Headliner - can this be replaced? Regret not getting dark headliner

[phaduman]

The only thing if I could change in my car would be to replace my light headliner with the dark (black) headliner. Every time I see a while S or X that has the dark headliner, I just day-dream about it in my car .

I have been thinking about using a permanent ink and do the painstaking work - lol. But thinking if someone has already done this some other way. Like:
(1) finding a MS owner that has dark headliner today and wants to swap with the light one
(2) buying the parts and doing the swapping (or getting a bodyshop to help)
(3) Expo permanent marker (lots of them)

No, trading-in not an option - tesla inside sales team, don't call me for this .

 

[Zaphod]

I believe the guy here who rebuilt the flooded car dyed his headliner parts. Don't recall how it turned out. Should be able to dig up his thread here somewhere. @Btr_ftw is his username.

 

[brkaus]

It was an epic novel...

Repairing a Flooded Tesla Model S : HOW-TO

 

[jelloslug]

You could buy replacement parts or reupholster the parts you have.

 

[Rockster]

A skilled trim shop should be able to replace the headliner for you.

 

[TaoJones]

It can be replaced. About 10 pieces (including A,B,C pillars, main overhead, crosspiece) and ~$3000 at any SvC.

Would be interesting to see what a competent high end trim shop would charge.

 

[trm2]

You could always try this:

 

[jelloslug]

It can be replaced. About 10 pieces (including A,B,C pillars, main overhead, crosspiece) and ~$3000 at any SvC.

Would be interesting to see what a competent high end trim shop would charge.

I reupholstered the headliner/visors/pillar covers in my i3 that I had in Alcantara. It cost about $350 for the material if you are going with genuine stuff.

 

[jelloslug]

You could always try this:

If you are going the dye route, you should use this:

I used it to dye a console top, various trim pieces and a carpeted rear package tray in a car I have and it has held up for years and year.

 

[Btr_ftw]

Starting at 11:57. Mine came out perfect

 

[phaduman]

I reupholstered the headliner/visors/pillar covers in my i3 that I had in Alcantara. It cost about $350 for the material if you are going with genuine stuff.

@jelloslug good stuff! Did you reupholstered with genuine BMW/i3 materials? I might go the genuine new parts route to check how much they cost. Some of the materials go under the dash and other trims to get affixed, so it may be quite laborious to get to replace them all.

@Btr_ftw thanks a lot for the video. Great editing BTW - to show the first coat application and then rest coats just snap shops - great work!! I might go this route eventually but without removing the trims (as that might be a LOT of work) - but that begs two questions - a non-professional like me would probably overspray everywhere and make a mess (so might give it to a professional to do it), and (2) - need to know how the spray/paint affects the air quality in the car over time....looks like it needs 4-5-6 coats, thats a lot of paint that might come lose and float/circulate with AC - not feeling good about it yet....

Great suggestions everyone, thanks a lot! My ideal situatiion would be to find someone who has the dark headliner and wants the light gray one, so we could go to a local body shop and get them swapped...

 

[TechOps]

My car came with the cheapo black headliner and I've been thinking about upgrading to Alcantara. Interested in this topic as well (either trim shop, or replacement parts..)

 

[jelloslug]

@jelloslug good stuff! Did you reupholstered with genuine BMW/i3 materials? I might go the genuine new parts route to check how much they cost. Some of the materials go under the dash and other trims to get affixed, so it may be quite laborious to get to replace them all.

@Btr_ftw thanks a lot for the video. Great editing BTW - to show the first coat application and then rest coats just snap shops - great work!! I might go this route eventually but without removing the trims (as that might be a LOT of work) - but that begs two questions - a non-professional like me would probably overspray everywhere and make a mess (so might give it to a professional to do it), and (2) - need to know how the spray/paint affects the air quality in the car over time....looks like it needs 4-5-6 coats, thats a lot of paint that might come lose and float/circulate with AC - not feeling good about it yet....

Great suggestions everyone, thanks a lot! My ideal situatiion would be to find someone who has the dark headliner and wants the light gray one, so we could go to a local body shop and get them swapped...

Alcantara is the name brand material that virtually all high end manufacturers use for headliners. As far as I know there are only a hand full of places that sell it by the yard in the US. It usually runs about $110 a yard and even the i3 ended up using 3 yards in the end.

If you want to try the dye route, grab a random piece off of ebay and try it on that one. I would not try dying it with it in the car. It would be a giant mess IMO.

 

[GaryREM]

There are a lot of other parts that would need to be updated: a pillar speaker grills, airbag labels, lights, seatbelt openings, main grill in center, visors... Sounds costly unless you spray them and put in new alcantra.

 

[phaduman]

There are a lot of other parts that would need to be updated: a pillar speaker grills, airbag labels, lights, seatbelt openings, main grill in center, visors... Sounds costly unless you spray them and put in new alcantra.

Agree @GaryREM, lots of other plastic parts/grills need to get the right color.

To me it feels like finding s donor/swapper who wants to exchange their black alcantara with my light gray alcantara is the way to go....

If I get too crazy looking for a project, I might just color the A, B, C pillars to black and leave the overhead to the light color....argh...nicknaming my project “unzebra”.

 

[ahkahn]

I'm in the business. I distribute SEM, headliner, and many other things for upholstery.

You do NOT want to redye it with SEM. SEM kicks ass in many applications, but by the time you remove the headliner, paint it with SEM, and put it back in, you may as well rewrap it with new headliner. And don't even THINK about painting it inside the car.

If you're a DIY type, buy the 3 yards of new headliner, re-wrap it, glue it, and be happy with a job well done.

If you're not a DIY type, take it to a trim shop and have them do that. You'll be into it for around $500. Any more and they're gauging you.

Hope that helps!

Andrew

dltcorporation.com (my company, and there is headliner listed on my website, as well as Headerbond glue)
I don't ever shill on this website, but since it's on topic, I will.

 

[jelloslug]

does your car have a pano or glass roof?

 

[phaduman]

does your car have a pano or glass roof?

Pano.

 

[Btr_ftw]

@jelloslug good stuff! Did you reupholstered with genuine BMW/i3 materials? I might go the genuine new parts route to check how much they cost. Some of the materials go under the dash and other trims to get affixed, so it may be quite laborious to get to replace them all.

@Btr_ftw thanks a lot for the video. Great editing BTW - to show the first coat application and then rest coats just snap shops - great work!! I might go this route eventually but without removing the trims (as that might be a LOT of work) - but that begs two questions - a non-professional like me would probably overspray everywhere and make a mess (so might give it to a professional to do it), and (2) - need to know how the spray/paint affects the air quality in the car over time....looks like it needs 4-5-6 coats, thats a lot of paint that might come lose and float/circulate with AC - not feeling good about it yet....

Great suggestions everyone, thanks a lot! My ideal situatiion would be to find someone who has the dark headliner and wants the light gray one, so we could go to a local body shop and get them swapped...

once its on it wont come "loose" but if you do it while its still in the car its going to smell for a while.


its not alot of work removing the headliner, its A B C pillars with the B pillars being the most challenging.

 

[P85MD]

what did you end up doing? How’d it turn out and what did it cost? I’ve considered something similar.