Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 35

Thread: Aaargh, any tips on leather repair?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    McLean, VA
    Posts
    4,632
    My Cars
    02 MC, 01 MR, 99 Z3C

    Aaargh, any tips on leather repair?

    I was loosening my center console in preparation for hardtop mounting kit installation. My car has the extended leather package. While pulling up on the console, my hand slipped and my fingernails scraped the leather! Any advice on how to repair this?

    Kelvin

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    3,350
    My Cars
    '11 Fiesta, '90 Bronco
    You have to remove the center console to install the hardtop!?

    3.73 | TCK S/A w/ H&R Sport | M50 manifold | IE Subframe Bushings, RSM, & SS brake lines | Shark Injector | UUC Evo3 SSK & DSSR | Cosmos Strut Brace | ASC, Resonator, CDV Delete

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    McLean, VA
    Posts
    4,632
    My Cars
    02 MC, 01 MR, 99 Z3C
    No, but you have to loosen it so you can remove the rear console, to remove the seat belt tower trim to remove the door trim, to remove the door sill ,yadda yadda yadda, to expose the wiring harness for the defroster which is below the seat belt retractor
    Kelvin

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    3,350
    My Cars
    '11 Fiesta, '90 Bronco
    Quote Originally Posted by KBH22102 View Post
    No, but you have to loosen it so you can remove the rear console, to remove the seat belt tower trim to remove the door trim, to remove the door sill ,yadda yadda yadda, to expose the wiring harness for the defroster which is below the seat belt retractor

    3.73 | TCK S/A w/ H&R Sport | M50 manifold | IE Subframe Bushings, RSM, & SS brake lines | Shark Injector | UUC Evo3 SSK & DSSR | Cosmos Strut Brace | ASC, Resonator, CDV Delete

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Calgary, AB, Canada
    Posts
    1,069
    My Cars
    e28, e34, s52 M Roady, s54 M Roady, 3.0 coupe
    How about a picture of the damage?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    3,350
    My Cars
    '11 Fiesta, '90 Bronco
    Quote Originally Posted by m3conversion View Post
    How about a picture of the damage?

    3.73 | TCK S/A w/ H&R Sport | M50 manifold | IE Subframe Bushings, RSM, & SS brake lines | Shark Injector | UUC Evo3 SSK & DSSR | Cosmos Strut Brace | ASC, Resonator, CDV Delete

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Calgary, AB, Canada
    Posts
    1,069
    My Cars
    e28, e34, s52 M Roady, s54 M Roady, 3.0 coupe
    What? I want to see how bad it is before I make a recommendation.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    3,350
    My Cars
    '11 Fiesta, '90 Bronco
    Quote Originally Posted by m3conversion View Post
    What? I want to see how bad it is before I make a recommendation.
    oh...he has a pic in the original post

    3.73 | TCK S/A w/ H&R Sport | M50 manifold | IE Subframe Bushings, RSM, & SS brake lines | Shark Injector | UUC Evo3 SSK & DSSR | Cosmos Strut Brace | ASC, Resonator, CDV Delete

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    SW Florida
    Posts
    12,681
    My Cars
    99-01 M Cpe & Rdts, X5M
    Quote Originally Posted by KBH22102 View Post
    No, but you have to loosen it so you can remove the rear console, to remove the seat belt tower trim to remove the door trim, to remove the door sill ,yadda yadda yadda, to expose the wiring harness for the defroster which is below the seat belt retractor
    I didn't have to remove (or lift) the console or any of the trim you mentioned when I installed a hdtp kit.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Posts
    220
    My Cars
    2002 S54 M Coupe
    I've used the Gliptone leather cleaner and conditioner with good results. Maybe their Scuff Master kit is as good. Send them the pic and get their opinion.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Tarzana, ca
    Posts
    1,849
    My Cars
    1999 M Roadster, 4Runner
    then go cut your nails.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    McLean, VA
    Posts
    4,632
    My Cars
    02 MC, 01 MR, 99 Z3C
    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Forbes View Post
    I didn't have to remove (or lift) the console or any of the trim you mentioned when I installed a hdtp kit.
    That may be the case if your cars have the electrohydraulic power top. Cars with a manual top require installation of the power adapter cable which means you have to expose the wiring. In retrospect, now that I know what to look for, I suppose it would have been possible to just remove the pseudo-felt liner of the softtop well to expose the 3-wire power cable for the defroster, but it would have been very tight. I was just following the BMW installation directions in bulletin 01299790519. In older cars, the pin housings and the sockets don't match so you need to do some wire splicing to make the electrical hookup on the driver's side mounting bracket. I'll admit I thought I had to lift the center console much higher than really necessary because I didn't know where to look for the power harness there. It ended up being right in the hole for the three position rear switchplate trim opening wrapped in black foam.

    Thanks for the tip Ryan, I'll take a look

    Driver's side trim removed to expose wiring


    Softtop well liner pulled back to expose power cable and plug housing


    Power cable splicing and hookup to socket housing of the adapter cable


    Power cable and hookup for defroster switch located in this opening. Also shows 3-wire power cable and pin housing unwound from softtop well
    Last edited by KBH22102; 12-06-2008 at 05:53 PM.
    Kelvin

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Boiling Springs, PA
    Posts
    5,883
    My Cars
    '02 Z3 3.0i 5 speed
    wow, that is an ordeal! Glad I was already prewired.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    McLean, VA
    Posts
    4,632
    My Cars
    02 MC, 01 MR, 99 Z3C
    Quote Originally Posted by cngizbleevng View Post
    wow, that is an ordeal! Glad I was already prewired.
    I'm glad the wiring was there at all. I've heard in some 96's you have to run new lines and relays all the way from the fusebox.
    Last edited by KBH22102; 12-06-2008 at 06:05 PM.
    Kelvin

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Greenville, SC
    Posts
    485
    My Cars
    '03 540i/6
    Wait until you have to reattach that plastic piece that holds the 3 switches. I recently pulled my interior apart in my coupe to address a couple squeaks. That panel is the absolute biggest pain in the @ss.

    Then to top it all off, once I got it all back together, I dropped the middle switch blank down the hole when popping it back in...

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    LA
    Posts
    832
    My Cars
    M coupe
    Quote Originally Posted by Markl006 View Post
    then go cut your nails.
    +1 one more reason i used to bite my nails

    I'd just take the whole side console piece off, bring it to an upholstery place and have them reupholster it with as close matching leather as possible. might be a little expensive, but its the right way to do it

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    hsv, al
    Posts
    909
    My Cars
    99 z3c
    Quote Originally Posted by dub2shoe View Post
    I'd just take the whole side console piece off, bring it to an upholstery place and have them reupholster it with as close matching leather as possible. might be a little expensive, but its the right way to do it

    That's a lot of money / hassle for what would probably become a mismatched console. I'd try the recommended products / procedures to repair or minimize the appearance of the damage. And even if that doesn't work, I'd leave it as is until there is a reason to re-cover it. (i.e. full interior work, so that it all matches.) Good luck.

    ..

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Vancouver, B.C.
    Posts
    2,162
    My Cars
    02 m 367 & 99 m 368
    Good pics. Do any of them also show the holes the mounting bracket bolts screw into?

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    McLean, VA
    Posts
    4,632
    My Cars
    02 MC, 01 MR, 99 Z3C
    First pic is the driver's side taken from above. The hinge for the softtop is to the left. I have circled the two holes where you mount the bracket. There is a third hole in the hinge and on the bracket but only BMW knows why you don't put a bolt there also. The flanged nut holding the bracket for the adapter cable is also shown



    Second pic is the passenger side bracket installed
    Kelvin

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Far Hills,NJ
    Posts
    2,238
    My Cars
    '00 Z3 2.3 Roady, '08 M5
    Wow, that looks crazy. First by a nail clipper and clip your nails bfore you start to work around leather. The wiring for my car was all there when the top was installed. CNGIZBLEEVNG did it for me. It took about 40 minutes or so. The biggest PITA was fitting the rear defroster switch. The connector was right under the E-Brake boot. But puuting the little trim piece back on where the switches fall into was the worse.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    McLean, VA
    Posts
    4,632
    My Cars
    02 MC, 01 MR, 99 Z3C
    I'm a doc so I generally keep my hands/nails well groomed. I usually wear vinyl gloves when working on my car mostly to protect my hands from injury, not the other way around LOL. I hadn't put them on yet since I was working on the interior. The wiring for my switch was right beneath the hole in the console for the trim plate. Reading previous posts like Matthew's made me think it was around the e-brake handle and that I had to lift the center console really high to get at the harness. If I had known it was so well placed, this whole issue would have been avoided. Interestingly I had no trouble whatsoever reinstalling the trim plate with the switch, it just popped in.
    Kelvin

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    MA
    Posts
    185
    My Cars
    98 Z3 2.8
    Try Leatherique products. (leatherique.com)

    The Rejuvinator Oil will condition and swell the fibers of the leather. I bet it will lessen the effect and make the scratch far less noticeable. You could rub it in and gently message the area. Contact them and send them a picture to see what they recommend.

    I have used the Rejuvinator Oil, then the Pristine Clean and it really conditions and cleans the leather so it feels like new. Great stuff.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    McLean, VA
    Posts
    4,632
    My Cars
    02 MC, 01 MR, 99 Z3C
    Sorry to revive an old post, but I finally got this repaired and I'm pretty pleased

    Before



    After

    Kelvin

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    alabama
    Posts
    123
    My Cars
    98 z3 2.8L 5 speed
    Quote Originally Posted by KBH22102 View Post
    Sorry to revive an old post, but I finally got this repaired and I'm pretty pleased

    Before



    After


    Wow! Looks like you used photoshop to get the scratch out . Well done!

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Seattle, WA
    Posts
    12,124
    My Cars
    2002 Smurf Hearse
    Quote Originally Posted by KBH22102 View Post
    Sorry to revive an old post, but I finally got this repaired and I'm pretty pleased
    Looks good. How'd you do it?
    jeremy [AT] coupecartel [DOT] com

    1 of 1 | 2002 Laguna Seca Blue/Black M Coupe | LK61201
    "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.."



Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •