Landon_Starr

Any tips on the Install...? I'm currently gettin mine painted, and I'm rolling over installation techniques....any suggestions or how your body shop mounted would be greatly appreciated.

I do love the same color look in the rear, I'm definitely doing the same. Kit looks great!!!

--Landon

donald121

I printed out this http://members.roadfly.org/ryang/Maz...tructions.html and gave it to the body shop. I didn't watch how they install it, so I don't think I can give you any wisely suggestions. I hope that website helps.

Landon_Starr

More than what I had, that's for damn sure. I'll see if I can get my grammy to translate this for me....

Thanks Donald!

--Landon

TxRx8

So what's up? Flipstream got a bad kit from this same company? How was the quality of your kit when you got it Donald? Ya or na guys, should I buy one?

AeroWerksOnline

TWO OF THEM?!

Lucky man!

Kel Rx8

i luv the rear excellent
and congrats car looks amazing

donald121

My kit was directly shipped to the body shop. I didn't really take a good look before they put the kit on. I was told the kit's surface are rough. I would say my kit is in good condition compare to Flipstream's. I think you should buy it if you willing to wait long time, plus prepare for AAS's bad customer service.

Landon_Starr

Well, although my kit WAS in better shape than Flips, it's still fiberglass and will always regardless of the manufacturer, need some body work prior to painting (in my experience). The regular version, although costs significantly more, includes all costs of body work & painting (comes painted w/ mounting hardware).

Don't let the $599 price fool you, it will take much more than that to get it on your vehicle. Those who have friends in the body work/painting industry (such as Donald & myself, him having slightly BETTER friends, since they did it for free ), can benefit a bit more than someone going into something like this hoping the body shop on the corner will do it. Expect body work, painting, and installation to be around or more than $1,000 if you don't know people in the industry that can help you out.

Otherwise, I've had fiberglass kits that were of lower quality than this one hold up rather well, just need to be a bit more careful. Plus, it won't ever sag in the summer heat, like many poly-urethane kits I've seen.

If the vehicle is a daily driver, and your roads are as construction-riddled as our Utah roads, may not be a great idea. Otherwise, nice alternative to the pricey real version.

It's all preference and how you use/drive your 8.

Just thought I'd throw out some of the PROs/CONs.

--Landon

HK.RX888

is AAS the only place that's selling the kit at this price? i remember another website is selling copy kits but for around 800. I can't believe i'm going to give them business regardless of their bad service, surprise shipments and multiple company names.

Is there a correlation between the quality of the kit and where it's shipped from?

Landon_Starr

I agree, their service wasn't red-carpet-caliber, but at least I was able to get a hold of someone every time I called. They provided me a shipping number as soon as possible, and they shipped pretty close to their "10 business days after purchasing" claim. Nothing that went on with mine was too unexpected. I'd give them an "average" on the customer service aspect.

--Landon

Landon_Starr

I got mine from NY, and it seems to be among the better in the litter. Flip, I've been really busy, I will provide pics sometime soon, sorry about the wait.

Another thing, after checking your sig line, HK, it's kinda scary to order fiberglass on a black vehicle. I probably wouldn't do fiberglass on black again. Chips show white, small cracks are magnified, but DAMN it looks good clean & in good condition. :D

Maybe something to consider. <shrug>

--Landon

donald121

I called them bad customer service because they never gave me the shipping number. They kept me on hold for about 5 mins every time I called. They also kept transfered my call to other person, so that I had to tell the whole story all over again. They also kept lying about the shipping date. They always said it will be shipped in 2 days. 2 days later I called again, then they told me another 2 days. It was a pain in my axx. I'm glad I didn't lose my patient and cancelled the order. May be I ordered the kit from ebay instead of their website, that's why it caused so many confusions. Anyways, I'm statisfied how the kit came out. After all these troubles I went thru, I'm still think it's worth it.

Congratuate on your kit, Landon. :D

HK.RX888

who in the right mind wouldn't care about customer service these days.....but thanks for the advice landon...but the reason i got the black in the first place is b/c it looks 'damn good in clean and good condition ' :D too bad everytime i goto the carwash pittsburgh takes a 2 day **** on me.

So ny warehouse is safe than where flip got his? where did u get urs flip?

flip

Be afraid... be very afraid... J/K... :D

There is NO other warehouse but Cali.. according to AAS, they drop ship the kits directly from the manufacturer. Whatever kits they have in NY came from Cali... They have no idea how the kit looks like. AAS was suprised on how my kit looked like as well. They did offer to ship me another one if I wanted to... but, its a little too late-- I ordered the genuine Mazdaspeed kit from Trussville...:D

Landon also mentioned a ballpark of around $1000 to get this kit prepped, painted and installed. I went to five bodyshops, 3 of which did not want to tackle the job.. the other two who said could do the job quoted me between $2500 - $2800 for all the prepping they had to do.. so there was NO way I was gonna pay that much for a fiberglass kit to be installed on my 8.. (<--she deserves better than that )

Anywho.. my Mazdaspeed kit should be due any day now.. (and what a happy day that will be)

himitsu

Another cheap one from EBAY.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...478948582&rd=1

Looks very nice from the picture though...

This one also...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...479255839&rd=1

flip

Those are both the same company... the one in Brooklyn is AAS which is a dealer, the other one in Cali is the direct manufacturer.

HK.RX888

damn! 2500?? for that money might as well get the real thing...i better start PRing with the local body shop! and flip what did you tell the bodyshops? that you had a bad quality fiberglass kit and wanted to get it prepped? and you should've just asked them to ship the other one and sell it. unless u got a refund...

flip

I physically took the kit to all those shops.. they looked at it in person and they gave me the quote...

Some quotes from the shop owners:

"I don't want to put my name on any work that ain't quality.. with this (kit), I'd rather pass."

"Please don't put this (kit) on... you have a beautiful car.. this kit looks like ****. If you had an older car then maybe, but your car is too nice for this."

"Wow, sorry man. It's not gonna be worth it-- Not to turn away business, but I'd rather not do this particular one."

"Where'd you get this? Is this homemade?"

I'm just sharing MY personal experience. I am no means bashing AAS or any of their affiliates. Your experience (such as Landon's and others) may differ... its all on you.

titaniumgrey

damn . .. now i'm scared to receive my kit .... the second one ..

HK.RX888

damn there's no way i can take a kit around like that...u must have a pick up. But yes Flip's story is definitely going to give me second thoughts when the time comes around...if Titgrey's kit turn out good, then i can live with a 75% success rate..so good luck tigrey

AeroWerksOnline

Dam that really sucks. A lot of body shops out there especially the ones who do cars like the 8 don't want to put themselves in a position where they can get a bad rep even if it's not their faullt...

A lot of these mods are just hit and miss.. Hope everything works out for everyone...

HK.RX888

i have another quick question...do you have to cut the stock rear bumper to install the ms bumper?

Outlaws eXtreme

cutting will be necessary.

titaniumgrey

you have the best mods in the world ! lol

HK.RX888

which rear bumpers or spoilers for that matter do not require cutting or minimal drilling?