How to tell a fake?
 

I recently purchased a full Authentic MS kit from a forum member and I have doubts about some of the parts. Due to some shipping term difficulties for both parties, they were shipped last week and arrived today.

The rear spoiler's base is not painted to match the wing, and the front bumper, I'm not sure. It has the correct grills, plastic bar, and ducts, but it has spider cracks, and feels to me like Fiberglass. There are some rather large gashes where you can see down to the material, and it is a hard fibrous orange. Is this fake?

Are there and distinguishing stamps, marks ect that are on authentic MS parts?

If there is someone in the Denver area with an authentic MS kit, I would gladly pay for you to come by and inspect the parts to determine its authenticity. I really don't know how to be sure. I have plenty of pics and here's the original thread:

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-parts-sale-wanted-44/mazdaspeed-front-bumper-side-skirts-rear-cover-spoiler-sale-161184/

MS kits arent fiberglass,,, I forget the exact material the name is kinda exotic,,, someone will chime in, one way is the front bumper bar insert, does it have one or not? If not definately fake...
http://f.imagehost.org/0385/special_1096429264_1.jpg

Looks pretty legit, probably not very cared for from your descriptions of the scars on it...

Yes, it has the bar. MS bumpers are urethane I believe.

Does someone know if there are ID markers somewhere on the bumper?

they are made from polyurethane

:banghead:No its not poly, its something else, I think it starts with a G, cant remember dammit, there was a whole thread discussing this...

Metton LMR

its not polyurethane... its 'Metton'

http://www.metton.com/

What does that material look like? Orange color? Also, does the bumper feel more fragile/stiff that the stock bumper?

orange? the primer?

No, it looks to be below the primer. It's the material itself.

yes the back of the bumper will have an orange brown color

it will also feel slightly stiffer than polyurethane

The backside of the bumper is a charcoal grey. The orange is underneath the paint and primer. Is the bare, unprimered bumper orange/brown?

ill have to look at the backside of my bumper again, but i remember the bare material as a dark orange/brown color

That is good to hear.

I still have the issue of the wing. The wing itself feels about the same as the stock wing, which I think is right. But the base of the wing that covers the lip of the trunk is not painted. It has a slightly rough feel and is a dark grey. It also has terrible fitment. the center of the base sits about a cm above the trunk lid, and it feels like fiberglass.

cant help on the wing, i refuse to put a wing of any kind on my car

Haha different strokes... lol

Yup, good choice on the bumper though ;-)

Yeah, I can clean up the bumper. The sideskirts look beautiful as does the wing...just not the fake a** base.

Oh, one detail about the bumper. The lower lip that is below the vents is the same color as the rest of the bumper. I thought that MS bumpers have a darker grey color painted there... the rest of the kit does.

yes your are right.. The kit that you bought could have all been painted. I think it is because the front black platic bar looks like it was painted as well because it is really shiny. the paint your talking about is a dark grey and the rear piece is supposed to be almost all that color

I didnt want the charcoal gray lip on my bumper so i actually had it painted all one color

The black bar hasn't been painted, but I suspect the bumper either was repainted, or is a knock off.

IF ANYONE KNOWS OF A SPECIFIC MARK ON AN AUTHENTIC BUMPER PLEASE LET ME KNOW.