Attn Body kit experts
#31
From what I understand, all fiberglass kits have some type of fitment issues. There seems to be no relaliable method to producing these kits. As such, there is going to be a certain degree of discrepancy between each unique version.
Essentially, if you change the kit from stock, you are gambling with correct fitment. How much so is partially determined by the kit quality and price paid.
You will have to see for yourself as a conclusion.
No else has mentioned that "fender-benders" or anything of the sort on your current SC, will almost guarantee that nothing will fit right without modification.
Just something to keep in mind.
Essentially, if you change the kit from stock, you are gambling with correct fitment. How much so is partially determined by the kit quality and price paid.
You will have to see for yourself as a conclusion.
No else has mentioned that "fender-benders" or anything of the sort on your current SC, will almost guarantee that nothing will fit right without modification.
Just something to keep in mind.
#32
Originally Posted by roo
I don't mean to sound like a jerk/hater or start some sort of flame war but after reading your post, I can't help but comment. "Settle for nothing less than perfect " isn't exactly you're slogan if you're rocking knockoff stuff.
Originally Posted by roo
We can see how poor your knock off fits from your picture...look at the driver's side where it meets the fender. That's a pretty huge gap. If we can see it in such a small image, I'm sure it's much worse in person. The line where it meets the hood doesn't look right either but it'a not as bad as the side.
Originally Posted by roo
Thick fiberglass is NOT a positive thing to look for in aero parts.
Originally Posted by roo
The kit looks "mean" because it was designed that way by Vertex....but your kit looks cheap because it's a poor fitting copy of the authentic piece and it's missing the fogs...
Originally Posted by roo
I see good examples of both authentic and knockoff kits just about everyday. Let's just say I won't let knock off parts come near my car. There are many issues other than fitment but fitment is usaually bad on the knockoffs so that's the main thing people notice.
Originally Posted by roo
As people have already said, the money you "save" by buying a knockoff usually goes to makeing the kit look right and forcing it to fit right...which isn't always possible. So then you finally get it on your car and painted and then you've successfully made your car look cheaper. You're better off leaving it stock.
2. depends on how good your body shop is. i know of shops in socal that can make miracles happen...
Originally Posted by roo
Most of the high quality kits are lightweight, thin, flexible and have great fitment out of the box.
Originally Posted by roo
I don't see it often in the U.S. but in Japan, people buy authentic because they can remove the authentic parts and sell them for decent $$ if they sell their car. Knock off kits usually have to be hacked up and pasted on to fit and it's not worth it to sell the parts used because they aren't authentic and the quality really shows over time. Think of the aero parts as an investment that you can actually get a return on and it makes more sense.
#33
Originally Posted by roo
I don't mean to sound like a jerk/hater or start some sort of flame war but after reading your post, I can't help but comment. "Settle for nothing less than perfect " isn't exactly you're slogan if you're rocking knockoff stuff.
Thank you BMWhat?, I really appreciate that you understand who and what we're trying to do here. At least there are some decent people like you who don't go around dissing everyones car.
Originally Posted by BMwhat?
.... maybe his car is a 92-96 and he just hasn't purchased fog lights.
Just because a part is a knock off doesnt mean that it has horrible fitment or looks bad, its all how you put it together and how much work you put into it. Many people here are saying that the $2000-$3000 kits fit perfect, well it doesnt. Check out the sticky'd thread about the information about bodykits.
"Settle for nothing less than perfect " it all depends on what you believe is perfect. And I think having a body kit that looks good and is cost effective is better than anything.
Originally Posted by roo
but your kit looks cheap because it's a poor fitting copy of the authentic piece and it's missing the fogs...
And FYI, I do have fogs on there, the pic in the sig is old, but I don't feel like I need to update every day in order to feel secure.
Originally Posted by roo
and forcing it to fit right.
.
Its just pretty funny how you can diss my car in so many ways without knowing me, or seeing my car, and saying
Originally Posted by roo
I don't mean to sound like a jerk/hater or start some sort of flame war
#35
i have a friend that just had his v-speed kit put on....when we first test fit it..it didnt fit very well at all..the front bumper was the main problem. and it actually still doesnt fit perfeclty.
you basicly get what you pay for..and if you give the kit and car to a good shop then they can make it fit the way it should fit...of course you'll have to to pay for that extra labor.
you basicly get what you pay for..and if you give the kit and car to a good shop then they can make it fit the way it should fit...of course you'll have to to pay for that extra labor.
#36
i have to concur. that is good fitment. i have the authentic vertex, and i do notice a slight difference. the front bumper actually slopes down as it goes towards the highbeams. the part right under the lights. vertex kept it parallel as it runs across the car. also, the front grill between the high beams is too high, and you have the usual catfish bowing out effect from what i can see in the from top pic. i remember someone else pm'ing me that he had the same problem, the lower portion of the front bumper sticking out too much.
but as you can see my fitment wasn't so good, probably because of the accident from the first owner. but for anyone on the street, they won't notice.... you're a lucky one that you didn't get a too screwed up one... good job
but as you can see my fitment wasn't so good, probably because of the accident from the first owner. but for anyone on the street, they won't notice.... you're a lucky one that you didn't get a too screwed up one... good job
Last edited by LexAnt; 07-17-05 at 07:14 PM.
#38
Like I said, I'm not out to start out and hate/flame wars. I don't have anything personal against you and i don't go arround "dissing everyone's cars." (but I don't have an appriciation of those who contribute to the theft of a design buy buying knockoff parts to begin with) I was basing what i said off of the image in your sig and your own statements that contradict themselves. (first you said it had fitment issues and now you're saying it fit fine the way it is) Anyhow, your car does look better than the image in your sig but it still has fitment issues where it meets the hood and needs a front grill. That mesh has got to go but the fogs you put in there are unique. The wheels need some work...size, design, offset.
As to BMwhat's comments..
It's not a big generalization. Thick fiberglass is almost never a good thing with aero parts. Thin, flexible, fiberglass parts are the most durable...not thicker parts. The best material available right now is "hybrid aero" from ings+1. It's a thin fiberglass blend that's lighter than fiberglass and more flexible than urethane. (i don't want to get off topic here but most aftermarket urethane body kits should also be avoided like the plague...they're heavy, sag over time, and ado not hold paint over time)
As far as gap goes, you gust don't want anythng bigger than stock. I know the body shops here in socal can do miracles with some of the crap they come across but they shouldn't have to modify anything to begin with. Many times they end up molding parts which cracks horribly and looks terrible over time or after even a small impact.
Yes, there are some authentic kits with crappy fitment. I'm not here to defend them and would reccomend to avoid those just like i'm reccomending to avoid knock offs.
I went with the Team Target front because the knockoff Vertex front is on every other modded SC in the U.S. If you want to look at it from a moral standpoint, when a knockoff comes out, the company that designed and created the original suffers quite a bit. Their design is stolen and other unoriginal companies begin to profit off of their work. That's just not right and it discourages the orginal company from making other products for the vehicle.
As far as parts being cheaper in Japan, yes, they are but not as cheap as you make them out to be. 400% markup is insane and unrealistic. It seems you're just throwing out number at this point. The majority of JDM products I see are marked up from 0-25% from the Japanese price. Alot of that markup is, as you said, shipping and importing cost. When parts are developed and manufacturered in anothe country, it's just a given that our cost will be more after the shipping and importation. (not to mention the wait time) Anyways, my point is that the cheaper price is not the motivating factor for the Japanese to buy authentic. Design, quality, fitment, and resale value are the factors most Japanese consider when buying aero parts. Unlike the U.S., most people in Japan tend to value the quality of what they buy rather than base all their purchases on price.
As to BMwhat's comments..
It's not a big generalization. Thick fiberglass is almost never a good thing with aero parts. Thin, flexible, fiberglass parts are the most durable...not thicker parts. The best material available right now is "hybrid aero" from ings+1. It's a thin fiberglass blend that's lighter than fiberglass and more flexible than urethane. (i don't want to get off topic here but most aftermarket urethane body kits should also be avoided like the plague...they're heavy, sag over time, and ado not hold paint over time)
As far as gap goes, you gust don't want anythng bigger than stock. I know the body shops here in socal can do miracles with some of the crap they come across but they shouldn't have to modify anything to begin with. Many times they end up molding parts which cracks horribly and looks terrible over time or after even a small impact.
Yes, there are some authentic kits with crappy fitment. I'm not here to defend them and would reccomend to avoid those just like i'm reccomending to avoid knock offs.
I went with the Team Target front because the knockoff Vertex front is on every other modded SC in the U.S. If you want to look at it from a moral standpoint, when a knockoff comes out, the company that designed and created the original suffers quite a bit. Their design is stolen and other unoriginal companies begin to profit off of their work. That's just not right and it discourages the orginal company from making other products for the vehicle.
As far as parts being cheaper in Japan, yes, they are but not as cheap as you make them out to be. 400% markup is insane and unrealistic. It seems you're just throwing out number at this point. The majority of JDM products I see are marked up from 0-25% from the Japanese price. Alot of that markup is, as you said, shipping and importing cost. When parts are developed and manufacturered in anothe country, it's just a given that our cost will be more after the shipping and importation. (not to mention the wait time) Anyways, my point is that the cheaper price is not the motivating factor for the Japanese to buy authentic. Design, quality, fitment, and resale value are the factors most Japanese consider when buying aero parts. Unlike the U.S., most people in Japan tend to value the quality of what they buy rather than base all their purchases on price.
#40
Originally Posted by Idrewfelix
well, i guess to each of his own.
Personally I would like to see your car and see how much work you put into it.
Personally I would like to see your car and see how much work you put into it.
As far as my cars go, I posted pics last week. I've only had the SC's for a few weeks so other than some "free mods" they are both stock right now. I have a decent amount of parts on order from Japan at the moment.
If you want to see what my previous car looked like, this is it:
#42
Originally Posted by roo
That was my point though, it has nothing to do with you "personally."
As far as my cars go, I posted pics last week. I've only had the SC's for a few weeks so other than some "free mods" they are both stock right now. I have a decent amount of parts on order from Japan at the moment.
If you want to see what my previous car looked like, this is it:
As far as my cars go, I posted pics last week. I've only had the SC's for a few weeks so other than some "free mods" they are both stock right now. I have a decent amount of parts on order from Japan at the moment.
If you want to see what my previous car looked like, this is it:
Are those stickers authentic or knockoff?
#43
Originally Posted by Din
my vertex knockoff.
hey din looks like you got a good one, the upper grill is in right location, front bumper area parallel... how's the problem with it bowing outwards toward the bottom?