Which CF hood vendor should I choose?

[My1GLaser]

So I have been searching around for a week or so trying to decide which CF hood that I want. I am going with OEM style. I am pretty settled on Seibon as well. It seemed like there were less complaints over the VIS. Here are several places to buy the Seibon hood I am interested in with varying prices. I don't want to try and save $20 and deal with a PITA vendor.

carbonfiberhoods.com is $671 shipped. SEIBON Carbon Fiber OEM-style hood Mitsubishi Eclipse 1992-1994
Deft Racing is $532 shipped. Seibon 92, 93, 94 Mitsubishi Eclipse OEM Carbon Fiber Hood
carbon-fiber-hoods.com(Body Kitz) is $569 shipped Eclipse Carbon Fiber Hoods
carbonfiberhoods.net (illstreet)is $549.20 and they price match plus take $10 off. Seibon 92-94 Mitsubishi Eclipse Carbon Fiber Hood OEM Style [HD9294MITEC-OE] - $549.20

I haven't really seen any of these vendors mentioned much on here, except our supporting vendor carbonfiberhoods.com who is way over-priced IMO.

However, I have also stumbled across some other CF manufacturers like Frank's and VFiber. I haven't heard back from Frank's yet and his website doesn't have a link for a 1gb CF hood anyway. I have never heard of Vfiber, but theirs is $533 shipped. Kind of leary about less well known manufacturers.

Has anyone dealt with any of the 4 mentioned vendors of the Seibon hood? Any negative comments about the Seibon hood? Any recent opinions on Frank's or Vfiber?

 

[shane90gsx]

Well deft racing is made here in the US by a mitsubishi owner. He stands by his product and if there is a problem it will not even be sent out. His price for a standard hood is 420 bucks. Not what you listed. However If you want a color, it's 100 bucks more. Made down in LA.

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[My1GLaser]

That is Deft Racing's CF hood, not a Seibon. http://deftracing.com/carbon_fiber_hoods/carbon_fiber_hood_92_94_mitsubishi_eclipse.htm I will add that to my list of options as well. It is $585 shipped to me. Thanks!

 

[SpiderGST]

I found one for $481 on this site. I have called them before and they said always call for availability. Mitsubishi Eclipse 1990-1994 - Exterior

 

[Archer Fabrications]

VIS or siebon, stay away from carbon creations/extreme dementions. they dont have any of the hood cutouts, washer nozzel, or hood prop or latch cut outs...

I love my Vis. had to get a refund on the Extreme detentions btw i bought that ED hood from carbonfiberhoods.com. good customer service.. for the sake of them actually giving me the refund.. but ill never buy there again.


i've heard if you look side by side at the VIS vs seibon, the vis weave looks like shit, but since i haven't compared them i think my VIS looks really amazing, everything fits, has OEM skeleton, carbon fiber is around the latch hole for extra strength, and the latch itself is metal and not fiber glass, (although it is a metal piece seated in fiberglass/CF) i have absolutely no complaints. huge weight savings and looks really good, i cant even bring myself to drill it for hood pins yet. i haven't had any issues with yellowing or peeling, VIS uses the UV resistant epoxy i believe and so does seibon. both from one sheet CF . just don't leave it out in the sun and you will be good. or if you do have to put a cover over it or a towel or sheet or something. and if a bird shits on it use water to get it off, not a gas station window washer


there's a little story in my build thread with lots of pictures (had to end up hacking up the Extreme dementions hood with a saw)

 

[My1GLaser]

That's sucks you had to cut your CF hood with a saw!

I don't think I need to worry about wiper sprayers. I don't think I've ever used them in 5 years
Yeah I didn't think of the cut outs. The ones underneath will be important. I will make sure which ones come on the hood I get. Thanks!

I have a decent car cover and I try to keep it in the garage most of the time.

 

[3kgt2nv]

+1 for deft racing. great service and fast shipping. plus the know how to properly package a hood for shipping.

 

[My1GLaser]

I went with a Seibon OEM hood from Deft racing for $532 shipped. I am very pleased with the transaction. I emailed them to ask some questions on Sunday 7/15 before I bought the hood and I received a reply to my question on that Tuesday 7/17. He said it is normally 2-3 days max before it ships.

I bought it on 7/17/12 at about 8pm and received an automatic response from their website shortly after. I didn't hear anything from them and finally emailed them to get a status update on 7/24 at 8am. I heard back the same day by 3pm and he said it shipped the previous Thurs 7/19. It was coming from California so I expected 4-5 day transit time from when they shipped it.

I received a call this morning 7/25 to schedule a delivery time since I would need to sign for it. So that is one week total for the whole transaction, which is great compared to what I have read about 2-3 week delays with some companies. The only thing I would have changed to make it a perfect transaction is if they emailed me when it shipped.

I haven't installed it, but I will get some pics when it is installed and update on the fitment. Here is one of it in the box. It was wrapped in foam wrapping, then bagged, and boxed and then the box was boxed and it was packed with bubble wrap.

 

[91 GSX]

Well deft racing is made here in the US by a mitsubishi owner. He stands by his product and if there is a problem it will not even be sent out. His price for a standard hood is 420 bucks. Not what you listed. However If you want a color, it's 100 bucks more. Made down in LA.

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Wow, I did not know the owner of Deft racing is a Mitsubishi owner. It's very surprising to me considering that I have been emailing them for over 9 months trying to get them to do a hood for a 1990-91 Dsm so I could purchase a colored one. As of today he said they still have no interest in making one. I even offered to pay double the asking price, and inquired about starting a group buy. Now I'm looking into ordering a VIS hood in either invader or evo scoop, buying a roll of blue carbon fiber/Kevlar stock and resin to make what I want.