Cool Hand Luke Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 My mate has just taken delivery of a Carbon Fibre front lip and isnt too happy with his purchase - basically it was described as carbon fibre but it looks more like carbon effect rather than the real deal. I've had a look at it and tend to agree with him - problem is we have nothing to gauge it against as neither of us have seen another CF lip so i was hoping we could get some opinions from people on here who already have one - real carbon or otherwise. I've had real carbon items in the past and would say carbon is usually light but pretty strong - this seems flimsy and you could probably push both ends together just by squeezing your fingers. I also expected it to be carbon weave front and back if a proper carbon sheet was used - this isnt. Even if the back has been coated i would have thought you could see the layering from the sides where its been cut - instead it looks like a carbon effect skin over some flimsy plastic. The other thing is the corners look really unfinished - i thought they would have been shaped and curved to fit up to the edges of the bumper insert? I could be wrong though so have tried to take a few pics to let you see what i mean and get some feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cool Hand Luke Posted April 16, 2008 Author Share Posted April 16, 2008 Pics... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digsy Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Where's it from? The genuine Nissan ones aren't real CF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shire350Z Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 looks ok to me mate!!! very similar to mine!!! if you bought one from nissan it would have cost you a hell off alot more and not as good!!! if you want the highest quality carbon you would be paying a absolute fortune Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob_Quads Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Last Pic IMO shows it 100% being real carbon fibre. What you might find is that there is a layer of chopped strand matt with the carbon on top. Carbon can be very strong but you need to use the right resins and a number of layers of the stuff. Things like Carbon bonnets are often fairly flimsy as its only a few layers thick. If that only has a couple layers of carbon it would still be possible to bend it with your fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cool Hand Luke Posted April 16, 2008 Author Share Posted April 16, 2008 Thanks for the posts guys - any more info/opinions greatly appreciated. I'd really like to know if it was real carbon or not though to be honest we tried placing it on the car after my first post to gauge how it would look and it seems look a lot better on the bumper and fits really well - you dont seem to notice the slightly unfinished edges. Thing is i reckon my mates heart isnt in it anymore and it'll probably sit in his garage or be put up for sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 From the pics it does look like real carbon as the strands dont appear to be perfect but more natural. Having got the Nissan fake CF and a real carbon lip, yours looks a lot more real than the Nissan one. They look like real strands. What you might find is if its cheap, is that its some kind of flexible vinyl type base with the finest layer of real carbon over it, hence why the backing is black and it doesnt look like its layered. I have some real carbon pieces from the States that are flexible due to the type of resin used. My Varis lip is light and rock solid, again as they used solid resin. Its not from Delsa Motorsport on eBay is it? The bits I've had off them have all been like this, but I've only got badge inserts and pillar covers. The bits I have of their CF I have is like this and its real CF. I always thought their bigger pieces would be stiff, but maybe not if thats what you've got Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cool Hand Luke Posted April 16, 2008 Author Share Posted April 16, 2008 From what i can gather this wasnt a 'cheap' item - if it was i dont think my mate would have been quite so bothered! Maybe we were just both expecting something with more of a quality feel too it - i think the fact its so flimsy is what made us think it wasnt real carbon. Though as pointed out its probably only going to have that solid, rigid feel if solid resin has been used in the manufacture of the item. On further inspection of the weave it does indeed look pretty natural so who knows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIXXERUK Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 it could be a water transfer but tbh where it is placed ( low down) the quality isnt a big issue imo you cant tell the water transfer cf from the real deal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Where did he get it? Any reputable seller wouldnt fob you off with fake carbon. And good carbon is expensive, take it from one who broke the bank with a Varis lip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lomoto Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 looks like the real McCoy from the photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M13KYF Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 last one looks like the the real stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinbad Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 last one looks like the the real stuff. +1 be good to find out where he got it from Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Hey luke you are in glasgow arent you? I just bought a lip from phil so if you want to pop by and have a look i dont mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H5 Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 If it is real, it isn't a very good quality weave looking at the last picture. It certainly shouldn't be flexible enough to let the ends touch each other if there is anything other than a decorative layer on the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cool Hand Luke Posted April 17, 2008 Author Share Posted April 17, 2008 Not 100% sure where he bought it from but wasnt ESR, Envy or JDM as i did ask, some other online retailer maybe. Had another opinion today after someone saw it in the 'flesh' and they reckoned it would be real carbon judging by the weave but light construction i.e. strands or layers of carbon over plastic backing. I dont know if you could touch both ends together but it certainly feels like there is a good bit of flex in it - guess i thought it might have been more of a rigid construction. Jay - wouldnt mind having a look at the lip you got from ESR to compare (had planned on buying an ESR one in the next week or two for myself) it with this one - any chance you could post a pic or two in the meantime? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S1 HNK Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 100% its real carbon fibre!!! thread closed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Hey buddy soz my gf has my camera which sucks big time! I live near newton mearns do you live any where near that? I culd always show you it! I have not yet had teh time to fit it to the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cool Hand Luke Posted April 21, 2008 Author Share Posted April 21, 2008 Yeah i'm not a million miles away from town Jay - would be good to see your carbon lip. Had also suggested about th possibility of a scottish mini meet but not sure if there would be enough interest. Hey buddy soz my gf has my camera which sucks big time! I live near newton mearns do you live any where near that? I culd always show you it! I have not yet had teh time to fit it to the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 Yeh i would b interested in that buddy! But has to be said there aint many scots on this forum which is such a shame I left a note on a zed today saying to join the forum and get to know more about the zed etc lol! So wat you got planned for your car anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cool Hand Luke Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 Yeh i would b interested in that buddy! But has to be said there aint many scots on this forum which is such a shame I left a note on a zed today saying to join the forum and get to know more about the zed etc lol! So wat you got planned for your car anyway? Shall we post to see about organising a Scottish mini meet then Jay - see if anyone else is interested? Couple of previous car forums i was on used to have 'business cards' from the site so they could flyer potential forum members/cars - do we have those on here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Yeh mate send a wee post about to see if anyone is interested! Would be good to put a faces to the names! Also a good excuse to have a butchers at everyone elses zeds As for the cards i am sure you can get them but need to apply for them to the mods. Saw a stunning zed in my uni car park 2day! Full nismo bodykit big blingy wheels looks the dogs! So cards would be good so we can get more Scots onto the forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.