Thoughts on Racing Beat kit please
 

Last week I hit a deer on the way to work... fortunately the only damage was to the front bumper cover (torn), grille and lower lip broken, and a dent to the side of the hood. I hit the little b@$t@rd right in the middle of the front bumper and miraculously did no damage to the headlights or fenders.

Anyway, I was thinking that since I have to get an entirely new bumper cover anyway, I might as well get something a little different from stock. I would like to stay fairly conservative and true to the original styling cues of the car, so I was looking at the Racing Beat type II kit. I was considering getting the entire kit installed at the same time.

http://www.racingbeat.com/FRmazda4.htm

Has anyone installed this kit before? Are there any issues I should know about?

The kit looks OK, but personally, my main problem with it is that it's made of fiberglass.
I would only want to have good quality urethane body kit parts on my car (or eventually Shine Auto's flexible hybrid fiberglass).
I have never seen anyone posting pictures of a full Racing Beat kit, but maybe there are such photos available that I missed.

i honestly think it looks good...

they have nice looking kits. i personally like the type 1 better but the are both good if you want a change without going too aggressive

I was just looking for pictures of the type I kit. I really like it but can't imagine it in VR. I would also like to see how the quality of their fiberglass components hold up to the test of time.

i dont really remember the type 1, but i remember liking it more than this one

kinda ugly, dont like

dont like the front... rather just keep the stock front

you could get the tsunami bumper, it's urethane and one of the nicest looking aftermarket bumper....looks good with the factory aero flares too...pic in my sig

As far as the fact that it is fiberglass... I have read nothing but contradictory pros and cons on urethane vs. fiberglass. Some say fiberglass is too fragile... Some say urethane will sag. It seems all the cheap body kits are made out of urethane, so I suspect a lower cost of production accounts for its popularity as well as the fact that it can be forced to fit more properly. Metton actually seems to be the best stuff out there (this is apparently what the Mazdaspeed kit is made of according to one catalog I found). But frankly the Mazdaspeed doesn't look that great to me and it is more expensive. The fact that the Mazdaspeed comes pre-painted is a non-issue, since I am going to get this professionally installed and painted at the same time I get the hood replaced.

As far as looks... Just so everyone is clear... There are two noses available from Racing Beat. I think the type one is a little too sedate for my taste (too rounded and blunt). The type two looks a little more aggressive... a little like the Mazdaspeed without the gaping maw of the huge center opening.

I was hoping someone else had purchased this and could give me some feedback... but I appreciate everyone's opinions, so keep 'em coming cause I've got about a week to decide what to do.

^check my post above yours
personally I don't like the RB front.....and honestly haven't seen anyone on here with it

05rex... I love your front end.. and I read all through the thread on the installation.. I was a little surprised at the crack (or so called "mold release") that it was shipped with. Also I spent some money "upgrading" to clear corners. I don't want to lose those and I am not sure I want the dudes at the body shop trying to fab up an opening for them. Again it looks really great on your car but I am a little unsure about Tsunami.

BTW mine's silver too!

REX STOP PROMOTING TSUNAMI u n00b ur supposed to drive people away after u get it!!!

the crack is not an issue really...I didn't even bother repairing it...there is no way you can see it....as for the clear corners, you could sell them or save them if you get a different bumper in the future....besides, it looks sexy with out them!


hahahah....my bad

Juan(marsredr100) has the typeII and it looks good in VR, I havent seen anyone with the TypeI....

it looks really really good in person..

beers :beer:

juans is ridiculously clean, course the car has never seen rain, but his car in person made me not hate the rb kit. Its not ridiculous or retarded like abflug or veil, but much better than oem. its along the lines of MS, fairly true to the original lines but something extra...

still... have not fallen enough in love with a kit to spend the money. came close with autobahn, but something bothers me about the crease in the very front... the new autoexe is growing on me...

Thanks for the info guys... unfortunately, PB, I didn't fall in love with any of the kits either... it's just that if I am going to have to get a new front end anyway, I might as well mod it a little. And like you said, this kit is conservative without being too boring (IMHO).

How much of the kit does Juan have? Side skirts? Spoiler? I am not sure the rear "bumper fairings" make enough difference to justify an additional $205 plus shipping. My car is a GT so I have rear accents already... I think I will just keep those.

BTW if anyone has pics of juan's car... I would love to see.

the fit and finish is perfet on the kit.

Plus you will be unique.

Hey 05rex8 thanks for promoting the kit you trying to get a discount on the sides:lol::lol::lol:

BillyPilgram just to clarify polyurethane is the most expensive material to make a bumper out of because the material is expensive, the machine is very expensive, and the mold for one piece can be between 10,000-20,000. The reason most kits are fiberglass is because they don't expect longevity of their kit and only expect to sell a certain amount. Fiberglass is the cheapest way to make kits but the molds only last so long before they have to be scraped, because they have changed so much that the bumper made from it no longer fits. Polyurethane molds last forever which is why factory bumpers are polyurethane because they can produce 1000's of bumpers from one mold and they will always be exactly the same. Fiberglass is used for smaller companies that don't have the money to spend to make polyurethane kits or the sales to justify it, because you will have to sell a lot of kits before you start to make a profit. That is why it is very rare to find kits made out of polyurethane. Think about it have you ever seen a car come from the factory with fiberglass bumpers, don't you think if it was a better material they would use it instead of polyurethane. Also the slit is not a crack it is a mold release slit if it was a crack it would not be the same on every bumper and it wouldn't be straight. Polyurethane is injected into a 2 piece mold in liquid form and if you have a lot of angles it can be hard to get out once it hardens. Fiberglass is laid into a mold and usually is very easy to pop out. Whatever kit you purchase just make sure you understand what kind of material it is made out of and what the pros and cons are of that material.

ahahahaha...maybe...;)

I am still planning on getting with you next month about purchasing those sides :)

Racing beat is ugly IMO. That is my least favorite kit, I would take Zumn's bumper over Racing Beat.

Rant Over. If you like conservative, Id recommend going Mazdaspeed. It comes painted to match and will fit perfectly. Its become somewhat common, however :(