Most genuine carbon fibre parts aren't sitting on a shelf — they're laid up and cured for your order once you place it. That's why a made-to-order carbon parts lead time is a two-part figure: production at the factory, then tracked delivery to you. For most items the whole thing usually lands within 7–14 working days. Large panels shipped by sea take 30–45 days. Here's how to plan around it.
Why carbon parts are made to order
Genuine carbon fibre isn't stamped out like a plastic body part. Each panel is laid up by hand over a mould, cured, finished and lacquered — and the higher-end pre-preg dry carbon parts go through an autoclave on top of that. Holding deep stock of every panel, for every chassis, in every finish simply isn't how the industry works.
The upside is real: made-to-order means the catalogue stays current with new platforms, and it means you can often specify a finish — gloss, matte or forged — rather than taking whatever happens to be boxed up. The trade-off is that you're buying a build slot, not a shelf item. Plan for that and the process is painless.
"Available to order" vs "in stock"
You'll see parts described as available to order across most of the body kits and parts range. That's the honest description: the part is confirmed, the mould exists, production starts on your order. Occasionally a part is already in stock at the warehouse, in which case it can be with you in around a week.
The two stages of a lead time
Stage one — production
Production time varies by what you order and by the manufacturer's current backlog. A set of carbon mirror caps moves through the factory faster than a full front bumper. If a manufacturer's lead time is longer than expected, we'll tell you as soon as they confirm it — you won't be left guessing.
Stage two — delivery
Once production is complete, delivery normally takes about 5 working days to most parts of the world, with tracking on every order. In practice, most orders land in the 7–14 working day range end to end.
The exception — large items by sea
Bonnets, bumpers and other oversized panels travel by sea rather than air, and that changes the maths: 30–45 days. A carbon fibre bonnet for the BMW 4 Series G22 or a DarwinPro BKSSII front bumper for the M4 G82 is a very different planning problem to a spoiler. Where it applies, the product listing says so.
See what's available for your car in the full body kits & parts collection →
How to plan a build around lead times
Order the sea-freight items first
This is the single most useful habit. If your build includes a bonnet or a full bumper, order it at the start and let the smaller parts catch up. Ordering a diffuser in week one and the bonnet in week six means your car sits half-finished for a month longer than it needed to.
Group parts into one order where you can
Ordering a splitter, side skirts and diffuser together keeps the weave and finish consistent — different production runs can vary subtly — and gives your installer one job instead of three. It also means one delivery to track rather than several.
Work backwards from a fixed date
Building for a specific show, a wedding, a track day or a sale? Count backwards: 30–45 days for anything sea freight, plus installation time at the garage, plus a buffer for fitment adjustment. Aftermarket parts can need minor adjustment, and a good installer will want the car for longer than you expect. If a date is tight, message us before you order and we'll tell you honestly whether it's achievable.
Confirm fitment before you commit
The cheapest delay to avoid is the one caused by ordering the wrong variant. Pre-LCI vs LCI, coupe vs convertible, saloon vs Touring — these matter. Not sure on fitment? Message us before you order and we'll confirm it for your exact model. All the ordering detail lives on our FAQs page.
Cost, shipping and installation
Because a made-to-order part is a planned purchase rather than an impulse one, it's worth knowing the rest of the picture up front:
- Finance. Spread the cost — pay in instalments with Klarna or Shop Pay at checkout.
- Delivery. Worldwide tracked shipping, with free UK delivery on qualifying orders (see the FAQs for the current threshold).
- Import duty. Orders shipped outside the UK may attract import duty on delivery. That's normal for high-value goods and isn't covered by us, though we do what we can to limit it.
- Installation. We recommend professional installation, and we can point UK customers toward our network of trusted installation garages.
FAQ
How long will my order take? Most parts are made to order. Production times vary by part and by the manufacturer's backlog; once production is complete, delivery normally takes about 5 working days to most parts of the world. Most items land in the 7–14 working day range overall. If a lead time is longer than expected, we'll notify you once the manufacturer confirms it.
Why do bonnets and bumpers take so much longer? They're oversized, so they ship by sea rather than air — around 30–45 days. Where a product ships this way, it's noted on the listing.
Can I get a part faster if it's in stock? Occasionally, yes. If we hold stock of the part you want, you can expect it in around a week from placing your order. Message us and we'll check before you buy.
Can I pay in instalments while I wait? Yes — Klarna and Shop Pay instalments are available at checkout for eligible orders.
Do I need a garage to fit it? We recommend professional installation. With any aftermarket part, minor fitment adjustment can be needed, and a good installer will get the panel gaps right first time.
Ready to plan your build?
Build your car the right way — shop genuine carbon fibre in our body kits & parts collection, made to order with worldwide tracked shipping and finance at checkout. Message us first if you want a lead time confirmed for a specific part.
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