I am just wondering how many people have bought replica body kits(like mazda speed) or any other ones and I am also wondering how many of them had problems with installing them. You can also post your story either good or bad. If you didn't have any problems tell us where you bought them and if you did have problems please tell us so others don't make the same mistake. Trying to make this thread a go to thread so people know where to buy. And I will probably get harassed but I don't think I am copying a thread. Maybe I am wrong.

 

while a search could have helped you find some of these answers, I agree that the results are a bit scattered across the board and maybe one big thread isn't such a bad idea.


Things to look for with replicas:
- Material used to make kit. (lots are fiber glass)
- fitment
- cost to fit / paint.
- Total cost - Are you truly saving money over an authentic?

any particular kit you're looking for flyin'? Look into Shine Autobody, they've made a few replicas.

I am not a fan of replica body kits so I don't have much else to contribute.

 

search.

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ca+kit+fitment

you fail

 

THis is my ABFLUG Replica...for what i paid Kit+Color+installment....$400 ...........the most uh....important thing is that not all paint shops match paint that good...and uh....Metallics like mine...PERFECT....70+RX8'ers from SEVENSTOCK can vouch for me, however! if you are going to put it in shows...Buy the real thing...it gets more respect and they are always "perfect"

 

damn it i was being careful and I was searching and just saw that their was stories about different companies on different threads and I just wanted to bring them together. But oh well. It was worth a shot

 

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-exterior-appearance-body-kits-27/mazdaspeed-vs-ed-141197/

 

I am looking at the mazda speed. And saw that people have had problems with replicas and some people have not. Like I found out not to buy from extreme dimension. I dont have 2,500-3000 to spend on a body kit for a authentic one.

 

1 more horror story

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-exterior-appearance-body-kits-27/new-front-bumper-performance-exhaust-112098/

 

Go to where u buy it from and fit it on there if you know how to take off ur bumper........most important thing is fitment before paint.....but paint is just as important also.........

 

yeah sometimes with replicas the fitment isnt always that great, as for the authentics the fitment SHOULD be that much more better hence the QUALITY part of the authentics

 

Fitment is a big issue but so how it holds up over time. Cheap kits crack in a short amount of time.

 

If your looking to go replica i would look into Shine Auto. they are somewhere out in Cali, and i have heard nothing but great stories about them and their fitment.

 

We have a kit that is made out of polyurethane like oem bumpers and fits great no problems with chipping or cracking because it is rubber you can twist it any way you want. Check it out at www.tsunami1.com

 

i coulda swore tsunami went out of business.... wtf is going on

 

Tsunami did go out of business but we are reopening it and will have a new website shortly. We still have all the molds and manufacturing capabilities and we will have limited inventory in the beginning so it will kind of be a made to order program, kits will take about a week to ship out unless we still have some in inventory pm me if you are interested.

 

My brother had a 350Z with a replica nismo kit on it. The kit fit perfectly and he never had a problem with it. Different car I know but It looked very nice. However, there are a lot of horror stories out there. What I would do if I were you is find the 'replica' first, then come back and ask about that particular company. That would yield more 'accurate' assessments and answers to your question.

 

replica companies make cheap molds of originals.....now imagine after the original has been made 100 times and each time the fit is off a smidge.....now the replica company takes that 100th original and makes a mold off it....and you get the 1000th copy of the 100th original....how off is yours gonna be??