Slonik (Slon) Carbon Fiber CSL Trunk Review

[Tbonem3]

it being made of a different material and thus needing more gentle adjustment is not a product development issue. It's the nature of the beast.

I'm not passing judgment on anything else with this post. I know how hard it is to adjust a lightweight rep and oe csl boot well.

[old///MFanatic]

not a very pleasant situation, i know.
i had an idea to make some guide for him. and when we started our "tryings" in our workshop to make some guide (video), how to adjust it with the best results...
easier to say, that than the further we moved with this doings of the guide, than more clear i saw that i have no chances to change this situation.

I have a Genuine CSL trunk so don’t have a horse in this race. But reading your post this is what I see as mistakes in this situation.
You agree he was expecting a guide You promised and you just gave up never gave him as he waited. That’s bad customer service.

we know how long and how far our pieces usually ship, so much easier to make test fitment before packing the piece.

You say this and yet you packaged the first one like a $20 eBay sale from China with damaged goods arriving. That’s bad business practice. He had to wait for a whole new one to be delivered months later cheaply shipped, not even expedited? That’s bad customer service.

why oem csl trunk with the same shape could gives more easily achievable results - it has higher rigidity. i think its quite obviously, that an item which has x3 weight more, has more rigidity. not a 3 times more, but enough, to give that difference for ease of installation. so even under different vector loads from hinges, lock etc (back force from the chassis, when it closed), it stays with the same shape. our trunks in this situation more gentle, so they require more gentle setup.

So you admit that in your quest to make it lighter (than other companies) you have sacrificed structural integrity.
That’s a design issue. And thus a product issue.
And no, you know just because something is heavier does not mean it’ll be stronger or have a higher structural rigidity. That’s not a customers assumption of risk. Comparing to OE CSL they are two different materials. And speaking (only for myself) if these are suppose to look and fit as close to Genuine BMW CSL then expectation is not to have flexing when installed/used. Especially when many will want to paint like Genuine CSL and not incur stress fractures. Seen plenty of that with cheap China made CF trunks coming through the shop.
Just my humble (maybe even incorrect) observations being on the outside reading this thread.

[Slonik]

Short version: Don't buy a Slonik carbon trunk, fitment is completely off and communication is lacking.


I would like to preface, this is not my first transaction with Slonik, I bought his carbon E46 M3 strengthening wall. Even though I have yet to install the wall, quality looks good and during mockup it looks ok.

I had a decision to make between Karbonious and Slonik trunk and I went with Slonik just because of the 4lbs weight savings. I spoke with Slonik about fitment and was guaranteed perfect fitment (his quote)"our trunk fits fully the same as OEM CSL. we are crazy on gaps, smoothing surfacing etc". The order for the trunk was placed on Black Friday 2021, shipped 01-14-2022 and arrived 01-27-2022(I knew it would take time to produce the trunk so no issues).

When the trunk came in, I knew there would be an issue even before I opened the box, I could hear the trunk rattle around in the box. When I opened the box, I found a trunk that was wrapped in gift wrap style paper, it would easily move 6-8" from one side of the box to the other. I found a chipped corner and later after more inspection found that the chipped corner actually had a crack on the other side so carbon was broken. I contacted Slonik and we came to a decision that he would produce and ship a 2nd trunk which was shipped 04-01-2022 and arrived 05-12-2022, 2nd trunk came very well packaged.

And the problems begin..

I packaged the first trunk since Slonik wanted it back but before it was picked up, I test fitted the 2nd trunk and found that the fitment was complete garbage. The trunk would not follow the body line of the glass(it actually touched the glass in the middle) and also did not follow the body line at the bottom(near bumper). It seemed like both sides were flat and just did not have enough curve to them. I contacted Slonik and his response what, "Fucking stretch film", basically the stretch film used to package the trunk must have deformed it during shipping.(his words that stretch film did the damage, I don't buy it, 1st trunk didn't have stretch film)

Slonik asked me to unpackage the 1st trunk and test fit it, I did so and found that it had the same problem. Now I received a message stating that I didn't know how to adjust the trunk properly and that he would send me pictures or video to show me how to do, instructions never showed up. Just to be clear, I know perfectly well how to adjust the trunk and its 4 screws properly, I tried using the bumpstops(2 rubber grommets at the bottom) to help with adjustment but it is impossible to adjust a body line that does not fit. I sent pictures of a real OEM CSL trunk that is on my brother's car and showed him how perfect the body lines are on it, I am the one that installed that trunk. I reinstalled my OEM trunk and sent him body line pictures of that, also perfect.

I am becoming very frustrated, I spent over $2k on a CSL trunk that promised to fit perfectly, I had a OEM CSL trunk to compare it to and it was nowhere near perfect. On 06-20-2022 I received a message from Slonik that again he will send me instructions how to adjust the trunk, I waited until 07-06-2022, no instructions or communication. I sent him a message on 07-06-2022 telling him that I have yet to receive any messages and I was fed up with this transaction, I wanted a refund and he could have his trunks back. And again, no reply, so on 07-14-2022 I called my credit card company and opened a chargeback. After I opened the chargeback(my brother also sent him an Instagram message that day), I received a reply(on 07-14-2022). Slonik wanted both trunks back and when they arrived in Russia without any damage, he would refund me my money, I completely disagreed since I will not be stuck without a trunk and no money, nor am I liable for shipping damage. I told Slonik I can package both trunks to the best of my ability and he can provide me with a label.

On 07-25-2022 Slonik sent me a message stating that the credit card company has done a chargeback on his account and he wants his trunks back, I sent him a message with pictures of packaged trunks, dimensions and weight.

This case is still not resolved, my credit card company is waiting for his reply.

Slonik Carbon CSL trunk fitment issues.









OEM CSL trunk fitment.




OEM trunk fitment.

just to clarify - long delay answers in most cases were due to my rare visit to this forum (we are messaging in private message here), and not to ignore you, or not to throw you with two trunks, when you paid for one only . sometimes answers from you were also with some delay in a week or so, so i dont see in this situation any issues. and like you correctly noticed - right after your brother wrote me in insta DM, i've checked your message on the forum and gives an answer.
most of our customers contacts via DM of insta last months, and here on the forum i had private messaging with you only, for the last few months.

another one moment, which i think grown due to your misunderstandings - all my worries about both trunks condition & refund, weren't about damaging due to transportation back (and your responsibility for it), but from their condition BEFORE you pack them. like we both know, you had this two expensive pieces (and for me they are also expensive = cause we spent a lot of work on them) for a long time in your garage and i could only guess how you store them during all this time.
so why my second option was to ask you detailed pics before packing of both trunks from the all sides, to see that they are still in the same shape, like you received them. same about packaging - i could only guess how correctly you will do this moment, so why pics of packaging close all questions.

our transportation guys from NY will deliver them gently to moscow, its not a problem, cause we have a contact with them. and of course i have no questions to you for possible issues during delivery.
and please, answer to my assistant about delivery pick up, he had no answers from you (via text messages).

[Slonik]

wow, 3 pages.
not a very pleasant situation, i know.
after first pics from Pavel, and his messages about fitment issues, from my side, i had an idea to make some guide for him. and when we started our "tryings" in our workshop to make some guide (video), how to adjust it with the best results...
easier to say, that than the further we moved with this doings of the guide, than more clear i saw that i have no chances to change this situation. cause our carbon guy could fit the trunk like oem in 5 minutes in front of my eyes, and any other guys without such experience, if they have some issues and need to solve it have no chance to get even close even in 3 hours (i saw how it make it - its like playing on piano for him). cause too much things works really "wrong" for usual understanding, like you think that moving trunk backward gives you right result, and in reality it gives you absolutely opposite result etc.
and please, all "web experts", drop off all this bullshit about damaged mold. all trunks, each of OUR TRUNKS were test fitted on chassis in our workshop and they've shipped only if they fitted perfectly (and gap near glass also checked always!). trunk, which was made before this two, and trunk which was made after, were fitted fine on chassis, with correct gap on the glass. we know how long and how far our pieces usually ship, so much easier to make test fitment before packing the piece.

why oem csl trunk with the same shape could gives more easily achievable results - it has higher rigidity. i think its quite obviously, that an item which has x3 weight more, has more rigidity. not a 3 times more, but enough, to give that difference for ease of installation.

so even under different vector loads from hinges, lock etc (back force from the chassis, when it closed), it stays with the same shape. our trunks in this situation more gentle, if its correct to say in english, so they require more gentle setup - for example tuning of lock is quite important, and it gives the difference on the gap in the middle of the glass. far enough location point, but it works like that.

and of course, when they will arrive to us we will fit them again, and i'm ready to show the pics, or even better - to put the camera near chassis and record 5-10 minutes video of installation and final result, with showing gaps (i admit an option, that they were "damaged" during transportation, but i think chances quite low for that).

so, for the customer (Pavel) question closed already - he has on hands 2 trunks from us right now, and we are making money refund with shipping both them back.


ps btw, minimum two of our CSL trunks were sold to US, both guys had no questions about fitment/gaps and they were happy with result. who exactly did installation work - i don't know. but idea of that 80% of our trunks were sold with remote installation, not in our workshop and happy customers at the end, gives a thoughts, that installation is not so unreal, and that its possible not only by us.

[pawa_k2001]

Thank you guys. If I can't have that fitment with a carbon trunk of whichever company, I don't want a carbon trunk. Does anyone have anymore pictures from their personal car of a Karbonious trunk?

[bmwfnatic]

Can anyone that has a OEM CSL, Karbonious or Slonik trunk post pictures of body line near the back glass?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here is my OE CSL, perfect fitment, can snap some other angles later, if needed.

[repoman89]

Here is my OE CSL, freshly adjusted by me. The Status Gruppe rep that came on my car from the PO touched the glass like a Slon

edit: forum image rotation bug 🙄

[pawa_k2001]

Can anyone that has a OEM CSL, Karbonious or Slonik trunk post pictures of body line near the back glass?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Casa de Mesa]

You have to also realize that my rear window was completely out of the car for paint. I don't think you should 100% look to my car as the example for fitment in that spot (center window). The vendor that installed my front windshield and rear glass put the windshield in 1/8" out of square (lower on one side than the other). I had a 2nd vendor correct the windshield (long story I won't get into here), but I didn't get the rear glass addressed as it is square. However, there is slightly too much adhesive on the bottom edge of the glass. It's entirely possible that the window installation could be my issue. So I'm not sure you can use mine. I'd ask others who never took their glass out before using my pics.

[pawa_k2001]

It's slightly off. All the body lines are perfect but the trunk does touch in the center of my window if not adjusted.

To me, the weight savings is worth it. I still think the trunk is amazing. Quality is extremely good everywhere else.

Also, I have a Slon carbon roof. Shipment was a PITA but it eventually got here. I didn't do the install due to timing - my car was already at the shop. The guys that did the work said the roof was a near perfect fit. To the point where it was extremely similar to a factory replacement panel. Also my roof was sent in a box with the equivalent of spray foam insulation around the entire thing. It arrived in perfect shape and the large weave carbon is pretty amazing. I love it. That said, I ordered it in Oct (I think) and it arrived in March. EMS / Russian Post is freaking terrible. The Ukraine war started up and I thought for sure I wouldn't get the roof. But I did.

These trunks are immensely complex pieces. Immensely. A slight pinch on the window and some finessing of the fitment elsewhere should be expected. I've seen CSL trunks that look worse than the Karb trunk on the external panels. The Karb trunk is pretty off the charts good. I still think (my opinion) the weight savings and overall quality of the Karb trunk far outweighs the plusses you get with an OEM CSL trunk.

That said, I don't have experience with the Slon trunk.

Do you mind if I send your pictures to Karbonious? The attached picture is what I Karbonious sent me in regards to fitment panel gap by glass. They picture looks much closer to my OEM trunk and my brothers OEM CSL trunk.

[pawa_k2001]

This is the difference in how 1st and 2nd Slon trunk was packaged. 1st trunk had thin camo gift wrap and a single layer of small bubbles, trunk flew around banging against corners and because of this corner cracked. 2nd trunk was very well packaged.

I definitely don't want to unpackage the trunks since this is the second time I packaged them, I am hours into packaging. Since trunks are not mine(credit card company refunded me), as much as I think fitment is off, I want them to get back to Slon in good shape.

[Casa de Mesa]

It's slightly off. All the body lines are perfect but the trunk does touch in the center of my window if not adjusted.

To me, the weight savings is worth it. I still think the trunk is amazing. Quality is extremely good everywhere else.

Also, I have a Slon carbon roof. Shipment was a PITA but it eventually got here. I didn't do the install due to timing - my car was already at the shop. The guys that did the work said the roof was a near perfect fit. To the point where it was extremely similar to a factory replacement panel. Also my roof was sent in a box with the equivalent of spray foam insulation around the entire thing. It arrived in perfect shape and the large weave carbon is pretty amazing. I love it. That said, I ordered it in Oct (I think) and it arrived in March. EMS / Russian Post is freaking terrible. The Ukraine war started up and I thought for sure I wouldn't get the roof. But I did.

These trunks are immensely complex pieces. Immensely. A slight pinch on the window and some finessing of the fitment elsewhere should be expected. I've seen CSL trunks that look worse than the Karb trunk on the external panels. The Karb trunk is pretty off the charts good. I still think (my opinion) the weight savings and overall quality of the Karb trunk far outweighs the plusses you get with an OEM CSL trunk.

That said, I don't have experience with the Slon trunk.

[pawa_k2001]

Casa, thanks for posting those pictures. Is it an illusion or is the middle much closer to the glass? With the Slonik trunk, mine basically touched the glass even after I loosened all 4 bolts and slide the trunk as far back as possible. I raised the trunk enough the make it flush with side quarter panels. I was getting big gaps on the side and no gap in the middle when my brother has a OEM CSL trunk that is basically perfect with minimal adjustment.

If fitment is off on all replicas, I may just order a OEM trunk, I only wanted the carbon for the weight savings.

[Casa de Mesa]

Karbonius trunk lip. I will say that I needed to slide the trunk back away from the window or it pinched slightly along the bottom center of the window otherwise. Once slid back, it aligns perfectly with the rear edge lines of the car.

[Mattn1192]

I’m never heard anything bad for the most part about Slon CF parts until now. Disappointing to hear. Also, buying things from Russia right now through a back door may not be a good idea for anyone lol…