Seibon Carbon Fiber Hoods Defective

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by cosborne

I'm just going off what Seibon says. The "ribs" on the underside of the hood are different from BMW and hit the top of the manifold in the 318ti. The hoods may be the same from BMW but Seibon's hood is not the same as BMW's. I don't know how else to explain it.

Really, is that what Seibon says? Do they make a hood for a 318i?(318i is an e36 sedan)

[cosborne]

Originally Posted by cooljess76

Really, is that what Seibon says? Do they make a hood for a 318i?(318i is an e36 sedan)

e36 2dr/4dr, not hb
http://www.carbonfiberhoods.net/inde...&filter_id=162

[projekt EPiK]

i now have both, a 97 318i (sedan 4dr) and a 95 318ti.. wanna test back to back?

lets put this to rest..

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by cosborne

e36 2dr/4dr, not hb
http://www.carbonfiberhoods.net/inde...&filter_id=162

So you're saying they do make a hood for the e36 4dr. The 318i is an e36 4dr with the same engine, same engine mounts, same fenders, same strut towers, same engine compartment, same nose panel, same front bumper, same headlights, same corner lights, same mirrors, same hood cowl trim, same hood and same freakin everything from the A pillars forward as the 318ti. Did you catch the part where I said same engine? What's so hard for you to understand? Why can't you accept the fact that you sold a defective product? Will Seibon not reimburse you? Probably not after the ridiculous fiasco you've caused, having a paying customer chop a hazardous material up in his front yard. Is this a normal business practice for you? If so, I'd be suprised if Seibon even keeps you as a distributor.

[1996 328ti]

Originally Posted by cosborne

e36 2dr/4dr, not hb
http://www.carbonfiberhoods.net/inde...&filter_id=162

That doesn't say anything about different motors.
Only whether it's a coupe or sedan.
Like everyone is saying, it's a sedan hood.

[RichieRich]

All I can say is...."wow". I have seldom encountered anyone, especially a businessman, so unwilling to accept reality. Hopefully this will be my last post here, because it really has grown into something it need not have:

1. With regard to the first hood I ordered, it was the one Illstreet staff advised me to buy. Nevertheless, I'll take the blame for that one and I did in fact pay for return shipping.
2. Despite cosborne's personal attack on my integrity with regard to the playdough test, I will not now stoop to that level. The truth is that no part of that hood, ribs or otherwise, touched any part of the engine, intake manifold, or any underhood component. The hood was simply defective. Being in denial certainly won't help when the next customer comes along with a quality issue.
3. "Cost us $900 or so." Please. Seibon provides no support to its distributors for defective product? Perhaps this story would best be sold to the IRS come April.
4. Most disturbing of all. When Illstreet began acting too fishy after I destroyed the hood per cosborne's instructions, and after I suffered lung damage and missed two day's work after inhaling carbon fiber dust in following those instructions (which I am not pursuing), I did initiate a chargeback with VISA. My "bsing the credit card company" (cosborne's words) consisted primarily of providing copies of all email correspondence and photos between cosborne and myself, which included statements/promises by cosborne that my money would be refunded if I destroyed the hood.

The sad part of all this is that, had cosborne simply and clearly offered me a partial refund from the outset, instead of a full refund if I destroyed the hood, I likely would've accepted it just to put the matter to rest. It was only after the hood's destruction (and thus too late for alternatives) that Illstreet/cosborne attempted to nickel and dime the refund down by almost $100. It was that final bit of sneaky behavior that set me completely off. And it was done KNOWINGLY, because the memo part of the "refund" check (which was returned uncashed to Illstreet) made a point of saying it was an "in full" refund, which, had I cashed it, would've left me without any further recourse to recoup the difference in what I was rightfully (and agreed to) owed. And last of all, when I began this thread it dealt solely with the horrendous customer support I received from Seibon itself -- NOT ILLSTREET. I never once mentioned Illstreet until cosborne joined this forum for the sole purpose of challenging the veracity of my assertions at all costs. I began this whole exchange of thoughts and ideas among forum members to alert everyone to Seibon, the Chinese manufacturer of cheap carbon fiber products -- not the American company engaged in distributing performance car parts -- Illstreet. It was only the subsequent escalation of bad feelings which began with Illstreet.

[budget76]

Originally Posted by cosborne

I'm just going off what Seibon says. The "ribs" on the underside of the hood are different from BMW and hit the top of the manifold in the 318ti. The hoods may be the same from BMW but Seibon's hood is not the same as BMW's. I don't know how else to explain it.

Can't argue with you on that one. I do know people have had Seibon hoods on a TI. If that's true they must have changed the design or something

[RichieRich]

They didn't change the design, budget76. You are correct that people have Seibon hoods on a TI. The problem here is that someone is grasping at straws to justify an ill-fitting defective product (perhaps simply a specific production-run occurrance I'll even go as far as saying), and the only straw left to grasp was the "ti" , i.e., hatchback straw. It's called "denial" and "CYA".

[pdxmotorhead]

Just to throw a match in the gas,,

Seibon is Chinese, ever wonder who makes those hoods? Imagine, one exposure and it got someone sick, Now imagine working in a factory with no OSHA rules (The only reason they build this kind of stuff there...) Grinding and finishing that stuff 12 hours a day.


Dave

[cosborne]

Well lets get one of those multiple people with a seibon hood on their ti to post a picture.

Since that isn't going to happen, how about someone posts a picture of the underside of their hood to compare to the underside of richierich's?

[pnosker]

I have a shot for you:

My CF hood.

[cosborne]

Originally Posted by pnosker

I have a shot for you:

My CF hood.

What brand? I'd like to see RichieRich's pictures again since they were deleted.

[budget76]

IIRC CoolJess had a seibon on his, but ditched it b/c the clearcoat was peeling

[RichieRich]

Yes, somehow my photos got accidentally deleted when the forum Administrator briefly suspended this thread. Here is a re-post of the underside.

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by budget76

IIRC CoolJess had a seibon on his, but ditched it b/c the clearcoat was peeling

Yes I got rid of mine a while ago.

Originally Posted by RichieRich

Yes, somehow my photos got accidentally deleted when the forum Administrator briefly suspended this thread. Here is a re-post of the underside.

^^^Looks exactly like my old hood.