2. CF may be equivalent to steel in terms of strength however as a structural member of the system it will not react like the original designed part made of steel. A considerable amount of re-engineering & re-designing is need to achieve similar structural properties as the original.

3. CF parts cannot be repaired. Even a smallest hole/crack/dent will destroy the overall structural strength of the system. And forget about knocking out dents. In long run it may be more costly to run.

4. CF need to bonded using composite matrix, could be metal, ceramic or polymer. To get lightest weight, we use polymer. However, the downside is that most polymers have poor resistant to UV (sun), heat (engine & sun), chemical (rain) & also absorbs a %-age of water making it susceptible to premature damage.

5. CF manufacturing is labor extensive. Even the slightest mistake (air bubbles, poor resin-hardener mixture, poor curing temperature, pressure & time) will significantly affect the quality.

6. CF is very expensive. A medium size CF woven mat can cost few hundreds. Normally few layers of CF mats are used to produce parts. This is because a CF woven mat has bi-directional stress strength. A few layers is arranged in different angles will make it multi-directional. Each layer placed will go through resin laying process. You can imagine how long it takes & how expensive it will cost.

Summary: with all the cost going up. It is a not economical to go for CF. Unless you expect your car to run some 50 years. By then, you won't even dare being seen in a 50 years old car!!

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I just don’t understand why the hell all car manufacturers go with “the bigger, the better”.

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Thats because customers themsleves are getting bigger. Not noticed have you? :p

Besides no one is stopping anyone from buying a smaller car. As the more mainstream units grow bigger, new smaller models will slot in.

Back then it was the Civic and Accord. Now we have the Fit/Jazz, City, Civic and Accord. Don’t need a big car, buy a small one….unless you are one of these brand/badge conscious people…… :p

Another alternative to this is the increased use of composite plastics for non load bearing panels (hoods, doors skins, fenders…etc). Look at the X-trails front fenders. CF is good and fine, but too expensive. Besides if it wasn;t for a load bearing structure you wont have to worry about strength that CF provides.

The realities are that customers are getting bigger, demanding more comfort (ie…more noise insulation, bigger seats) and appreciating higher luxury (leather, electric everything, automatic everything) and increased safety conciousess (air bags everywhere, crumple zones). All these add weight.

I’m sure if one could afford an Accord, they wont buy the tin can old Saga LMST. Nothing wrong with the saga, its light, fairly reliable (compared to the garbage they have been churning out) and good on fuel. Its simply not what people want anymore.

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but its still expensive, because its generally hand-made, and the material construction is still one of a kind in the world, and extremely hi-tech

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NA 1.8 liter. weighs in less than 1 ton.

or the Ariel Atom?

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I just don’t understand why the hell all car manufacturers go with “the bigger, the better”. Best case in point will be Mini Cooper. Ppl would say the original one is a nice small, light fun car. The new one drives very well too, but it’s different. It’s heavy and glutton-ed with all kinds of gadgets, and to me, no matter how good it drives, it’s just not that British small, fun car people once knew. It has become a German’s idea of a small, fun car.

Carbon fibre, hm……sounds good, but I still want to see a downsize in car’s size. It’s about time car manufacturers shud focus on how to make a car the size of Kancil, but with 5-star Euro NCAP and interior space comfortable for 6-footers and able to do 160km/h or more effortlessly. Plain and simple, screw all kinds of Ipod-integrator, Sat-nav which never works, cameras everywhere to help u park, 342113211312 Ah Beng speakers with THX, blablabla. The oni downsize that I’ve ever known is the Mazda 2. Now that’s a car that’s truely smaller, lighter and better than the previous version. Yet, its interior isn’t a hell for 6-footers. More cars shud be like it.

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anyway, nowadays top shelve racing/road bicycle & mountain bike are using CF…great stuff coz very light weight & tough for cycling weight weenies….anyway, for me self still planning to get a full suspension All Mountain Bike wt normal alloys so can tackle kiara wt confident instead falling around using my hardtail….will consider CF if goin racing

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an example is the new M3, its got carbon reinforced plastic roof, almost all alloy suspension, engine is 15kg than the straight six it replaced.. yet the car still weighs in more than the e46 m3. imagine the weight without any weight saving materials..

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My friends shop is in canada. So, sorry. But if you are really interested in his work, http://www.squidskins.com. His car is an Eagle Talon TurboAWD

I hope Paul doesn;t mind hotlinking.

I had my racing buckets custom made by him. Was the most comfortable seats i’ve ever owned.

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Cannot send to magad shop to ketuk-ketuk the dent out from CF.

So, is the car owner going to replace the whole CF panel? gonna cost a bomb.

CF is just exclusive to sportscar/supercar/big boss car. Not for average joe.

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A heavy vehicle is hard on suspension, brakes, tyres, and you need a bigger motor that kills your fuel economy, which in turn, worst of all adds MORE weight.

Too bad its still very expensive.

I had a buddy of mine that rebodied almost his whole car in carbon fiber (only the rear quater panel was steel), shaved 200kgs off the car….being a carbon fiber manufacturer for custom race bike fairings, he has the expertise and tools to do it himself.

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