Product Review - Coastal Metals Cooling Plate
10-05-2009, 08:44 PM
#1
Product Review - Coastal Metals Cooling Plate
I was interested in a cooling plate for the Z, but didn't feel like spending a huge amount of money for one of the good CF versions and didn't want to waste my money on one that didn't provide complete coverage. I found this one. I bought it because it appeared to completely seal the area between the front bumper and the radiator and it was only $30 shipped!
Shipping: Great
I ordered it from the website and it was delivered to my office 5 work days later.
Packaging: Very Poor
The cooling plate was simply put in a plastic sleeve then sandwiched between to pieces of cardboard. My piece ended having two significant bends in it, one in the center and one on the passenger side. I was able to get most of the bends out but you can still see it in the center if you look closely.
Quality: Excellent.
The plate is made out of steel, so it isn't light. It is powder coated a nice gloss black so it looks good.
Design: Excellent
As you can see from the pictures, the plate does cover the entire area and even isolates the intake as well. The opening for the latch mechanisms is rather small which is good for enhancing air flow.
Fit: Very Good
The plate fit perfectly. The only down side is that the hood prop doesn't stay engaged in the plastic clip that holds it down when not in use. The hood closes fine and the hood prop doesn't move but it is a minor flaw. It doesn't affect me at all since I have hood dampers and so don't need the hood prop. I was too lazy to wait for the right light and get my good camera out to get good shots of the plate installed. Gloss black is hard to shoot.
Installation: Very Easy
If I can do it, anyone can. I did find out something about the OEM clips that hold the bumper fascia on. You pop the center section up to remove the clips. That part I knew. However, if you pull it up too far, it actually keep the plastic rivets from closing making the clips really difficult to get out. If you only just pop the center section up a small amount, they come out easily. The problem is that until you get one out, you can't see why the things are so hard. I kept pulling the center up harder, only making it more difficult to remove the rivet.
Notice the rivet on the left has the center section pulled out so far that the rivet prongs can't close together. The rivet on the right is easy to remove as the prongs can close together.
All it all it is a good product at a great price. I'm much happier to spend $30 on this than 4 times that on a CF piece. This is functional, looks decent, and if it gets scratched it is easily fixed with a rattle can.
Shipping: Great
I ordered it from the website and it was delivered to my office 5 work days later.
Packaging: Very Poor
The cooling plate was simply put in a plastic sleeve then sandwiched between to pieces of cardboard. My piece ended having two significant bends in it, one in the center and one on the passenger side. I was able to get most of the bends out but you can still see it in the center if you look closely.
Quality: Excellent.
The plate is made out of steel, so it isn't light. It is powder coated a nice gloss black so it looks good.
Design: Excellent
As you can see from the pictures, the plate does cover the entire area and even isolates the intake as well. The opening for the latch mechanisms is rather small which is good for enhancing air flow.
Fit: Very Good
The plate fit perfectly. The only down side is that the hood prop doesn't stay engaged in the plastic clip that holds it down when not in use. The hood closes fine and the hood prop doesn't move but it is a minor flaw. It doesn't affect me at all since I have hood dampers and so don't need the hood prop. I was too lazy to wait for the right light and get my good camera out to get good shots of the plate installed. Gloss black is hard to shoot.
Installation: Very Easy
If I can do it, anyone can. I did find out something about the OEM clips that hold the bumper fascia on. You pop the center section up to remove the clips. That part I knew. However, if you pull it up too far, it actually keep the plastic rivets from closing making the clips really difficult to get out. If you only just pop the center section up a small amount, they come out easily. The problem is that until you get one out, you can't see why the things are so hard. I kept pulling the center up harder, only making it more difficult to remove the rivet.
Notice the rivet on the left has the center section pulled out so far that the rivet prongs can't close together. The rivet on the right is easy to remove as the prongs can close together.
All it all it is a good product at a great price. I'm much happier to spend $30 on this than 4 times that on a CF piece. This is functional, looks decent, and if it gets scratched it is easily fixed with a rattle can.
Last edited by dhays; 10-06-2009 at 06:44 AM.
10-06-2009, 07:26 AM
#3
Administrator
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Looks pretty sharp...
10-06-2009, 07:38 AM
#4
Looks good, nice fittment....although i would prefer a metallic silver finish.
Drawback: looks like its cutting a good 20-25% off of you intake ducting....no bueno.
On some of the other "full coverage" plates, you will find they curve upward around the intake ducting as to allow for max air flow. This may be a minute difference and have little effect, but it would bother me somewhat.
Drawback: looks like its cutting a good 20-25% off of you intake ducting....no bueno.
On some of the other "full coverage" plates, you will find they curve upward around the intake ducting as to allow for max air flow. This may be a minute difference and have little effect, but it would bother me somewhat.
10-06-2009, 07:41 PM
#6
Looks good, nice fittment....although i would prefer a metallic silver finish.
Drawback: looks like its cutting a good 20-25% off of you intake ducting....no bueno.
On some of the other "full coverage" plates, you will find they curve upward around the intake ducting as to allow for max air flow. This may be a minute difference and have little effect, but it would bother me somewhat.
Drawback: looks like its cutting a good 20-25% off of you intake ducting....no bueno.
On some of the other "full coverage" plates, you will find they curve upward around the intake ducting as to allow for max air flow. This may be a minute difference and have little effect, but it would bother me somewhat.
The best design that I've seen is the Autotecknics V2 (not sure if that is spelled correctly). It is CF and comes completely above the intake ducting. However, it costs about $130. If I find one used at a really good price I may buy it. In the mean time, this $30 plate seems to work well and the price is right.
02-24-2010, 08:41 AM
#7
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I had one of these on my car. The op's review is spot on. I took it off recently though. When I swapped to a carbon fiber hood, I could not close the hood with this installed.
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