NOTE: I changed this thread a bit to include any pics I have seen of wood and aluminum dash kits installed in an RX8

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Here's a pic of a wood dash kit- they have real veneer ones as well as plastic. for $199 and $169 respectively.


I dont think it goes perfectly with a black interior, but I have the black/chaparell interior and the earth tone theme just may work.

If I do get it- I may also think about putting on much less of the kit- maybe just the shifter console and ashtray, and leave the doors/ radio/ac panels as is.


I was thinking about aluminum but now about wood- any thoughs?

I have deleated the pic from the vendor I uploaded, that showed their wood dash kit with a fabric interior- since it didn't look great.

Please see the second page of this thread for updated (but photoshopped) pics with my leather interior.

IMO wood dash belongs to luxury cars and it looks horrible on the 8 'cause the 8 is a sports car. dash kits are nice but they tend to collect more dirt/junk on the crevices.

Originally posted by oxyg2n
IMO wood dash belongs to luxury cars and it looks horrible on the 8 'cause the 8 is a sports car. dash kits are nice but they tend to collect more dirt/junk on the crevices.

I agree... please don't try to cross the two..it just won't work..the wood just looks plain nasty and doesn't match anything in the cabin...go for the CF instead!

NASTY!

MAYBE, I mean MAYBE if the interior was leather........

I may have to photoshop this in to see it with black/chapparell. I agree in the above example it just doesn't go.

Picture it here - it might not be so bad - it might even be quite pleasant :) in a Lexus kind of way :eek:

I have never understood the wood look in a car, especially fake wood, makes no sense to me. I curse the man that came up with this idea

sorry but oxyg2n is right. wood interior is only for luxury cars, not sports cars

you guys are lame. wood is awesome. not to mention the RX-8 is hardly a no-comprimise sports car... it's about as comprimised as you can get before it stops being a coupe.

that looks SO freakin' great, i think you should go for it. and you can get a kit REAL laquered wood, right?? that would look awesome.

awful...just damn awful.

Um, I don't like "wood" interior at all, in any car. However, it might be less offensive if it was a darker "wood."

I vote no.

Real wood in a car is classy, though I don't think it works with the black cloth interior in the pic. With your two-tone interior, it might work.

What color is your car (exterior)?

wood in an 8 is just not right. Some brushed aluminum would be appreciated though. Wood looks great in BMW's, even the M5, M3, or Z4; but it all depends on what you prefer. Aluminum is sportier than the more luxurious wood; but it is all personal taste.


Troy J.

I can't believe how I like the wood......it gives me wood!

ok here is my series of photoshop pics....

first my stock rx8 interior (BTW my car is Titanium)
(for those who have never seen a chaparell interior- it seems to never look good in pics - but in person it looks great)

then with some of the kit

then with all of the kit (note: I think this kit has 21 pieces- so pic doesn't show all of it- but here are the major pieces)

just for comparison-

here is an aluminum dash kit by another vendor.

and yet another vendor's aluminum.
(I got a sample of their highly plastic coated and mostly uncoated alum- it did look good but the much better looking uncoated scratched easily)

After seeing all the pics together, I am thinking I like the wood for my interior. (and am awaiting samples of real wood veneer) The alum looks great as well- maybe best with black leather or cloth- but as a friend who saw the alum samples in my car thought- It may be too much seeing all one material.

I'm not a fan of wood in cars. However, that grain/color with the black and chaparal interior doesn't look too bad. Not to my tastes, but whatever floats your boat! :D

I think the wood looks good with the chaparral interior. But if you have the red/black leather, then that somehow wouldn't work with the wood kit...

In general I think as others have said that wood belongs in luxury cars and yachts...not sports cars, at least not modern sports cars, compromised or not. However I must say, if the shade of the wood matches the chapparal interior colors well, it could work. The photoshopped example looked surprisingly good. However...no matter what the finish of the product, I've yet to see a dash kit for any car that didn't look like a dash kit. The coverage at the edges and around dials and stuff just doesn't quite look...right. Just my opinion of course.
jds

The wood isn't so bad guys. Not my taste mind you... I prefer piano black with alum bezels, and other accent areas. The only thing is I'd be picky about where I'd do wood... like the stereo faceplate... it looks like too much to me. But the console and door switch area... ok.

I just wonder how do these kits hold up. Do they stick or do they come off after a couple of years.
In terms of style, wood is also not my preference.

I think carbon fiber would look better with any interior combo

I was never a fan of putting stickies of wood made out of plastic. It just doesn't make sense. Does anyone believe that they're actually made out of wood? No. So why bother?

The aluminum looks cool, but maybe only on a car that has no colored leather on the seats.

In talking with the company more- they in fact have smaller kits- less peices - with real wood veneer- no plastic- they do intalls for local Porche ans other high end dealers- I am awaiting samples- at $145 I may just have to go for it, but wont decide till I see the samples- I'll keep all you wood haters updated.

Originally posted by fluque
I just wonder how do these kits hold up. Do they stick or do they come off after a couple of years.
In terms of style, wood is also not my preference.
They won't come off. We have a wood dash kit in my wife's Passat, and after 6 years, there is no sign of any of the pieces detaching.
The kit looks pretty good.
One thing though: the pieces won't 'unstick' but they might discolor from the sunlight - some pieces that are receiving a lot of sun got lighter in color. Still, it doesn't look BAD, just noticeable.