mecman

iTrader: (11)

I have seen too many of the CF hoods go yellow on the clearcoat from the UV rays and then start to crack. I would leave it unpainted at first but plan on painting it later when it starts looking bad.

theorie

iTrader: (31)

on my last FD, i had carbon fiber fenders, a carbon fiber front bumper, and a carbon fiber hood. i painted everything except for the hood and the kidney vents on the fenders

sage702

un painted for sure

MADDSLOW

iTrader: (11)

IMO, the CF look is as tacky as stickers, 5" coffee cans, and LEDs. Paint it.

bursty

please paint it. bare CF screams rice to me. JMO.

seven lust

iTrader: (5)

+30 for painting it.

RX7LINK

iTrader: (3)

CF on black looks the best IMO... if you want to paint it... should've just went with a fiberglass version

RedR1

iTrader: (5)

I'm a fan of painting it, but using light paint so you can still barely see the carbon weave beneath the paint. gives it a little extra flare

Broken09

iTrader: (1)

I put mine on and left it unpainted for a bit. It always seemed to make the car look dirty to me from a distance. I like it much better painted now.

turbogarrett

iTrader: (1)

A lil OT, but aren't most of the "carbon fiber" hoods out there just fiberglass with cf overlay?

I vote for paint!

RuffRyder

iTrader: (1)

paint it but leave a cool design of cf comign through. Like leave 2 thing stripes of carbon fiber unpainted it looks great.

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

Painting over CF means a butt-load of tedious priming and block sanding. Otherwise when you put color over it, the weave pattern will show through. Always figured that's the reason they clear-coated them in the first place, since you won't see that pattern with clear.
Personally I've never cared for CF all that much, it just looks unfinished. If I was going to change hoods, it would be for the vents, but I would get a fiberglass version. Gel-coat is easier to finish, easier to repair if damaged, and generally cheaper.