How many pounds lighter is a carbon fiber hood versus stock hood on the 4th gens?

1. How easy and where do you have this installed?

2. do people paint cf hoods or do some just look real smooth and finished ?

 

I think Neal said he saved about 30-40 lbs with his carbon fiber hood. And yes the hood can be painted. There is someone here on the .org with a white 4th gen that has his painted to match the car.

 

what are the top reasons or advantages for buying and installing a carbon fiber hood ?

THE LOOK ?
WEIGHT REDUCTION ?

Is this a trouble free mod and is the weight reduction enough to increase performance in even the slightest amount ? How about some insight, thanks .. im thinking about going carbon fiber .

 

For handling:
Assuming the weight reduction is 35 lbs, and given the Maxima's ~3000 lb weight and 62/38% F/R weight distribution, taking 35 lbs off the front of the car will balance the car more (better F/R weight distribution)...to the tune of a whopping 61.5/38.5%. In other words, really no change at all. Putting a 30 lb bag of dog food in the trunk will make more of an impact to F/R weight distribution.

For acceleration or braking:
A 35 lb weight reduction will be barely noticeable. That weight is equivalent to 5 gal of gas. Not much difference.

Don't let people here BS you: The carbon fiber hood is a COSMETIC modification...for looks. If you plan on painting it (which I would do also...I think the raw C/F hood look is ricey), that kills that benefit (looks stock). The performance benefits are about nil. Theoretically it's great idea, but the gains are really really small and the cost is really really large. Not worth it. If you can get one at a price you feel is reasonable, then go for it. Just understand that you won't see any significant performance benefits.

 

On the Maxima? It means you have too much money and have run out of other things to do.

-RMB

 

ther entier thing goes like this. you don't paint it. someone walks up to your car and goes wow carbon fiber sick!!! and thats about it. 100% looks. still if i had the extra cash....

 

shut the fukk up. seriously your post is 100% worthless.

if you are serious about dragging then this is something you should consider.

 

lol.... serious about dragging? You've got a front-drive FOUR DOOR sedan.... lol....

-RMB

 

maxima's can run 12's easily and there has been a run of 11's.

i dont drag my car, but i know people who do and i know what it takes. shedding another 30lbs sure as hell doesnt help.

maybe, just maybe, you dont know what you are taking about. far be it for me to call out an assshole on maxima.org

 

It's 30 lbs guys...

it's NOT going to make much of a difference...put in better gas and you'll get more of an improvement.

It's a COSMETIC modification.

 

carbon fiber is rice remember???

fukking maxima.org..

 

A few years ago, I went to the gym for several months and lost 30 pounds. That must be worth about 1% more fuel economy in the city.

 

I bought my carbon fiber hood because I was in a wreck and my stock hood was crumpled. I got the CF hood for about $100 more than it would have cost to get an OEM hood and have it painted. The stock hood weighs 46lbs according to my bathroom scale and the FI CF hood weighs 16lbs according to my bathroom scale. 30lbs is probably good for a .03 on the drag strip and an extra 3 feet into the corner in a braking situation, so the difference like Keven said is pretty much nil. But if you are doing other things to reduce the weight of your car as well and can afford a CF hood then why not, 30lbs is about 1% of the car's weight.

 

just paint the damn hood black if you wanna go for that look, also they sell roll of carbon fiber like stickers for about 50 bux to put on hoods, yes it is ricey but does look nice

 

I agree that 30 lbs is not that big of a deal when comparing a 2970lb max with a 3000lb max. But as others posted, when you combine this with some race seats, removing sound deadening material, removing metal plate below steering wheel, etc, etc, it all adds up.