Aftermarket door cards

[Cheeseburger]

Seems E36's all eventually suffer from flawed door cards... I do too, and it's next on my fix list.

The local auto upholsterer wants a small fortune to recover them. I can't source any at the local BMW wreckers/breaking yards, and the only ones I can find from a quick search online are racer-boy style ABS plastic panels.

Do aftermarket door cards exist that are aesthetically in line with factory issue?

[15Michaeljoseph]

Seems E36's all eventually suffer from flawed door cards... I do too, and it's next on my fix list.

The local auto upholsterer wants a small fortune to recover them. I can't source any at the local BMW wreckers/breaking yards, and the only ones I can find from a quick search online are racer-boy style ABS plastic panels.

Do aftermarket door cards exist that are aesthetically in line with factory issue?

Not that I know of. but you should keep looking online for the cards.

[CMG]

Buy used. If u could even find a shop that could do it right and it would last it would be worth it to pay.

[Moron95M3]

Paging Spyke...he makes flat aluminum door panels.

[Beitie]

I feel your pain. My passenger side is in great condition, but my driver side, the arm rest bubbled up and tore. I got quoted $250 to repair the card, but I'll still have to re glue all the pockets and trim pieces. Sadly, the top door trim clip broke into a million pieces, so I'll have to find a new clip. I've been searching here and eBay from time to time. Right now good coupe door cards are going for about $500 to 600. So I'm thinking my $250 repair is the way to go.

There was a USA Company that advertised that they recovered the cards for you, the price was epic, but they claimed they did amazing work. I tried to email them, but never got a response. I can't even remember the name. While the website was still up and running, it seemed as if it went dormant a few years ago.

Redline goods is another option, and it seems like a decent option, though you'll still need to have a pro actually apply the new material to your door cards.

Hope that helps, and I agree and hope that more people see this as a good opportunity. Us in the E36 world are BEGGING for someone to step up and provide this as a service for a fair price. Maybe we are all out of our minds?

[Spyke]

Yeah easily was my biggest gripe with the e36 interior, besides slippery, unsupportive and heavy seats. I started doing these for people who just wanted something simple and solid, or racers and guys who had stripped interiors and just wanted to clean up the doors. I did them for my own e36 and e30 and loved having door panels that didn't come off the door frame, break clips, or bubble in the summer. Been doing them by request for other forum members since, about a year and a half now.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5531/9638176273_7c25e6db96_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/fFGb1Z)IMG_7614 (https://flic.kr/p/fFGb1Z) by Spyke e36/e30 (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5481/11608201463_dc2cea1cce_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/iFM4Sx)IMG_8489 (https://flic.kr/p/iFM4Sx) by Spyke e36/e30 (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7317/10919047375_f97e19aa21_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/hCSYnv)IMG_8256 (https://flic.kr/p/hCSYnv) by Spyke e36/e30 (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3721/11232390624_45ee352299_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/i7yWpj)e36 coupe rear delete panels (https://flic.kr/p/i7yWpj) by Spyke e36/e30 (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8191/8359437957_21d5904356_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/dJGiED)e36 sedan panels for airforce7882 (https://flic.kr/p/dJGiED) by Spyke e36/e30 (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5119/13773703914_00f9027a87_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/mZ8QiG)e36 coupe diamond plate door panels_1 (https://flic.kr/p/mZ8QiG) by Spyke e36/e30 (https://www.flickr.com/people//), on Flickr

As you can see there's mild to wild. Plain Black ones looks really nice, and stealthy in most cars. I suppose you could even have these wrapped in leather if you wanted. When I get some more time (the new 2002 project needs to be running on the road) I will be making up a few more new products.

[slocar]

^ I think your next project needs to be figuring out some sort of curved piece that would clip at the top of the door to cover the gap between the top of your piece and bottom of the window ... not saying the panels don't look great as it is, but for a daily, it still looks a little "rough".

[Spyke]

And that's exactly the plan when I find some time. I have a metal bending brake now to do precise bends, been doing so on my floor pans. I just need to make a larger version of the bending brake to do the door panels.

The new design will still be all one piece, and contoured to the top of the door frame. This will help a lot on the e36 coupes, as they have the most difficult door frames by far.

[pDubs]

I still need to get some from you. I've been DD'ing my e36 m with no door cards for about 6 months now. haha.

[fraydar]

what does a set go for roughly? for a sedan front and rear.

[achille]

Sorry if I'm a bit late, having the same problem with my 325i. Seems the factory door cards weren't secured very well. Did you ever get around to making one of the full door ones? If not, how much is it for a sheet of aluminium cut to size for my front doors only?

[pbonsalb]

There is a repair kit to secure the factory door cards if the issue is at the top of the panel along the window ledge. You might find it on eBay. I used it and it works.

[shogun]

E36 Door Panel Repair Kit on Ebay, $ 45, seller fundthatpart

[duncan7]

I just had the window motor and regulator on the driver’s side of my vert replaced this week and the car came back with both map pockets cracked, one of which is now held together with tape. I know this is a thing that happens, which was a lot of my motivation for not doing the job, myself, but it irks me that the shop didn’t mention it. How strongly worded should my note to the manager be?

[jmo69]

It's a 21 year old car, my door panels are held together with Gorilla glue, it's old plastic.

[RBNetEngr]

Seems E36's all eventually suffer from flawed door cards... I do too, and it's next on my fix list.

The local auto upholsterer wants a small fortune to recover them. I can't source any at the local BMW wreckers/breaking yards, and the only ones I can find from a quick search online are racer-boy style ABS plastic panels.

Do aftermarket door cards exist that are aesthetically in line with factory issue?

Depending on what color you need, you can still get E36 door panels and rear side panels, brand new, directly from BMW Classics. I’m willing to spend the money to get them, because my low mileage ‘95 is in otherwise excellent condition.

Unfortunately for me, Dove Gray is not one of the available colors. Black is.

I was considering trying to work with BMW Classics to agree to make a group of panels, and if they did, see if there is interest in the E36 community for them. If they would agree to make Dove Gray panels for a quantity of, say, five or ten sets, would there be interest in the community to buy them?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mr. Bill]

Depending on what color you need, you can still get E36 door panels and rear side panels, brand new, directly from BMW Classics. I’m willing to spend the money to get them, because my low mileage ‘95 is in otherwise excellent condition.

Unfortunately for me, Dove Gray is not one of the available colors. Black is.

I was considering trying to work with BMW Classics to agree to make a group of panels, and if they did, see if there is interest in the E36 community for them. If they would agree to make Dove Gray panels for a quantity of, say, five or ten sets, would there be interest in the community to buy them?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yes.

[Kendog]

Yes. I would be interested in a set for a '97 328is coupe.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Thoragaverung]

Spyke,

Have you, or could you, create door cards that would retain the airbag functionality?

thanks

[Kendog]

Bump. Dove gray

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk