Leather Sunvisors from an E89 into the E85/6

[Usel]

Leather sunvisors for the E85/6 are very hard to find. I hate the feel of the plastics on the dash, door cards and the sunvisor. Running my hand across them gives my skin a horrible sensation.

So I have found some visors from an E89 and modded them to fit. Whilst they are not the premium leather found on genuine E85 visors they are a lot better than standard visors.

Here's some pictures to show they are the same shape but they are about an inch shorter:







One end of the visor has the same fitting:



The other end is different and needs to be swapped:





To swap the end you to release the metal clip inside the plastic housing, pictured is the E89 but its the same for the E85/6:





This is easier said than done but I'll try and explain. Jam a screwdriver in here:



Then you reach inside with some long nose pliers and pull out the U shape clip. However it all happens so fast, it pings out, and disappears under the chest freezer. Never work near chest freezers, I have lost so many pieces under there. So I don't have a picture. Now let's try again but with the E85 visor.

So you jam in a screwdriver, then jam in a couple more like this:



Then from the front you can lever over the U shaped clip so it comes out:



Then you're left with this:



Now rotate the whole clip, simulating the motion of the visor being folded up and down in the car, whilst pulling and it will come off:



This shows the E89 visor, the E85 clip and at the top the E89 clip:



Use a stanley knife and cut the ring off:



Super glue the stitching along the top and bottom:





When dry, cut the leather off:

 

[Usel]

Now you can reassemble. Use the E85 clip and metal insert:





Push it down:



Then use a screwdriver driver so it's all the way down as far as it'll go, here is it compared to an original E85 visor:



Then attach it to the car. Taking photos with it being so close to the windscreen is difficult to get good shots so here are lots of terrible photos to inspire you:

 

[RMB]

@Usel amazing work, they look great! Are you rolling these out? Take my money.

 

[Usel]

@Usel amazing work, they look great! Are you rolling these out? Take my money.

Thanks, however i was hoping people would do it themselves

I should have mentioned, whilst leather E89 visors are easier to find than E85/6 they are still difficult to source.

There is a pair here, note that it says fire damaged, so may stink! There is melty damage to the plastic clips but I think the leather looks ok?

BMW Z4 Roadster E89 Left Right Sun Visor Kit 3.0i 190kw 2009 RHD ( FIRE DAMAGE ) | eBay UK

Fuel type Petrol. Steering position RHD. RHD: Part from a right-hand drive vehicle (e.g., UK, Japan, Australia). This item is located in Lithuania. Manufacturer BMW. Modification sDrive 30 i. It is crucial that you do not remove any warranty stickers from the part or unscrew any marked bolts.

ebay.us

I paid about £25 for mine. Try looking for E89's being broken at junk yards near you. You'd likely get a better price that way.

 

[MrPT]

That’s a great idea. The leather doesn’t look too bad - not nappa but nicer than the coarse grained stuff you get on low end current models.

 

[Mr Tidy]

Great work, they look so much better.

Do you know if they are always black in E89s or colour matched to the seats? I'd love some red ones in my car!

 

[RMB]

Looking on Autotrader at cars with red or cream leather the sun visors are still all black, even on cars with extended leather.

 

[Usel]

Looking on Autotrader at cars with red or cream leather the sun visors are still all black, even on cars with extended leather.

I have also checked real oem and only black seems available. The only option for red would be to paint them, which is possible