how difficult is it to remove the trim?
- Thread starter z4dsun
- Start date
A
Anonymous
Guest
dont even think about it. leave it in place, the adhesive is very strong on the backside, trust me don't do it. you'll regret it. crack breaking you name it, residue left behind, not getting the new one on properly with adhesive overlapping....................don't do it.
Dustin tech
Dustin tech
I've not done it myself but my dealer did so when repairing a leak and wrecked every piece of trim while doing so, thereafter leaving every piece hanging loose when it was put back in place. It's all fixed now after major hassle but from my experience I would approach it cautiously and allow a decent amount of time to carry it out properly.
I've not done it myself but my dealer did so when repairing a leak and wrecked every piece of trim while doing so, thereafter leaving every piece hanging loose when it was put back in place. It's all fixed now after major hassle but from my experience I would approach it cautiously and allow a decent amount of time to carry it out properly.
Here is a link to the best DIY on removing the console that I have seen - lots of pics! - -
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1487
Big thanks to "plowy" in the UK for his reply to this post !
It helped me a lot but there is still a lot of "unknown" as to how each of the fastners are shaped underneath and lock in. It is easy to break off a piece that locks into another. The big problem in removing the console is that you must first remove the entire center storage trim before the console can be removed. The full console has to come out in order to lay flat upside down to remove about 20+ screws holding the trim from underneath.
I usually don't care for wood trim but I really like the Madeira Wood trim in my 06 Z4M Roadster -
I wanted a nice wood instead of the Aluminum trim in my 05 Z4 3.0 (leased through my business instead of driving a 4-door!) -
Then one day I saw an E-Bay auction for Madeira Wood trim for a lot less than retail parts price. I wondered if I took on more than I could handle! So I took a
chance and here is the final result !
I will have to put the Aluminum back on if I do not buy the 3.0 next November. There is a chance I will buy it since it has been such a great car! Yes, even with the Z4M , I like my 3.0 in every way! Was it worth the effort? I think yes! It will also be half as much work putting the Aluminum back since I have had it all apart once the slow unknown discovery way.
The next few photos show what the dash looks like with the trim off and what the backside of the trim piece looks like. There are small clamps the hold each of the extended prongs in place. All but one of the clips came free. The one that didn't broke off but was not important.
The dash trim is removed as follows - 1.) remove passenger side air vent. 2.) remove center air vent (a real bear!) - see this picture -
3.) with the center vent out, remove radio screws and slide radio out. An extra pair of hands can hold the radio without unpluging it. 4.) remove 2 screws under radio holding trim. Pull trim straight out towards you with even pressure across the trim piece. Not easy!
I took pictures of each piece I removed, front and back. It would take a lot of sizing and croping to publish all these pics. I can post a certain picture if I can help with a specific area where someone is stuck.
Hope this helps!
Happy Holidays!
Best!
Jack
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1487
Big thanks to "plowy" in the UK for his reply to this post !
It helped me a lot but there is still a lot of "unknown" as to how each of the fastners are shaped underneath and lock in. It is easy to break off a piece that locks into another. The big problem in removing the console is that you must first remove the entire center storage trim before the console can be removed. The full console has to come out in order to lay flat upside down to remove about 20+ screws holding the trim from underneath.
I usually don't care for wood trim but I really like the Madeira Wood trim in my 06 Z4M Roadster -
I wanted a nice wood instead of the Aluminum trim in my 05 Z4 3.0 (leased through my business instead of driving a 4-door!) -
Then one day I saw an E-Bay auction for Madeira Wood trim for a lot less than retail parts price. I wondered if I took on more than I could handle! So I took a
chance and here is the final result !
I will have to put the Aluminum back on if I do not buy the 3.0 next November. There is a chance I will buy it since it has been such a great car! Yes, even with the Z4M , I like my 3.0 in every way! Was it worth the effort? I think yes! It will also be half as much work putting the Aluminum back since I have had it all apart once the slow unknown discovery way.
The next few photos show what the dash looks like with the trim off and what the backside of the trim piece looks like. There are small clamps the hold each of the extended prongs in place. All but one of the clips came free. The one that didn't broke off but was not important.
The dash trim is removed as follows - 1.) remove passenger side air vent. 2.) remove center air vent (a real bear!) - see this picture -
3.) with the center vent out, remove radio screws and slide radio out. An extra pair of hands can hold the radio without unpluging it. 4.) remove 2 screws under radio holding trim. Pull trim straight out towards you with even pressure across the trim piece. Not easy!
I took pictures of each piece I removed, front and back. It would take a lot of sizing and croping to publish all these pics. I can post a certain picture if I can help with a specific area where someone is stuck.
Hope this helps!
Happy Holidays!
Best!
Jack
A
Anonymous
Guest
Oh did not know it was more that just an adhesive, it is the whole covering, sorry for my ignorance, in that case it is do able with positive results.
A
Anonymous
Guest
hey in the pictures above i notices this nice arm rest just behind the handbrake, is that an option? can i buy that somewhere?
thanks.
thanks.
See http://www.leatherz.comBrossardZ4 said:
http://leatherz.com/Merchant2/merch...e_Code=01&Product_Code=Mark4&Category_Code=Z4
JackB1, great write-up 
BrossardZ4 said:
Says it all - - - :trampoline:
Also in the picture above, notice the door arm pad - also good to order at the same time from LeatherZ. Worth the $ !WLH said:
By the way, the wood gear shift I bought on e-bay. Check LeatherZ also.
Picking my way through it, slowly, Friday night and all day Saturdayrabman5 said:
- with an extra set of hands from my wife holding the radio while I pulled the long dash trim free. Not knowing how a fastner attaches or a panel latches to it's support, you can easily break a part. You should go real slow unless you know! I did take pictures of the major parts, top and underneath, so I could put the aluminum back if I don't buy the car at the end of the lease.Example - the console only raises up a few inches once everything except the sport button and the air bag button are removed. How to remove the buttons? I could not see underneath so I placed my digital camera up close to carpet pointing up. The following picture shows how the plug/wires connect -
Once removed on both sides (barely room for your hands to reach up inside), the console lifted out of the car and was placed on the floor upside down for the next step. But I lost half an hour at this point. Now I can just do it! It was "slow and careful" as I removed each part and panel. (p.s.) When all done, the airbag dash light stayed on. My mechanic at dealer cleared the code when I went in for annual service the next week.
If I do it again, it will take me 5 to 6 hours knowing what I do now. A dealer might be able to do it in 4 hours, charging $100 an hour.
Hope this helps.
Best!
Jack
JackB1 said:The following picture shows how the plug/wires connect -
Jack
Hi Jack!
From the orientation of this picture, this appears to be the back of the airbag switch - correct?
I was just wondering whether you had a picture of the back of the "Sport" button showing the connector and how many pins it has?
I want to order a switch and the appropriate plug and connectors to fit into another car. :wink:
The switch is $98 from the dealer in Oz, so I want to make sure I can get all the parts to do this.
Can anyone who has pulled out the console maybe remember whether it is a standard connector like all the others on the car and how may pins it has in it?
Thanks for any information.
Regards
Graeme
(Yes, I know it won't function as a Sport button in my car
)