| cupcake |
Okay, give me all you know about carbon products from Vis Racing or Seibon.
I heard that Seibon is more expensive; however, it has better quality overall.
I heard that Vis Racing is good; however, their products are hit-and-miss.
From what I have found, I can get a Seibon for cheaper than Vis Racing. So yea. :dunno:
Tell me all you know! |
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| Godzilla |
| i've seen some poor quality and poor fitting seibon too. personally, i'm happy enough with my aluminum hood that i don't worry about it:D |
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| BARNSEY |
I've heard really good things about VIS, not much about Seibon though...
I think CF hoods for almost any car could be hit and miss... |
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| EK9Hatch |
Its true, I've heard both great things and bad things from both companies.
Jamie |
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| flatboy |
| hit and miss is where its at. |
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| Rebound |
In terms of fitment i've heard very good things about VIS for many cars. They also have OEM hood latches, wiper fluid nozzle holes pre drilled and don't really require hood pins. VIS is usually a bit more expensive then seibon from all the research i've done as well, and they have been around longer.
The only downside to VIS is that they come gel coated and if you want your cf to last longer you should probably get a better UV clear coating done at a shop. |
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| T-LAV MRV |
i got a VIS oem style on my DA, oem latches, no windsheild washer nozzle holes(had to do that myself) but fitment is excelent, and lookin to get the rear hatch for my car in cf if they carry it.
mike |
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| anschutz_93 |
| Um I dont know much about either brand enough to comment but look at how the latches/re-enforcing is on the hood. Try to buy one where the latch is woven into the hood rather than just screwed in. I would also say hood pins are a must. I have seen what happens when a hood comes off on the highway and its some major coin to repair. |
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| T-LAV MRV |
i don't have pins on my hood(oem latch as stated), Aaron's white STi hasn't got pins, and his is a seibon unit.
u pay for what u get, and if the latch is fucked, then thats a manufacturing fault and should be addressed.
mike |
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| Rebound |
quote:
Originally posted by T-LAV MRV
i don't have pins on my hood(oem latch as stated), Aaron's white STi hasn't got pins, and his is a seibon unit.
u pay for what u get, and if the latch is fucked, then thats a manufacturing fault and should be addressed.
mike
+1
Most hoods can handle the force these days unless its a no name brand with a bad latch. Hood pins seem like they are a thing of the past, which do more bad than good to your hood. I know they help secure the hood, but even with a bad hood and decent pins you can still smash your windshield. In addition to this pins cause cracks in the cf, rust and rice. |
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| AudiInProgress |
| hood pins look good though... it's all about the bling. |
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| EK9Hatch |
quote:
Originally posted by AudiInProgress
hood pins look good though... it's all about the bling.
Are you serious? I think they look like rotten elephant shit.
Jamie |
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| b18c5crx |
the only reason i would use hood pins is to get rid of the latch all together. that way i can fit my 6" thick core.
i have seen oem gtr hoods ripple and smack the drivers door.
anyways, both have good and bads.
not everyone is pleased, many are happy |
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| cupcake |
I kind of like hood pins myself but I can see myself being retarded enough to forget I have pins and pop the hood without undoing them. Eek!
I guess in the end, I'll have to look at the hood before I actually buy it. I've seen a couple Seibon with bad weaves, so yea.
Oh well, I'm not in such a rush anymore because I managed to price a few things out.
Where would I get the UV coating done if I were to go with VIS? |
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| T-LAV MRV |
IIRC transform spoilers was able to do it, can't remember which thread i seen it in.
mike |
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| b18c5crx |
quote:
Originally posted by cupcake
I kind of like hood pins myself but I can see myself being retarded enough to forget I have pins and pop the hood without undoing them. Eek!
I guess in the end, I'll have to look at the hood before I actually buy it. I've seen a couple Seibon with bad weaves, so yea.
Oh well, I'm not in such a rush anymore because I managed to price a few things out.
Where would I get the UV coating done if I were to go with VIS?
and i have seen vis hoods with a one inch gap because it is warped on one end.
they all have problems |
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| crzyone |
I'm not too happy with my Seibon hood. The first time I closed the hood the safety latch broke. It was paper thin and broke just from touching the hook.
The frame underneath that adds support and strength was also installed improperly. It is separating from the hood, and looks like it had no quality control before it was sent out.
I'll be putting a set of locking hood pins on my car. I do not want it flying into my windshield because of not having a safety latch. My car came with a different carbon fiber hood. If I had the aluminum one I probably would have used it instead.
Maybe my hood was a lemon? :dunno: |
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| kevito_ |
I have an alternative suggestion for a carbon hood...
I did a little research and found a company that sells a true 100% all-carbon fiber bonnet... no fiberglass with carbon covering. It is extremely strong, light and looks very nice.
The company that makes it is called C-One, and they are based in Japan. I have scanned some forums and found that it is a very nice hood, hence the price.
The hood in question is:
C-One KABONINTEKUBARUJI hood Ver.2
Part# CA5330-ZT231
for ￥103,950 ~ $970 USD
Made in Japan.
(Japanese quality is expensive, remember that)
It weights 5.9Kg, so its pure carbon for sure.
Their older model is discontinued and more information can be available on their page.
More info about C-One's carbon body styling products can be found here. The page is in Japanese. Their whole range of products are pretty impressive and I like their bonnet over the VIS and Seibon.
You can have a reputable local shop order from a C-One supplier or direct from C-One. You know the cost up front so expect some reasonable markup for sale.
The company recommends using TSUYA UV protective clear coat and keeping the hood regularly waxed with high quality wax to maintain the original quality of the bonnet.
EDIT: They also make some slick over-fenders for fat rubber.
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| ~30oZ~ |
| Both are poor quality and terrible fits IMHO. |
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| crzyone |
The fit of my hood is excellent, its the stuff underneath that you can't see that needs work.
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| cupcake |
quote:
Originally posted by crzyone
The fit of my hood is excellent, its the stuff underneath that you can't see that needs work.
So which hood is that? |
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| crzyone |
Seibon JU style hood. Same one with the broken safety latch and separating frame...
The safety latch isn't a big deal, I can put on a set of locking hood pins and get rid of my stock hood latch all together which will clean things up. I'm not really sure that frame is needed. It probably just stiffens the hood a little. This hood is about the same weight or slightly lighter than the stock aluminum hood with the added benefit of having a vent to help get rid of hot air. |
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| littledan |
VIS FTW!
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| kevito_ |
| How much do the VIS and Seibon bonnets weigh? |
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| AudiInProgress |
| I would think it depends on the car. |
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| crzyone |
quote:
Originally posted by kevito_
How much do the VIS and Seibon bonnets weigh?
Much less than a stock steel hood. |
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| Godzilla |
quote:
Originally posted by crzyone
Much less than a stock steel hood.
but not much different at all then the stock aluminum hood:p |
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| kevito_ |
quote:
Originally posted by AudiInProgress
I would think it depends on the car.
For the Celica, specifically. I'm using this car as a case study to make a general price-to-feature benchmark when buying a CF bonnet.
quote:
Originally posted by crzyone
Much less than a stock steel hood.
quote:
Originally posted by Godzilla
but not much different at all then the stock aluminum hood
The C-One is 5.9kg. I'm asking this because I found out that a lot of 'mid-range' carbon fiber hoods are just fiberglass with a carbon fiber top layer. Those types will be less strong and more heavy than their full-carbon counterparts. If I were to spend money on that type of thing, I want it to be top grade. If an aluminium bonnet is the same weight as a fiberglass/cf coated bonnet, why waste money? |
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| AudiInProgress |
| Because it looks good. |
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| kevito_ |
quote:
Originally posted by AudiInProgress
Because it looks good.
Yeah, they do look pretty sweet ;) |
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| AudiInProgress |
You know what would be the ultimate rice?
Giant stickers that look like carbon fiber, that are made to perfectly fit different vehicles hoods, I garauntee that would be a successful business venture. hahah |
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| kevito_ |
quote:
Originally posted by AudiInProgress
You know what would be the ultimate rice?
Giant stickers that look like carbon fiber, that are made to perfectly fit different vehicles hoods, I garauntee that would be a successful business venture. hahah
It's already been done...
http://www.stickercity.com/store/home.php?cat=2299 |
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| Nissan Fanboy |
Fuck all that shit.
Do it up Amar style and ditch the hood all together. |
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| T-LAV MRV |
don't u need to rear-end another car to complete that mod? lol. And that mod only works on 240's
mike |
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| crzyone |
quote:
Originally posted by Godzilla
but not much different at all then the stock aluminum hood:p
quote:
Originally posted by crzyone
My car came with a different carbon fiber hood. If I had the aluminum one I probably would have used it instead.
If my car came with the stock hood I probably would have used it.
This is my car with the old hood. It didn't fit very well. It didn't have a brand name anywhere that I could see.
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| cupcake |
Apparently, my hood is about 50lbs. It's kind of a bitch to lift since I'm not exactly the biggest person alive.
And as for the C-One hood, yes, Kevin, let me import a hood that's going to cost, after everything, more than half my car. Besides, the v2 hood wouldn't match the v1 bumper I have sitting at a shop. So let's go back to what I was asking, what's your opinion on VIS or Seibon? At the end of it, you gave me something completely irrelevant to what I was asking.
Thanks for giving me the pros & cons, everyone. I'll somehow convince a shop to bring one in so I can look at it before having to buy it. That's going to be difficult. :blink: |
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| crzyone |
quote:
Originally posted by cupcake
So let's go back to what I was asking, what's your opinion on VIS or Seibon? At the end of it, you gave me something completely irrelevant to what I was asking.
I would say most of us have experience with one or the other, not both. I can't give an opinion on VIS, don't have one and if I've seen one, I didn't know it was a VIS to begin with. I can only offer an opinion on my own hood.
Seibon- Fits well, some quality control issues *on my hood* that shouldn't have made it past QC. |
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| cupcake |
Oh, the comment was really just for one person. :p
Where did you get your hood from? Were you able to bring it back to where you got it? It's like you got the lemon of Seibon. :dunno: |
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| Driven |
quote:
Originally posted by Nissan Fanboy
Fuck all that shit.
Do it up Amar style and ditch the hood all together.
lol |
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| kevito_ |
quote:
Originally posted by cupcake
Apparently, my hood is about 50lbs. It's kind of a bitch to lift since I'm not exactly the biggest person alive.
And as for the C-One hood, yes, Kevin, let me import a hood that's going to cost, after everything, more than half my car. Besides, the v2 hood wouldn't match the v1 bumper I have sitting at a shop. So let's go back to what I was asking, what's your opinion on VIS or Seibon? At the end of it, you gave me something completely irrelevant to what I was asking.
Thanks for giving me the pros & cons, everyone. I'll somehow convince a shop to bring one in so I can look at it before having to buy it. That's going to be difficult. :blink:
My honest opinion, based on what others have replied in thread and with my own personal reading on other forums, is that neither bonnet is very good. If I was going to buy something nice, I'd want it to fit properly and not have any hassle. It would be providing pretty useless information for me to say 'both are quite disappointing' and drop it at that...
I thought I could post some information on an bonnet that would be worth your time and money. Unless your car cost $2500-3000, I doubt it would cost more than half of your car.
Since you said it won't match your V1 bumper in the shop, why not order the V2 bumper, too? Save some money on combined shipping. It can replace the cracked on you you have right now, match the V2 bonnet, and it would be 5.9Kg. It should be easy to sell a V1 bumper and recover most of the cost since it is a quality piece.
I'm just suggesting what would be the best looking and the most useful for you, but you don't have to be so mean about it! I still stand by the recommendation, regardless. The C-One pieces could also help offset the weight of that automatic transmission.
Anyways, I'm sure you are perfectly capable to work something out for yourself. |
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| crzyone |
quote:
Originally posted by cupcake
Where did you get your hood from? Were you able to bring it back to where you got it? It's like you got the lemon of Seibon. :dunno:
Sub Racing... :mad: |
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| T-LAV MRV |
speedtech FTW!
mike |
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| cupcake |
Speedtech's VIS Racing was extremely expensive. I was about to buy it when it was on sale but another store price one out for me at regular price for cheaper. :dunno:
And Kevin, please do not assume what is the "best looking and most useful for me." I am looking for an OEM-style cf hood that is in the range of $500 to $750. I will not be purchasing a hood without viewing it first because I know a few people who ordered their hoods from reputable companies in the States and ended up getting bad weaves. Unless you have something to contribute that is relevant to my inquiry, please refrain from commenting or offering your "advice." |
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| kevito_ |
Wow...
I don't recall any price range or OEM-style requirements in the original post... so the more information I can have, the better "advice" I can formulate. So I'll see what I can research under the revised limitations as there are more companies than just Seibon and VIS that make OEM "carbon" body pieces.
It is logical to assume that additional suggestions would have been welcomed, given the original information and replies provided by everyone else. I bet you are still able make some good use of the information, regardless! Please note that the information is not just for you alone... I hope that those who view this thread can make use of it, too.
The difference between a carbon wrapped fiberglass bonnet and a true carbon fiber one is apparent if you look at crzyone's photo of his Seibon. The photo shows that the bonnet is made of fiberglass with a carbon fiber top layer (the carbon weave texture is not apparent on anything but through the latch gap). Maybe those with VIS bonnets could post a photo of their underside latch area? A true CF bonnet would be stronger, having less problems with latching area.
The additional stringent manufacturing tolerances and inherent difficulties of working with pure carbon panels improves the overall quality control. So you can expect a true carbon to be more robust and fit better. And they will be light and easy to open, should you need to check under the bonnet. It just seems that something very economical or affordable is the biggest hurdle... but there are lots of options to investigate. Remember that you get what you pay for.
If you still want to only consider the original types and are able get a look at the VIS or Seibon before you purchase, that would be excellent. I wish you luck in that... if successful, please make sure you post the name of the shop as they will be getting some extra business from others. Some shops in town do stock VIS and Seibon parts. As a challenge, it would be even more impressive if you could convince a retailer to do that using the same charm you display to replies to your original post!
:beer: |
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| zhao |
quote:
Originally posted by kevito_
I thought I could post some information on an bonnet that would be worth your time and money. Unless your car cost $2500-3000, I doubt it would cost more than half of your car.
that hood you're talking about is probably going to cost closer to 2g then 1g all said and done...... seibon or vis isn't going to cost any where close to that. |
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| Driven |
| There are so many better things to spend your money on.. especially if your current hood is fine. |
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| kevito_ |
quote:
Originally posted by zhao
that hood you're talking about is probably going to cost closer to 2g then 1g all said and done...... seibon or vis isn't going to cost any where close to that.
Welcoem to the forum! :thumbup: |
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