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I know on eBay you get what you pay for. Especially with body kits and stuff like that. Well, I really like the standard SRT-4 hood design and look, and I want one in carbon fiber for my car. But, I don't know if I should drop $600 on one from Carbon By Design, or if one from Carbon EFX (on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/03-Up-Do ... dZViewItem) would be just fine.


Plus, since I'd be putting the SRT hood on my non-SRT, the fact that the CBD hood has been extended 1.5 cm is a BAD thing for me. Any suggestions?

The hood looks good to me. The only thing about ordering products online and not being able to physically see them is that you don't really know if they will have fitment issues. they say its good, but you never know. There isn't a shop that you can go get it from locally? just wondering. Becuase It will still cost you just under $500 with shipping.

I live not too far from the sellers location, so if i can, i'll see if i can stop by and check it out for you. No promises though, becuase i'm a little busy right now, but i'll see what i can do.

From my experiences of having 4 CF hoods, you pretty much get what you pay for. I've had 2 RD hoods and the first fogged up in a few months, the GelCoat or Epoxy seperated in a few areas from the CF, and it didn't fit very good at the corners. The 2nd was a JSP hood but it was damaged in shipping and had cut edges... fit and finish was good but the edges were cut and didn't look very good. The 3rd was another RD hood and yeah... that one fogged up in 2 weeks even after it was cleared and the body shop couldn't figure out why it was fogging up. 3rd hood is my Kaminari hood and it fits great and looks great... I've actually gotten compliments on how good the CF looks in it.

So really... I'd say save your money and go for what you KNOW will fit and look good rather than what it cheaper... I made the mistake 3 times.

You convinced me. I'll go expensive and get the quality. I shouldn't have been considering anything less! What was I thinking?? For quality, does CBD make one of the best SRT hoods? I also kind of like the IP2 SRT style hood, but it's just a bit too flashy for the way my car is going to look. Some days I just want an OEM style one....and then some days I think the SRT scoop would look great.....decision decisions.

I was checkin out that guys feedback on ebay there. He doesnt seem to be doing very well. CAlling his customers liars and what not! I wouldn't by from that guy!
I agree with diablo, get the good stuff!

magnus wrote:The hood looks good to me. The only thing about ordering products online and not being able to physically see them is that you don't really know if they will have fitment issues. they say its good, but you never know. There isn't a shop that you can go get it from locally? just wondering. Becuase It will still cost you just under $500 with shipping.

I live not too far from the sellers location, so if i can, i'll see if i can stop by and check it out for you. No promises though, becuase i'm a little busy right now, but i'll see what i can do.

Thanks for the offer man. I won't be getting that hood from ebay though. By the way, your car looks sweet.

no problem. Just trying to help out a fellow neon enthusiast .

Ohhh... my personal opinion on which hood to go with haha... I say stick with the OEM style and don't go for the SRT. I personally think it'll look better.

that hood in the link is a fiberglass hood wrapped in cf... or cf shell backed mostly by fiberglass to keep costs down. i havent bought a cf hood yet, but i'd look for one that's full CF when it's time

rice_eater wrote:that hood in the link is a fiberglass hood wrapped in cf... or cf shell backed mostly by fiberglass to keep costs down. i havent bought a cf hood yet, but i'd look for one that's full CF when it's time

i bet that would be DAM expensive lol. every hood i have ever seen has used a fiberglass skeleton/shell. but it would be sweet to see cf on the underside of the hood at a show.

you do get what you pay for.. but when i get my next hood i am going to go off of peoples' experience and not just the price. my evo style seibon hood retails for $640, and that thing is starting to turn yellow and i have only had it about a year.. if i had actually paid for it i would be pissed!! my old JSP hood also had cut edges, but that thing stayed crystal clear.

Yea..for you car, Id personally stick w/ OEM style, i think it would look alot better than the srt hood on your car. But I wouldnt go cheap, you get what you pay for w/ stuff like this..I have the VIS OEM hood, had it for almost 2 years and it fits great and looks good.

do NOT get carbon by design hood it is garbage.......if you want a quality hood with no fitment issues get the Kaminari hood

the IPP hood i heard is also a better bet...BTW did i mention CBD sucks

i have the CBD hood and I HATE IT.....terrible investment...worst thing ive ever done to my car.....the edges should have been rolled, the cheap mesh they use in the scoop is no good, there is no holes pre-drilled for the winshield washer nozels

^I wish mine didnt have the washer nozzles...but thats just an odd want of mine lol. I wish there was some type of washer nozzzle 'delete' or something since mine are useless and wont stay in the precut holes

I would go with fiberglass and have it painted the color of your car. Would be lighter and be OEM looking.

Praesepe559 wrote:

rice_eater wrote:that hood in the link is a fiberglass hood wrapped in cf... or cf shell backed mostly by fiberglass to keep costs down. i havent bought a cf hood yet, but i'd look for one that's full CF when it's time

i bet that would be DAM expensive lol. every hood i have ever seen has used a fiberglass skeleton/shell. but it would be sweet to see cf on the underside of the hood at a show.

you do get what you pay for.. but when i get my next hood i am going to go off of peoples' experience and not just the price. my evo style seibon hood retails for $640, and that thing is starting to turn yellow and i have only had it about a year.. if i had actually paid for it i would be pissed!! my old JSP hood also had cut edges, but that thing stayed crystal clear.

there are lots of CF only hoods for different cars out there... you use the same mold to lay the glass or the fiber so why wouldn't they go all out and make it full cf? isnt that how the hood and trunk "skins" are made?

raul-01 wrote:I would go with fiberglass and have it painted the color of your car. Would be lighter and be OEM looking.

yeah but once you pay someone to paint it your overall cost is almost the same as going with a cf part

As to why they don't do the whole hood, my guess would be it's more labor. It's the same process but fiberglass you dont' have to be as neat. CF you'd have to spend more time cutting it neatly to keep it looking good then dress up the bottom by clear coating it, and then sealing the underside so moisture doesn't get into the weave and cause it to fog up. Compared to Fiberglass, seems like a lot more work for what people would be willing to pay for.

i have carbon hood that just has a shell, that was hand made from howell. I had this hood for about two years and the person before me had it for a few years too and its held up, it has some blemishes but nothing too crazy.

^^Is that Sully's old hood?

linkin18t wrote:^^Is that Sully's old hood?

Its quite possible, I bought this hood off of Woody and he got it from someone else who in return got it from howell the hood is a hoe its been around the neon community.

hehe i got my SRT rear section from Woody

My IPP2 hood is ok but i cracked the clear coat when i was fitting the hood im going to have a shop take a look at it, i hope they can help me out. if not its going blue like the rest of the car...

linkin18t wrote:^^Is that Sully's old hood?

Nope, this is my hood.



Its mabe by Carbon by Design. The edges aren't rolled either, and I agree the mesh is kinda tacky looking too, but for 450 shipped with a few blemishes, it wasn't a bad deal.

I custom painted my design to cover up the blemishes, as you can see. I also painted the mesh black as well, to make it not stand out so much. Then i put 3 coats of Dupont clear over it, so I shouldn't have any problems with clouding(keeping my fingers crossed.