Carbon Fiber Key Cover

[azibux1]

Hi all,

Tagged you @Rob2k68 and @WarwickL since you were waiting for the pics / mini-review... Oh and @batch as he loves anything carbon (and now I understand why! )

Thought I'd make a separate thread for it since the other wasn't specifically about this cover.

First thoughts... WOW! I am seriously impressed with this for £23.99!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371639311127?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

It looks amazing! And fits perfectly! Super thin. I had to apply and cut the 3M strips myself, not an issue though.

Only two other downsides... And they're not really major (second one is a bit of a positive for me lol, read on...)

The space for a keyring ring at the bottom is reduced slightly to the point where it cannot be angled / twisted / spun easily without hitting/lifting the cover a bit... BUT the keyring ring that I have is one of the 'flat' style ones, if you had a traditional round one (or a smaller diameter one) I imagine it would be fine. I'll do some testing with this if I find some other keyrings. The flat one can only be changed angle when it is at the slightly thinner point of the ring (where the spiral ends) - hope that makes sense.

The other thing to note is that it reduced the distance the key works from by a noticeable amount, but not to the point of where it would cause any issue. People online say the same thing. But I can still go 11 car widths away from my car, and then diagonally across a car park that is probably 4 car lengths wide and it still unlocks my car fine. Which is more than enough distance. What no longer works was that without the cover I could unlock it through 4 walls and probably about 20m distance roughly sitting inside, but that's pointless anyway haha, to be honest I'd rather it didn't do that and am happier as it now won't get accidentally unlocked if I press it while it is in my pocket somewhere and the car is outside... This is probably slightly better for cloning of keyless keys also because it would reduce the range they could be picked up from outside a house I imagine.

Overall very happy, I'd rate it a 9/10.

I'll let the pics do the talking...

Thoughts??

 

[JimboMac]

Superb write-up, want one to go with my keyring lol!

 

[azibux1]

Superb write-up, want one to go with my keyring lol!

Haha that's the thing though, the keyring also has a flat stlye ring, so probably you'd have to swap that out for a normal one... Then it won't match the nice brushed finish of the flat one it comes with lol

 

[WarwickL]

Interesting on the signal strength as I found no difference at all with the Raywell one. I did a few tests a while back after reading up on peoples comments.

I have heard that as the fob battery starts to get low that covers have more of an impact.

The two negatives for me with the Raywell cover are

1. Makes it a slippery sucker
2. Makes it a bit chunkier for what is already a chunky key fob. The cutout I had made for my nude fob in the parcel tray under the armrest doesn't work now so I'll need to get the dremmel out and modify it again.

Good find on that one though mate and a great price cf the Raywell one.

The Audi ring cutout looks different to the eBay pic ?

 

[WarwickL]

Haha that's the thing though, the keyring also has a flat stlye ring, so probably you'd have to swap that out for a normal one... Then it won't match the nice brushed finish of the flat one it comes with lol

You do know that the leather key chain you showed can be attached directly to the fob ?

It is like the one I had with the R, you slide the middle metal piece to one side and the leather loop can be opened up off the pop rivet. Attach it to the fob and then slide the metal band back over.

 

[azibux1]

Interesting on the signal strength as I found no difference at all with the Raywell one. I did a few tests a while back after reading up on peoples comments.

I have heard that as the fob battery starts to get low that covers have more of an impact.

The two negatives for me with the Raywell cover are

1. Makes it a slippery sucker
2. Makes it a bit chunkier for what is already a chunky key fob. The cutout I had made for my nude fob in the parcel tray under the armrest doesn't work now so I'll need to get the dremmel out and modify it again.

Good find on that one though mate and a great price cf the Raywell one.

The Audi ring cutout looks different to the eBay pic ?

Yeah signal thing is strange... The car and therefore key are only a few months old so shouldn't be a battery issue.

I can't really say I've noticed it being much chunkier, maybe 1mm each side if that.

And I think the rings thing is just the angle of the pic, I noticed that when taking my pics... If you hold it in your hand though, and run a finger across the cutout with barely any pressure at all you can touch the audi logo, so it really is very thin in person.

You do know that the leather key chain you showed can be attached directly to the fob ?

It is like the one I had with the R, you slide the middle metal piece to one side and the leather loop can be opened up off the pop rivet. Attach it to the fob and then slide the metal band back over.

Ha I looked at that the first time I bought the keyring and couldn't work it out as I didn't realise you have to 'pull' the leather off the pop rivet, it looked too fixed so I didn't mess with it. But just the other day I tried it again and worked it out lol.

Did overlook the fact I could attach it straight to the key though! Just done that and it looks much nicer!! Will see how it goes in the pocket, don't really want to fold the metal part against the carbon as it will very likely scratch.

Now my key is fancy carbon who knows I may start leaving it out of my pocket more often haha

 

[azibux1]

Ever so tempted to buy some mica blue Tamiya paint here someone used once (looks a close match to Sepang) and spray the middle sliding part of the key ring and/or the chrome strip on the key... But don't want to ruin the key by taking it apart and not getting it back together correctly.. saw someone on youtube did it and he didn't wind some spring properly so the key blade didn't flick out anymore

May still do it and just do the sliding keyring part, because it's cheap and it is already looking a bit worn in places on the bottom and going shiny there

 

[WarwickL]

Will look good at those key swapping parties you guys have over there

 

[WarwickL]

I've got Sepang colour coded adhesive strips used to hide scratches. Might get creative and colour code the key and buttons.

 

[azibux1]

I've got Sepang colour coded adhesive strips used to hide scratches. Might get creative and colour code the key and buttons.

Could look good... Where did you get such a product?

 

[WarwickL]

Could look good... Where did you get such a product?

Got them from a UK company. I haven't actually used them to be honest. I tried them on a small scratch from when some ****** tried to steal our rear rego plate but it didn't look the best.

Autostickeroriginal I think was the company. https://www.autostickeroriginal.co.uk/

 

[azibux1]

Got them from a UK company. I haven't actually used them to be honest. I tried them on a small scratch from when some ****** tried to steal our rear rego plate but it didn't look the best.

Autostickeroriginal I think was the company. https://www.autostickeroriginal.co.uk/

Interesting concept. Never seem them before.

Don't think you could ever make a sticker scratch touch up ever look good though to be honest lol, it's hard enough with a touch up pen.

These seem to be for sticking over parking sensors instead of painting them also, that seems like a better use of them

 

[WarwickL]

Tried a strip but looks rubbish TBH

 

[azibux1]

Hmmm yeah... Be better if you couldn't see the 'edge'.

Think I'm against the sepang paint on the key actually on the chrome strip, will take the classy look away from it I think and probably get ruined the second you try and get a keyring over it.

May still look into sepang / tamiya mica blue on the sliding part of the keyring though

Is your cover cracked in the bottom right corner?

Also, does it hold up well to scratches over time? Or has it got scratched on the back?

 

[WarwickL]

No cracks but bruised in places from dropping it

Does not scratch

 

[azibux1]

No cracks but bruised in places from dropping it

Does not scratch

Great Thought it might get swirled up similar to some plastic phone cases etc. Good to know

 

[larbel]

I have the T-Carbon as well and the only issue I have with it is signal strength, real carbon fiber blocks radio signals so at least we know it's real carbon LOL And ordered the KeyArt black carbon leather cover just for the heck of it, it looks actually pretty good in comparison. It's snap on rather than taped like the T-Carbon, and since the leather is wrapped on a plastic casing, it's a little bulkier than the T-Carbon as well.

And the T-Carbon is on my main key, and they do scratches, it's a gel coat afterall, but you can always use Cape Cod Cloth to just polish the scratches away. And I added the sepang car wrap in between the seams...

The carbon black leather is on a dummy keyfob...

iPhone depth effect

 

[azibux1]

Ahhhh so @WarwickL must have a fake carbon one from Raywell Haha

Yeah I'm not a fan of that leather one, much prefer the T-Carbon

Ha I like the tiny little sepang bits... Still debating how to 'sepang' my key... I'll probably end up spraying the metal insert on the keyring in sepang / a colour very much like sepang (the tamiya mica blue)

 

[larbel]

Not necessarily fake, I *think* the Raywell is just repackaged T-Carbon too, it could be just that the thickness of the carbon at the transmitter area, some might be slightly thicker some might be a little thinner, so it's all luck? Even for the T-Carbon, some say it has no effect on the signal strength while some returned it saying it's worthless with it...

 

[WarwickL]

Didn't pay for mine

Wouldn't buy one TBH.

I find CF a little tacky and dated.

Will most likely get taken off at some stage.

No swirls on mine after months of use.

Maybe different finish that the T-Carbon ones.

Weave looks different

 

[azibux1]

Not necessarily fake, I *think* the Raywell is just repackaged T-Carbon too, it could be just that the thickness of the carbon at the transmitter area, some might be slightly thicker some might be a little thinner, so it's all luck? Even for the T-Carbon, some say it has no effect on the signal strength while some returned it saying it's worthless with it...

Yeah that makes sense. Like you say, at least it is reassuring that it's not fake carbon haha

Didn't pay for mine

Wouldn't buy one TBH.

I find CF a little tacky and dated.

Will most likely get taken off at some stage.

No swirls on mine after months of use.

Maybe different finish that the T-Carbon ones.

Weave looks different

Ha fair enough. I normally agree with you and think it looks a bit chavvy, but when done right I think it looks good (like this and proper interior trim pieces etc)

 

[WarwickL]

Ha fair enough. I normally agree with you and think it looks a bit chavvy, but when done right I think it looks good (like this and proper interior trim pieces etc)

Fair enough.

I think the fob looks better without colour on it.

I only put the sticker on to see what colour looked like.

Such a shame it wasn't a slim profile fob. Such a chunky thing.