center console switch broken

[antennahead]

The push piece that opens the center console door is broken on one side (bottom of part #14 in the real OEM pic). You have to buy the entire panel. Question, can this panel be replaced without removing all the other panels at the back? I see there are 2 screws holding the bottom of the panel and the top appears to have 2 small tabs that click into place. Any experience with this panel is appreciated. Thanks.

John

[kaybat]

yes it can be removed, i snapped one of the top mounts removing the old one(i knew it was junk) but it did come off and the new one mounted without a problem.

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by kaybat

yes it can be removed, i snapped one of the top mounts removing the old one(i knew it was junk) but it did come off and the new one mounted without a problem.

Thanks. I was hoping it could be removed without taking all those rear trim pieces out. That's a real bear of a job to remove all that stuff back there.

[AmmarYasirA]

^^whs. This part is super easy.

But seriously though, the plastics are fricken crap. Mine broke too, but havent gotten around to replacing it.

However, even if you did have to remove all those pieces back there, its not too terrible. A few screws here and there and moving the seat back and forth.

Just be careful. That entire thing is fragile. Everything about the entire interior is fragile

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by AmmarYasirA

^^whs. This part is super easy.

But seriously though, the plastics are fricken crap. Mine broke too, but havent gotten around to replacing it.

However, even if you did have to remove all those pieces back there, its not too terrible. A few screws here and there and moving the seat back and forth.

Just be careful. That entire thing is fragile. Everything about the entire interior is fragile

+1 For a car this expensive I totally agree with you, the interior plastic is crap

John

[AmmarYasirA]

A little OT: but I've noticed that BMWs generally have terrible interior plastics. My friend's E46 just felt suuuper cheap, my old E90's interior buttons wore away really quickly (and that was only 3 years old w/25,000 miles when I got it), my other friend's E60 interior plastic made it feel like it was 20 years old, etc.

And yet... Somehow my (nearly) 10 year old Mercedes E-class interior with 100k+ miles now looks just as nice and clean as my CLS63's interior. Which, by the way, only has 30,000 miles. And Im really not exaggerating.

I love both brands, but BMW is just really slackin in quality in certain areas. And I generally had more problems with both of the BMW's I've own(ed).

But either way, I'll never let go of my M :')

[Varinn]

Originally Posted by AmmarYasirA

A little OT: but I've noticed that BMWs generally have terrible interior plastics. My friend's E46 just felt suuuper cheap, my old E90's interior buttons wore away really quickly (and that was only 3 years old w/25,000 miles when I got it), my other friend's E60 interior plastic made it feel like it was 20 years old, etc.

And yet... Somehow my (nearly) 10 year old Mercedes E-class interior with 100k+ miles now looks just as nice and clean as my CLS63's interior. Which, by the way, only has 30,000 miles. And Im really not exaggerating.

I love both brands, but BMW is just really slackin in quality in certain areas. And I generally had more problems with both of the BMW's I've own(ed).

But either way, I'll never let go of my M :')

Oh don't worry! The use of terrible plastic materials in a BMW does not end with the interior.

They use the garbage plastic in everything it seems (valve covers crack, cooling systems explode, auto transmission park/AWD selection gears sheer, wiring harness tabs crumble, HVAC gears sheer off the teeth, etc).


On topic though, as hack as it sounds I was unwilling to buy a replacement rear center console after mine broke exactly like the OP's did. I did buy however some superglue, and it's been fine for 20,000km since then and many pushes of the release button. I was able to get it put back on perfectly straight with ease and you'd never know the difference. The glue is probably the strongest part of the entire console TBH...

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by Varinn

Oh don't worry! The use of terrible plastic materials in a BMW does not end with the interior.

They use the garbage plastic in everything it seems (valve covers crack, cooling systems explode, auto transmission park/AWD selection gears sheer, wiring harness tabs crumble, HVAC gears sheer off the teeth, etc).


On topic though, as hack as it sounds I was unwilling to buy a replacement rear center console after mine broke exactly like the OP's did. I did buy however some superglue, and it's been fine for 20,000km since then and many pushes of the release button. I was able to get it put back on perfectly straight with ease and you'd never know the difference. The glue is probably the strongest part of the entire console TBH...

I might try the superglue route. I did glue it back last night with some JB Weld....... it broke again today

[AmmarYasirA]

^^ lmaooo honestly you're probably right. I had to epoxy the tabs for my steering wheel trims because they were all sorts of messed up after I took them off for paint.

Regarding the center console: Im probably going to replace all the broken bits or try to fix them. And then I'll probably reinforce them from the back (with thin foam), and then hopefully get a local upholsterer, and have him or her wrap the entire thing in proper Imola leather. (My own version of extended leather )

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by AmmarYasirA

^^ lmaooo honestly you're probably right. I had to epoxy the tabs for my steering wheel trims because they were all sorts of messed up after I took them off for paint.

Regarding the center console: Im probably going to replace all the broken bits or try to fix them. And then I'll probably reinforce them from the back (with thin foam), and then hopefully get a local upholsterer, and have him or her wrap the entire thing in proper Imola leather. (My own version of extended leather )

When I bought my M Roadster back in 2011 I almost bought a car that had the extended leather. I think it would be nice to have that.

[AmmarYasirA]

Ugh. Yes. Extended Leather is gorgeous and its very hard to find. However black and light sepang was just not my cup of tea when it came to color combo.

Im curious to see if they also suffer from the same issues as its just leather wrapped over the existing center console. Surely though, theirs don't crack like mine did. And I bet it just looks sooo much better in person.

[StickMon]

It's just leather wrapped over the existing center console, thereby increasing the replacement cost by about 20x.
Most of the posts are broken off the underside of mine and the screw loops are broken off the insert.



And the A-pillars and bit across the top of the windshield dry out from heat and sun, the leather shrinks and comes loose.
It's also bubbled and peeling up on the very top of the center console where it gets sun through the rear window.

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by kaybat

yes it can be removed, i snapped one of the top mounts removing the old one(i knew it was junk) but it did come off and the new one mounted without a problem.

Replaced mine finally last night. I too snapped a few of the clips getting the old one out. I think it's impossible to remove this part without doing so. Appears this is not the first time it's been replaced (I bought the car used in 2011). The push in plastic screw clips that hold the bottom of the panel in place were stripped out. I managed to get them removed, but wish I'd checked these first before my order so I could have ordered replacements. Oh well, the next panel to be replaced in the fall when it's cooler is the plastic at the front of the soft top. I'll order new clips when I order that panel. Don't you just love replacing broken plastic in these interiors

John