The value of carbon fiber

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melvimbe

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This may come off as a silly question, but what exactly is the value of using carbon fiber on your truck? I get the carbon fiber has a great strength to weight ratio, but it seems like it's used mostly in applications where strength and weight are irrelevant. It's mostly just aesthetics?

If you like the way it looks, that's great. if it's just a status symbol since the material is more expensive than metal or plastic, ok. Just wondering if I'm missing some hidden value in carbon fiber interior accents, or carbon fiber vents on the exterior, other then looks.
 

goblues38

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IN the Raptor, it's 100% cosmetics.

For "trim" pieces....it is all about looks

using carbon fiber for structural parts (as intended) is all about the weight savings.

A steal hood is 100 pounds. and about $700
An aluminum hood is 60 pounds. and about $1,500
A carbon fiber hood is 10 pounds. and about $10,000

Always trade offs
 
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melvimbe

melvimbe

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Thought so, just making sure I wasn't crazy. I think CF is nice, just not the look I'd pick, particularly for exterior accents.
 

BIG TIME BALLER

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CF as an appearance package... has run it’s course. It’s been used too often and in non performance applications including the Raptor.

For me, it’s definitely not something that I would pay extra for. It came with my Blue Accent package, but I would prefer the Aluminum from a Platinum or Limited.
 

WillieFlo

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Thought so, just making sure I wasn't crazy. I think CF is nice, just not the look I'd pick, particularly for exterior accents.

I love my CF interior parts when they shine in the sun. On the exterior, I like some of the pieces that I've seen for the Raptor, but for me personally,
not worth the $$ they are charging for them. I'd rather add a COBB tuner and the intercooler, for the price you might pay for a few exterior CF body
accessories on the truck.
If you like the CF look, you can wrap just about anything in a 3M CF looking wrap that is really impressive. I wrapped my old Titan's hood in that
stuff and it looked great! It had an iridescent shine to it in the sun that was really cool.
 

bigskyRaptor

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This is the first vehicle I’ve had with CF bits in it. It was something I wanted as an option. Purely cosmetic and mostly a waste of money, but it sure looks nice.
 
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