Can't afford it, fake it
 

Interesting find! Don't know if anybody already knows about it, but its new to me.

http://www.ftd-technics.de/englisch/

This company has developed a kit that turns any part into a Carbon Fiber look. Check it out the process doesn't seem that hard.

Let me know if anybody has tried it,
elev8_dude

As long as you can live with yourself going the ricer route. I would rather not have the CF part then "fake it".

okay, I guess your right :(

My limited budget will have to wait......

Looks good though

I don't see anything wrong with it, as long as you don't go overboard with the process and try to use it on everything. For around $160.00 dollars it may be a steal, just my two cents.

That looks like the same crap you buy at pep boys...a sticker...what a waste....doesn't even look remotely close to real carbon....

I don't think you could get a "sticker" to wrap around some of the parts that they have applied the process to. I think the wheel below is tastefully done. If it looks too ricer, I guess I need to get a Honda then. :laugh:

http://www.ftd-technics.de/bilder/ga...uto/teile2.jpg

well, not so much a sticker, but it's CLEARLY obvious it's not real carbon fiber, more like black checkered design.....

It’s not bad considering the price. My problem is my lack of know how in fabrication and limited budget. I would like to use it on a couple of parts, but still haven't decided. I'm going to start experimenting with CF fabrication in the next month or so, so we'll see how that goes.

if used right, it can look good. use it very sparingly and only in placed that you would typically see c/f. when is the last time you saw a c/f rim? i have tons of c/f on my car and 2 places where there is fake Avery tape (e-brake handle and speaker kit panels (which sit RIGHT next to my real c/f door panels)). everyone is always asking me where i got the c/f e-brake and speaker panels. and this tape looks pretty damn fake when you get a good look at it.

it most certainly can look ricer if overdone, but try it in one or two small places to see if you like it first and then expand its use if you like it. YOU have to like your car, not us.

Come on admit it, that rim looks cool. I would agree that it should be used sparingly, however why would you limit it's use to places you would typically see c/f? The short answer I would imagine would be because your trying to hide the fact that it's fake. IMO by doing so you would draw more attention to the piece and it would stand out like a sore thumb.

If it were me, I would embrace the fact that it was fake, and use it in places that you would'nt traditionally see c/f. That product in the hands of someone with a little imagination could really turn out something that looked awsome.

Zen, I've seen the ebrake and kick panel. Looked good, nice detail touch. That’s sort of where my hunt began.

I really haven't decided where to use it but it will for sure be sparingly. I was thinking of creating a rear dash speaker panel and then applying the texture. I can work pretty good with wood and a bit with metal, but as I mentioned I've never tried C/F. Kinda scared to spend the money and it come out looking like junk.

if that is tape similar to what i used, it will show EVERY slight bump (including dust) or divot. be sure the surface is perfect. compound curves are pretty challenging too. i never could get my kick panels right. had to have the dude that sold me it put that tape on for me.

the reason i say use it in places you would normally see it is for just that, most people would be buying it in place of real c/f. and if you want it to be convincing, it needs to look in place. not saying it can't be used elsewhere and might even look good depending on the quality of the tape. mine would never cut it in most obvious places since it is really just gray dashes on black tape. it would take much to send the car into ricer land with mis-use of the stuff.

just my opinion of course. to each his own. that is what makes these cars interesting. if i wanted mine to look like everyone else's, i would have gone resto-custom or cal-look.

I think it's thew worst thing ever invented. Like Zen said, it's essentially grey dashes on black tape, aka, checkerboard pattern. And since it's on Automotive stuff, it's percieved as carbon. You can spot the stuff at a glance, you don't even have to look at it closely it's so obvious.

The only cool thing about that company, is that it's laid onto it, so it gives a more realistic appearance....but it still looks horribly fake.

It's SO FAKE looking, it's a mockery...and if you are going to do it, do it on everything.....cover your entire car.

Okay...tell us how you really feel! oicdn you hate the product, I think the product has some merit, IF USED SPARINGLY. We'll have to agree to disagree on this subject, like "BIG PEOPLE." However you could have used a little more tact and left out the last comment. :)

That would kick some serious butt. A C/F Bug..... Just think of it. Now that is originality. It will be pricey, but in the end well worth it.

Seriously, I respect your opinions. I just recently found the product surfing net. Didn't think it would cause a C/F Battle. :)

If any one knows how to work with "real" C/F, I would love some insight and would much rather go that route.

All ways a treat here

Coming from a ricer background, I absolutely HATE it when people use fake carbon. It completly RUINS any car. It's like going from savvy, to cheap, all in one leap. It automatically lets me know you cut corners on everything else....

real carbon:
http://i22.ebayimg.com/02/i/05/97/9c/09_1_b.JPG

fake carbon:
http://i16.ebayimg.com/03/i/05/05/6f/0c_1_sbl.JPG
http://www.clutchlevers.com/beFZ1carb.JPG

You can't tell me that even looks REMOTELY close to real carbon.....it's so tacky. And that's on a motorcycle bar end, where it would be used sparingly...and it STILL LOOKS LIKE CRAP.

Even if you(used speaking generally, not pointed at you) had the worlds hottest bug, I'de make fun of you cause you spent all this money on the rest of your car, then went half *** with fake carbon fiber....

90% of the time, you get the carbon version for the bling (I mean really, who buys carbon running boards, then paints them, or got them for thier lightweight?). Why would you buy FAKE bling? Carbon makes people look at it. When it's fake, people will look....then laugh.

OICDN, your points are well taken. I do not think for one minute anyone would argue with you over the fact that the product isn't real C/F, or even remotely looks like c/f.

To each his own over what someone does to their car. I guess if I use it on the ebrake push button, the dash knobs, and bezels for the window winders, and interior door handles on my oval, I'll have to face the fact that someone somewhere will think it looks like crap.
Oh well........

OICDN, I'm glad to hear you've converted.

Coming from that background I can see your point on the over use of C/F and using something fake. I also feel if you gonna spend $$$ and time on your bug to make it stand out then covering running boards in this product is a joke. However if you can't manufacture or find someone to make C/F ebrake handle, knobs or window cranks then maybe a "FAKE" product like this would work. Is it cutting corners, heck ya, that is the purpose.

I for one will try to buy or make my own stuff, that’s if I can learn to make it and make it well. But if I can't then I will go the fake route for those subtle spots. Its funny, 5 years ago this would not have been a topic in a VW bug forum. Times change

By the way Zen I like the C/F boards. I’m debuting whether to use them myself, my wife is stuck on factory look. I'm slowly easing in the GermanLook she just don't know it yet.

i think oicdn is gay and is discrimating against people that cant afford "real" c/f. i mean come on OICDN where have you come from that allows you to say the type of things that you do?

im old school baby.

LOL...that's awesome... :agree:

No offense I_Hate_OICDN, but get off the forum.....

done. these boards have been known for be tactful. let's keep it that way. i normally won't censor (as I can't stand censoring) and frankly the post was fine, but going out of your way to register for a username like that and hiding behind it was a little over the top.

Good call Zen. No place for that junk on here.

On the lighter side...
I hate people who hate people :D .
(this makes just as much sense as calling someone "gay" as a slur, and then accusing them of being discriminating )


Jeff-

Justice served :)

I have to agree with that. :agree:

It was only a matter of time before something like that happened here. I've been on this forum for over three years and all of us have been grown ups on here. But this is the internet and there will always be a tough guy behind a keyboard. Good job Zen :agree: .

IMO, using CF just for the sake of showing it is just as bad as using the fake stuff. A CF button in the middle of a oil filler cap, what purpose does it serve? :rolleyes:

I wouldn't buy that filler cap, but it was a good example of what real carbon looks like for illustrative purposes compared to the fake stuff.

IMO, useless carbon in places like that, is better than fake carbon ANYWHERE. But I know what you're talking about. It's like accessorizing overkill....it's just horrible.

http://www.ftd-technics.de/bilder/ga...to/teile12.jpg

http://www.ftd-technics.de/bilder/ga...uto/teile1.jpg

I think I could live with the product that this disscusion is about. :D

The fake c/f you posted a pic of looks horrible.

That's because it's a closeup shot....the stuff you posted looks nearly the same, just glossier, so it hides how horrible it looks. The inside of that car looks cheap as hell too(sans the seats)...well that makes sense, it's a Boxter.... :p

For $160 USD you can start making your own CF parts. Accept no substitutes :rolleyes:

Hmmmm...
 

The opinions here are as flared up as my hemeroids.
All I can say is....
BLAH!
To each his own and more power to ya! I've been wanting to do a Gaudi "Mullholland Look" with HUGE wings and a carbonfiber Flamingo shaped gear shift painted yellow w/ bright pink polka-dots and plush house carpet ...NO..Plastic grass for carpet with bright red Honda wheels and a happy face instead of a VW logo.

You got sumthin to say about that!?

C/f is nice (sometimes). Tasteful minimalism is nice. Baroque is nice in toiletry.
We're all human and love our cars. Can't we all just get along?


Peace...Love.
And Mery Christmas, ramadan, Hannuka...NO, I can't spell..Sue me.

...my AIM screen name is ohh soo baroque...

I think instead of the c/f design they should try to do miniature graphics or lettering. To me that would look better for interior accents or racing & sport stripes. :cool: Now, if we could get some that have millions of little GL's on them that would look bad a$$ for small interior accents. :laugh: