Carbon Fiber Vinyl Mirrors

[Hawk77FT]

Originally Posted by MemphisR

Not to down play what you are saying; but there is a thing called "dry carbon fiber" and that is what the vinyl is trying to emulate, look in an X5M and you will see what I am talking about. I see both sides of the fence though. and basically it comes back down to what you like, want and can afford.

OK, do you know what dry carbon fiber term is used for? I guess you wont know and that is because you have been misinformed by several car parts makers.
there are three very popular ways to work with CF:
1 Wet lay up - the CF cloth is placed in a mold, then resin is applied to the cloth.
2. Infusion - the resin is applied to the cloth either under a vacuum or using pressure to force the resin into the cloth.
3 Pre -preg - prepreg leaves the carbon fibre factory with the hight temperature/pressure resin already impregnated into the fabric. - this is the the top stuff and what people refer as "dry fabric" which is stupid. Why don't the CF manufacturers stop using that potentially confusing term and instead simply specify exactly which production method and materials are used ? Dont know, but I tell you this: to the untrained eye, a product can be sold as pre-preg but in the actual fact can be a simple wet lay up. Heck it is quite easy to do - finish it with a matte transparent and I can sell stuff as a "dry carbon fiber" - there is no such thing basically, they all have resin in them.
If you refer to pre-preg as dry, and also tell me that 3M diNoc is trying to imitate prepreg it is even worse - As i said before is like comparing Natural big tits with tits that look big in a push up bra.

Next time when you get a cf part and they say is dry cf ask about the process that has been used. If they dont know what to tell you, dont buy.

[pete39sp]

Nice write up. I think you may have missed the point. Not all of us have the big bucks to dish out the money for the real thing. If we did we would all be driving GT3s. He did a nice job better than most. I personally like the rear carbon fiber better but what he did looks nice.

[jshadeck]

Real carbon over panels add weight and looks. Vinyl basically only adds looks. Real carbon REPLACEMENT panels SOMETIMES reduce weight sometimes add weight. Spend thousands of dollars and add weight to the car or spend 200$ for vinyl, which ones "ricer"?

[Pacific Auto]

Everyone has their own tastes. I like the way it looks and enjoy installing vinyl.

Its all in good fun and is removable!

[dem00n]

I can tell vinyl from a mile away.

[Minovsky]

Originally Posted by jshadeck

Real carbon over panels add weight and looks. Vinyl basically only adds looks. Real carbon REPLACEMENT panels SOMETIMES reduce weight sometimes add weight. Spend thousands of dollars and add weight to the car or spend 200$ for vinyl, which ones "ricer"?

dude if you are so worried about adding so little weight isnt it better to just lose weight on your own body... -.- Vinyl is vinyl it will always be an imitation of what the real thing is..

[jshadeck]

So little weight? Do u know what a carbon roof overlay weighs? And the number of pounds a carbon hood and trunk add?

PS thanks for assuming im overweight, but im 150lbs if i lost weight i wouldnt have energy to steer and clutch lol

To me a carbon overlay is more "fake" than vinyl. Vinyl is 100% for looks, same reason the car is painted different colors. A carbon overlay is faking a carbon replaced part, kinda like NOS stickers w no nos, or an intercooler w no turbo.

[pete39sp]

Cool give it to um....: people's own Budget makes them think out of the box. Don't knock them. You may do worse some day. Why do a lot of you have to be so negative? On here. Do what you want and aploud good work. Is that so hard. WTF people

[dem00n]

Because carbon fiber vinyl is extremely cheesy.

It's really say "Hey, i don't have a race car but let me try to say i have weight saving parts, eh".

I'm trying to save you guys.

I refuse to let this car become a cheese ball like the Civic.

[shishand]

Originally Posted by Hawk77FT

You kid yourself if you think they look the same. I would do a real CF wrap if I was you. Vinyl is for ricers...or at least that is what they say! Don't take offense if somebody else has different opinion mate! Below you can see two pics with the difference between them two. Bear in mind that you can bring CF to a really nice smooth finish too. BUT carbon fiber is labour intensive and a lot of attention to details involved. Is not for everyone that is for sure.
Vinyl is easy to work with but is vinyl...not the real thing. Is not even like silicone tits on chicks...is more like a push up bra.

3M Di Noc


Real carbon fiber

wait, thats a real carbon fiber, but also wrap? i was talking about full carbon fiber.. enlighten me

[jshadeck]

Originally Posted by dem00n

Because carbon fiber vinyl is extremely cheesy.

It's really say "Hey, i don't have a race car but let me try to say i have weight saving parts, eh".

I'm trying to save you guys.

I refuse to let this car become a cheese ball like the Civic.

How is a carbon overlay "weight saving parts"?

[Hawk77FT]

Originally Posted by pete39sp

Nice write up. I think you may have missed the point. Not all of us have the big bucks to dish out the money for the real thing. If we did we would all be driving GT3s. He did a nice job better than most. I personally like the rear carbon fiber better but what he did looks nice.

Fair enough mate, I see your point. But there is the option to do a real CF wrap which is much better than the fake vinyl. That is my opinion though.

[Hawk77FT]

Originally Posted by jshadeck

Real carbon over panels add weight and looks. Vinyl basically only adds looks. Real carbon REPLACEMENT panels SOMETIMES reduce weight sometimes add weight. Spend thousands of dollars and add weight to the car or spend 200$ for vinyl, which ones "ricer"?

As someone that has worked quite a lot with CF, real CF...there is a fine line between panels that are made out of CF and a very light material. Just to give you an example:
The 86's bonnet is very light as it is made out of aluminum which is very strong as well. To build a cf bonnet will be slightly heavier because it needs to be reinforced according to regulations, etc. But it will be much stronger, if it is done properly.
To answer the other question of which one is ricer...
1. If you get someone to do a wet lay up you wont be able to tell the difference between a CF real part or an overlay just based on looks (given that is done to a very high standard wit the right epoxy, etc). If you weight them you will see the difference.
2. The amount of weight you will be adding by doing a REAL cf wrap is insignificant...probably will be the amount of shit you dish out every morning when you go to toilet. (simply put).
3. You wont spend thousands on doing a CF lay up. There are kits to do it and with some skills you can get a decent job. Or let others that know how to do it properly...because there are cf wraps and cf wraps...
4. Which one is ricer? a real cf lay up that looks fantastic and adds fuck all weight, or a vinyl wrap that looks like CF but is not? You tell me!
5. Why are you so concerned about the weight? Do you race your car? I recommend you to rip everything inside before going carbon fiber panels buddy. Even more so, get rid of the air con unit while you're at it.

Stay safe! :happy0180:

[Hawk77FT]

Originally Posted by jshadeck

To me a carbon overlay is more "fake" than vinyl. Vinyl is 100% for looks, same reason the car is painted different colors. A carbon overlay is faking a carbon replaced part, kinda like NOS stickers w no nos, or an intercooler w no turbo.

No, wrong again. A REAL carbon fiber overlay will never be more fake than vinyl. WhY? Because is the overlay is done with the REAL thing not FAKE (vinyl). Wrong logic right there.
CF overlay is like silicon fake tits (sorry couldnt find a better comparison). They are still tits, the base is still the tit, but they are silicone over the real thing. A good boob job can be done right and you wont be able to tell the difference when the bra is off. However, vinyl is like the bra. From a distance looks nice, up close you can tell they are not real. And when the bra is off...well...you know is not true.