Sean

Recently I began exploring ways to upgrade the 944 interior.

968 Club Sport steering wheel? Check.
New shift boot? Check.
New Lloyd's Ultimats (front & rear deck)? Check.
Rennline aluminum pedals? Check.
Seat centers recovered? Check.
Dashboard cracks fixed? Check. (Well, sorta.)

How about CARBON FIBER interior trim? Hmmmmmm. I have read a few posts on the topic here.

Some people say it is "rice" because the stick-on kits obviously save no weight, and they deviate the appearance from stock factory trim. Their purpose is purely cosmetic.

Others say it is "nice" because it updates an otherwise dated interior, and Porsche itself includes carbon fiber trim as an option in current production cars (no one is calling the 2002 GT2 a 'rice burner').

So what's your opinion on 944 carbon fiber interior kits - RICE or NICE? (Any photos would be helpful, too.)

red9four4

i love carbon fiber look so i would have to say nice

Rich Sandor

It's rice. no function, looks fake, IS fake, and is cheap.

schlag

To be honest I think the minimal/functional look of the factory dash trim is great, and compared to today's cluttered interiors, unique.

But then again I'm all about appreciating the 944 for what it is (an 80s sportscar) rather than trying to make it look like it's from 2002. The carbon-fibre-lookalike-stick-on-dash looks "stuck on". I also believe putting a rear valance and a turbo-nose on a NA is a crime. So you know where I'm coming from

SamGrant951

I added it because I feel it brings the interior to life. It was so dull so I added that and some color in a few places. It did wonders. Yes it sticks on, but mine looks as good as it did when it was first installed 4 years ago. So its not 'cheap'. Id rather have real aluminum, but anways here some pics...

Jerad

I like the look of the carbon fiber interiors. Most people on this site get too worked up on rice stuff. Personally, if you like it, do it. I make fun of the body kits, fart cans, wings, and stickers, but idiots that do this spend their own money and aren't hurting anyone. If you define rice as adding aftermarket parts to you car that are purely cosmetic, then isn't that 968CS steering wheel on a 944 rice? What about the 968 mirrors and door handles? Btw, I like the look of all these parts, including the 968 hatch on a 944. Sean, I saw the pictures of your car after you put the dash cover on and with the 968CS wheel, and I think it looks awesome. I'm just tired of people constantly asking if something is rice.

Off my <img src="graemlins/soapbox.gif" border="0" alt="[soapbox]" /> now.

Tremelune

If you like it, go for it. People can't go knocking people for putting time/money/effort into cosmetic appearance and then talk about how Civics are ugly. Appearance is important. It very much helps define the character of the car.

That said, I'd keep it stock. I love the black wall of death.

Brian McCoy

If there's a tastefull kit (doesn't have the rounded edges where it goes down to meet the original interior - hence the stuck-on look), I think it'd look OK. If it were actual pieces, I'd certainly not complain at all. Personally, I'm considering getting some thin brass or copper foil and wrapping the original trim pieces to bring that splash of color to a rather drab interior. It has the bonus of weathering too, so after time it'll look more 'classic' - but this project is a time and effort, not dollar spent type deal.

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

924Superwagen

[quote]Originally posted by Rich Sandor:
<strong>It's rice. no function, looks fake, IS fake, and is cheap.</strong><hr></blockquote>I can't knock carbon fibre. I need to replace the dash on the 924 as it is cracked (my choice) and I'm going to try to replicate the 924 dash entirely in carbon fibre. I love its clean look...

Rich Sandor

I think the REAL carbon fibre in, for example, the multi-million dollar McLaren F1 looks cheap. I know it isn't, and I know it's lighter, but it would LOOK better covered in some plush leather.

Despite the weight addition, I was thinking of buying some sheets of leather, like I did when I re-covered the shift boot and arm rest (for $10cdn), and just covering EVERYTHING in plush, black leather.

Dave

the only way to keep carbon fibre from being rice is to paint it!
(don [nomex] gown)

P944forScott

FWIW

Many people think we are a$$holes because we drive Porsche's.

Many Porsche owners think we are idiots for buying a 944.

So stop worrying about what other people think and enjoy!
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

OZ951

We are pretty much all enthuiasts about our 944's and we like to make them better wherever possible. After spending a load on performance improvements I will be quite happy to update the interior of my car so that it feels less dated. I think the CF kits are a good way to do that. They are subtle rather than gaudy and they are 'appropriate' in my opinion for the 944 interior. Afterall they can't be too rice when Porsche themselves offer CF interiors these days. But as has been mentioned, its your car and you should do what you want not what other people want.

meng

SamGrant951:
Your interior is real nice and I think the CF kit in an all black interior looks real nice- but I have a beige interior with the black dash and always wondered how it would look with CF or Aluminum...

Porsche5050

Rice.

Ferdinand would not be proud.