So I got the bumper back fromt the painter and installed it last week. Finally got around to taking the pics. What do you think?

http://www.vividracing.com/main/DSC02966.JPG
http://www.vividracing.com/main/DSC02967.JPG
http://www.vividracing.com/main/DSC02968.JPG

I was going for some thing a little different. Not sure if I'll keep the tail pipe sections black or have them painted to match. Give me your opinion.

I like the painted section, but I think too much emphasis is on the exhaust surrounds. I would get the exhaust trim painted as well. That and new tips to fill out the area better....like the Borla does. For some reason the way it looks now makes the stock exhaust tips look even smaller than they are.

Nice mod........thanks for sharing.

Do not see any photos.

red x's...

He boo boo'd the image links.

http://www.vividracing.com/main/DSC02966.JPG
http://www.vividracing.com/main/DSC02967.JPG
http://www.vividracing.com/main/DSC02968.JPG

I fixed the pics thanks Buger

looks good
but would look better if you paint the section by the exhaust pipes

I don't think so...

I think it look awesome as it is....

Do you think it will work for my black car??? I doubt it :)

I think the area you're addressing is the ugliest part of the car, but I don't feel that just painting it is the solution. I expressed a desire for a new rear bumper style on another thread, involding a big single centre pipe through an enlarged rotor crest and blanked corners + real mesh. I've only gone as far as discussing this with bodywork guys.

If I was to do this, I'd get a new rear bumper section and do it from scratch. I also haven't investigated the straight through single concept as far as the sensiblity of fitting enough silencer to keep the exhaust note sane!

One thing is certain though, whatever I do would have to be in body colour, the black plastic looks cheap.

... anyone game to go chrome? :D

If you paint the area around the exhaust tips the color of the car, unless it is black, you'll have to clean that area everyday. The exhaust on the RX-8 is pretty 'sooty' (is that a valid word?) and that whole back area gets black (wipe it down after a 30 mile drive or so). I believe that is one of the reasons Mazda chose to go with black plastic there. You can wipe the soot off with a wet sponge without having to worry about scratching it. The other reason they used black back there was to visually trick the eye so the back does not look bulky. All car designers do this, they use black in strategic spots to trick the eye.

I feel the exhaust area would look very good with the painted bumper if you got the chrome covers installed. :)

ps. and maybe painted the rest of the black plastic, but not sure about that. Can someone photoshop that?

pps. did notice that the bumper in the pics appears a slightly different color, too bad.

It a good change! I like it. Now it looks finished!:)

I was thinking of painting mine tit bumper as well, but likely I would paint the whole piece but with a slight darker shade. I think with the same shade, it will makes the whole rear looking even bulkier.IMO

I like it.. will require some extra creativity to finish it off with those pipe surrounds standing out. Was anything done to alter the texture of the plastic prior to painting? It appears very smooth and well matched in the photos.

I like it but It would look better if the parts by the exhaust were painted IMO

I've been waiting for someone to do this because I'm a cheapskate

Originally posted by M-ster
I was thinking of painting mine tit bumper as well, but likely I would paint the whole piece but with a slight darker shade. I think with the same shade, it will makes the whole rear looking even bulkier.IMO

This is what I'm talking about. 2 tone bumper.

thats not a different shade
that carbon fiber

Originally posted by mikeb
thats not a different shade
that carbon fiber

That's not the point.

But anyway, thanks for the info, never knew that the MS kit (rear bumper) is of CF finish.

ya, it has carbon fiber on back bumper and looks great in person

I like it, but I like the AutoExe one below better. What I notice and really like in this pic of the Vivid car is those tires! What size are they?

I like it!! But I would like to get the rear Mazdaspeed bumper like the one posted. Dose anyone know if you can just buy that part alone? :cool:

Wave - The one I posted right above your post is an AutoExe, not MazdaSpeed. You can get it (and the MazdaSpeed, and the Mazda appearance package ones, plus a bunch of other stuff) at JapanParts.com : http://www.japanparts.com/shop/shop.cgi?mode=list2&maker=Mazda&type_car=RX%2d8+SE3P

I know that this was asked before but does anyone out there have the ability to photoshop the various colors on the rear bumper. I would appreciate it if someone could do yellow to start. Thank you in advance.

I know that there are some photoshop wizards out there. Anybody think they can throw together a quick painted rear bumper as discribed above? Thanks again in advance.

there you go

M-ster - thank you for the photoshop - I think - I say that because I see that you sent somrthing but I can't see the pic. I've tried my home computer as well as my work computer and nothing will come through. Is there another way to post the picture that you're aware of? I'm dying to see what the yellow painted bumper will look like?

Originally posted by success07
M-ster - thank you for the photoshop - I think - I say that because I see that you sent somrthing but I can't see the pic. I've tried my home computer as well as my work computer and nothing will come through. Is there another way to post the picture that you're aware of? I'm dying to see what the yellow painted bumper will look like?

Hmmm... the pix show up on my side, so I'm not sure what's the problem??
I can't email you the pix as you disabled that function. If you want you can PM me your email address, and I'll then send the pix to you.

cheers

Hey Vivid, I'm still wondering what size tires those are... ?

omicron,

-Volk LE37T 19x8.5, 19x9.5
-Falken FK-451 245/35/Z19 front, 285/34/Z19 rear

Vivid, The bumper looks great. My car is being repaired and I asked a guy I know at the body shop if he would paint mine the same way when he paints my new front bumper. He agreed to do the rear bumper at no extra charge. I love gettin' free s***. Also will be ordering the B&B exhaust from you guys within a couple of weeks. On your RX8, is the area on the rear bumper that surrounds the exhaust tips still holding up well under the increased temps?

Yep, still holding up and after a few road races and the temp getting up there. If it hasn't burned up now I don't think it will.