Risk vs Benefit ...Discuss

[iainw]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FRP-Bonnet-...420408d&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=4&sd=252603745469

 

[AaronE]

the whole kit in carbon fiber isn't much more (fenders, hood, bumper, skirts, diffuser). I've heard fitment is terrible and the smoothness looked bad to me (though that only matters if you're just going to clear coat a CF hood, otherwise you prep a lot).

don't expect bolt up, and plan for a lot of bodywork, and you might be happy.

 

[murph7355]

The vents don't look like they are actual vents to me, so how that is "aerodynamic" I do not know.

The risk is you lose over £1k and have bugger all to show for it.

The reward....depends what you want. If you want the "look" and it's worth over £1k then go for it.

Personally I wouldn't entertain it (and I do like the Stradale bonnet).

 

[Wack61]

$650 post, is it hand delivered

VAT & duty will add £400-500 to the price , if I'd bought a cat D that needed a bonnet it's cheap so I'd buy it

If you put that on your car it's a making it into replica , not much different to putting a GTi badge on a 1.1 golf , sort of

 

[iainw]

$650 post, is it hand delivered

VAT & duty will add £400-500 to the price , if I'd bought a cat D that needed a bonnet it's cheap so I'd buy it

If you put that on your car it's a making it into replica , not much different to putting a GTi badge on a 1.1 golf , sort of

I agree with all the above points to some extent.
Fitment was what I was most worried about...
I do like the look of the bonnet : I wouldn't go as far as to say its making it into a replica. It wouldn't have the badges, side fenders and I wouldn't touch the back.....So it would be an isolated and reversible) change. Is there any way I can check on VAT / Duty in advance? The steering wheel I bought was more expensive and I paid $21 VAT / Duty.

Has anyone bought anything from China of this size and were there any problems.

RE: the whole kit is only a bit more expensive... I thought it was $1500 vs $5000...? Thats quite a bit more, and as above - I don't want to make it into a replica or fiddle with too much.

 

[outrun]

A million times NO.

 

[Wack61]

Import duty & taxes calculation result

1
From where to where you import
Edit
Importing from: China
Importing to: United Kingdom (view country guide)
2
The type of product, its value and where it was manufactured
Edit
Product description: Car Bonnet
Product category: Car Body Parts (Upgrade account to get HS code)
Total product value: US$1300.00
3
The cost of shipping and insurance of importing
Edit
Shipping costs: US$650.00
Insurance costs: US$10.00
Calculation results
Edit
Total customs value (CIF): £1599.04 This is the amount that customs values your import at
- Duty: £71.96
- VAT: £334.20
Total import duty & taxes due: £406.16 This is the amount that needs to be paid to customs
- Product, shipping & insurance: £1599.04
Total landed cost:
£2005.20
This is the total cost of importing, including product, shipping, insurance and import duty & taxes
at exchange rate of 1 GBP = 1.23 USD

 

[beau]

the finish on such items is always very very poor, it will be all ripply won't look good

 

[StuartW]

I know that you have already modified your car quite substantially to your personal taste but if you want to change the bonnet too, I would hold out until a genuine Stradale bonnet comes along as it will look so much better than a pattern part. They have come up before from cars that are being broken, there is a used Stradale wing for sale on ebay at the moment for example. The bonnet is so important to get right as it is the focal point of any car

 

[iainw]

I know that you have already modified your car quite substantially to your personal taste but if you want to change the bonnet too, I would hold out until a genuine Stradale bonnet comes along as it will look so much better than a pattern part. They have come up before from cars that are being broken, there is a used Stradale wing for sale on ebay at the moment for example. The bonnet is so important to get right as it is the focal point of any car

Agreed Stuart. I search quite often but haven't seen one recently.
I am suprised UK companies can't manufacture ones in FRP.
Even I it's 'ripply' surely with extended prep they can be made to a high
Quality. There is a comedy full kit from xtremecustomz in Sheffield for a bargain 25,000.
Defnitely worth buying a stradale in that case.

I wouldn't change anything other than the bonnet personally and I don't want the stradale enough
To risk my marriage..even though they are one of the most beautiful looking
Cars in the world.

 

[Wack61]

The other problem is if you buy it it'll probably be 3k+ by the time it's finished to a good standard and fitted but it'll add nothing to the value of the car

If you buy sight unseen from a UK supplier you're protected by all kinds of laws but importing you'll be on your own if it's rubbish in the flesh

 

[azapa]

there is an art to interpreting and comparing Ebay adds! It can take weeks and I am always making mistakes there. This one appears to be real carbon, therefore lighter and may not need surface finish

http://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Maserati-GTS-GT-MC-Style-carbon-fiber-vented-hood-bonnet/252603745469

The standard bonnet looks quite nicely made on my stradale (2 door, has a metal bonnet) it seems light, not too much bracing and no sound deadening at all. I doubt that any of these bonnets would save more than 5 to 10K in real terms. I like the scoops though.

 

[outrun]

If you must, do it properly with a high quality original bonnet or one from someone high end like Novitec Tridente

http://www.novitecgroup.com/tridente/en/maserati-mc-stradale/katalog.php

 

[iainw]

there is an art to interpreting and comparing Ebay adds! It can take weeks and I am always making mistakes there. This one appears to be real carbon, therefore lighter and may not need surface finish

http://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Maserati-GTS-GT-MC-Style-carbon-fiber-vented-hood-bonnet/252603745469

The standard bonnet looks quite nicely made on my stradale (2 door, has a metal bonnet) it seems light, not too much bracing and no sound deadening at all. I doubt that any of these bonnets would save more than 5 to 10K in real terms. I like the scoops though.

Thank you - this one looks nice... If it wasn't for the shipping it would be worth the risk for sure. For $715 I would expect them to hand deliver it and send photos at each stage of the Journey..

 

[Wack61]

I bought a bose charger from China, it was £6 delivered to my door and came that fast it must have come by air including delivery by royal mail

I'd think for $700 it'll be coming on a private jet

 

[iainw]

I bought a bose charger from China, it was £6 delivered to my door and came that fast it must have come by air including delivery by royal mail

I'd think for $700 it'll be coming on a private jet

Yep : TRUMP 1

 

[AaronE]

FYI – the eBay carbon fiber parts from China are really just fiberglass (FRP) with a top coat of CF weave. better than vinyl wrap, but still not fully made out of CF. kinda like gold-plated.

 

[jluis]

Regarding shipping, you can ask the seller for the size and weight of the package and calculate yourself the shipping costs in interparcel.co.uk

I have had some great shipping deals this way
The sf brake disks were delivered to me very cheaply using this method