Base of Driver Seat -- Grey Interior

[Edgy99]

Question to E39 owners with the gray -- to my eye kinda blue -- interior.

My car has really nice interior, but lots of scratches at the base of the driver seat. Does anyone know of a color code that matches the base? I'd like to touch up, small thing but looks out of place with rest of interior.

Figure a picture is worth a thousand words here.

[I Got 5 On It]

I have the same problem with my grey interior. I would also like to know how to touch it up!

[robotz991]

Home depot (or similar hdwe store) has a color matching paint mixer...take a sample and stick it underthe camera.. couldnt be eaiser
(I've got the same problem BTW.. someday I'll do as I suggested, or you can sell me your remainder..)

[chiefwej]

Many just replace it. The part is about $36.

[Edgy99]

Thanks for both replies. Good idea on paint, but I'd think there would be a minimum purchase of at least one can, right? That's about 99.9% more paint than I'd need.

If just $36 for the outer piece of plastic, that may be the way to go.

[Qsilver7]

Those seat surrounds only can be purchased in pairs...so you may be able to recoup some of your expense by selling the one you don't use on ebay.

Or, if you can find someone else that needs the other side, you all can split the cost of buying the pair.

Just a thought.

You need #6 in diagram below: BMW part # 52 10 7 058 009 (Grau)

Click this link for price and part nbr index: http://www.bmwmobiletradition-online...52&fg=10&hl=27

[jonmcc]

I switched my scratched up grey ones out and replaced them with black ones FTW! no more worrying about scratching and the black looks great!

I bought them in a set of 2 from the dealer, I think it was about $50

[SaveItK]

Why not try and paint it first then spend the $50 if it doesn't work out? FYI I have the same scuff marks on my grey int.

[e39eddie]

I switched my scratched up grey ones out and replaced them with black ones FTW! no more worrying about scratching and the black looks great!

I bought them in a set of 2 from the dealer, I think it was about $50

jonmcc, can you attach pics? i'm curious to see what that looks like.

[jonmcc]

sure thing...Ill snap some pics later this afternoon and post em up as soon as I can

[mmm635]

Question to E39 owners with the gray -- to my eye kinda blue -- interior.

My car has really nice interior, but lots of scratches at the base of the driver seat. Does anyone know of a color code that matches the base? I'd like to touch up, small thing but looks out of place with rest of interior.

Figure a picture is worth a thousand words here.

After seeing that picture, you should go ahead and sell the car...it has depreciated quite a bit since you exposed that flaw!

Yeah Chris, I would not even bother with the paint. It is a high wear area and you will end up with the same problem in a short amount of time. The new plastic will make it look new and the paint alternative will never be able to look as good.

[Edgy99]

After seeing that picture, you should go ahead and sell the car...it has depreciated quite a bit since you exposed that flaw!

What's up! Did you hear from the guy who bought 19" CSL reps on the M3 forum? I told him you used to have same set-up.

I switched my scratched up grey ones out and replaced them with black ones FTW!

Black could work too -- I'm eventually getting new dark mats.

[jonmcc]

alright heres the pic I promised... (crappy pic and yes I know I need to vaccum!!)

[Edgy99]

Hmm... doesn't look bad at all. Thanks!

[PJB]

jonmcc, I have the Dove Grau interior, too and I'm going to get black mats when I replace mine. My question to you is, do the black outer covers look out of place the more you move around the seat? I would think with the black mat they work well, but those grey bits here and there I think would annoy me. Did you also get part #7 in QSilver7's diagram - the inner cover? I'm afraid that if I just got the outer cover then I would want the inner cover, then I would want the various bits that make up part #4 in the following diagram:



All of this would turn the purchase of a $34 part into a $76 mini-project before shipping. And while that price isn't so bad, I don't want it to snowball into something too expensive and anal-retentive.

Shanks!



Oh p.s. vacuum your friggin car out guy! C'mon this is a pubic forum!!!! sheeeeeeesh

[Qsilver7]

Hmmm, that kinda reminds me of the stone green/black interior option in the 2002/2003 (?) models.

The leather seating surfaces and center door panel was stone green, but the rest of the front seat, the carpet, dash, center console, etc was all black.

Below are pics I found of this kind of rare interior color combo of the stonegreen/black interior...does anyone on the forum have this interior?

[PJB]

Qsilver7, from my research of online parts databases and not yet having compared the schematics while in the actual car, I came up with three part numbers that should be swapped out to black to effectively couple the seats with black mats. These are the outer seat covers, the inner seat covers, and the various covering bits for the electric rails, all for the "basic" electric seat without shoulder, lumbar, or extending thigh support, and correspond to items 6 and 7 in the top schematic and item 4 in the bottom, respectively.









The corresponding part numbers are:
52 10 7 058 008
52 10 7 058 018
52 10 8 217 314

Two questions:
1) In your opinion, are these all of the requisite parts, or are there any additional coverings that I haven't located?
2) The RealOEM pages for the seats have different part numbers "FOR VEHICLES WITH BELT TENSIONER, MECANICAL COVERING INNER RIGHT." What does this mean and how can I tell if my car has them. I'd hate to fit the part and find I have the wrong one. I've already done that before

[airjose]

Edgy and Igot5:
I was able to get a quart of paint to match my gray interior. I used testors(brand) plastic primer and then with a preval bottle I was able to spray paint the interior plastic, mixing the paint with lacquer thinner. The paint brand is Sem and was mixed by a local paint shop. If there are different grays for the inside plastic of the 5 series I do not know. But I have almost a quart and that is a lot of paint. If you can find a really small paint can that seals good, I can give you some. I am just south of Atlanta area and can not find a place around here that sells small empty cans. A small amount goes a long way for both seats. Just pay the shipping and get me the can.
Take care, Jose

[jonmcc]

jonmcc, I have the Dove Grau interior, too and I'm going to get black mats when I replace mine. My question to you is, do the black outer covers look out of place the more you move around the seat? I would think with the black mat they work well, but those grey bits here and there I think would annoy me. Did you also get part #7 in QSilver7's diagram - the inner cover? I'm afraid that if I just got the outer cover then I would want the inner cover, then I would want the various bits that make up part #4 in the following diagram:

I knew someone would say this lol. I thought about it before I bought the black panels, and I decided that I didnt want the extra black parts. especially the one on the inside where the seatbelt buckle is. you never see that one! personally I think that it would look worse with the additional plastics changed to black because they will really stand out against the grey carpet. with the way that it is, you just notice the smooth curved lines of the switch panel without all of the little parts jutting out here and there and grabbing attention. and keep in mind the pic is a closeup with the flash on. I dont notice the remaining grey parts at all when I get in and out, but I think I would if all those little parts were black. just MHO

[PJB]

I knew someone would say this lol. I thought about it before I bought the black panels, and I decided that I didnt want the extra black parts. especially the one on the inside where the seatbelt buckle is. you never see that one! personally I think that it would look worse with the additional plastics changed to black because they will really stand out against the grey carpet. with the way that it is, you just notice the smooth curved lines of the switch panel without all of the little parts jutting out here and there and grabbing attention. and keep in mind the pic is a closeup with the flash on. I dont notice the remaining grey parts at all when I get in and out, but I think I would if all those little parts were black. just MHO

Two steps ahead, I see! I culled all the part numbers and sourced prices and I think it's going to come to about $65 before shipping for all the various bits, inner, outer and under. For that price, I think I can mix and match and see what I like, then sell off any of the extra parts. You made some good points about the black buttons blending into the black panel - I wouldn't have thought of that. At this point I think I just need to see if I'm missing any more gray pieces. Also, where'd you get the mats and how much?

[jonmcc]

Two steps ahead, I see! I culled all the part numbers and sourced prices and I think it's going to come to about $65 before shipping for all the various bits, inner, outer and under. For that price, I think I can mix and match and see what I like, then sell off any of the extra parts. You made some good points about the black buttons blending into the black panel - I wouldn't have thought of that. At this point I think I just need to see if I'm missing any more gray pieces. Also, where'd you get the mats and how much?

the mats came straight from the dealer, $134 + tax I belive. Im sure you can find them somewhere online for a bit cheaper, but I wanted them asap at the time

good luck with your seat trim swap! keep me updated. I really want to see how it turns out, you may inspire me to swich out the rest of my stuff too haha...

[Edgy99]

Edgy and Igot5:
I was able to get a quart of paint to match my gray interior. I used testors(brand) plastic primer and then with a preval bottle I was able to spray paint the interior plastic, mixing the paint with lacquer thinner. The paint brand is Sem and was mixed by a local paint shop. If there are different grays for the inside plastic of the 5 series I do not know. But I have almost a quart and that is a lot of paint. If you can find a really small paint can that seals good, I can give you some. I am just south of Atlanta area and can not find a place around here that sells small empty cans. A small amount goes a long way for both seats. Just pay the shipping and get me the can.
Take care, Jose

That is incredibly neighborly of you, thanks! Do you have pics of how yours came out?

Will get back to you on container. Wouldn't a clean oil bottle work?

[amancuso]

the mats came straight from the dealer, $134 + tax I belive. Im sure you can find them somewhere online for a bit cheaper, but I wanted them asap at the time

good luck with your seat trim swap! keep me updated. I really want to see how it turns out, you may inspire me to swich out the rest of my stuff too haha...

Looks good jon.... btw whats up with the molding? are your PMs working?

-Al.

[Mad Dog 20/20]

Are the black parts painted white plastic, too? If so, won't they also have the paint scratched off - making the white plastic stand-out even more?

[PJB]

A lot of times threads fizzle out without an update, so in an effort to avoid this ocurrance in this thread, here's my update:

I decided on just the outer seat frames in black (part #52 10 7 058 008) for my gray interior, and not the inner frames or the the various other plastic bits around the seat. I coupled them with black OEM floor mats and now the footwell area of my interior looks like that of jonmcc. I also replaced all four door sill rocker panels with newer ones, courtesy of gumbi4u. They're not the //M sill panels, but gumbs had a great deal on which I couldn't pass. The seat covers themselves are each held on with two Torx screws and three plastic rivets. The plastic rivets are held very tenaciously and removing them necessitated destruction. These rivets created a lot of frustration so I replaced them as well. They're sold in sets of six (part#52 10 8 150 020) and are markedly inexpensive.

Are the black parts painted white plastic, too? If so, won't they also have the paint scratched off - making the white plastic stand-out even more?

The black seat frames are made of ABS plastic, so they are all black, inside and out, on both sides, just like Mos Def. If you scratch these they'll still be black underneath and won't show up that much, which is why I got them. Black floor mats, however, are both good and bad. I got black floor mats to go with the frames, and also because my gray ones had dark stains on them that were very visible. I didn't want to deal with that again. However, everyday dirt and crap that is light colored sticks out very much. So with gray mats you see the permanent stains and with black mats you see the temporary dirt. There's no happy median.

Anyway, on to the pics:









In the future I might just go ahead and replace the remainder of the gray plastic bits with black, because I have seen pictures and it looks pretty good. It's a low priority, though, so who knows if it'll ever happen.