[bmwstephen]

After all this time has anyone had any successful solutions to the door panel delimitation? Whether diy or taking it to a professional reupholsterer?

[Braymond141]

There was a BFC member who would recover them completely. His website is gone and the material selection wasn't all that great in my opinion.

It's impossible to find a truly nice set of panels anymore. I really need a solution too.

[Magic M3]

It is possible to take the door card apart and recover the concave insert. Then it can be re-glued to the rest of the card. As For the plastic panels on the back, they can be reglued with gorilla glue.

Pete

[Braymond141]

That is the easy bit Pete! What the community really needs is a complete vinyl section recover. That's the hard part to do, or additionally expensive if you go stitched leather.

[desertdriver]

I've been reading about this lately. A couple of approaches with potential are found:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=248403

It's really not trivial. You have to be pretty good to do this correctly. Complete removal of the vinyl using heat, chemically stripping the old adhesive, applying a new adhesive, and then reapplying the vinyl seems like a process full of places to go wrong. Just mess up the alignment of the vinyl relative to the panel and then what?

Also, I'm really sure my 21 yr old sun-beaten black vinyl has shrunk . . . so a new sheet of automotive vinyl might be necessary in my case. Then the appropriate cuts must be made, . . . doable, but not really trivial . . .

[Pierre i am]

Gotta love the fact that BMW decided to cheap out on glue.

I'm having the same issue with one of my rear door cards. Is it too difficult for an upholstery shop to do or is it just $$$.

[desertdriver]

The geometry must be a pain without having the factory equipment designed for manufacturing those panels (pressing and holding the vinyl in place for the glue to set). Significant shrinkage (if present) means that the original appearance is next to impossible without replacing the vinyl--which leads you into a color matching issue.

A responsible shop might decide that this is beyond their skill level. If they are smart, they probably realize they are dealing with someone who cares quite a bit about the result. The casually interested will not put much effort into restoring these door panels . . .

[Pierre i am]

Originally Posted by desertdriver

The geometry must be a pain without having the factory equipment designed for manufacturing those panels (pressing and holding the vinyl in place for the glue to set). Significant shrinkage (if present) means that the original appearance is next to impossible without replacing the vinyl--which leads you into a color matching issue.

A responsible shop might decide that this is beyond their skill level. If they are smart, they probably realize they are dealing with someone who cares quite a bit about the result. The casually interested will not put much effort into restoring these door panels . . .

So basically $$$$ if you can find a good shop to do it.

Looks like i'll just live with it until these cars really pick up in value.

[IB M]

If your talking if $$$ anyway are new OEM panels still available from BMW?

[Pierre i am]

Originally Posted by IB M

If your talking if $$$ anyway are new OEM panels still available from BMW?

I don't believe so for the common colors. They might have some for mulberry.