Interior trim fix for 540 sport?

[twdubs]

i'm new to e39's. i just bought a 99 and it has the wood grain trim. one of the pieces (just above the glove box) has come undone at one end. do i need to replace the one clip or all of the clips? where can i get clips cheap? trying to stay away from dealer.

[Speedlimits?]

Great question. I have a few pieces of trim that are cracked and would be interested in folks experience getting replacements and installing them.

[Gid]

You can replace the one bad clip. The clips are like $1.5 each from the dealer. The parts guy can be your friend.... I'm on a first name basis w/ all Peake BMW parts personnel.
Replacement of trim pieces is best done through people parting cars here on bimmerforums (or others) or a salvage yard such as Vine Automotive.

[BMW5Ryder]

+1 on the dealer parts guy... There are just times when it's just better to be able to purchase at the brick and mortar, and being a repeat customer doesn't hurt your future pricing....

When you do install the clip, make sure you insert the clip in the hole above the glove box first... then insert the trim

[BimmerBreaker]

What trim piece is this exactly? The front center trims used square in plastic clips, the doors used round "pegs" I got lots of extras of both let me know what you need

[twdubs]

What trim piece is this exactly? The front center trims used square in plastic clips, the doors used round "pegs" I got lots of extras of both let me know what you need

its the piece right above glove box. it looks like only clip is bad as only the far left side (next to tape player) is bowing out.

do i have to take whole trim piece off? or can i put on new clip and snap back in?


+1 on the dealer parts guy... There are just times when it's just better to be able to purchase at the brick and mortar, and being a repeat customer doesn't hurt your future pricing....

When you do install the clip, make sure you insert the clip in the hole above the glove box first... then insert the trim


only the left side of the trim piece is loose. am i better off taking the whole piece off and replacing all clips or just the one that is broken? do i have to take the trim off to fix the one that is broken or can I leave it on and it will just snap back into place?

[adam1979]

its the piece right above glove box. it looks like only clip is bad as only the far left side (next to tape player) is bowing out.

do i have to take whole trim piece off? or can i put on new clip and snap back in?




only the left side of the trim piece is loose. am i better off taking the whole piece off and replacing all clips or just the one that is broken? do i have to take the trim off to fix the one that is broken or can I leave it on and it will just snap back into place?

I have no idea how you would replace the clip with the trim piece in place. You are talking about the female plastic insert that receives the trim piece (PN 51458161557), right?

I had this same problem, and the way I understand it you have to loosen the lower dash enough to get behind it to remove the female plastic insert. It's a one way trip for those inserts...once you push them through the hole in the lower dash, there is a lip on the insert that prevents you from pulling it back out. You need to get to the other side so you can squeeze the end of the insert to get its lip to clear the lower dash material. Hopefully for your sake, someone else will explain that I am a retard and there is an easier way.

When all was said and done, my trim panel above the glove box still looks like it is bowing out slightly. My radio/mid combo also appears recessed too far into the dash, which exacerbates the problem with the trim over the glove box.

All in all, I would say not worth the effort if you have to fix it the same way I did.