jacka$$

I have a 2003 silver TL-S with the black leather interior and the black "wood" trim. I know it's a matter of personal tastes, but I just don't like the way it looks; besides, if it were up to me, I'd rather have some satin metal if real wood trim wasn't an option. I've wanted to get rid of it for some time and replace it with real carbon fiber or satin metal finish like in an M3 or 330ci with the sport package. All I've found so far are the glued on aftermarket thingies that are essential, IMHO, just fancy expensive stickers. I want some trim pieces that are real, that fit the TL-S. I wanna remove the trim pieces and replace them with cabron fiber or satin metal trim pieces.....is this possible? Anyone here ever done this and have any suggestions? Thanks...price really isn't that much of an object, as I firmly belive in paying a price for quality goods.

bloo_tls02

Sure it's possilble. Just do a search of this topic on this site and I'm sure you'll find tons of useful info on it. There is actually a guy on here that has his pieces matched to the color of the car (also silver)....looks really tight.

bloo_tls02

Here's something to get you started...

http://www.arrantcypher.com/inspire/

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Here you go






Here is my original post: http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...threadid=56115

jacka$$

Hey guys, thanks.

Type S Lady

I totally agree with you. A member on here suggested real carbon fiber pieces which I like much better. So I'm ordering that, I think it looks much better than the wood.

ResidualFreedom

Where are you ordering the carbon fiber trim pieces from. Does any one know of any one having a bad experience dying their trims instead of painting them. (if they get nicked or scratched they will always be the same color)

Type S Lady

www.motorgear.com has them for $180.

steveinathens

i like the black wood trim. i think it gives the car a very "japanese" touch. if you've ever been to japan, maybe you know what i'm talking about....

to me, that silver trim on the black interior looks ugly. its TOO much of a contrast to the black...

just my opinion

EmuMessenger

Excluding the side defrosting pieces, the silver looks pretty good.

goldendragon576

$149 for 42 pieces???? is that right???? Type S Lady, do you have any past experience with this place? The cheapest place I found for the brushed aluminum was $218 for 32 pieces, how is this 10 extra pieces and still amost $70 cheaper?

Type S Lady

Goldendragon576, I haven't ordered my kit yet but do a search. Last week we had a pretty good discussion on that company and everyone who had ordered was please with their purchase.

Type S Lady

Goldendragon576, I haven't ordered my kit yet but do a search. Last week we had a pretty good discussion on that company and everyone who had ordered was please with their purchase. (don't go overboard with those silver pieces and use all of the pieces, NSXNext has done it tastefully except for the vents but it's a nice touch overall).

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Keep in mind, NO ONE makes replacement pieces for the door and center console sides.

My personal opinion is it's ghetto to have CF pieces for the dash and blackwood, or worse, burlwood for the door and center console.

Type S Lady

What?!?! Are you serious? I have to look at the chart again then, that defeats the purpose of me ordering it if the doors and center consoles pieces don't come with it. I'm going to look again. Thanks NSX!

galfert

I think the fake black wood looks better than the fake brown wood.

Type S Lady

I will have to agree with you on that one.

ferizzo

I love my bowling ball trim! the fake brown wood is OK.

nym31mp

the blackwood took awile but it really grew on me get lots of commplements on it

jacka$$

Don't get me wrong...I know it's a matter of personal opinion.....in fact, people have said they thought the black trim was "cool, interesting, etc...." But I personally do not like it. I think the car's interior would be far sportier looking, and convey the message of a straight-up, no B.S. all-business cockpit of a sport sedan with carbon fiber or real brushed aluminum finish. Just my personal preference. But then again I don't think I want to just glue some carbon fiber pieces over the existing trim...I'd rather remove all the trim, and replace it with custom cut carbon fiber. Anyone ever done that, or know anyone who can custom make this kinda stuff??

MoDzHuNgRy

Is it just an upgraded pattern of carbon fiber? I know it says "Real" carbon fiber but i just wanna double check if it's real or not.

Type S Lady

I don't know, I just assumed it was real because it said "real" that is a good question though. Definitely call and ask before ordering though.

njtls

so nsx..how did you get thr trim on the side of your console and on hte doors silver?

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

They are painted. I ordered SSM spray paint and painted them.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Dude are you nuts? Any idea how much something like that would cost? I remember we were going to do a CF engine cover and it was in the $500 - $600 range.

goldendragon576

I'm definitely not going to put all 42 pieces on. Probably just a few in the middle. Nothing outrageous. I want my car to look classy but moded at the same time.

jacka$$

I'd say just about thinking in that direction.....500-600 is a tad bit expensive, but so is 200-300 for glue on carbon fiber kits. Besides, I'm not gonna do anything overboard...just 6 pieces in all....4 door pieces, and 2 to replace the center console ones. It'll be subtle enough. I think doing the entire dash, with vents is fine if you like that, but for me I'd like a more subtle yet sporty look. I know that the door pieces aren't supposed to be removed, but I'm sure there's someone out there who will do it and do it right for the right amount of money. So as much as it would cost, it may be worth it to have a custom job that looks damn near like a factory installation. So I wonder.....if some guy with a TL-S has his door trim pieces warp and for some odd reason they disintegrate or some crap, what does the dealer do (assuming it is still under warranty)....it was said earlier that the door trim pieces cannot be obtained seperately or removed....so are they just gonna bust out a new door skin? I'm sure there's a solution. By the way, NSXNEXT, who did you ask for a quote on that CF engine cover? I assume it would have been a custom made one....?

gocrazyw/TL

By saying "wood" you imply that the trim is actaully real wood. It's not. It's fake. It's plastic, and that's exactly what it looks like. Btw, WTF is a "japanese" touch? Yes, I've been to japan and i have no idea what you are talking about.

unionjack

fake wood is ghey and so are overlays. does anyone know where i can find actual trim piece replacements?

<$200 for an entire CF overlay kit sounds very cheap. Black CF trim replacements generally run from $500-1000 and silver CF from $800-1500. One important thing to consider when it comes to CF is weave. Some companies may charge a low rate because the weave isn't good. Price is reflected in skill/craftsmanship, materials, and complexity of the piece.

jacka$$

Unionjack, have you actually seen these carbon fiber trim replacements (not overlays) for sale somewhere?
If so, where?

unionjack

Not for Acuras. I was lookin to get a black CF replacement kit for my BMW awhile back and the cheapest I could find for it was $800. I was hopin to find replacements for my new Type-S though. Anything but this fake wood crap. I just hate imitation wood.

KaOTiKM3

how hard is it to take out the center and door pieces? if you want CF, you could always have these pieces CF overlays and it would be much cheaper than real replacements which probably do not exist or are very rare...

steveinathens

yes, i know its fake. its just the term that is used to describe it. by the "japanese touch" i'm refering to some of the more classic japanese style, not the Roppongi-type bull****. As i traveled around to temples and such, I saw alot of different type of wood work, and the style "marble" of the wood is definately something i saw over and over again at various places, in Kyoto and Nikko etc etc. Not nessessarily black, but definately that style marble or grain, or whatever the correct woodworking term is. So to me, it reminds me of that, and I like it.

jacka$$

Actually, I now realize what he's refering to...with the Japanese look. It is in fact very Asian....I've seen the pattern with wooden stands here in the U.S. at many different Buddhist and Taoist temples. But to be honest, the first thing I saw looking at the trim was "a less expensive plastic rendition of the classic Mont Blanc fountain pen pattern." Anyone who has a fountain pen knows what I'm talking about...

steveinathens

yeah, thats basically what i was refering to. my family spent 25 years in Asia, so that's what i think of when i see the black wood, or bowling ball trim...

daimler560

Real wood would look great--but one issue with the real stuff is that wood grain, and the stain does tend to fade far more easily then the current polymers. Check out some used BMW's and Mercs from the mid 90's and you'll see really badly faded pieces of zebano, or burled walnut trim. In the end, my S-Class wood shift knob matches the fake stuff fairly well.