Interior styling

CovFC87

Active Member
Mar 29, 2019
75
48
Has anyone used a carbon fibre (or other) vinyl wrap for interior plastics, and the bronze steering wheel logo? Is it easy to do, and how easy does it come off, leave any trace etc? Thanks

Also, has anyone used Diamond Car Mats? They're expensive, but look the donkeys conkers imo (probably not to everyone's taste) But if anyone has any experience of them, would be good to hear before spending a lot of money https://www.diamondcarmats.com/product/black-and-red-stitching-luxury-car-mats-set/

Thanks
 

Don1961

Active Member
Apr 11, 2019
213
118
Hi @CovFC87. I did the 4 vent surrounds and part of climate control panel at the weekend. First time I'd used it.... takes a bit of practice and patience, but I was pleased with the results. Removal seemed OK, after my many mistakes. Although it hadn't been stuck down for very long.
I'll try and post some pics later
 

Oddmanout

Active Member
May 19, 2019
121
48
Has anyone used a carbon fibre (or other) vinyl wrap for interior plastics, and the bronze steering wheel logo? Is it easy to do, and how easy does it come off, leave any trace etc? Thanks

Also, has anyone used Diamond Car Mats? They're expensive, but look the donkeys conkers imo (probably not to everyone's taste) But if anyone has any experience of them, would be good to hear before spending a lot of money https://www.diamondcarmats.com/product/black-and-red-stitching-luxury-car-mats-set/

Thanks

Those mats look great but you could buy a front splitter for that price lol

Significantly cheaper here (half priceish)

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/group/Diamond-floor-mats/1929155_511941185.html
 

CovFC87

Active Member
Mar 29, 2019
75
48
Hi @CovFC87. I did the 4 vent surrounds and part of climate control panel at the weekend. First time I'd used it.... takes a bit of practice and patience, but I was pleased with the results. Removal seemed OK, after my many mistakes. Although it hadn't been stuck down for very long.
I'll try and post some pics later
Would love to see some pics

Sent from my Razer using Tapatalk
 

Don1961

Active Member
Apr 11, 2019
213
118
Here you go..... I got the idea from another thread on here, but I can't find it now. I had thought of a dark red, to compliment the red lighting and stitching on seats, but I think this looks better. I bit more subtle

IMG_20190529_123204.jpg IMG_20190529_123225.jpg IMG_20190529_123238.jpg IMG_20190529_123418.jpg IMG_20190529_123423.jpg IMG_20190529_123514.jpg
 

CovFC87

Active Member
Mar 29, 2019
75
48
Looks brilliant, you did a really good job. I assume you had to cut it all yourself from a sheet

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Don1961

Active Member
Apr 11, 2019
213
118
Thanks guys.
Yes, you cut the shape roughly an inch too big all the way round and then heat it bit by bit. Working round the edges and then trim the excess once it's stuck down. Then do the holes. I watched some youtube videos before i started. This is a good one....


The sheet I got came with tool for doing the edges....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B078VDPTPG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The driver's vent and climate control panel were the worst, as I had to take apart the trim and then glue it back together. As the securing studs were like squashed at the ends to secure it. So I cut off the melted bit and then glued it back together.

The two centre vents come out as one piece together with the screen. I eventually worked out how to remove the screen without disconnecting it.

So, a bit of a faff in places, and a couple of bits took more than one attempt before I was happy, but I think it was worth it. Just take your time and don't rush it

@CovFC87 you're not in Coventry are you? Just a guess going by your name
 
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CovFC87

Active Member
Mar 29, 2019
75
48
Taking the trim off scares me a bit, but I guess that's the best, if not only, way to do it. That was the original point of the post I guess, to see how it's actually done.
I'm not actually in Coventry, I go back every now and then to visit family, but I'm based in Essex now.

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Don1961

Active Member
Apr 11, 2019
213
118
Taking the vents off isn't too bad....

The passenger side.... trim removal tool between vent and dash and the whole thing pops out. There are clips at the back that release vent bit and then the silver bit slides off. Then you're just left with the bit you want to wrap. Putting it back together helps secure the edges.

The driver's side..... trim removal tool between shiny black bit and dash. Helps if you move steering wheel fully back and down, as I had to remove trim around the instruments to help getting the vent out. At the back there are clips to hold the duct bit. I did try to wrap without removing the silver trim but failed. So I had to remove the black shiny trim to get the silver trim off. I did wonder if it would go back together OK, but 2 part epoxy seemed to hold it OK. I just sliced the tops off the securing posts so there was something left to glue.

The centre vents.... although they're fixed to the screen surround, the duct bits just unclip and then they, together with the screen help secure the edges. As does the black trim. To remove the screen there are four lugs you need to push in and then the screen poos out the front, but you need to remove it together with the vents first. The cables are long enough so you don't need to disconnect anything.

Climate control panel..... this just pulls off with a bit of effort. I did try a trim removal tool, but didn't have much luck as it's a tight fit. The bit with the knobs on just unscrews. You could try without removing the black trim, but after my failed attempts with the vent I decided to remove the tops of studs and then glue afterwards.

The good thing is putting it all back together helps secure the wrapping and I don't intend taking panels of again, so I think/hope the glue will be OK.

Hope this helps you decide.
 
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Oddmanout

Active Member
May 19, 2019
121
48
Do you think you could do these in situ? I'm not confident enough to take the dash apart LOL

I appreciate it must be harder, but if it can be done I'm willing to try....
 

Don1961

Active Member
Apr 11, 2019
213
118
I don't think so. The scariest part for me was cutting off the tops of the securing studs.

When you unclip the duct bit, it also removes the bit in the middle with the movable vanes on. Therefore, you can wrap the carbon round the edges and then the duct/vanes bit helps secure the wrap. I tried the driver's side, without removing the silver trim, by pushing the wrap between the silver and the vent and it was too tight.

I think if you cut the wrap along the edge, it would peel back. It did for me trying the above. Though that might have been my fault as it was my first time using it.

Maybe someone else with more experience would know more.
 

Don1961

Active Member
Apr 11, 2019
213
118
Cracking job mate. Did you separate the driver's vent silver trim and the grey trim on climate control panel as well? If not, how did you get the wrap into the gap? I found it really tight.... hence I separated everything.
 

Oddmanout

Active Member
May 19, 2019
121
48
Wow you did it, looks awesome. How difficult was it to remove the bits?
Really want to do this!
 

CovFC87

Active Member
Mar 29, 2019
75
48
Looks brilliant. No way I could take all the trim off like that, also not sure I'd do as good of a job. Very jealous

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Lozzy15

Mods mods mods
Staff member
Moderator
Mar 24, 2015
577
392
Ilkeston, Derbyshire
Cracking job mate. Did you separate the driver's vent silver trim and the grey trim on climate control panel as well? If not, how did you get the wrap into the gap? I found it really tight.... hence I separated everything.

I used a guitar pick to push the wrap deep into the gap between the chrome and plastic, then sliced it with a razor blade. I used heat aswell to make it adhere in the gap.

Wow you did it, looks awesome. How difficult was it to remove the bits?
Really want to do this!

The upper parts literally just unclip. I went along the edges with a guitar pick to pop them out, then carefully unclip with your hands. Much easier than you might imagine. The aircon control bit unclips from the bottom and then from the top. Literally just pull it outwards from the bottom and it will unclip, same for the top but you have to do the bottom bit first. The surround for the gear stick area requires you to remove the aircon controls and then remove 2 torx bolts under where the controls were, the rest just unclips like the rest of the trim. Of course you have to un plug any attached cables.

Looks brilliant. No way I could take all the trim off like that, also not sure I'd do as good of a job. Very jealous

Sent from my Razer using Tapatalk

The trim was the easiest part of the job haha, wrapping it took about 2 hours in total.
 
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