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TheLouch
05-01-2006, 12:01 AM
Finally got around to taking some pics of my trim kit from NYC Dashes (http://www.nycdashes.com/cart/customer/product.php?productid=16975).

I wasn’t going to get one at first, mainly because of the price – at US$265 these kits are hardly a bargain. That is until I spotted one on eBay and was able to win it for US$65. Add shipping and I was only looking at a CAN$100 price tag – quite reasonable, if you ask me.

The pieces come out of the box completely flat, however they are quite elastic and with slight persuasion can be made to form just about any curve.

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2796/s30000034lb.th.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s30000034lb.jpg)

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2571/s30000040tj.th.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s30000040tj.jpg)

The pieces are about 3mm (~1/16inch) thick – most of it is the top layer of clear plastic, under it is a thin layer of blue fiber weave, followed by the adhesive backing. The edges are rounded off, giving the pieces a very finished look.

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/7509/s30000057xm.th.jpg (http://img188.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s30000057xm.jpg)

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/8236/s30000067qs.th.jpg (http://img188.imageshack.us/my.php?image=s30000067qs.jpg)

The installation is quite easy – clean the dash with alcohol hand sanitizer, warm up the adhesive by leaving the pieces out in the sun for a few minutes, and apply …very carefully :D

I did not end up installing the center console, glove box, or the dome-lights pieces – I thought they made the inside look a little too flashy. However contrasted on the dark background the door, the vents, and the dash strip look very sharp, I think.

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2994/s30000018ez.th.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2994/s30000018ez.jpg)

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2920/s30000027pw.th.jpg (http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2920/s30000027pw.jpg)

I’m quite happy with the way it looks – certainly adds a nice bit of flare to the interior. The thing that remains to be seen is how long these will last :D

SwooshICE
05-01-2006, 12:35 AM
how many pieces does it come in??

TheLouch
05-01-2006, 10:24 AM
Originally posted by SwooshICE
how many pieces does it come in??

They call it a 53 piece kit, however that also includes “plugs” – cut-out pieces that do not get installed.

Here’s the layout diagram (I don’t have any of the “optional pieces”):
http://www.nycdashes.com/cart/files/thumbs/Flat-Dash-Kit-Thumb.gif (http://www.nycdashes.com/cart/images/Mazda/MAM304D.GIF)

RedRaptor
05-01-2006, 10:57 AM
Hard to tell how it really looks like in pictures. But we\'ll compare how it looks against the OEM blue CF when we meet up tonight for the caliper decals.:)

SW20 MR2
05-01-2006, 11:29 AM
I can\'t say I like it at all, but that\'s just my personal tastes. The kit looks like good quality though.

Cardinal Fang
05-01-2006, 11:35 AM
Very interesting way to personalize your car. I have to ask you how you managed to get the carbon fibre on the vent trims. Did you pop them out? Was it hard to do? What tools did you use?.

I\'ll stop asking questions now.

:D

Broli
05-01-2006, 11:58 AM
wow

when i started reading, i thought i was gonna hate it!
but . . .
i looks pretty good, i am impressed

how much does it stick of the components
or is it not a raised tape?
hard to make it that out?

bluntman
05-01-2006, 12:01 PM
I thought it was denim.

SABIO
05-01-2006, 12:03 PM
Not to bad. If you did the console it would be too much I think. The colour is a little light, but we will have to see it in person to decide.

Or you could just install it all....see if you like it.. you can always take it off and use some glue remover to clean it up..


Or.. sell the rest of the kit.

Did you use the steering wheel pieces?? I\'ll buy those off you. And the console pieces :) If you don\'t want any of it that is....

TheLouch
05-01-2006, 11:00 PM
Originally posted by Cardinal Fang
I have to ask you how you managed to get the carbon fibre on the vent trims. Did you pop them out? Was it hard to do? What tools did you use?

Unlike the Mazda Accessory trim, this kit does not replace the stock plastic trim pieces, but rather glues on top of them. Hence I did not have to remove anything in order to apply the carbon fiber – simply clean the surface, peal the backing from the adhesive, and apply onto the dash.



Originally posted by Broli
wow
when i started reading, i thought i was gonna hate it!
but . . .
i looks pretty good, i am impressed

how much does it stick of the components
or is it not a raised tape?
hard to make it that out?

Thanks Broli! I actually think the pics don’t do it justice – the trim looks a lot better in real life. The camera seems to have problems properly capturing light that\'s reflected off the fiber weave. RedRaptor got a chance to see the trims this afternoon; perhaps he can post a comment or two.

The trim does have some thickness to it and at certain angles you can in fact see a thin flat edge elevated from the stock trim. However since these pieces perfectly match the curve and the shape of the stock trim, as well as have rounded off edges, most of the pieces look as if they were meant to be there.



Originally posted by SABIO
Not to bad. If you did the console it would be too much I think. The colour is a little light, but we will have to see it in person to decide.


That’s what I thought too – I think they look nice as accents, but might not work so well as complete dash replacements. The color is actually quite similar to the Mazda Accessory trim pieces – maybe just a little bit lighter. The fiber weave looks quite a bit wider than that on the Mazda trim.



Originally posted by SABIO
Or.. sell the rest of the kit.
Did you use the steering wheel pieces?? I\'ll buy those off you. And the console pieces :) If you don\'t want any of it that is....

I’m thinking about selling the rest of the kit actually. I only used the 8 door pieces, the 4 vent pieces, and the one long dash strip piece – the rest is still in the box. I’ll think about it, might do a ‘dry fit’ some time this week, just to see what it’ll look like. Sabio, you get the first dibs on it, if I end up selling it ;)

SABIO
05-02-2006, 01:33 AM
Originally posted by TheLouch


Originally posted by SABIO

Did you use the steering wheel pieces?? I\'ll buy those off you. And the console pieces :) If you don\'t want any of it that is....

I’m thinking about selling the rest of the kit actually. I’ll think about it- Sabio, you get the first dibs on it, if I end up selling it ;)


Thanks :D

RedRaptor
05-02-2006, 12:06 PM
I got a chance to check out the dash kit last night on TheLouch\'s car and I will concur that the photos show the kit as much lighter. It is actually more blue and looks sharp in person. Compared to the Mazda OEM trims, this kit is a ligther blue and as mentioned already, the CF weave pattern is a bit bigger.

TheProfessor
05-03-2006, 12:00 PM
I don\'t think it looks bad in any way but I\'m not a fan of the look. If you\'re happy with it, that\'s all that matters ;)

same0l679
05-03-2006, 12:29 PM
I got to see this up close and personal as well...and i must say it looks alot better in person then it does in those pictures...good job Louch! and don\'t worry once you get ur MS CAI your car will start to sound a bit closer to mine! :D

TheLouch
05-03-2006, 03:21 PM
Originally posted by TheProfessor
I don\'t think it looks bad in any way but I\'m not a fan of the look. If you\'re happy with it, that\'s all that matters ;)

Well, just like with any other visual mods, it’s all a matter of personal taste. I for one, despise chrome with a passion – yuck! :p


Originally posted by same0l679
once you get ur MS CAI your car will start to sound a bit closer to mine! :D

I’m working on it, dude! :D

TheProfessor
05-03-2006, 04:26 PM
I\'d have to see it in person to make judgement, but props for doing the work and the mod anyways!