SEIBON Hood/Trunk Install/Review: Get Educated With FACTS!
 

Background: With all the threads popping up on SEIBON products without any hard facts to back them up, I set out to give FT86CLUB a review with pictures and facts so that you can make an educated decision for yourself. I think the question of SEIBON's customer service has already been discussed, so this thread will focus on their products.

Hood Install Time: ~ 15min
Trunk Install Time: ~ 1hr 45min

OEM Hood Fitment Pictures:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0F49F05ED1.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0F4FA68325.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0F43CCEB88.jpg

SEIBON OEM-Style CF Hood Fitment Pictures:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0EE359B69D.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0EE8903C66.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0EEE3E2E34.jpg

OEM Trunk Fitment Pictures:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0F8FD93B51.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0F6AFC079E.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0F899F7F8D.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0F76E94B02.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0F66398D7A.jpg

SEIBON CSL-Style CF Trunk Fitment Pictures:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0E766BBE93.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0E6ECBE011.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0E7D033D89.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0E67944055.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0E61A1B86E.jpg

Weights:
I weighed myself, then I picked up each part and weighed them with me. Thats why the weights are funky. But it still shows you the difference.

My Weight:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0F0066ECBB.jpg

OEM Hood vs. SEIBON OEM-Style Weight Comparison:
OEM Hood:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0E1201C79A.jpg
SEIBON Hood:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0E0CF5DDB4.jpg
Results:
SEIBON hood is 6lbs heavier than stock.

OEM Trunk vs. SEIBON CSL-Style Weight Comparison:
OEM Trunk:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0DD534D35C.jpg
SEIBON CSL-Style Trunk:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0E09BBEBBA.jpg
Results:
SEIBON hood is 2.4lbs lighter than stock BRZ trunk with spoiler.

SEIBON CSL-Style CF Trunk Modifications:
Key Hole Modifications:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...ps05334b00.png
The left boxes show the electronic trunk latch and the corners that bow in that need to be file fit.
The right circle shows the section I had to Dremel to allow the key hole to be accessed. From SEIBON this piece is recessed but not cut out.
Underside Modifications:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...ps3a9e1b16.png
The red box shows the two ends of the license plate light cover holes that needed to be filed because it was too thick for the covers to snap in properly.
The orange box shows the holes that needed to be enlarged to use the factory BRZ trunk carpet and plastic poppers.

Conclusion (General):
I am very satisfied with my purchase from SEIBON. The parts fit well enough for my standards for a daily driven sub $30K car. These parts are a good aesthetic upgrade (which should be why you purchase wet carbon to begin with in my opinion). The modifications required for fitment were within reason on an aftermarket part in my opinion. Individual part conclusions below.

Conclusion (Hood):
The hood fit with ease and required no modification. The hood prop is a snug fit, but still works fine. There is a SLIGHTLY larger gap on the passenger side of the hood, but not anywhere near what I would consider unacceptable for aftermarket parts. The front of the hood that meets with the bumper fit perfect. The hood latch was nice and integrated, without requiring transfer of OEM parts.

Conclusion (Trunk):
The trunk took a small amount of effort to get set up for use. But, it was completely acceptable for me, and was exactly the kinds of things I expected. The key hole needed to be cut out from the trunk garnish. The holes for the wiring harness plastic holders needed to be slightly enlarged. The holes for the trunk carpet (BRZ) needed to be enlarged to accommodate the plastic push poppers. The license plate light housings did not snap into the trunk, so I had to thin the edges with a file so that the light housings would snap into place. The electronic trunk latch rectangle needed the edges to be enlarged slightly.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0E3D90595C.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d2...0E47FB8E23.jpg

Thank you for reading my review. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding my installation or the fit of the products.

/ thread

Seibon makes an inferior product. Ft86 handles the damage control....

Looks perfect fit , every now and then there is a bad batch but shit happens right

Gotta love posts like these! Thanks for the feedback!

The whole reason for this post is for people like you.

What is inferior about these products? And inferior to what standard? You would like to compare an OEM mass produced stamped aluminum part to a hand laid or vacuum formed carbon piece?

This post is to let people decide for themselves when presented with factual information. Pictures, weights, fitment comparison. Please let me know how that is damage control. Nothing is hidden. My parts arrived today at 10:45am EST. After installing and enjoying them I posted my review.


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Lmfao... If your a Chrysler tech then the pictures you see there a million times better then what your used to.. The crap that has come from that company "Chrysler,Jeep,dodge" are pure garbage.. The blind can do better Q/A then that shit whole corporation

Exactly what I experienced with the CSL trunk. Had to make adjustments to make it fit like OEM. For the price I paid it's not bad. Having sold CF products myself, there are definitely areas you can see where they can improve.

More pics of the trunk please! Very interested in picking one up :) thanks for the review btw

dam your car looks clean brotha!

OP I think that most people were simply saying that it's hit and miss with this company. Sometimes you get good products. But every now and then you might get ones that just don't fit right. :w00t: Lovin that trunk. I'm looking forward to ordering one myself.

Also have you considered the rear diffuser to match the trunk? Cos it's 2 shades of black back there. Not really a big deal but its noticeable.

So you added a total of 3lbs to the car by going with a carbon fiber trunk and hood? That makes a lot of sense.

The reason for replacing with carbon fiber is to reduce weight and that's the opposite of what these parts did. Atleast the hood but the trunk weight loss is negligible. This is just for aesthetics alone imo. I do like the trunk if painted to match the body.

Get a wrap and save some $ ?

Guaranteed OEM fitment lol

The trunk still doesn't look right to me. I thought someone else would have said that by now.

I love how people get all butt hurt that some one wants to make their car look a certain way, but since it doesn't weigh less or somehow have a performance gain, they need to berate them. I always laugh at the wannabe racers who drive their cars daily, never track them, never clean, them, but brag that their car is x pounds lighter than stock but looks like shit.

To the OP, car looks good, haters gonna hate, and keep on doing your thing!

I love how people get all butt hurt by other people's opinion!

Oh man that trunk is exactly what I want, looks good!

Ditto. I'm considering the CSL trunk, and would love a picture from the side, about 10 or 15 feet out, and at the height of the lip, so I can see the angle and extension of the lip. (Sorry to be so particular with my request... I'm a lil OCD).:thanks:

Why would I spend $800 to add weight to my car?

Very informative post with great pics.

Having an aftermarket CF hood on one of my cars, I dunno if I'll do it again. It saved weight, but the fitment drove me nuts. This Seibon is better than VIS, but it's still not OEM-level. For others that may not be a big deal, but for myself, just knowing/seeing the panel gaps aren't consistent irks me. The hood panel gap isn't consistent throughout on the passenger side. Stuff like that is subtle, but it does affect your perception of quality imo.

I'm dismayed to see that the CF hood is heavier. For the look it seems like a vinyl wrap for the hood would be better--save the weight and money.

Are these parts truly CF, or are they fiberglass cored with a carbon outer layer? That's what Seibon's small lip is.

Good review OP. I would prefer more concise reviews like this.

Dry carbon would be the choice for pure weight savings, but nothing wrong with wet if you are looking mostly to get the look. Hard to beat an aluminum hood though.

These are a fiberglass skeleton with a cf layer exterior. Hence the added weight and lower cost.

I really think people just don't understand how a true cf only part is made and the cost involved, especially on parts with complex geometry.

The point of these parts were to look good not save weight on factory parts that are already ridiculously light.

Did you eat today and not take a shit yet? Bam you just added three pounds to your car while driving. OMG!

Did you upgrade your sound system and put a sub and amp in your car? Well that must be stupid cause it added 50lbs to your car...

Point is we all have different taste on what looks good and what is important to us in a car.

How many of you in this thread are such good drivers that you have mastered driving the BRZ and are so competitive in it that you lost a race because of a 3lb weight gain? Oh none of you, cool.

This thread was made for people to have a factual review on these products.

To those who have requested more pics, it's been rainy today but I'll do my best.

Weight savings is a cumulative thing. A little bit here n there will add up. At some point, you cross the line of reason and it becomes a pure track car. Agree that dry carbon is overkill for street or mild track cars.

I get where you coming from and respect your opinion. Just not everyone's cup of tea that is all. Either way great review!

I have updated the original post with a section detailing what was modified inside the trunk.


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Very thorough and informative. Thanks for this information, I was planning on getting a new hood and this helps me a lot.

Great review, thanks for the the pictures and comparisons. Love your plates!

Butthurt much? If I really liked the cars I work on everyday, dont you think i would'nt own a toyota? I've seen enough threads over the years about seibon with various platforms to make an educated assumption about their business ethics.

I think your car looks sick with the trunk & hood. Also, another member here weighed the seibon cf hood and it was .2lbs lighter then the stock hood...weird. Here's the thread.

Idk man, you do own a neon...how good can your judgment really be?

Interesting. Im not sure how we got such different results. But just holding the cf hood it was obvious the stock one was lighter. I can always weigh them again for you guys and let you know what I find.

No matter what you still gotta LOL at the CF hood being heavier than stock.

All else aside the product is already a fail.

People are surprised the hood is heavier, it's a 2700lb car....and it's 700$ wet carbon fiber. It looks good and if they like it so be it

I bought mine because it had the vents i wanted at a price that couldn't be beat. I don't particularly like the stock hood shape because it's just a huge expanse of featureless metal. I still have my stock hood and have thought about having a body shop do a little something to it, but i think I'll just sell it.

What type of weave did you get 1by 1 or 2by 2 Im so confused on what one to get or what looks better

Sound logic. /sarcasm

Refer to my post about sound systems, eating, and the fact that many of you are probably Internet Racers.

Personally, these upgrades were for looks. I was not looking to save weight. Especially considering if I were to loose weight it'd be places that were beneficial and not static. Brakes, Wheels, Drivetrain are the places to loose weight. Generally speaking, 1 lb saved in rotational mass from brakes/wheels is equal to 4 lbs of static weight removed. 1 lb of rotational mass saved in the drivetrain is equal to 12lbs of static weight. Granted this varies based on where the weight is removed from in relation to the center of the part, but it gets the point across.

Its really hard to judge the trunk look because of the color mismatch. Are you going to paint it?
Thanks for the post.

No I don't plan to paint. I have yet to see a nice CF part that looks good painted.

I love carbon fiber, im a carbon whore! So this looks good!

ignorance is bliss!!! I OWNED a CALIBER srt that would beat the ft86 in reverse!

REALTUNE FTW!