Centre console re-dyeing?

[TJ 450]

I think my centre console will need attention at some point, as it has a somewhat marbled chalky look to it that makes me feel queasy when I look at it. 



Do we have any recommendations as to who might be able to perform such an operation as redyeing here in Perth? 

Tim

P.S. Nathan, you did inspire me to rip apart the interior... should I fix the sunroof while I'm at it?   

[Big_Richard]

I'll be watching this with keen interest as i want all my plastics refurbished when i do my interior. There are a few places around that specialise in this proceedure, weather any of them are any good i dont know as im yet to find out myself. 

[macatron]

I, too, am very interested in this.  The blue interior trim is no longer offered by M-B.  Black parts are still available and are the prefered new parts to dye blue according to an M-B parts rep I spoke with.  That seems too far-fetched and I'd really like to know if there's any truth to it.

[WGB]

What does the sunroof need?

Bill

[TJ 450]

I think the sunroof just needs lubrication... it seems to be binding, as it requires far too much effort to open manually. The motor has no hope of moving it.

Tim

[nathan]

just dont go to whoever wilkinsons recommend.
when they did my bros 280sel, they damaged the centre console - fair enough accidents happen.
but then they replaced it with a brown one they had died. bloody thing has had the dye chip off to expose the brown crud beneath it. very cheap looking and annoying.

[WGB]

One point I had found with my 450 sunroof is that when it was on the car no end of lubrication would let it totally open and close without a little push from a hand.

I never really studied the cable but after I removed it from the car for painting I didn't notice until the other day some of the gearing at the motor end of the cable was worn and was probably slipping in the car.

I have another old cable for if I ever finish the pinying but really it will probably need a new cable.

Bill

[Big_Richard]

just dont go to whoever wilkinsons recommend.
when they did my bros 280sel, they damaged the centre console - fair enough accidents happen.
but then they replaced it with a brown one they had died. bloody thing has had the dye chip off to expose the brown crud beneath it. very cheap looking and annoying.

Sounds like paint, not dye. I thought dye soaks into the object being dyed, and paint forms a layer on top of it. Mind you, how porous can plastic be?

[TJ 450]

That does sound like some sort of vinyl paint. I think mine has been painted with something similar, down to about where the window switches are.
Speaking of your brother's 280SEL, did you end up getting those blue plastic trim pieces at the base of the A-Pillars, Nathan? I will be going out to Pace Motors to see if they have any such items as well as B-Pillar trims etc... mine are stuffed. This will be occuring next weekend, I think.

The seats are going back in tomorrow after a really thorough cleanup... it was like a pigsty under there.

I got out a pencil eraser and cleaned the contacts on both the power window switches and the sunroof switch... very effective.

The sunroof now moves about three inches before it really starts to bind (using the motor). I recently replaced the gears in the gearbox with the ones out of one of Nathan's sunroof motors, so that's all good. I think it might be the cable binding somewhere, but we'll see.

Tim

[carl888]

Oh, not the centre console   

I did the same job to my car last year Tim, did you see the post?  Let me know if not and I'll post some pics.  The console was also blue like yours and it came up a treat.  The job was done by Leather Creations" in Melbourne, a great job.  The paint is some sort of elasticised stuff, it needs to me slightly flexible.  I am not aware of such specialists over your way, but they must exist. 

Regards,

Carl.

[TJ 450]

Hi Carl,

I remembered that post about the console in your 280SE. It looked particularly special, I seem to recall. There must be someone around here that will be able to do a good job... I'll have to do a bit of running around and find out who.

Tim

[CraigS]

http://www.theleatherdoctor.net.au/

[500eguy]

How long does something that is dyed last? will it fade over time?