Adi-Benz

My point is that I've seen places selling it for like $50/yard online. Compare to fake suede, just for example, it is $13/yard to a relatively big gap. This is definitely something worth doing right, just was suprised that they were selling it for that much.

BLKROKT

Ah, got it. I didn't think there was another source for genuine Alcantara. I think those guys are the exclusive US distributor but I could be wrong.

Adi-Benz

No prob, I don't quite remember who was selling the 50$ one so it could be from outside of US.

Just for reference, http://jalopnik.com/what-the-hell-is...way-1604799947

Having trouble finding if Ultrasuede is a more cost effective solution


Edit: maybe this? http://www.ebay.com/itm/ECO-AUTOMOTI...-/221178452709

Edit again: I guess some stuff was lost in translation but its a fake alternative I suppose.
Not the one I originally saw but hey, something to read.

BLKROKT

Eh. For $200 vs $100 I'm not going to lose any sleep over getting the Alcantara, which I know will work great, with the right durability, color and thickness, versus taking a blind shot on something which might turn out to be crap.

Adi-Benz

Agreed. I have time next weekend so I might be able to pull a few things together and get started. This of course is dependent on if my car won't be in the shop / or looking for new car to replace it.

BLKROKT

Good luck. I'd like to do this but I have a HID headlight project that's currently in a million pieces that I'll never get finished if I get started on this too. Keep us updated.

SuperFastYo

I wanna see the headlight project!

BLKROKT

Will post in another thread. It's complicated....

BLKROKT

Good DIY here as well: http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...ower-dash.html

BLKROKT

Another one here: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/458...r-project.html

I'm ordering the Alcantara today, **** it. I think the color "anthracite" should do it - it's between "jet black" and "dark charcoal". This should take no more than a day to do. Will let you guys know what I find when I start pulling the dash apart.

Adi-Benz

Good catch. A good tip he mentioned is using painters tape and then spraying adhesive on top of that, so the dash won't be damaged (and if we bollocks it up, it can be easily removed)

BLKROKT

The Ferrari guy was going to lay down some 1/8" neoprene first for a bit of cushion. I think that might give a better smoother surface for the alcantara to adhere to. But then you run the risk of two different delamination events, plus the dash will be significantly thicker. I'm not so worried about messing up the dash, I just don't care that much, but I may look for a junkyard donor. Decisions decisions....

And the airbag area should be easy. You can see in pics that the passenger side airbag comes out of the dash in a defined way along defined lines. If I cut it right and just glue it back down, the cut lines should be practically invisible.

Adi-Benz

Do it! Make sure to take pics of where clips and stuff our for both our and your reference, you don't want any squeaks so be careful!

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w204/507518-dashboard-removal.html

this guy wanted to do similar but the thread died, shame when they never post conclusion

BLKROKT

Yeah I still haven't found a good step-by-step of a W204 dashboard removal, only one for a W203 where the guy had to replace his evaporator core. Can't be so much different, but you're right that there are a lot of hidden clips inside the vents etc

Adi-Benz

I noticed the airbag area as well. I also considered underlayment (such as a cotton type thing) to give it some cushion but I figured that would make it a bigger pita.

Adi-Benz

Closest thing I could find; facelift, so no help for me lol but it might help you

https://youtu.be/ST0Ux5a-M4o

Adi-Benz

Are you gonna do stitching?

BLKROKT

Nope. Don't care for it that much and trying to keep it simple. Just want the shiny plastic covered.

Adi-Benz

Gotcha. In my case I think it would be ideal for me to do stitching just cause the design would flow better with leather, but it is a lot of extra work 🤓😖 lol

BLKROKT

Not a W204, but this might help: http://bayhas.com/mercedes/w211/cont..._dashboard.htm

Someone posted something like this once for the W204 C63 from one of those super-old-looking webpages like this where you had to go through a bunch of submenus (some obvious and some hidden) to get to the information. I can't seem to find it, but I know it's out there and gave a step-by-step like this for all sorts of great things.

CarHopper

Don't you track your car? It may not be much, but wouldn't the whole idea be to lose weight? Not add it?

Going down this road as a DIY is risky. If you jack it up you'll be pissed and can only point the finger at yourself.

Plenty more opportunities to mess it up than get it perfect too. And perfect is what it needs to be.

IMO, if you really want this done, take it to the pros. This way you can at least point the finger at someone else when it doesn't look right.

Adi-Benz

I can't imagine that it would add enough weight for him to care much. Your other arguments are definitely valid though. If all goes well I will be starting tomorrow but we'll see. Plus theres lots of people who have done it before (not necessarily on the w204 platform but in general).

BLKROKT

I just won't eat lunch that day. The weight is negligible and getting rid of windshield glare and just making it a nicer place to spend time is worth the extra pound in weight IMO.

I can appreciate your other points, but if you think I'm going to leave my car at an upholstery shop for a week you're wrong. I don't want anyone to point fingers at but myself, and I don't trust anyone to be as crazy perfectionist about it as me either.

So I'm just down to color now. Poked around the dash a bit more with the help of that guide and it doesn't look too bad actually. Driving around trying to figure if I want "Deep Black" or "Anthracite". Hmmmm....

BLKROKT

2x2yds of Anthracite Alcantara and glue on the way! Now, time to go look at pulling the dash apart....

CarHopper

Not saying it cant be done, just saying it's risky. Look forward to seeing what you come up with though.