Interior swap - how difficult?

MikkiJayne · #1 3rd February 2017, 07:57 PM

I'm curious why you would want to do this? Have you found a car you like with an interior you don't?

Its certainly possible to change the dash, but it would be a hell of a job as it is crazy complicated in there. I've done dash swaps on A4s and Corrados and that's just time consuming, but there is so much more stuff in a D2 even I would draw the line there. I have taken the dash out of one - I would not want to put it back in again!

You wouldn't have to worry about airbags. Just disconnect the battery and they'll be fine. For added protection, they have special connectors which short out the contacts when they are disconnected so stray static can't set them off in storage.

notorious · #2 3rd February 2017, 08:48 PM

In terms of dash I'm just curious what people do if aircon unit needs servicing or those little motors need to be changed that can only be removed with dash out.

I understand that seats, central tunnel, steering column, instruments and radio should be out. Time consuming, but nothing complicated if there's no time pressure.

Are there any other specific horrors?

Goran · #3 3rd February 2017, 09:29 PM

I am listening in on this thread, as I am pretty much set on a interior swap. All I am missing is the dash and central tunnel and door cards. Seats should be easy done the rear ones before and the parcel shelf. Its the dash and theBose wiring I find daunting.

RICKY D · #4 4th February 2017, 01:54 AM

Some interesting points raised.

I really do not like my current interior (cream) so I'm planning to swap everything for black or grey which would probably come from a donor car so I'd get carpets and pillar trims as well.

The dash is the only part I think I would potentially struggle with, there are just so many wires!

MikkiJayne · #5 4th February 2017, 08:53 AM

I can understand that. When I bought mine pretty much the only criteria was that it had a black dash. Well, and it wasn't silver on the outside. Cream is nice in A4s & A6s because it isn't everywhere so contrasts nicely with black door trims and dash top, but the A8s are just too much for me in light colours. I've seen pics of prefacelift cars which have cream leather and door panel inserts but black dash & plastics and I really like those.

The biggest challenge with dash swaps is that in the factory they are fitted as a complete assembly with the heater and wiring harness already attached. In the B5 and C5 the harness is attached to the back of the rebar, but at least on those the plastic shell can be removed separately, albeit with dozens of tiny bolts which never go back quite the same as the factory did it. That leaves the rebar, heater and 99% of the wiring still in place. I don't know if the shell will come out separately on the D2 as its a long time since I took that one to bits. Maybe one of the A8parts team will know, since they will have done plenty of them.

The consequence of all this complication is the risk of rattles afterwards, and especially in the case of the D2, breaking something because of the crazy hand-tooled construction.

One gotcha to be aware of is the daylight sensor for the AC, which is right in the top vent of the dash, but has its wiring down the back of the heater box (in the other models anyway). Its impossible to get this wiring out intact when doing a B5, so it has to be cut to get the shell out, and then joined back together going back in. I'd bet the D2 is built just the same.

If you took your time (several days I would say), got plenty of photos of how things came apart, and labelled all the screws etc as they come out it would be do-able.

paulrstaylor · #6 4th February 2017, 09:05 AM

Possibly a silly suggestion, but if you stripped the interior and maybe the windscreen could you recolour the existing dash in situ?

https://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Ho..._Car_Seats.php

I have done seats before, the product works on vinyl and a dash will be a very low wear area compared to the seats so I can't see why it wouldn't work - maybe just change the lowers, glovebox etc?

HPsauce · #7 4th February 2017, 09:24 AM

The lowers/transmission, glovebox etc. would be leather anyway, unless it's a poverty spec interior.

Colouring leather certainly works, I've done it on mine (mainly seat refurbishment), though only actually changed one small item. I recoloured the handbrake grip (and that does get wear/use) from muddy grey to cream - to match the seats etc.

Ameiseuk · #8 5th February 2017, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulrstaylor

https://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Ho..._Car_Seats.php

Nice recommendation! I've just ordered some of their leather recolour balm to see if I can get my seats back to black.

Not a fan of the cream/platinum interior myself.
In my line of work they get grubby far too quickly.

RICKY D · #9 5th February 2017, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulrstaylor

Possibly a silly suggestion, but if you stripped the interior and maybe the windscreen could you recolour the existing dash in situ?

https://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Ho..._Car_Seats.php

I have done seats before, the product works on vinyl and a dash will be a very low wear area compared to the seats so I can't see why it wouldn't work - maybe just change the lowers, glovebox etc?

This is interesting - I would never have thought about this on vinyl

RICKY D · #10 5th February 2017, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikkiJayne

The consequence of all this complication is the risk of rattles afterwards, and especially in the case of the D2, breaking something because of the crazy hand-tooled construction.

Very true! Everything on these cars are far from straight forward.

It may be easier to sell this and buy another with a different interior but I've spent so much on the maintenance side recently that it's money down the drain in the sense I'm not getting any use out of it and might need the same jobs doing on the next one ( all suspension arms and full timing belt done, brakes)