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If it's appearance you're after, there are quite a few options that look identical to CF. The weight difference in fiberglass / poly blend and carbon fiber, depending on how much you plan on using, could make a difference.
That being said, to each their own. The cost difference between the two is quite astronomical.
Here Is one from “inside a dark garage” picture
from my 2016. Factory sticker says this was a $995 option. I wouldn’t have got it if I had ordered the car.
So you can't tell the difference between real and fake, and that's the designers fault. Gotcha.
That is like auto magazines complaining that one car has a cheap looking plastic interior Vs another that has an expensive looking plastic interior. All plastic is cheap and the only difference between the two depends on the viewer's opinion. Doing a source cost comparison between the two parts would probably show less than a penny difference in cost. Mainly because they probably got them both from the same source.
If it's appearance you're after, there are quite a few options that look identical to CF. The weight difference in fiberglass / poly blend and carbon fiber, depending on how much you plan on using, could make a difference.
That being said, to each their own. The cost difference between the two is quite astronomical.
Guys, let me clear up a few things that are posted in this thread. As you can see, I'm a Carbon Fiber affectionato....
First off...Carbon Fiber is a matter of taste. Obviously, I totally love it. But it's not for everyone! Mayor said he likes Carbon Flash, which is simply Black Metallic. He chose Carbon Flash, I chose Carbon Fiber-no one is right or wrong here....again, it's simply a matter of taste.
HOW IT'S DONE: I can tell you for a fact that GM also wraps some of their plastic pieces to make "Carbon Fiber" pieces, like the dash, etc.... That is also the way a lot of other aftermarket Carbon Fiber pieces are done. So you start with a plastic piece that has real Carbon Fiber overlaid on it. Then, you can get the finish done in High Gloss or a Matte finish. It's real Carbon Fiber, it's an overlay, but it's not a "pure" piece....I'll explain what I mean by "pure" later.
HOW OTHER BRANDS DO IT: If you look at Lamborghini, Ferrari and McLaren (and other brands), their Carbon Fiber pieces are what I call "pure". Their Carbon Fiber pieces are laid in a mold, vacuum sealed and "baked" in an Autoclave for hours and hours. So if you think the Carbon Fiber used in Corvette is expensive, don't even ask about "pure" Carbon Fiber parts from other brands. Carbon Fiber pieces made by these other brands are intended to make the car lighter and thus faster. Pure Carbon Fiber is 60% lighter and 40% stronger than metal.
For Corvette, it doesn't necessarily make the car lighter, but again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
OTHER CARBON FIBER OPTIONS: You do have other Carbon Fiber options....Hydro Carbon Fiber. This is a "dip" that is done to plastic parts that simulates the look of Carbon Fiber. To a trained eye, it doesn't look exactly like Carbon Fiber, but it's close. If you Google "Hydro Carbon Fiber", you'll see how it's done. It's actually kind of amazing.
Corvette does have real Carbon Fiber pieces, and yes, you can tell the difference! The engine hood is VERY light-it's pure Carbon Fiber. Your removable roof is only 16 pounds-it's pure Carbon Fiber.
I've replaced all of my Carbon Flash pieces with Carbon Fiber....it's all a matter of taste.
Last edited by Steve Garrett; 12-24-2018 at 06:13 PM.
I see many folks are putting on after market spoilers, mirrors, interiors, etc...... But many of these products are plastic look alike and NOT CF... So please educate me on these fake products, is it a look that people like? Thanks
That's an odd question to ask... why would they put it on if they didn't like the look?
I had no idea the fake looking aluminum is actually real.
The downside to real aluminum is you can dent and scratch it easier then soft plastic.
Car people love to poke fun at “cheap and hard” plastic but it’s very durable. My 02 Dodge Dakota is full of this junk but the interior looks brand new. On the flip side we had a Volvo with a beautiful interior but it looked terrible after only 3 years.
Similar to the 3LT dashes the nicer or more expensive doesn’t equal better in the long run. To me CF is in the same category: looks great but any damage and you’ll be wishing it was just throw away plastic.
To me CF is in the same category: looks great but any damage and you’ll be wishing it was just throw away plastic.
True, the side skirts and splitters are in the most vulnerable areas. I am tempted to get real CF here but would hate to see it get all chewed up. Looks great in a showroom.
PS: I had a little rock chip in my side skirt and all I had to do was get some Carbon flash touch up paint and it's invisible now.
Time will tell if visible Carbon Fiber is trendy or not. I actually think it's the way of the future. With so many car brands going to Carbon Fiber and other products as well, I think this will not be trendy. If it is, we are just at the start of "trendy", meaning we will have a LONG time before this trend expires.
The exposed CF is a preference choice, like black/chrome wheels. For me the choice carried more weight than the auto/manual tranny decision.
When I bought my 2014 C7, there were two available in the northwest that met my black/black/chrome/3LT/NPP/vert requirements. One had the A6 and the other was M7. I was back and forth on the trans choice, but when I saw that the available M7 had the carbon fiber dash the tranny choice became easy. I co not care for the exposed carbon fiber look. It sort of reminds me of shellacked burlap.
There is nothing wrong with it, and those who like it seem to really like it. And as it turns out, I often wish I had the M7, so if faced with the same choices today I might learn to like the CF.
Here Is one from “inside a dark garage” picture
from my 2016. Factory sticker says this was a $995 option. I wouldn’t have got it if I had ordered the car.
My car is the same. It had this $995 option already but like you I wouldn't have bought it if I ordered the car.
I have a '14 Torch Red Z51 Conv 1LT 7MT, it is the last of my six Vettes as I am now a retired teacher on a retired teacher's pension:
a. Wanted to add front spoiler and side skirts. The amount of CF on mine is only that which came from the factory (and of course it's painted)
b. Cost, real CF is spendy (I bought all three level one installed for about 5 bills)
c. Damage; you know Vettes present it's extremities to every slightly angled driveway, pothole. The soft black plastic is so forgiving. CF simply scrapes or worse, oh "________"!
d. Weight saving? C'mon, with all the items that make a Vette a Vette if you REALLY were concerned with weight savings you would do
ALOT more then say I've saved _______________ounces with carbon fiber. The driver is the biggest weight concern, want to save real weight,
lose weight. The real savings are 90% psychological. My son races cars for fun, that's when you see actual weight savings and their effects
e. In simple black it looks very, very nice. Admittedly not CF cool but still much nicer than factory in a nice simple, tasteful add on.
My name is Dan and I bought simple black add ons, now where's the coffee and cookies......Merry Xmas one and all
12-24-2018, 01:33 PM
well said!
