life. There’s an immense sense of pride when I install a carefully chosen aftermarket part and can share it with fellow enthusiasts. The camaraderie that comes from spending a day in the garage with good friends, collectively working on cars, truly builds a special community for me. I think that’s one thing I appreciate about this passion is finding people who share similar interests as you and strive to bring the best out of your character and vehicle.
If you had unlimited resources to do anything car related, what would you do?
One of my goals is to establish a car-themed cafe, providing a welcoming space for enthusiasts to host meets and enjoy a shared passion for automobiles. Picture a place adorned with car memorabilia, featuring a relaxed atmosphere where people can unwind and engage in conversations surrounded by a few showcase cars on the floor.
What is RevMatch exactly?
RevMatch is a growing automotive community platform that is changing the way people share their builds with one another by using AI and other technology to streamline the automotive journey. It’s like a personal car buddy who knows your ride inside and out.
Our platform addresses the dysfunction and fragmentation of people using manual, disconnected tools like forums, spreadsheets, notepads, etc. What we have created is a place where people can connect with 450+ brands and over 500k aftermarket parts to essentially create a living build sheet they can easily share with others to find inspiration, collaboration, and communication. Our focus on automation and suggested content empowers users to make optimal decisions regarding their passions and vehicles.
What’s really cool is we have a way for people to share their build sheets with our QR decal so now others can easily share that information at meets, track days, wherever.
RevMatch is changing the automotive industry and we’re super excited with what we have in store for the next few years.
What are some exciting things you have in store?
We have a few things on our roadmap that we are exploring and releasing in the future. Our biggest next release will be our recommendation engine where people can tell us their vehicle and project type, and we will provide a list of recommended parts vetted by our community and partners. This will simplify the whole research process and build trust in our community.
We are looking also for ways to help enhance the car club organization so club members can connect more with each other both online and on the road.
Why do you think people should sign up?
RevMatch was built by auto enthusiasts, and we know first hand the pain points and friction when it comes to people who gate keep information or trying to find out if that part is the right one for their vehicle. People should join our platform if they want to easily document their builds, share and inspire other people in our community, and save time so they can get back to doing what they love with their vehicles.
We’ve heard time and time again that people hate searching through forums, fact checking information, and searching for part fitment and availability. RevMatch solves this problem by centralizing information so users receive comprehensive support throughout their automotive journey.
Today, we’re on the ios store, but are coming to both web and android in the near future. This is a super exciting time for us, and we are looking forward to building our platform and bring the best experience to all auto enthusiasts.
If you could change one thing about the car scene, what would it be?
We aim to shift the mindset around gatekeeping information in the automotive community. At RevMatch, we’re dedicated to creating a platform that encourages enthusiasts to freely share their passions, exchange valuable information, and foster connections. Our goal is to make it effortless for individuals to seek relevant insights and establish trust with brands they can rely on.
Download on ios store: https://apple.co/3DtTrhR
* Featured Image courtesy Kai Tan and RevMatch
