i once test drove a used MP3 and i think the previous owner went a little too nuts with the carbon fiber / chrome trim. he or she had a dg motorsports ram air hood, cf sills, cf tail lights, cf arm rest, etc...you get the idea.

but what i thought was a nice accent was the cf over the ac vents. it would nicely complement the stock radio plate / bezel. i'll try to post pics that i saved of the car that i test drove (who knows, it might be your old MP3). ive since purchased an '03 ES and for the life of me cannot find who sells the cf ac vents. i dont care if its not real cf because quite frankly, neither is the radio bezel. if anyone can point me in the right direction it would be sweet! thanks!
-meGrimlock

 

You might be able to cover the vents with carbon fiber vinyl...

 

here's a pic:

-meGrimlock

 

those look like the cabonfiber vinyl. They sell them precut on ebay. Or you could by a sheet of it and cut them out yourself

 

Actually if you are looking for carbon fiber stuff for your protege just go to www.corksport.com its kind of expensive but they got nice stuff like carbon fiber ground effects! Yes, real carbon fiber sideskirts and other.

 

thanks. corksport has a great selection of cf, but none of the ac vents unless i get a whole dash kit. i think funding permitting, the only real carbon fiber i'd get is a hood. i think it would look kinda silly w/ cf side skirt, front lip, and then no cf rear skirt to round off the rear of the car.
-meGrimlock

 

CF makes me sick. The reason CF was so popular was because REAL race cars used it to REPLACE heavier parts. Now it seems every ricer with $100 is just adding layer of layer of CF sticky stuff to their cars....defeating the purpose of the lightweight CF....

These are just my opinions.

 

i agree with you there, thats why the only carbon fiber i'd do is really a hood to shave some of the weight off. even then i'd want to paint the hood to match the body. but something about the way the radio bezel has the cf-look sides makes me wish they finished them off w/ some kind of accent somewhere else in the car, or never had the cf look at all.
-meGrimlock

 

The other faux carbon-fiber accent is in the Flyin' M logo on the steering wheel...

 

true, but i hardly consider that even passable as fake carbon fiber...it looks like a honeycomb pattern more than a weave.
-meGrimlock